Once I saw Tyler Van Dyke’s face I knew it was over. He was wincing in pain with every attempted throw on the sideline. I am almost positive I saw him utter the words, “it feels better.” But you knew that wasn’t the case. Van Dyke actually convinced himself and the staff to insert him back in although his arm was obviously dysfunctional. FSU went on to win 45-3.

Jake Garcia isn’t seeing the field well. It must feel like the opposition is playing with 22 guys just on that side of the ball alone. The hesitation is so noticeable. Then you had Jacurri Brown who showed brilliance with his athleticism. However Brown was never intended to take a majority of the reps in the game. Throughout the week it was Van Dyke who built the chemistry with the ones. Not Garcia or Brown.

That is the reason I didn’t feel Josh Gattis should shoulder blame for that loss. He was handcuffed the second his starter went down. His backup QB isn’t playing with the confidence required. And his true freshman quarterback opens up what you can do rushing the ball but he limits what you can do passing the ball. I am not insinuating that Brown cannot throw the football, he can, but you can’t expect an efficient passing attack with him in.

Gattis should be cut a little slack for that game. But again I don’t think it will matter on the whole. Not when it was the third game this season when the offense didn’t score a single touchdown. Extenuating circumstances for one game can be forgiven but the insurmountable evidence this whole season has provided is almost indefensible. The stats aren’t on Josh Gattis side. Neither are points.

There is a civil war brewing in the Gables. You can see the dividing lines. Incoming recruits vs. current roster. The coaches are throwing out lines in post game pressers that send a clear message. There isn’t enough talent on this team.

On the way back up home I listened to the WQAM post game locker room show. The head coach echoed the sentiment that NFL scouts aren’t regularly coming to Miami. There wasn’t this plethora of first round talent falling off palm trees at Miami. Not yet anyways.

When a season goes off the rails it is natural to focus your attention on recruiting. Currently the Miami Hurricanes have a great class who apparently is sticking together. Why? Maybe because they see the opportunity to come in and play. They are being told a narrative. You are the guys to come in and change this. You are the ones who can fix this program.

Former Hurricanes QB D’Eriq King responded to the cyclical tyranny of college football when fans don’t get their way. But let’s not pretend that coaches aren’t selling the track record of fixing it at their last stop as well. Unfortunately the kids on this current roster are the disposable hostages. The kids on this current roster are being told it’s their fault. Perceptually and literally.

Portal rumors are rampant and the realization that Mario Cristobal is going to recruit better talent is quite an opposition force. Then you have the portal which is free agency warfare that kids on the current roster have no defense against. If a current player didn’t perform well enough this season, if they aren’t part of the solution to fix it chances are they will be replaced.

I am not yelling at the sun for being hot. This is the way of the world and how the big business of college football works. But I am sympathetic to the kids on the roster who have given what was required. All the practice, film study and early work. The last staff valued your talents, this one possibly thinks you aren’t good enough.

We have heard the phrase “another man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” But equally it can read “another man’s treasure is another man’s trash.”

I wish the current staff netted this current roster better results. The timing was atrocious. Relationships are all about timing. Gattis won the Brolyes award because his talent at Michigan fit his offensive DNA and personality. It is painfully obvious however he has no idea how to coach this current Hurricane group. They have regressed and are a shell of themselves. They can’t score points.

The loss to FSU didn’t bother me. It was just another black eye in the midst of a season with multiple bad losses. I am just a dog who is numb to being kicked. I walked out of the stadium and my other fellow Hurricane fans seemed numb too. From my vantage point I didn’t witness any animosity. I didn’t see us fighting with Seminole fans like we normally do. Honestly I saw a lot of smiles.

“Hey Rusty, (Scoop) it doesn’t look like anyone cares that we lost. Everyone looks like they expected it and are just used to this shit by now.” He agreed and the reflection of it all was maybe we did. D’Eriq King is right by the way. We would say it again when a new batch of players come in. But let’s not pretend the coaches wouldn’t say it too. This is what happens when you go 4-5.