While it’s easy to get frustrated with the advent of social media or college football message boards and all the harm that wave of technology has brought to the sport—there are some modern-day benefits as well; starting with videos like these.
Where fans used to be limited to morning-after newspaper quotes from a post-game presser, or at best—critics giving their Monday morning take on the big game, via sports talk radio—we’re now in an era where videos of a head coach breaking down film and offering up and in-depth study of a game is easily accessible for those who want it.
The embedded clip below is another 21-minute deep-dive between Miami head coach Manny Diaz and long time voices of the Hurricanes; Don Bailey Jr. and Joe Zagacki. Where the latter two can go full-blown homerism, these in-depth segments aren’t capable of being fluff pieces—as it’s an assessment of the X’s and O’s; what went right, what went wrong—and the why.
Understandably this fan base remains frustrated by two early losses, as well as a close call against the likes of Central Michigan that shouldn’t have happened. All that to say, fans that continue with a micro view of this program and where Diaz is working to take things (especially based on what he inherited)—whereas the first-year head coach continues to operate and lead at a macro level; trying to build a broken Miami program into an eventual contender again.
This video won’t suddenly make 2-2 feel any better—but Diaz’s assessment of what is, what should be and where he wants to take this—as well as his week-in, week-out approach of dealing with the 2019 version of the Hurricanes—it should at least bring some comfort that Miami appears to be in the best hands its been in coaching-wise since the Butch Davis era.
A few standouts from this piece:
When asked about the insertion of players who have been injured or ineligible—Nesta Silvera and Bubba Bolden, as well as others—Diaz explains how both can be immediate-impact, while having an overall positive effect on the defense, all together.
“As we continue to develop our depth and get more guys in the game, everyone can play with more intensity. Why? Because they’re playing fewer snaps,” Diaz explained.
“And that’s really what the best teams have—where you can really turn that knob up to 11, because you know that if you empty your tank—you should come out and there should not be a drop-off, where we can get another guy in.”
On paper, many will say “of course”—but in reality how many fans bitch incessantly about Miami’s “talent” without comprehending the lack of a contender-level two-deep—as well as what that means for starters who are understandable winded late game because a lack of quality, capable back-ups?
Look back at last year’s bowl game against Wisconsin and how sorely the defensive line missed the presence of Gerald Willis in that game? Despite some solid players on that line, Miami was a completely different front seven due to one key guy being sidelined? Silvera is Willis’ replacement and four games into the 2019 season, the sophomore hasn’t played one snap.
Same to be said about Bolden in the secondary—the weakest link in Miami’s defense due to the graduation of Sheldrick Redwine, Jaquan Johnson and Michael Jackson after last season.
If the Canes are that reliant on transfers like Bolden—or even Willis and Jackson were the past few years and Trevon Hill this year—radars should go off in regards to how far UM is off depth-wise—yet some refuse to look at a bigger picture, rattling off names of starters as the reason Miami should be better.
The first 15 minutes is Diaz’s breakdown of all things going into Virginia Tech after the bye week, while the final eight features Diaz and Bailey Jr. going over specific plays over the past four games, with a focus on Miami’s run defense.
Honestly, if you don’t have time for the whole thing, at least make time to watch from the 15:00 mark on. Fans love harping on social media about losses being unacceptable and what not, without a fair assessment of what played out, as well as a slowed down look at every aspect of the play—the good, the bad and the ugly.