Edge Target Samuel M'Pemba Compares “Business Mindset” at Florida to Miami
With the changing of the guard at the top of the Florida Gators and Miami Hurricanes programs, the two in-state foes have ramped up an old rivalry on the recruiting trail as of late.
Pulling back and forth for local and national talent, Florida and Miami have made it clear that their presence will no longer be desolate during the talent-acquisition aspect of college football.
In the early battles, Miami has held an upper hand by pulling in a big fish on the quarterback market in Pittsburg (Calif.) passer Jaden Rashada. They continued their head-to-head success by earning a pledge from linebacker target Malik Bryant on Wednesday. Florida struck back on Saturday by plucking former Miami wide receiver commit Andy Jean from the Canes' backyard.
As the competition in recruiting becomes a norm in the coming years, recruits with interest from both are starting to decipher the similarities and differences between the schools as they look toward making a commitment decision. One of the Gators and Hurricanes' top edge rushing targets has taken notice of what each school brings differently to the table.
"It really just comes down to relationships between the two," IMG Academy defender Samuel M'Pemba said during the Ascenders media day period on Friday. "Differently, I feel like Miami, you know, it's in Miami. At Florida, you know, you're in Gainesville, it's more like a business mindset and you're in the SEC."
As he has begun to wind down his recruitment, M'Pemba has three schools that stand out to him from the top seven he released in early July. While he refused to tip his hand on which three schools those were, at least one of them is Florida or Miami.
For M'Pemba specifically, each school presents unique drawing factors.
Florida brings the "business mindset" approach, coupled with the fact that they play in the most recognizable conference in college football.
"I mean [from] an education point, you know, they're a top five best program," he said about the appeal for UF. "I'm already in Florida, and they're in the SEC. Coach Napier, he's a really good coach, and they're building.
"I feel like at the University of Florida, there's a lot of opportunity to just change the picture."
The Gators just need the players to do it.
Miami presents much of the same hope for the future, with a more direct appeal to M'Pemba.
"The culture that they're bringing, the people that they got there from the staff point, the class that they're getting," he said. "They feel like they're bringing The U back."
Those people they're bringing in are familiar to M'Pemba. Miami has garnered considerable steam at his school. Mario Cristobal and Co. plucked elite offensive lineman and teammate Francis Mauigoa off the open market to provide them a relentless recruiter within the Ascenders locker room.
More importantly, he helps sharpen M'Pemba's technical skills as an edge rusher after he switched to the position full-time following 2021. That relationship could pay dividends in the long haul as the talented edge nears a decision.
"First, you know, just his size and the way he moves," M'Pemba said about what makes Mauigoa so good. "I mean, specifically being that big, the way he can bend. I feel like for me like a lot of times I can beat a lot of guys with just my athleticism. But, with him you got to be more technical because he's just as athletic as me."
As the two squads continue to throw jabs at one another to acquire talent in and out of the state of Florida, the minuscule details of each operation will continue to be broadcasted to the targets of both programs.
However, with the winds of change promisingly blowing at both historic institutions, the chance to revert the culture to its winning ways is a consistent selling point for high-level talent that has made it elsewhere in recent campaigns.
M'Pemba could very well be one of those pieces who stays put — whether it be in Gainesville or Coral Gables — to kickstart the rebuilding process for one of the illustrious programs.
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