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Transfer Hindsight

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.
 
kyle_schick said:
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.
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Mario wanting to do all you just said is a fact?
 
ColoradoCane2017 said:
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
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Can they play LG??
 
kyle_schick said:
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.
Click to expand...

Jacksonville Jaguars Wtf GIF
 
I find it mind boggling that some on CIS can look at the impact Mensah is having on this team and speculate that Mario is moving away from the portal. Or Barkate, Wilson, Marty Brown, Lucas, Toure, Bonner, Davis, Carter, Hawkes, Poyser, Thorton, Jacobs, O’Connor, our kickers … am I missing anyone?

Does that look like a HC who won’t go out and get talent when he sees it and thinks he needs it? LOL.
 
3rd-43 said:
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.
Click to expand...
They’ll never admit it but this is exactly what happened. They didn’t want to rock the boat and have players checking out so they rightfully focused on winning the Championship.
 
Kinsler got an offer that he couldn’t refuse/ Miami was not over paying.

Same with Seaton. You can overpay & than have Money to sign all Your Running Backs/ And an All Time great Class.

Take your Lumps with Congdon, Cantwell , Joel Irvin, Wilkerson, Buchanon with time they will Mature to Pass Kinsler level.I’m Suprised Wilkerson Hasnt made more of an impact . Wanted to see what he can do at Guard.

Seaton wanted Cartoon money & Was not a Culture fit.
 
ColoradoCane2017 said:
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
Click to expand...
Perich was an afraid of our DB competition. He didn’t see himself as a Nickel or competing with Poyser and Fitz!

Yes hindsight is 20-20. A LB, a TE, a starting OT (McCoy at G) or at least another IOL starter and we would have been talking perfect portal and also THE most expensive roster and all of CFB.
 
3rd-43 said:
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.
Click to expand...
The injuries and OL development better not kill our championship hopes because we are pretty elite across the board except at TE and LB. Both showed progress against CMU but we need to see it against better competition Saturday.
 
You guys are painful sometimes.
You want the best players every year and no "weakness" after having the best season in over 20 years.
Do you not remember what this team was 3 or 4 years ago?
The guy knows what he's doing. There's a thing called roster management and Mario honestly looks to be the best out there.
Let's remember he was the recruiting coordinator for Alabama when they built that monster, built Oregon back, FIU from nothing ,wherever he goes.
So just chill.

Plus you say this after a rash of injuries.
I think the OL will eventually be fine, well inside OL specifically.

How some of you change your perspective so quickly as soon as we do well and aren't thankful for living in this era.
Let the man do his job and believe in recruiting and development.
 
Arehel said:
You guys are painful sometimes.
You want the best players every year and no "weakness" after having the best season in over 20 years.
Do you not remember what this team was 3 or 4 years ago?
The guy knows what he's doing. There's a thing called roster management and Mario honestly looks to be the best out there.
Let's remember he was the recruiting coordinator for Alabama when they built that monster, built Oregon back, FIU from nothing ,wherever he goes.
So just chill.

Plus you say this after a rash of injuries.
I think the OL will eventually be fine, well inside OL specifically.

How some of you change your perspective so quickly as soon as we do well and aren't thankful for living in this era.
Let the man do his job and believe in recruiting and development.
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I’m an unquestionable Mario supporter. He has this program at the pinnacle of something special. We are elite across the board expect IOL, LB, and TE.

It is what it is now. We have enough talent at all of the positions. We did take a risk with going with the young guys at OL. For a championship is on the line. That is where this team is at. But I believe we have found our core now there and I’m excited for Mario and Mirabel to work their magic. Prove to us all that reputation as OL whisperers is real. It’s is unreal to think about how green this line is compared to previous years.
 
kyle_schick said:
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.
Click to expand...
I can see why recent trends would make you think that.
 
Setting aside the obvious ridiculous mindset that this fanbase has let set in…looking around college football, assuming you actually watch other teams, whose roster would you rather have? Every team is flawed now. My guess is, without being myopic, there are MAYBE 2 or 3 progrums and even that is iffy. My boss, as an example, is a huge Texas guy / booster. They’re ranked #1. He’s a coin flip on whether he thinks they could beat us. Point isn’t that we’re better than them, but rather that nobody has a complete team.
 
Orig.CaneSawMassacre said:
I’m an unquestionable Mario supporter. He has this program at the pinnacle of something special. We are elite across the board expect IOL, LB, and TE.

It is what it is now. We have enough talent at all of the positions. We did take a risk with going with the young guys at OL. For a championship is on the line. That is where this team is at. But I believe we have found our core now there and I’m excited for Mario and Mirabel to work their magic. Prove to us all that reputation as OL whisperers is real. It’s is unreal to think about how green this line is compared to previous years.
Click to expand...
Let it play out then.

Imagine they imagine they portaled new IOL and LBs, those positions would be absolutely green next year across the 5, with potentially a Few QB or Nickel there. Both players absolutely NEED a strong run game and OL and a strong defense.
As weird as this sounds, this is a bit of a transition year. He built up the roster for run last year since he got here, while continuing to build depth. Last year happens, two 1st round ends, the whole OL, which were legit recruits of his, not portal players are now gone and this is a reload year not rebuild.

Been a fan since 2004, when I started playing ball (I was 17) and after all the coaches and years Mario seemed like the only one, we've hired, with a plan that was tangible with results and was lasting while seeing continued growth as a coach and evolving with time.

So I say let the man cook, he knows what we're all seeing, he just is practising as he's preaching, he ain't flinching, he's got confidence and he's going at it full speed.
 
cowboycane said:
Setting aside the obvious ridiculous mindset that this fanbase has let set in…looking around college football, assuming you actually watch other teams, whose roster would you rather have? Every team is flawed now. My guess is, without being myopic, there are MAYBE 2 or 3 progrums and even that is iffy. My boss, as an example, is a huge Texas guy / booster. They’re ranked #1. He’s a coin flip on whether he thinks they could beat us. Point isn’t that we’re better than them, but rather that nobody has a complete team.
Click to expand...
I love this roster! I’m saying we are on the cusp of being unstoppable as a program. That is the kind of trajectory Mario has us on..

Is it unrealistic possibly, but he has the opportunity for something very special.

The post was about hindsight. So yes in an ideal world we had picked up another starter at IOL, LB and TE. It’s irrelevant now and I love our position better than any other program.

It doesn’t mean that we can’t say that the season hinges on those decisions.
 
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