Spoke to sources about everything around the team and recruiting. Some quick notes:

- The mood around the team is angry. No excuse-making or rationalization, even though they have a lot of respect for Wake Forest. Everybody knows the second half sucked and they need to get a lot better.

- The best way to describe the OL situation is "fluid." They need to find the best 5, and what we've seen so far isn't it. Based on what Mario said on WQAM, and what I've heard independently, the focus seems to be more on the guards than center or tackle. I would expect to see some different combinations this weekend. I've talked a lot about Ben Congdon and Jackson Cantwell, because they split the first-team RG reps all camp. But one young name to watch is Rhys Woodrow. He already has a ton of responsibility in punt protection and has C/G versatility. Canon Pickett is another guy who can get in the mix with the other three.

The concern with most freshmen (especially the big guys) is they may dominate on two reps and whiff badly on a third. And the that whiff could change the season. With that said, we aren't getting consistency from the older players, and they're only second-year guys themselves. Bottom line- this is a work in progress and I expect to see tinkering until it's playoff caliber.

- They're being extremely tight-lipped about injuries, although I don't sense a ton of concern aside from Marty Brown and Josh Moore. Those two are heartbreakers. Two names Miami wants to see step up in their place: Jordan Lyle and Somourian Wingo.

- Ezekiel Marcelin's injury was ill-timed because we need more at LB. I don't think those two starting spots are set in stone all year.

- In terms of recruiting, Miami is very purposeful in terms of watching senior film and grading their own prospects. Some guys who have really impressed: QB Israel Abrams, RB Ty Keys, WRs Nick Lennear and Eli Woodard, ATH A'mir Sears, DE Jaiden Bryant, DL Josh Johnson, LB Noah Glover and CB Sherrod Gourdine.

- There is no secret that the staff still wants to make another big splash in 2027. Three names stand above the rest: OT Mark Matthews, DE DJ Jacobs and TE Jaxon Dollar. Miami finished second for all three and will continue to push aggressively until the final whistle.

 

How?

We weren’t doing anything compared to Indiana leading up to NC game. Seemed slow on communication and it shows in the major gaps this roster has!!!!
LB and OL in particular

 

We weren’t doing anything compared to Indiana leading up to NC game. Seemed slow on communication and it shows in the major gaps this roster has!!!!
LB and OL in particular

Got it. Didn’t understand what tine period you were referring to. Thx

 

I guess you could say that. He sure the **** hasn't been a strength as the only multi year starter on the line and we've played nothing but interior comp at this point. Let's see how you feel when he goes against people with a pulse...

idk why the obvious can't just be done
LT - Okunlola
LG - Buchanan rotating Congdon
C - Rodriguez
RG - McCoy
RT - Cantwell

From the start of spring to now, they should have just left Cantwell at LT and had Samson and McCoy compete for RT and the loser (Imo would 100% be McCoy) Stays at their LG from last season. That was the most obviously/easy decision of them all imo. Then Cantwell could have 1 position to focus on his development with, and lock in.... Now staff has Cantwell potentially playing 3 diff positions in like 4 months. Bad process...

I couldn’t agree more. Cantwell at LT was impressing literally everyone I talked to that had either an ear or eye close to practice.

I understand they wanted Samson and McCoy to show he could play tackle so they could make tackle money in the league and boost their standing with some recruits they want to flip, such as Mark Matthews.

That being said, sometimes you have to do what’s best for the team and do what gives you the absolute best chance to win.

Another lineup could be:

LT. Pancake
RG. Rodriguez
C. Woodrow
RG. McCoy
RT. Cantwell

2 freshmen on the OL makes me a bit nervous, but if Woodrow snaps the ball better (RR has been shaky at times), I’d take it. And Cantwell is making a lot of money to play tackle. So play him at tackle and he will take his lumps just like Mauignoa did and he will be a much different RT by the time we reach the conference championship game. And RR was a better guard than he was a center, in my opinion, so him and McCoy inside could be the way. I don’t know. We’re all just throwing **** at the wall and seeing what sticks at the end of the day. I will continue to believe the OL savants named Mario and Mirabal will put the correct puzzle pieces together, or at least make it fit the best way possible. Only time will tell. We have until November 7th to get this right, because I’m not even going to pretend to believe that game doesn’t matter to us. It **** well does matter, and I want to beat the living **** out of those pricks. So let’s get to work.

 

Got it. Didn’t understand what tine period you were referring to. Thx

Imo
We should have
Added 2-3 IOL; and or Seaton plus 1 IOL
2 LB - one of the Cal guys and or Ferreli
2 TE - Lofton is not prototypical
We got none of that while shopping late in portal when it was picked over

I would think Mario will have it mapped
Out And Evals are being done constantly so we can offer and move fast as needed as he anticipates another deep playoff run!!!

 

Then after the SMU game we had a players only meeting and everything changed.

Maybe they need another one before it gets to the point of actually blowing games.

No. No players only meeting. Can’t risk having any more injuries right now.

 

Can someone convince me Buchanan played decent? The first drive he was turrible. Like really bad. Can someone convince me he can be capable in 6 weeks?

 

Line looks a lot different when you dont have an All Pro on the OL, when dogs leave you have no one to hide you

 

Everyone wants to bump McCoy inside. While disregarding the fact that he was not good when playing inside. The rationale seems flawed, but go ahead and cook.

This is a very true statement. He struggled inside

 

Then after the SMU game we had a players only meeting and everything changed.

Maybe they need another one before it gets to the point of actually blowing games.

No. No players only meeting. Can’t risk having any more injuries right now.

Well played.