- 11 months ago
Our favorite Miami Hurricanes Insider from the "Locked On Canes" Podcast and friend Alex Donno joins the show ahead of Miami vs Florida State. How does the offense look this year compared to last year? How have they gotten better on defense? Donno also gets into the Panthers breaking news... Will the Cats still be qualified for a 3-peat if Barkov is out for season? Will they at least make the Playoffs? We of course end the segment with some silly sauce fun!
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00:27Alex Dono of Locked On Canes and much, much more joining us here.
00:33Dono, how the heck are you, buddy?
00:35Hey, I'm doing good.
00:37Miami's 4-0 and I get to just relax this weekend and watch a bunch of other teams play college football, which is always nice when you can get a little break.
00:44Isn't that a good week off, though?
00:46Because usually you're either paying attention on your phone or looking at the scoreboard in the stadium.
00:53Yeah.
00:53Because in the stadium, do they only show ACC?
00:55They go top 25 ACC, right?
00:59Yeah.
00:59It's hard.
01:00I'm usually in the press box usually, so I'll have the scoreboard page open on my computer.
01:06But I'm obviously missing the actual games because I'm trying to pay attention to Miami and it's tough.
01:13And then I try to watch as many condensed games and highlights as I can.
01:17But it's nice not only for me to get a week off, Leroy, but I think it's a good time for Miami.
01:22I like this bye week.
01:24The one that comes again in two weeks, I don't like that one.
01:27I'd like to have them spread out a little bit, the second one to be a little bit later on in the season.
01:32But I think this one comes at a really good time because Miami's played a couple tough games already, physical games.
01:39Florida State is on the other side of this bye week.
01:42It gives more time for Miami to prepare for the Gus Malzahn offense that looks really good so far at FSU.
01:47So as far as timing for the first bye week, not just for me and my selfish reasons, I think for the entire team, it's pretty good.
01:55If you had to, the way I look at it, there's a couple of things that are really noticeable about this team.
02:04One, the defense was bad because last year, because their star player was hurt and he was playing banged up for most of the year.
02:13And I don't think a lot of people realized, I didn't realize how hurt he was until I saw the beginning of this year, right?
02:20And then realize, oh, he's that guy, right?
02:25But they've added a lot of, you know, power and up front on the defensive line.
02:33Offensively, I don't know if they're better, but all we talked about was all of the lost wide receivers.
02:43And I would say that the receiving core is better, more explosive.
02:50So that's two areas where you didn't know how the season was going to start.
02:56And then they come into this season and you go, wow.
02:59So maybe your quarterback is not a Heisman Trophy winner, okay?
03:05But guess what?
03:06You got a lot of young talent at wide receiver, running back, right?
03:11That seems to be better than what you had last year.
03:17Yeah, I mean, I'll agree with you.
03:19Like, the offense this year, they're not going to put up numbers like Cam Ward did last year.
03:24It's just, it's, that was like a generational thing.
03:26How many points and how many yards they put up last year.
03:29But I think, like, the offense can be better in certain ways.
03:33And I know you know this better than anybody, Leroy, being a former running back.
03:37I think the offense is more balanced this year.
03:40And, you know, the offensive line, which is most of the same personnel from last year.
03:44But, you know, the guys that they had from last year are, you know, a year older and better.
03:49And I think the running game is also has more potential this year when you can add a guy like Marty Brown to it.
03:55And, you know, we've not really even seen Jordan Lyle at some point.
03:59He's going to be back hopefully next week.
04:01Mark Fletcher's been doing an incredible job.
04:03So, I think having a more balanced offense, it helps out your defense a lot.
04:08I think the defense is better anyway.
04:11But when your offense is capable, we've seen it already a couple times this year,
04:15of when you're playing with a lead and you can go on a seven and a half, eight minute long drive
04:20to not only then score points, but to take all that valuable time away from your opponent.
04:25And Miami, for the most part, has been dominant in time of possession so far this year.
04:29That just wasn't that wasn't their identity last year.
04:32And like not not having that last year kind of allowed you to expose your bad defense
04:40to make them look even worse than they were.
04:42Like when Miami was up, we all remember when they were up 21-0 against Syracuse.
04:46And yeah, it was super early in the game when they were up 21-0.
04:50And then the offense just couldn't take enough time away from Syracuse's offense
04:54to hold on to that lead.
04:56So, I think they're less likely to run into situations like that this year.
