When you think of garbage, think of Akeem.

[grover]

King isn't a superstar like we hoped he'd be. He isn't the next Russell Wilson. He definitely has flaws, and his deep ball, arm strength and progression discipline are all suboptimal.

At the same time, the kid has elite elusiveness. And while he's inconsistent, when he gets hot, he can dismantle defenses. He somewhat reminds me of a streaky basketball player, who is unstoppable when on a streak, but looks only average when he's in a drought.

Again, what impressed me so much about the Pitt game was that even with King having an off game, the outcome was never really in doubt. King is going to have good games. I think it's a good bet he puts 40-50 on Virginia.

 

[5ringshowboutu]

Facts as always but u saying it gives the thumbs up. If I say it without all the high football IQ **** I get bodied.

There's some girls still in here crying lol

 

[Dwinstitles]

Macho (my nickname as well) u talking to fanatics they can't see these things they r fuqin nuts. The same people always fight for every staff it's a pattern....it's the same posters

 

[S.O.M.]

If that makes you sick then watch what Zay Flowers, a local 3-star Fort Lauderdale kid, did to this same Pitt secondary.

Ugh. That did make me sick. But we don't have a QB who can make most of those throws either, so there's that.

 

[S.O.M.]

Still waiting for Payton...keeps falling everywhere it seems like. Still giving him a pass but time is ticking

I think you can stop waiting on Payton by now. Finally had to myself.

 

[1LuvCane]

 

[FrancisSawyer]

1) If King's arm strength just isn't there, it's not gonna improve.
2) The WR's (starting trio) are two juniors and a senior. If they can't catch easy balls, let alone contested ones, at this point, they're not gonna turn it around this season either.
3) I think we've seen the best this OL is gonna do. The talent and specifically depth/experience just is not there. I've been saying that for years now, and until we fix the OL, we're never gonna be elite.

I think the way I phrased my post led to a misunderstanding. When I said the WR would improve I was trying to say that the young kids might get more and more comfortable thus allowing the production at WR to improve. I wasn't referring to the starting trio. They are what they are at this point.

 

[CashMoneyCane]

I think the way I phrased my post led to a misunderstanding. When I said the WR would improve I was trying to say that the young kids might get more and more comfortable thus allowing the production at WR to improve. I wasn't referring to the starting trio. They are what they are at this point.

Yeah I kind of thought that might be what you meant, but the crux of it is, even IF the young guys come on, it still means we only have 3-4 reliable WR's. As far as I'm concerned at this point Harley and Wiggins should be shown the door, and Pope is not far behind.

 

[TheMatador]

Wow! 2-1/2 minutes! How do you do it for so long?

 

[FrancisSawyer]

While I tend to be on your side of this argument the vast majority of the time, I think there are some real, serious glaring issues that can't be justified by any of the above.

-The receivers can't catch, and the starters are all upperclassmen. That's not about limited practice or new guys, that's a PROBLEM.
-We still have tremendous, ridiculously untimely mental miscues. These issues are the hallmark of an undisciplined, unfocused team.
-The personal foul penalties have to stop. Phillips, I'm looking at you. You haven't done enough to earn those. Put up some games like Warren Sapp and you can get as many 15 yarders as you want.

Point being, we looked sloppy against Clemson and Pitt, and the issues are immature and focus-related, which is a direct reflection on the staff. Our starting group on both sides of the ball is collectively veteran enough where this $#!+ shouldn't be happening anymore.

Well said. These things are an indictment of Diaz's ability to be the leader this program needs. I'm not saying this to rip the guy but it's a fact at this point. Can he improve? Yes theoretically he can but is that really a plausible future outcome? I can't see that and IMO this is the most disturbing reality of the Diaz regime. I get being a players coach but Diaz goes too far in being buddy buddy with these kids. They just don't fear him enough. I know the kids like Diaz but do they truly respect him? I can't answer that.

 

[CashMoneyCane]

Well said. These things are an indictment of Diaz's ability to be the leader this program needs. I'm not saying this to rip the guy but it's a fact at this point. Can he improve? Yes theoretically he can but is that really a plausible future outcome? I can't see that and IMO this is the most disturbing reality of the Diaz regime. I get being a players coach but Diaz goes too far in being buddy buddy with these kids. They just don't fear him enough. I know the kids like Diaz but do they truly respect him? I can't answer that.

I disagree that it's an indictment on Diaz at this point. He indicated very strongly from day one that we needed to rebuild the culture. Even the casual observer would have seen that as well. Don't get me wrong -- it looks bad. But 16 games or whatever in, I'm not sold either way. Let guys he recruited as HC become upperclassmen before that question is answered definitively.

