The Rundown Take
Which New Hire Saves The Season? Devin And The Family Pick Garin Justice Over Rhett Lashlee
Spring game suspended, coronavirus spreading, and still no live panel — Devin carried U Talk Live 23 alone again, but the questions were sharp: which of Manny Diaz's three new assistants moves the needle most, what does Manny himself owe the fan base in year two, and can second-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker finally lock down a secondary that bled big plays in 2019. A caller phoned in to back Devin's pick, and the recruiting board added a few new names to watch.
Key Takeaways
- Recruiting buzz: offensive line target Ryan Rodriguez (6-3, 280, Columbus High), three-star speedster Malik Rutherford out of Champagnat Catholic, and five-star wideout Jason Marshall of Miami Palmetto, who is down to a top-seven that includes Alabama, Florida, Clemson and LSU.
- Devin's pick for most impactful new hire: OL coach Garin Justice, tasked with fixing a line that started mostly freshmen in 2019.
- Caller-in agrees with the Justice pick, arguing the offense lives or dies on protecting the quarterback no matter who's calling plays.
- Devin's two asks of Manny Diaz in year two: hold players and coaches accountable for fundamentals (pre-snap penalties, substitution mix-ups) and show real leadership energy after a rough 2019.
- 2019 receiving numbers cited as proof the room is loaded but underused: Mike Harley (38 catches, 485 yards), Dee Wiggins (20 catches, 335 yards) and Will Mallory (16 catches, 293 yards).
The Biggest-Impact Debate
Devin walked through all three new hires — Rhett Lashlee at offensive coordinator, Rob Likens at wide receivers, Garin Justice at offensive line — before landing on Justice, reasoning that no scheme change matters if the line in front of the quarterback can't hold up. A caller backed the same pick almost word for word, arguing that a defense that gets consistent stops still needs an offense that can protect a lead, and that starts up front. Devin credited Lashlee's new spread install with generating real buzz among the players, but kept coming back to the trenches as the swing factor for 2020.
Manny's Accountability Test
Devin didn't dress it up: at times last season Manny Diaz looked like he didn't have a handle on the sideline — pre-snap penalties on money downs, substitution chaos, players not held to standard. His ask for year two boiled down to fundamentals and staff cohesion, while giving Diaz real credit for the offseason coaching hires, especially finally moving on from the old offensive staff and bringing in Lashlee. Devin stopped short of writing Diaz off, calling himself one of the coach's biggest supporters but warning he'll call out another 2019-style season if it repeats.
Blake Baker's Defense, Year Two
On the defensive side, Devin wants to see more varied coverages from Blake Baker and answers at a linebacker spot rebuilding around Zach McCloud, with Sam Brooks — banged up but expected ready — penciled in as his pick to start. Up front, he's counting on a healthier push from Gregory Rousseau, Quincy Roche and Jahfari Harvey, and a breakout year from former five-star John Ford at defensive tackle, even with freshmen like Jordan Miller pushing for reps behind him.