05:00Can we just have Mario Cristobal?
05:03I mean, Mario Cristobal.
05:05He don't have the coach.
05:07Right?
05:08But can he please come build the offensive defensive line so people know, like,
05:12where you start building a football team?
05:15Yeah.
05:15Can he do that for the Dolphins?
05:17I mean, they want to hire him as a consultant.
05:19I don't know.
05:19Yeah.
05:20I don't know why the Dolphins don't understand that every successful team in NFL was built that way.
05:26Yeah.
05:28And they built it outside in.
05:30Yeah.
05:30The Dolphins built a track team.
05:32And then they're like, oh, yeah, we also need guys to block.
05:34I forgot about that.
05:36But, hey, we got all this speed here.
05:39Donald, Leroy mentioned the wide receiving core, which I think is probably the deepest
05:44we've had since, you know, early 2000s, for sure.
05:48Because I saw, like, a very underwhelming YouTube video the other day that showed me,
05:53like, the top five Hurricanes wide receivers in 2010s.
05:56And God bless them.
05:57They're great players.
05:58But it was like, God bless who ever made a video about that.
06:01Like, that's.
06:03It was like Alan Hearns and Stacey Coley.
06:06And I'm like, you know, they're decent players.
06:08But, like, you know, you look at someone like Malachi Tony or the catches that CJ Daniels has had.
06:14And you're like, wow, these guys are legit.
06:15But one thing I want to ask is we haven't really utilized a weapon that I've kind of been waiting on in Elijah Lofton.
06:21And I know you recently talked with Larry Blustein, who had an interesting take on Mr. Lofton.
06:27Is there is should I be worried about the lack of production or is his breakout game right around the corner?
06:33I mean, I think he already had like I'm not going to call it a breakout game, but just compared to what he'd done in the previous three games,
06:40like he kind of broke out against Florida, you know, and the entire passing game was not that good against the Gators.
06:47But like Lofton had, I think it was four catches for 43 yards.
06:51And at least two or three of those were like big first downs that he, you know, when the offense wasn't doing so well,
06:56that he helped them convert.
06:57So I think I think it's like it's starting to happen.
07:01I have suspected.
07:03And again, I'm only speaking for me.
07:05This is just my opinion watching the first few games.
07:08I kind of wonder if like Lofton has been working his way back from something like a minor injury,
07:14because it just it's a little bit and he's like he's played and he's been blocking well,
07:19but he's been, you know, virtually non-existent in the passing game until last week.
07:23So I hope we're starting to see it.
07:25I think we really need it because, you know, Alex Baumann has not been that great so far.
07:31There were a couple of moments, the other tight end, there were a couple of moments in the Florida game
07:34where it's like, does he know that he's an eligible receiver on that play?
07:39Like he's not looking and the ball just kind of flies over his head.
07:42That was so strange.
07:43Yeah.
07:44He was like blocking.
07:45And I'm like, you're.
07:46Yeah.
07:47What are you doing?
07:48It's so strange.
07:49It's like this one's not a running play, dude.
07:50So, I mean, I'm sure hopefully they can they can fix whatever those miscommunications were about.
07:55But I really think I really think Lofton is a guy who who should play a really important role because Marcos,
08:01it's one of those things where what we've seen on the field for the first for the first four games just doesn't match what I've seen in practice.
08:07Like in the, you know, the limited media media viewing periods, Lofton is like he's always really involved and he's always making plays.
08:14And, you know, usually the guys who make plays in practice do it in games like that.
08:19That's been the case for Malachi Tony.
08:22I mean, Tony was maybe the most consistent receiver in practice, which felt crazy because he just turned 18 like a week ago.
08:29He was 17 years old during fall camp.
08:32It's like this guy's really good.
08:33I mean, another one like Josh Moore, he kind of broke out.
08:37He broke out in the in the South Florida game.
08:39But Josh Moore to me is a guy who like practices consistently better than we've seen through four games.
08:44So I think we'll see like more of him moving forward.
08:47But yeah, as far as like Elijah Lofton, like what the first four games doesn't really match what he does in practice.
08:52So I think the best is probably yet to come there.
08:54If if so, looking forward to next week in that offensive juggernaut, like they they flipped it around ever since, you know, they lost their quarterback.
09:07And, you know, since he left or whatever.
09:09And they found a way to retool and and and find an offense that works if the defensive line doesn't get there from Miami.