I also don't think the players should fear Diaz. The players should fear the players. A strong locker room has always been a hallmark of good Miami teams. That's what Ed Reed is gonna bring. He's going to help the players coach each other, and I'm certain he's going to keep Diaz well in the loop as to how that is going. Moreover, let's get used to winning. That's how you get respect as a coach.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

I disagree that it's an indictment on Diaz at this point. He indicated very strongly from day one that we needed to rebuild the culture. Even the casual observer would have seen that as well. Don't get me wrong -- it looks bad. But 16 games or whatever in, I'm not sold either way. Let guys he recruited as HC become upperclassmen before that question is answered definitively.

I also don't think the players should fear Diaz. The players should fear the players. A strong locker room has always been a hallmark of good Miami teams. That's what Ed Reed is gonna bring. He's going to help the players coach each other, and I'm certain he's going to keep Diaz well in the loop as to how that is going. Moreover, let's get used to winning. That's how you get respect as a coach.

A very reasonable analysis. Well thought out and articulated. The things I most appreciate about your posts is that they are rationally thought out and objective. Both points taken and conceded. Well done.

 

[TheMatador]

I mean u can have Trevor Lawrence as our QB and he would look pedestrian at times our WRs flat out stink. They get no separation and are not big and psychical so ur at a double disadvantage. At least if they were big u can just have them box out or jump ball some passes but then boys trash. Props to Lashlee getting points against a top 10 defense with what he’s got. And I’m not gonna trash king the guy has looked fine. He will improve just need to give him some help out there with the young WRs

We do need some of those psychical types, like you said. I don't care weather their big or small.

 

[canes732]

We do need some of those psychical types, like you said. I don't care weather their big or small.

Like if Njoku didn’t transfer maybe he could’ve been a fade ball guy or something bc at least he was 6’6

 

[Mnhurricane]

I’m more critical of king than most. Love having him here, but he does have limitations and I think the biggest thorns have been locking on to one guy and missing the open man and feeling pressure when it isn’t there yet. Nowhere near dynamic enough with his legs to be such a pedestrian passing qb

 

[ScubaCane]

Southridge usually produces dogs. Unfortunately, Wiggins and Pope didn’t get that memo. As someone who has a lot of friends that went to the Ridge (one who went to play at elite program) and grew up in Gould’s, this has disappointed me to see.

As a Spartan alum, I agree. Scaife, the best Spartan on the team, has been mediocre at best as well

 

[ScubaCane]

I disagree that it's an indictment on Diaz at this point. He indicated very strongly from day one that we needed to rebuild the culture. Even the casual observer would have seen that as well. Don't get me wrong -- it looks bad. But 16 games or whatever in, I'm not sold either way. Let guys he recruited as HC become upperclassmen before that question is answered definitively.

I also don't think the players should fear Diaz. The players should fear the players. A strong locker room has always been a hallmark of good Miami teams. That's what Ed Reed is gonna bring. He's going to help the players coach each other, and I'm certain he's going to keep Diaz well in the loop as to how that is going. Moreover, let's get used to winning. That's how you get respect as a coach.

Diaz is just another in the line of mediocre coaches, been the same since Butch. Bash me, but he is not the guy

 

[Hurracanes]

Diaz is just another in the line of mediocre coaches, been the same since Butch. Bash me, but he is not the guy

Shhhhhh. You can’t say that here, bro. Diaz is elite, bro. Like our Defense, bro.

 

[Confidence1000]

And by "Akeem" I mean UM's starting WR unit.

I was at the game today. My boy X got me tickets, sat with his family. I was told the young WR's would get lots of opportunities today, specifically X. (per Likens mouth)
Didn't see what I hoped for.

This was my first game since the Covid. Pretty awkward experience. I must say, with the current situation I much rather watch it at home. I didn't enjoy being reprimanded by the Hard Rock Mask Enforcement Agency every time I lowered my mask to get a breath of fresh air or a sip of my delicious $19 soft drink. This fvckin' guy in our section was like a got**** gnat!

And man, I know we won but for some reason it didn't feel like that afterwards. Now that I'm back home and just finished giving a petite silicon-breasted Cubanita the best 2.5 minutes of her life...I'm sitting here with a fresh order of extra crispy lemon pepper wangs and a side order of optimism. (or maybe it's just the Cubanita and LP wings that have me feeling this way)




OFFENSE
I'm as frustrated as many of you are, but I'm trying to look at things from a different perspective. Pitt plays a PRESS QUARTERS coverage, which is basically just Cover-0 with the CB's beating up the WR's at the line. We already know how our WR's struggle against 1-on-1 press coverage, so I didn't expect anything from them this game anyway. Even FIU and UAB played press on our WR's. They're THAT bad! When your outside WR's have ZERO SHOT to get open, it severely limits your offense. Let me put it into perspective for yall...

