Manny Diaz's 'Portal U' Jackpot Is Big Step to Returning Miami to CFB Relevance

As quickly as The U was back, it became an afterthought in 2018. A 7-6 record led to Mark Richt's retirement, and Manny Diaz is the next head coach trying to make Miami a contender again.

For better or worse, he's doing it differently.

Miami is so invested in the transfer portal that if Diaz disappears, we'll have no choice but to believe in time travel.

Since Diaz took over, the Hurricanes have grabbed Tate Martell (Ohio State), Bubba Bolden (USC), K.J. Osborn (Buffalo) and Chigozie Nnoruka (UCLA). They also convinced Jeff Thomas, their leading receiver in 2018, to return instead of head to Illinois.

And so, Portal U was born.

Martell and Bolden were top-60 recruits. Osborn posted 892 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and Nnoruka notched 8.5 tackles for loss in 2017. Osborn and Nnoruka will be immediately eligible, while Bolden should be and Martell is appealing for a waiver.

Those transfers are in addition to Auburn running back Asa Martin and Butler left tackle Tommy Kennedy, who committed to Miami while Richt was still in charge.

Miami has also contacted UCLA's Jaelan Phillips―the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2017 class―who is scheduled to visit.

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports reported there is "mutual interest" between the Canes and Trevon Hill, who amassed 20 tackles for loss at Virginia Tech in three seasons. And at this rate, there's a decent possibility Hill won't be the last target.

That is an objectively impressive group. No school has been more active or successful in the portal this offseason, particularly if either or both Phillips and Hill choose Miami.

But the "why" is equally as important.

Miami isn't in a position to prioritize anything other than the best players available. Mark Richt improved the roster and inarguably left The U in a better place than it was when he arrived, yet that doesn't mean the Canes are in a favorable spot.

The 2019 recruiting cycle is a mess. Leading up to national signing day, the class ranks 34th nationally after the Canes whiffed on several high-priority local targets long thought to be Miami leans.

For the Hurricanes to rejoin the national discussion on an annual basis, signing a handful of premier local prospects is essential. While there's too much competition to land everyone, securing only two of the state's top 25 players is a failure.

But that ship has sailed for this cycle. Miami needs reinforcements now.

Transfers are not the foundation of successful programs, yet they can be immensely valuable. Plucking a few veterans can provide a short-term boost. That's what Miami needs right now.

Since most recruits signed in the early signing period, Diaz's best route to upgrade the roster is through the portal.

No class of 2019 quarterback with interest in Miami is more promising than Martell. No 2019 safety with interest in Miami can benefit the secondary more than Bolden. No 2019 wideout or defensive tackle with interest in Miami is better prepared to stabilize those units in 2019 than Osborn (or Thomas) or Nnoruka.

The Canes could launch scholarship offers all over the country with the specific goal of filling the class. However, if the recipients are fringe-ACC-caliber prospects, the conversion rate―players who become full-time contributors―will be low. Adding bodies for the sake of bodies can harm future classes.

Diaz sees that reality.

"We don't have to be in a situation that we just grab whatever is left on the shelf," he said, per David Lake of 247Sports.

Yes, stars don't define a player; gems can be found. But it's a simple fact that 3-stars and below have significantly lower hit rates. Those are largely "developmental" players―a kind way of saying to not expect contributions for a few years.

Again, Miami cannot afford to wait. And it doesn't need to.

The ACC Coastal is consistently one of the worst Power Five conference divisions. Even while stuck in this perpetual climb toward contention, Miami usually has the highest-rated recruits compared to its Coastal foes. On talent alone, the Canes should be favored to win the division in 2019.

Yet in 14 years, the Canes have one ACC Championship Game appearance.

Mike McCarn/Associated Press

Recruits in this era didn't watch the dominant 2000 to 2003 Miami squads. These kids grew up seeing 7-6 and 9-4 teams and are attracted to the schools competing for national titles.

The obvious way to reshape that perception is to win. They want to see Coastal championships and an ACC title. But if that were so easy, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Spending an offseason scouring the portal does not guarantee success, but transfers are more likely to help Diaz right now.

There are far worse strategies than stockpiling older talent.

If and when the 10-, 11-win seasons return, Miami will be a larger factor in recruiting. That should lead to a decreased reliance on the transfer database. Having a talented player for three or four seasons instead of one or two is clearly preferred.

But that's not going to happen if Diaz neglects the top available talent interested in the program.

For Miami, that means diving headfirst into the portal.