09:21How are we feeling about the secondary?
09:24Because we've never they've never been.
09:28Kind of.
09:30Pressured.
09:30They've never been tested to this point.
09:34And that was a big question going into the season.
09:36And I've always said you got a good pass rush.
09:39The secondary don't have to be great.
09:41But there's going to come a time when you play some of those teams that probably throw a lot of different things at you.
09:47And that you're going to have to.
09:51Provide some resistance in the secondary.
09:54How are we feeling about if that is next week?
09:59Yeah, that's a question I don't have a great answer for, but I'll try my best because you characterized it right.
10:04That like four four games in they haven't been like tested so much in the back end that I feel like and look, but the numbers have been great.
10:14Like in terms of the yardage Miami's been giving up and the points they've been giving up.
10:18Like you can say the defense has done an A plus job.
10:21But like you said, so much of it has been the pass rush just setting the tone for the rest of it.
10:26And you're I think you're going to get tested one way or another by Tommy Castellanos because he's obviously he's a he's a threat to run the football.
10:36So Miami is going to want to try to force him to be more of a pocket passer.
10:40He's had a lot of success throwing deep balls.
10:42Like I haven't seen as much of the intermediate stuff from Florida State, but he's hit some deep plays.
10:46And Florida State has some really good receivers.
10:48Like in one of their most dangerous players, Makai Danzi is one of the fastest players in college football.
10:56He's also their leading rusher so far.
10:58So they're going to try to get him involved in the in the running game as well.
11:01And Squirrel White, who'd been injured, but I think he's healthy now and induce Robinson.
11:05So like Florida State has some players that contest Miami's defensive backs downfield now.
11:10But Leroy, to to answer the question as best as I can, I have every reason to feel like the defensive backs are a lot better than they were collectively.
11:18Last year, you know, what one guy who I was thinking about this the other day, I haven't really said his name or heard his name a whole lot because quarterbacks just aren't throwing in his direction is Xavier Lucas.
11:31You know, the transfer cornerback from Wisconsin, there's not throwing at him.
11:35And I would assume he's been really good in coverage is part of the reason why OJ Frederique has done a good job.
11:41I think the safeties have done a good job, especially Jacoby Thomas, who, you know, more so is a hitter and a run stopper.
11:48You know, well, I think he can cover as well, but he's a really good player and run support had a sack last week and Zachariah Poiser has done a pretty good job at safety.
11:58So, I mean, I think the secondary is a lot better than last year.
12:01But, you know, to your point, they haven't just consistently been tested a whole lot because the pass rush has been so dominant that it's just not not been an issue yet.
12:10I got to tell you, that is probably one of the most impressive things is that those two outside guys, you very rarely find two guys like that.
12:21Usually, you know, even in Michigan's case, they had two inside guys, right?
12:26And Graham and Grant, right?
12:29They had two inside guys, not outside guys.
12:33And like, but the way they control the game all over the field.
12:39I've never seen a DN or rush in cover so much ground on the football field built like he is.
12:48That's been the most impressive thing for me.
12:50Yeah, and I spoke with Dalton Wasserman from Pro Football Focus yesterday.
12:57We talked a lot about Reuben Bain and like he reminded me that not only is Bain right now the highest graded player in the entire country by PFF's metrics,
13:08but like his run stopping grades are like as good as his pass rushing grades so far.
13:15So he's a multi-tooled weapon on your defensive line that he also, you know, he can stop runs like a top defensive tackle.
13:22He can rush the passer like a top edge rusher.
13:25So that's something else that stands out about him.
13:27And then, of course, the other guy is Akeem Mesidor, who is like he's having a superb season.
13:34And I think he's the seventh graded pass rusher in the country, which is, you know, out of the entire country, it's pretty darn high.
13:41And it's like if he was playing on any other team where he's not sharing the spotlight with Reuben Bain, he would probably get talked about a lot more than he is.
13:48And for Bain to have a guy like Mesidor on the other side, you can't like exclusively double team Bain all game.
13:54Otherwise, Mesidor is going to hurt you.
13:56So the two of those guys make each other better is like on Sunday.
14:02This is a weird thing for me because he's not necessarily a defensive end and he's a little big to play linebacker.
14:11Like, where do you think like they just make him a linebacker and do a lot of things like they do with Russians now?
14:18Who, Mesidor?
14:19No, Bain.
14:20Bain.
