The Rundown Take
90th to Top Ten? U Talk Makes the Case for a Rhett Lashlee Offensive Leap
National Signing Day just wrapped, Miami has a brand-new receivers coach in the building, and the host is doing the math out loud: this offense finished 90th in the country last year, so how far can Rhett Lashlee actually take it? Between welcoming the newest staff hire and grading the final touches on the 2020 class, the panel and a full night of callers dug into every open question on the roster.
Key Takeaways
- Miami welcomes new wide receivers coach Rob Likens, a coaching veteran of Arizona State, Kansas, Louisiana Tech and more — joining new OL coach Gavin Justice and a staff that now has Ed Reed on board as chief of staff.
- Signing Day closes the loop on four-star safety Avante Williams (a former Miami decommit who came back home) and CB Isaiah Dunson, plus transfer addition Keyshawn Smith — pushing the class to 12th nationally.
- Caller Jamal Davis presses the discipline issue: offseason reports of players showing up late and facing no consequences, and a plea for Manny Diaz to hold the room accountable.
- Departures pile up at receiver — KJ Osborne and Jeff Thomas both gone — putting the spotlight on Jeremiah Payton, Mike Harley and Dee Wiggins to step into bigger roles.
- The defensive front looks stacked at end with Chance Williams, Gregory Rousseau and Temple transfer Quincy Roche, but thin at linebacker now that trades and Brandy is off to the draft.
Grading the Full Class
With Avante Williams and Isaiah Dunson locked in and Keyshawn Smith transferring down from Washington State, the host called the 12th-ranked class a real building block — but was quick to note that rankings don't win games by themselves.
"We can't keep on winning the transfer portal championship every year and getting players that want to come down here, and we don't do nothing with the talent. We got to actually come out here and do something with what we get."
Holding the Room Accountable
Jamal Davis's call set the tone for the discipline talk: after a report surfaced detailing guys showing up late to practice and facing no real punishment, the panel wants Manny Diaz to put his foot down this offseason — no favoritism, no bad apples allowed to sink team chemistry. The transfer portal came up in the same breath, with Jared Williams and Scott Patchan both heading out; the read was that some players simply want the job handed to them instead of competing for it.
New Faces, New Roles
Caller Douglas Ferguson walked through the position-by-position needs — offensive line depth, cornerback depth, and questions about whether a line that never ran a spread scheme can adapt fast enough. On offense, KJ Osborne and Jeff Thomas leaving opens real reps at receiver, and the host flagged Jeremiah Payton as his breakout call, with Mike Harley and Dee Wiggins also expected to take a jump. Up front, Nesta Jade Silvera and John Ford anchor the defensive tackle spot while the DE room — Chance Williams, Gregory Rousseau and newly arrived Quincy Roche — looks as deep as it's been in years, even as linebacker and the secondary behind Al Blades and DJ Ivy stay question marks heading into spring.