Michigan's Sign-Stealing Scandal | Miami Hurricanes News and Discussion
Wanted to have a forum where topics about Miami Hurricanes football could be plainly discussed. Just like a couple of football fans talking about the next Hurricanes matchup that upcoming weekend, what’s been happening in recruiting, like the 2024 commitments, and so on and so forth.
To that point, feel free to inbox @AllHurricanes on Twitter with questions. Same with hitting up @AlexDonno and his Twitter account. Either way, questions can be answered right here.
It would be great to start a question and answer session that can be placed within this running document, at least one time per week.
Moving forward, there also will be small updates about what has been happening with the Canes, as well as Miami athletics in general – coaching changes come to mind – that Miami fans find interesting.
Additionally, there will be some big box college football discussion about where recruits have been committing, recruiting rankings and how other schools have fared compared to Miami, ACC football, Florida high school football – and especially the playoffs – will be a prime topic, college football conference realignment, the College Football Playoff, the Transfer Portal, college football rankings, television contracts, among many topics.
October 24
Wanted to address all college football fans, regardless of the team he or she follows, with today’s post. Whether a Miami Hurricanes fan or otherwise, this topic has been everywhere the past few days anyway.
I’ve followed virtually every major college football program throughout my lifetime as a fan, as well as covering several of them as a member of the media. That being the case, the current Michigan Wolverines sign-stealing dilemma is funny from multiple points.
First, college football is chock-full of cheaters. In recruiting, it’s a flat-out joke, just as one example. Prospects receiving a cool 100K for signing a letter of intent, that’s been commonplace for years. However, we are talking about sign-stealing today, so here goes.
“If” Jim Harbaugh knew about Michigan using any form of advanced scouting that included stealing signs, I believe he should be suspended. That’s calculated and it's underhanded. There’s the other side of this as well, and it’s similar to the original point about recruiting.
Does anyone truly believe Harbaugh, or at least someone on the Wolverines staff, would be the only individual(s) doing this? Let’s not act like this is a one-off.
College football is dirty. Very dirty. Call Harbaugh and Michigan whatever you like, but when your school does something illegal – and it’s all but certain that it does – sit there and take it. Not a peep.
Sure, Harbaugh’s blunt and brash personality turns people off. That’s been fair before and it’s still that way today. That doesn’t mean that fans of other schools should complain about the University of Michigan not being allowed in the playoffs, coaching suspensions, or anything else similar.
People often side with what they like instead of facts, however. It’s been that way throughout my lifetime. That’s for sure. It’s just that Harbaugh (or at least someone at Michigan, allegedly) is not even remotely the only one doing this. That’s still the biggest take that I wanted to share. One final point.
The NCAA has proven to be about as straight and narrow as a winding road. Projecting what it will do to Harbaugh or the Michigan football program itself is anyone’s guess. Some fans will be happy and some will continue to complain about Michigan cheating. I’m just laughing because the number of cheating scandals that those of us in the recruiting media hear about every week is commonplace.
In the end, it’s still not like Michigan is all that different from many other schools. Cheating is constant in college football. Michigan’s supposed crime was more about doing it poorly to the point that it’s been brought to light, at least from my vantage point.
October 22
Recruiting can be wild and in multiple ways. Today is a good example of that.
With the 2025 Miami recruiting class, it was expected that Miami commitment Armondo Blount would be a part of that recruiting class. Well, that's changing.
Obviously this situation is fluid when one looks at the totality of the above tweet. Florida State is not going to give up on Blount even if he's committed to the Canes.
Further, there's a long way to go with Blount's recruitment. Even if he did flip to FSU, does anyone truly believe that Blount will suddenly not receive calls from Mario Cristobal and his Canes coaching staff?
After Miami's big win over Clemson, there's certainly no time to rest. The Hurricanes are trying to get back into ACC contention off the field, and keep a big-time 5-star recruit off the field.
Look for a podcast from myself and Alex Donno during the next day or two. We are going to break down some Miami recruiting news, Blount's recruiting situation included.
October 16
Handling adversity. Some college football teams do it well and others do not. How the Miami Hurricanes handle that adversity versus the Clemson Tigers is going to be a deciding factor for the rest of the 2023 season. It's time for Miami to win a big ACC game after the way it saw its lead evaporate versus North Carolina, and there's the home field factor as well. Let's set the scene first and then get into Miami's home woes.
The Hurricanes are in a difficult position. Sitting at 4-2 overall and 0-2 in the ACC, the Canes host the Tigers this upcoming Saturday, Oct. 21. Clemson sits at 4-2, and 2-2 in the ACC, respectively.
One way or another, the Canes must win this Saturday. The program needs a shot in the arm and defeating the Tigers would do exactly that. It's been hard to explain Miami's home losing streak though.
Consider the following facts. Since Mario Cristobal took over in Coral Gables, Miami is 0-5 in home ACC games. If Miami loses to Clemson, that pushes that total to 0-6 at home versus its own conference members, plus Miami's 2023 conference record would be 0-3 in the ACC overall.
If that's not a sign that the game this weekend is a must win, it's hard to define what would be. Of course, just knocking off the Clemson Tigers is not an easy task, albeit this may not be a traditional Clemson team either.
