Miami Media Veteran Alex Donno Joins All Hurricanes Team
This is a great time to be invested in the University of Miami football program.
Hurricanes stock hasn’t looked this bullish in years. We’ve been through ups, downs, and more downs over the past 21 seasons.
I was born in 1984, less than a year after the Canes dynasty first began under Howard Schnellenberger. National championship parades were as much of a childhood tradition for me as Saturday morning cartoons and summer afternoons on the slip ‘n slide. Being able to watch players like Michael Irvin, Randal “Thrill” Hill, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Edgerrin James, and Ken Dorsey captivated my imagination and made me a diehard football fan. The “swagger” from Jimmy Johnson’s Canes rubbed off on me in grade school. I used to trash-talk Seminoles fans and Gator fans in the hallways.
“It’s a Canes thing, you just wouldn’t understand!”
Growing up just eight miles south of campus, I managed to pull off grades and SAT scores just good enough (barely, I might add) to attend The U from 2003 to 2007. Not only was it my dream school, it was the only college destination I even considered.
At some point during the Larry Coker era, my era as a student, Miami football started to lose their edge. You can’t really blame any individual coach for the Hurricanes’ fall from grace. From the top down, the Miami administration and athletic department fell behind the SEC powers and the big state schools, who routinely pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into coaches and facilities. The U had been able to dominate on a shoestring budget during their glory days. That no longer works in this era, with college ball feeling more like a pro league than ever before.
Fast forward to 2022. The stars are aligning.
Miami is attempting to compete with the finances and resources of the traditional powerhouses.
The Hurricanes now have the highest paid head coach in the ACC and the highest paid assistant coaching staff in program history. A successful former head coach, Charlie Strong, is coaching the linebackers. Miami’s new offensive coordinator, Josh Gattis, left the same job at Michigan. Miami’s shiny new athletic director, Dan Radakovich, left the same job at Clemson. Alonzo Highsmith, a former high ranking NFL front office exec, left the Seattle Seahawks to become the Canes GM of football operations.
It’s a brave new world in Coral Gables, Florida.
Mario Cristobal hasn’t coached a game yet but the hype and expectations are through the roof. “CMC” is building tons of momentum on the recruiting trail. The Hurricanes are trending for a top 5 class in 2023. Mario was born and raised in the 305 and has touched so many lives in the South Florida community. Anyone who’s ever met Coach has been made to feel like a member of his family. He’s come home to finish what he started at The U as a two-time national championship player.
It’s safe to say I found the perfect time to commit to the University of Miami football beat. Sure, I’m a lifer, but I haven’t been as excited as I am right now in at least five years. Miami had some success under Mark Richt in 2017 when they got off to a 10-0 start, but the house of cards eventually came down. This time around, it feels sustainable. From the office of University President Julio Frenk on down, the University of Miami is fully invested both emotionally and financially in taking football back to the top.
I am invested. I am here.
I’m so pumped to be part of this amazing team at All Hurricanes on Sports Illustrated. We’ll be on every corner of the Canes beat from gameday to recruiting, from the good times to the bad.
Let’s make the Mario Cristobal era the best time Miami has ever had, together.
Go Canes!
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