The Rundown Take
Squeaked It Out: U Talk Relitigates Josh Gattis After Miami's Nail-Biter Over Virginia
A Halloween-night win is still a win, but the U Talk panel wasn't in a celebrating mood. Devin opened the people's show admitting he was happier to see young players get snaps than he was about the final score, and the phone lines lit up with a debate that dominated the night: is Josh Gattis actually the problem, or is he working with what he's got?
Key Takeaways
- Devin said the win mattered less to him than seeing depth players get real reps — "I just want to see who's playing hard and who's getting better."
- Caller Mr. Jones spent the back half of the show defending Josh Gattis against the panel, arguing the offensive coordinator can't install a whole new scheme with third- and fourth-string personnel.
- The panel projected roughly 25 transfers out of the program after the season, with Larry Frank naming Jaden Rashada as the quarterback of the future once the dust settles.
- A caller broke down why Kevin Steele isn't blitzing more — thin cornerback play forces the defense to keep extra help over the top.
- Devin reminded everyone to check Halloween candy carefully after a local report of tampered treats, before diving back into football.
The Gattis Debate
Mr. Jones called in ready to go to bat for the offensive coordinator, arguing that with a patchwork offensive line and inexperienced receivers, "I put an install in — all 11 players got to do their job to make a play work." He pushed back hard when a caller pointed out Gattis dialed a designed quarterback run for a limited-mobility Tyler Van Dyke in a Texas A&M red-zone trip instead of using backup Thad Franklin. Devin countered that the same red-zone play-calling issues had been flagged all season and that this past week's performance should have been confirmation, not a surprise. The debate stretched into whether Miami should have kept Gattis's predecessor at all, with one caller invoking how Manny Diaz swapped Rhema Enos for Cade Lashlee and saw the offense improve — asking why Cristobal couldn't do the same with his own staff.
Who's Actually Available
With Tyler Van Dyke banged up, the quarterback conversation turned to depth: Jake Garcia getting extended run, hopes for a heavier dose of Jacurri Brown given his legs, and speculation about incoming five-star Jaden Rashada eventually taking the job outright. On defense, the corner room got singled out as the thinnest spot on the roster, with Larry Frank flatly stating "we have no corners" heading into the stretch run — part of why the pass rush has stayed conservative even against teams that should be pressured.
"You gotta understand something — when you're the head man, all the stuff's gonna fall on you, whether it be the coaches or the players."
Building Toward Next Year
Beneath the frustration, the show carried real optimism about the 2023 class staying loyal through a rough season, and about the program's continued pull for transfer-portal defensive backs even in a down year. Larry Frank closed out reminding everyone the Hurricane Bash is almost here — no formal wear required, just Miami gear and a good time at the Crystal Banquet Hall — before the panel turned its attention to Friday's showdown with Florida State, the one game on the schedule nobody on the show is willing to write off.