Welp, that’s it. It’s official. The Hurricanes are not going to be a part of the playoff. I mean, we knew this was coming when chairman Warde Manuel said after the Syracuse loss that there were no new data points left to evaluate (spoiler: there were still data points left to evaluate).
But it’s now done. The Canes are the “next team” out and are headed to the Pop Tarts Bowl. Also previously known as the Champ Sports Bowl, Russell Athletic Bowl, Cheez-It Bowl, etc. Whatever food bowl you want to call it. It’s a rough end to a what should have been the school’s first-ever trip to the playoffs.
I was griping about the snub last week. My gripe has gone down. Once the anger has subsided, I’ve come to remember and accept that it was all right there for the Canes. And instead, a generational offense with one of the greatest players in school history was undermined by a defense that couldn’t stop my dead grandmother over far too much of the season. I’d say last half, but the struggles popped up even before that (hi, Va Tech and Cal).
So now, all eyes are on Mario. Because, after all, this shit can’t happen again in 2024. This unit cannot be NEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYYYY this bad again. There will be no Cam Ward, Jacolby George, or Xavier Restrepo to help pick up the slack. Likely no Elijah Arroyo. There’s little doubt the offense will come back to earth some in 2025.
And so that means the defense is going to have to get much better, and quickly. And the question really begs: where does Mario put most of the blame this year? Is it on the coaching/scheme and therefore on defensive coordinator Lance Guidry? On CB coach Chevis Jackson? Or is it on the talent, or lack thereof, in the secondary?
What Mario does soon will tell the tale on that. If it indeed was coaching, then those guys have got to hit the bricks. Honestly, anyone on that defensive staff shouldn’t feel too good. Not one. There were defensive failures all over the field throughout the year. Miami’s pass rush was on a milk carton for extended periods. No one is safe.
But is that where Mario places the blame? Or was the talent that bad that Guidry and staff did the best with what they had? I don’t know the answer to that with total certainty.
I feel like, in my lay mind, I’ve seen Miami refuse to adapt to failures within the game multiple times. I feel like Miami didn’t do enough to attack Georgia Tech’s read option. That they continued to allow Haynes King and the ground game do the same thing from the same looks. I also feel like – going back to that Duke game – that Miami refused to switch out of man coverage when they were burnt toast for two quarters in it, and thanks to an amazing offense, they were able to prevail.
I’m also honestly worried about the coaching being the case, seeing top-end defensive commits in Gavin Nix and Hylton Stubbs bouncing after the Syracuse loss, with Stubbs having some words on the way out the door.
However, if Mario sticks with Guidry, then that’s a clear message his talent is incredibly lacking, and then he’s going to have to go portal diving to get some short-term fixes for 2025.
We’ll see what Mario does in the coming days and weeks. For now, it’s off to another disappointing bowl game for the umpteenth straight year.