Transfer Hindsight

[3rd-43]

Mario’s rigidity and portal timing with the playoff run affected the roster for this season. He didn’t invest the resources to manage / accelerate portal acquisition overlapping with game prep and it showed. Many of us called it out during the postseason.

 

[Go Canes!!]

What this is indicative of is the fact that Mario seems to want to "wean" the program off of using the portal.

I'm not optimistic about the programs future because of this.

For him to look at the roster he had that got him to the natty, and then imagine what he was going to have the next year, and to just be okay with it speaks volumes.

But we know that he realizes the team does have deficiencies. He got a starting QB and WRs. But no Center? No Guards? No LBs?

He's too proud and he's going to become Dabo.

Mario wanting to do all you just said is a fact?

 

[TRick72]

Hindsight is always 20/20. 2026 defense is solid thus far, but has left the fan base wanting. Two guys from the portal who could have made an impact and I wish we had pursued in the portal are Cade Ululae and Koi Perich.

Returning Toure and Smith as veteran LBs, Marcelin and Wiley in the wings, it's no surprise the staff felt solid. That's understandable. But with Smith playing below the hoped-for level of competition and Marcelin out, Ululae would have been a nice get to compete for LB #2 and a potential starting role. Watched him in person in 2025 at Cal. Man was a menace.

Poyser and Fitzgerald make up one of the strongest safety duos in the country. And Dunnigan is playing great as a true freshman. That said, with corners down and having to slide Fitzgerald to corner, Koi would have been a top-tier player to fill the role and push Poyerser and Dunnigan for competition.

Defense wins championships. Stack these two, with Wilson at full potential (eventually) out at DE, and we have a three-level defense that kicks d***s in. What say you?

First-time poster, long-time cane.

JC

Can they play LG??

 

[BeastMode]

What this is indicative of is the fact that Mario seems to want to "wean" the program off of using the portal.

I'm not optimistic about the programs future because of this.

For him to look at the roster he had that got him to the natty, and then imagine what he was going to have the next year, and to just be okay with it speaks volumes.

But we know that he realizes the team does have deficiencies. He got a starting QB and WRs. But no Center? No Guards? No LBs?

He's too proud and he's going to become Dabo.