There's 5 eligible WR's on every play, but generally the offense only uses 4 since most of the time the RB stays in for protection.
If I can effectively eliminate 2 of those WR's by "canceling them out" via press-man coverage, that means I can play zone/brackets versus the other 2 WR's with my remaining 5 defenders in the secondary. (which will completely take away the middle of the field)
So for those of you that are wondering why we don't throw to the middle of the field more, it's likely because it's a 5-on-2 matchup within the hashes (in favor of the defense).

Before we give Lashlee too much ****, let's consider those facts. Let's also consider HOW he was able to generate 31 points versus a defense that hasn't given up 31 (in regulation) all season.

*If a defense is going to play press Quarters (aka Cover-0) then the one place you can exploit them is getting your RB involved the passing game via the middle. Lashlee employed this idea for our first TD. The Safeties have no choice but to cover the slot WR's. So if the slot WR's run the Safeties off, your RB will be one-on-one with a LB. Well what's an easy way to get that RB open? Run a fake QB run, pull the Guard to suck the LB's in, then sneak the RB right down the pipe. TOUCHDOWN. Creative call by Lashlee to scheme up a wide-open pass catcher.

*Another way to ***** with press-man coverage (or any match zone coverage) is to run bunch sets and/or have WR's cross as they're stemming their routes off the LOS. This screws with the distribution of coverage responsibilities and can sometimes lead to busts in coverage. We just saw it on Waddle's 90 yard TD in the Bama/Georgia game, and we saw it earlier today on Harley's long TD. The distribution of routes by our WR's caused 2 Pitt DB's to cover the same guy and leave Harley wide open. Again, Lashlee scheming up a wide open WR.

*Earlier in the game we ran a formation that had Cam Harris set-out wide at WR and only Will Mallory in the backfield. When I saw this I said "WTF are we doing? This is obviously a QB run!" I originally thought it was a terrible call because as a DC I KNOW you're not handing the ball to Will Mallory, I'm thinking QB run immediately. Well it got stuffed and I was thoroughly SMH. Well remember how Lashlee ran an unsuccessful play early in the Louisville game, only to come back later and run a wrinkle off that SAME PLAY (that had Rooster running wiiiiiide open for a TD)? Well he did it again today. Lashlee came back to that same formation and this time FAKED the QB run and had Mallory run wide open up the seam.

We don't have the skill or talent to beat anybody one-on-one, so Lashlee is forced to use creativity to scheme guys open. On all 4 of our TD's today, guys were SCHEMED open.

Now, am I happy with everything we do on offense? No. But you have to be objective and look at the circumstances. WE FVCKIN' SUCK ON THE OUTSIDE! And as I mentioned earlier, when you can effectively "cancel out" two WR's, that leaves the offense with a very unfavorable numbers disadvantage. (specifically 5-on-2)

I also might add that being at the game, and having an endzone vantage point, allowed me to see that King does in fact miss wide open WR's at times. Folks, I know we're excited to finally have a decent QB, but he's far from the goods. Other than his occasional scrambles, he ain't exactly doing the offense any favors either. His vertical throws are usually pretty terrible. And the times that we do have WR's open in the middle/intermediate part of the field, he doesn't see them. (starting to wonder if that's a height thing) One could argue that height attributed to his first interception. And his second INT was a phenomenal call by Pitt's DC. That actually is supposed to be the open throw versus press-quarters, but Pitt called a "trap" coverage on that play, figuring that we would throw a route to the sticks. If you watch the CB on that play, he shows man coverage for like the first 5-7 yards and then converts into a Cover-2 zone. He was right there for that route. Great call by their DC.

As far as not being able to run the ball well...
Pitt makes it tough on their opponents. Again, they basically play Cover-0 and their defenders are aggressive towards that box. The only way to loosen them up is to win at WR, and our guys can't do it. Until we get those young guys rollin, or recruit some better talent, Lashlee will have to keep being creative to scheme guys open.



DEFENSE

I've said my part over and over again. Nothing has changed. Same ****, different Saturday.





SIDENOTE: I bought a throwback UM Starter jacket today. 2 Live Crew style baby! Now I just need a gold rope chain if anybody's got one for sale.

Was the Cuban bad & thick wit a fat *** to go with them ****

 

[Confidence1000]

My grandma would get more separation off the line than our starting WR's do. (and she's dead)

We might have one of the worst starting WR units in the ACC.

man y’all ****