14:20I mean, 6'3", 275, he's like, you know what I mean?
14:27Yeah, you know, it's I haven't I haven't really thought that far ahead with him, but I assume that they expect the team to have a clear idea of how to use him because he's I mean, you know, early in the season, but he keeps showing up like is a top pick or a top three pick and like all the NFL mock drafts.
14:45So, I mean, I think he's I think he's most comfortable playing on the end.
14:49So it probably would end up him getting into the right defensive scheme, I guess.
14:53Right.
14:54All right.
14:54I was just curious because he's he's like he's one of those guys that he's he might be too big, but he plays all over the field.
15:02So he might be too big to play linebacker, too small to play DN.
15:07I think he's definitely too big to play linebacker.
15:09So, I mean, I think we could probably agree on that, but yeah, because he actually he dropped weight from last year, but he's still around 270, 275.
15:18And that was because he admittedly he thought he played too heavy last year around 290 plus.
15:23So he dropped weight to get faster.
15:26OK.
15:27Donna, I know you are the Canes guy, but I would hate if I didn't ask your opinion on the breaking news today at a sunrise.
15:36Oh, no.
15:37Yeah.
15:37Marky awful out for the season.
15:41How will this affect the team?
15:43And do you have any early favorites on who you think the Panthers will pursue in order to attempt to replace their captain?
15:52That to that to the second out of that question.
15:55I have no clue.
15:56But as far as I mean, come on down.
16:00You can make that work.
16:02You can make that work.
16:03But yeah, I mean, just just on the surface, like.
16:06Um, with with a healthy Barkov, obviously, I would consider the Panthers the odds on favorite to three Pete as champs, but he's he's such an important part of that.
16:18Like, I think they're still really good even without Barky, you know, obviously dependent on on who they're able to to acquire, you know, to fill that role with him now reportedly being out for the season Barkov.
16:30But I mean, it's I can't like I can't expect them to three Pete now without Barky.
16:35I think there's still a playoff team.
16:37I think it's still a team that has shown in recent years that they've usually had the fortune of like having their team pretty much not completely, but mostly healthy for the playoff runs.
16:47But still in the regular season, they've been able to grind out big games, even when they've had guys injured in the spring.
16:53So I still think this team is going to make the playoffs and have an opportunity, but it's it's hard for me to say that they're going to they're going to win another Stanley Cup without Barkov.
17:01So I just man, I it's devastating.
17:04It is devastating.
17:05You see that news today.
17:06And I feel bad because I was just talking with some with a friend of mine the other day who loves the Panthers and basically saying that, like, you know, I think he said it, not me.
17:15So he's the mush that like the only the only thing they can get in this team's way is like a badly timed, like critical injury.
17:23And then like the next day, here we are.
17:24So it's awful.
17:26What's his name?
17:27Who said that?
17:28It was actually going to break his legs, Donna.
17:31We need to win it up.
17:32It was it was legs.
17:36I don't I don't I don't want to say because it's, you know, I don't I don't I don't want to I don't want to make public anger go go out to this person.
17:44You're a man of honor.
17:45I almost said it.
17:47I almost said it.
17:47We're going to your friend list.
17:49I don't want to.
17:50Yeah.
17:50Yeah.
17:51You hear that, Roy Bellamy?
17:52No, OK.
17:56Well, Donald, I want to say thank you for joining us.
17:58I feel bad every time.
17:59Donald is a very busy man.
18:01I see him on all platforms.
18:02But every time I'm hosting last second, I'm always like, Donald, can you join us today by any chance?
18:06And I make myself seem like I'm busier than I really am.
18:11That's the whole point.
18:12That's how you got to do it.
18:14That's how you get paid.
18:16Yeah.
18:16If you tell somebody I got nothing to do, they offer you one amount.
18:20If you say, let me see if I can squeeze you in.
18:22They're willing to offer more.
18:24Yeah, like when Marcos texted me, seeing if I could come on today, he prefaced it by saying, like, I know you're super busy.
18:32Like, I didn't want to write back, like, I'm all clear.
18:34So I got like an eight minute window where I'm free.
18:37Like, I made it seem like I was super busy, but not as busy as I seem.
18:41Maybe squeezing you in for a good eight minutes.
18:43Hey, man, it's very nice.
18:46Donald, before we let you go, I want to ask.
18:50I know, you know, you becoming a parent was something that was happened, you know, on air.
