MIAMI FOOTBALL

Miami Notebook: Thursday, 12-12-24

Transfer-go-round, bowl prep, more . . . 

By MIKE SMITH
Two days after his RedHawks were soundly defeated in the MAC Championship game in Detroit, Miami head coach Chuck Martin met with the media Monday. 
His comments covered several areas, including title game disappointment, transfer portal turmoil and a bowl opportunity. Here are some notes on those -- and related -- topics.

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THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
>> After beating Ohio decisively in October, the Bobcats turned the tables Saturday with a 38-3 win that gave Ohio its first MAC football title since 1968. Miami, which defeated the 'Cats in October, failed in its bid to record back-to-back titles after winning the championship in 2023. 
"I said after the first game (in October), 'We made a really good team look not very good today, and we played really good football.' that day. Martin recalled. He then added, "As I said after the (championship) game, I felt they made a good team look not very good." 
"We knew they were going to come at us, and I hoped our kids were ready for that. Obviously, we were not, because we did not play to that level that we can play at." 
Martin said he was really pleased with the seven-week run that gave MU a berth in the title game. "Getting back to Detroit was awesome. Not winning in Detroit stinks. ... We did not finish the way we wanted."

THE ARIZONA BOWL
>> The loss in Detroit was a particularly bitter pill for a team with so many seniors and experienced contributors to MU's recent success. A bowl game gives those who participate one more chance to play with teammates and take the field as a RedHawk. 
"We're excited about the bowl opportunity. I've heard incredible things about it," Martin said. "We didn't have a very good taste in out mouths about how we played the last game, so the fact that we get to play another game is wonderful."
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>> The late December timing of this year's bowl game is much different. In each of the last two years, MU had a quick turnaround from its last game until leaving for the bowl. However, the Snoop Dog Arizona Bowl is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. (EST) Dec. 28. 
Martin pointed out that gives his players time to:
A. Take care of their final exams, projects this week.
B. Recover some from the physical grind and injuries incurred during the past several months. 
C. Give younger and less experienced players extra practice reps. 
>> Those younger players will likely be needed, especially in certain areas. For example, the secondary took some more injury hits in the championship game. 

TRANSFER PORTAL
>> More personnel losses can be attributed to the transfer portal. Nearly 750 athletes jumped into the portal Monday. Among them were 220 receivers. 
It should not be surprising, then, that several receivers were among the Miami players joining the portal party.

According to on3.com, seven Miami players have joined the transfer portal (as of 12-11-24): WR Caeleb Schlachter, CB Raion Strader, WR Javon Tracy, CB William Hardrick, OT Will Jados, WR Reginald Virgil, S TJ Rush. 
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Suffice it to say, the football staff will be spending considerable time trying to  get effective bowl game play from what's left in the secondary and receiving units. 

BIG TIME TURNOVER
>> To an extent, the RedHawks are now paying the price of success. 
"We're in a tough situation," Martin said. "I thought I was going to have to take a bunch of (portal) kids a year ago, (but) I did not. Although we lost some really good ones, we did not lose as many as I thought we might, so there were a lot of seniors this year." 
With a large graduating class and transfer losses, "The amount of kids we're going to lose this year will be an insane amount. ... You just kind of roll with it." 

TWO-FOLD APPROACH
>> The "fix" is both short and long term. 

On the short term, he said, "We've got to get some transfers to fill some holes - some positions where we don't have enough bodies, let alone the level of player that we're looking for."

On the mid- to long term, "We're going to have to do some really good work developing our own kids. That's why we still take tons of freshmen.
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"We've got 20 freshmen coming in which we're excited about (and) we took 20 in the freshman class a year ago, so we have some young kids that we know about and we think they can come in and step in and take over."

TRANSFER INFLUX -- 105 FACTOR
>> "The bad part about (the portal opening) is you got kids getting in the portal. The good part is that maybe you find another present under the tree," Martin said.

Various programs take a variety of approaches to the transfer portal. Obviously, those with deeper pockets can afford to "shop" for higher-priced talent. Group of Five programs are not going to match Power Five programs when it comes to money/NIL. 

At the same time, mid-majors might tap two sources: 1. Players looking to move up in competition  2. Players looking for playing time/opportunities.

Ironically, the latter group will be impacted  by "105 Fallout." 
Legislative actions -- past, present and even future -- are opening and closing various doors. The NCAA recently mandated a cap on roster sizes, with FBS rosters dropping from around 121 to 105. That's 16 players per Power conference school looking for a new landing spot. In all likelihood. many of those same are in need of playing time. 

"There are kids in the portal today that we've already talked to that are . . . a 105 cap casualties," Martin said Monday (Portal Day 1).

THINK BEFORE YOU JUMP
Martin has had discussions with a number of his own potential transfers - some of which already had "really good offers."  His cousel includes practical advance. "If you have something in place, then I understand it. If you get in with nothing in place, you become part of that black hole. You could end up no place or worse." 

For those who do pull the trigger and transfer, time will tell. Their NIL deals are just part of the picture. Even Lou Groza award winner Graham Nicholson, who transferred to Alabama prior to this season, will be watching the college football playoff from somewhere other than the sideline. Same with Caiden Woullard (former MU offensive lineman) of Oklahoma. 

Martin said multiple factors of varying weights are typically involved in making smart decisions. 

The entire "portal" length is 30 days and consists of two separate periods of 15 days each.  The current fall/winter portal ends Dec. 28 -- the same day as Miami's bowl game. Although a football oversight committee has recommended eliminating the second "spring" portal, it is still in place and scheduled for April 16-April 25.

For fans, it can be a little like watching a merry-go-round -- seeing who gets off and who gets on. For Martin and his staff, there is A LOT of work. Of one thing he is sure  "We're going to have a ton of new faces (in the lineup) next year," Martin said. "We're going to have to do some really good work developing our own kids." 

CLOSING ONE DOOR; OPENING ANOTHER
Bowl game preparation affords extra practice time, giving MU sort of an "early start" on spring drills. Backups and new faces will get a few more opportunites to develop. 

Given transfers, players out while preparing for pro scouts and players getting medical procedures, Miami's bowl game two-deep will necessarily include quite a few less familiar names. 

As for the more familiar names, Martin looks forward to a final gridiron battle.

"Saturday, they were bitterly disappointed in everything, so I know they are really excited about being able to play together again. ... It will be hard to say goodbye to them in Arizona."