18:58We've been following your cycle.
18:59How old is your son now, if I'm not mistaken?
19:02Seven.
19:03Okay, so he may, he's probably still not into this stuff.
19:06But what I like to do every time I host a show is introduce them to new words that the kids are using, slang that the kids are using.
19:13So I want to get your opinion on some of these words here to see if maybe you're familiar with this term.
19:17Are you familiar with the term, get sendy?
19:21I don't think I've heard of that.
19:24Wait, wait, wait.
19:26Look at his face.
19:28He has no loading.
19:30All right.
19:31Like, it was, if he was a computer, it'd be like loading.
19:36You're familiar with shotgunning a beer, correct?
19:40Oh, yeah.
19:40I mean, I used to do it.
19:41Well, that's full send.
19:42That's what they say.
19:43Now, apparently, kids are getting sendy with homework and sandwiches.
19:45And they're doing the same thing, but with sandwiches and inanimate objects.
19:49It's great.
19:50Really?
19:50I got two more for you.
19:52The acronym, this is great.
19:54S-Y-B-A-U.
19:57S-Y-B-A-U.
20:00Figgy has it.
20:01S-Y-B-A-U.
20:02Okay.
20:02If you gave me, like, two hours, I couldn't figure that out.
20:07Well, if a Knolls fan is in your face next week, you just tell them S-Y-B-A-U.
20:12And that stands for shut your bleep bleep up.
20:16So, and if your son is saying that to you, it is not a good thing.
20:20I want you to know that.
20:22Watch it.
20:22I'm out.
20:22That's what he's been saying to me all these years.
20:24That's what he's been saying.
20:26Now, I actually got two more for you.
20:28This right here.
20:28Clock it.
20:29You ever heard of this one?
20:30Clock it?
20:31Maybe.
20:32I don't think.
20:33I'm going to say no.
20:34That one's a maybe, but I'll say no.
20:37Sometimes you're talking Cain's, Dono, and I'm just like, preach, preach.
20:42It's essentially like, you ever been to or seen a poetry slam where they're snapping
20:46after the poem?
20:47You know, it's kind of equivalent to that.
20:49You never heard of, you know, a poetry thing.
20:51They don't clap.
20:52They snap.
20:52Does Dono look like, does Mr. Cain look like he's been going to watch at a jazz place
20:58watching some, listening to some, a poem?
21:02With some wine.
21:03Oh, he's a poet.
21:04With some wine.
21:05My boy's a poet.
21:06He wants to know.
21:06He just told you he shotgunned beers.
21:08I did, yeah.
21:09Yeah.
21:10I got a beer like two weeks ago.
21:11He's a heel teeter, okay.
21:13All right.
21:13Now, this last one here, Dono.
21:15You ever heard of start digging in your butt, twin?
21:20I can't say half.
21:21No, listen, these are things that the kids are saying, so you're going to be hearing
21:25it, Dono.
21:26What's the context for that one?
21:28No context, sir.
21:29No context.
21:30For example, I can use it, and it can be a joke, or I can say the Dolphins really need
21:36to get tougher up front and really get that one-yard conversion, and maybe they need to
21:40start digging in their butt, twin, and potentially it makes sense, but I don't even think it makes
21:44sense then.
21:45I just wanted to see if potentially maybe you're up to date with the latest slang, Dono, but
21:49I'm glad I've been able to bring you up today.
21:52You can use it for your next podcast.
21:54I'm not going to write all these down.
21:56Don't worry.
21:57I did.
21:58I sent you my notes.
21:59Yeah, she took notes.
22:01We're playing a game.
22:02She's taking notes.
22:04Well, Dono, I appreciate you joining us.
22:05You know what you got to do, Jennifer?
22:07You got to give us, say it in Cuban.
22:10Ooh, like a...
22:13That's Spanish.
22:16That's dangerous.
22:17Cuban.
22:18No, it's different.
22:18It's a different kind of Spanish.
22:20Spanish.
22:21Well, thank you, Dono.
22:22I appreciate you joining us.
22:23When we come back, we will tell you who or what is dead to us.
22:27Dono, have a great weekend, buddy.
22:28Thank you so much for having me.
22:29See you all later.
22:30Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:31Take care.
22:32Take care.
22:33Take care.
22:33Take care.
22:34Take care.
22:35Take care.
22:36Take care.
22:37Take care.
22:38Take care.
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