The Tigers come to Hard Rock Stadium as a team that's been up and down. After the disastrous start to the 2023 season by losing at Duke (28-7) and later losing to Florida State at home (31-24 in overtime), Clemson barely beat a porous Wake Forest team (17-12) during its last game before a bye week.
In short, this is a beatable Clemson team and it does not take a squad with Miami's talent to knock them off. No offense to Wake Forest, but Miami has far more talent on its roster and should be able to score more than 12 points.
Yes, Clemson is definitely a football team that Miami can beat. It's at home, too. Miami must turn that script around and start winning ACC home contests. There's that feeling of getting the monkey off Miami's back with the ACC home losing streak, as well as the two prior games of Georgia Tech and North Carolina being losses. Now, here are two things to expect, and one question.
Miami's players will come out firing. They will be ready for redemption and be full of energy. The Hurricanes are still playing a Clemson team that's known for it resolve under head coach Dabo Swinney, historically speaking. It's probably going to make at least some big plays as well.
That team has plenty of talent just like Miami. For instance, running back Will Shipley is No. 7 in the ACC with 450 rushing yards, only two yards behind Miami’s Henry Parrish, Jr. for No. 6. Shipley is going to rip off a 20-yard run or make a play with a kickoff return, etc.
He’s the main cog for the Tigers and will obviously be a focal point for their offensive efforts versus the Hurricanes. Now for the question.
How do Miami players – and the Canes coaches – handle big plays by Shipley? By one of Shipley's Clemson teammates?
Miami had one of its worst third quarters in recent memory versus North Carolina. Up 17-14 to start the second half, the Canes saw a 21-0 third quarter bludgeoning by the Tar Heels in which Miami continuously shot itself in the foot with turnovers and mistakes.
Honestly, Miami's failure to stem the tide of emotion by UNC and its fans did itself in. There needs to be a flip in the order of the team playing with high energy and confidence no matter the score.
More specifically, Miami must be able to immediately rebound and make a play of its own, as well as obviously not giving away the football, to defeat Clemson. The time is now.
This must-win game against Clemson comes down to handling adversity and making the big plays to end these dreadful streaks. Miami must be able to do it much better than it did versus North Carolina.
October 12
Honestly, I did not think for a moment that the ACC would make much, if any, comments about the horrible fumble call from this past weekend. Boy, was I ever wrong.
With the fumble that wasn’t ruling during the Georgia Tech at Miami game, the ACC actually doubled down.
Why is the ACC covering for its officials? Instead of coming out and making the right announcement, the ACC did the opposite. It’s clear that Miami running back Don Chaney, Jr. was down. The awful talking points from Alberto Riveron was a sad effort.
As All Hurricanes own Alex Donno wrote in his own article, quoting Riveron:
No visual evidence? Need glasses, and/or just do not want a specific type of commentary coming from the obvious missed call?
The answer is the latter, obviously. Unfortunately, college football has a huge officiating problem. That’s just the way it is when there are several angles that definitively dispute what Riveron stated. Here’s a video for everyone to see, if they did not already or just want another view:
I’m not saying I have the perfect answer to fix this situation. Far from it. There must be more accountability than what Riveron and the ACC offer with ridiculous statements. That being the case, Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes now have another football game to play, and it's a big one.
Miami must turn the page, and do so versus North Carolina. A couple of quick thoughts regarding the loss to GT and how that impacts this Saturday night’s contest.
Look for the Canes to use the entire situation – Miami’s own mistake for not taking a knee and the ACC’s awful statement – as a way to help galvanize their efforts versus North Carolina.
Everyone is seemingly discounting that Miami is still a good football team. Yeah, the Canes absolutely botched the ending to the GT contest. Not debated. That’s one game though.
It does not mean the Hurricanes are completely done, and I believe they are far from it. Now the Miami players should come out fired up versus the Tar Heels. It’s a chance to show the entire college football world that Miami is not going anywhere. One last point.
Even with one loss, the Hurricanes are still in the thick of the ACC title race as well. There’s no reason to believe that this roster is not on par or better than any other roster in the league, Florida State or Clemson included. Time to go out and prove it.
The path will be hard, but Miami’s window to sulk over the loss is over. Time to hit UNC in the mouth and start anew.
October 5
The Miami Hurricanes recruiting list will be tremendous this week. Along with fellow All Hurricanes contributor Alex Donno, I went into some detail about how big a weekend this will be for Mario Cristobal and the Hurricanes.
Obviously there's Jeremiah Smith, but the list is deep across 2024, 2025 and 2026. With that in mind, some quick advice for Miami fans. Patience. Heeps of it!
The 2024 prospects that did not yet commit, or, the committed prospects that are still taking visits, each category has several recruits that will probably make National Signing Day final decisions. Smith should be one of those recruits, by the way.
With that in mind, Miami is one of the hottest teams in recruiting of late, going by the sheer volume of recruits heading to see the Canes on game day. That's a tremendous sign. A little prediction about that, too.
Maybe it's just me, but I like where things are trending for Miami with 2026 American Heritage quarterback Dia Bell. He's a great young man to be around, for starters. As a player, he is already starting to show that he understands how to control, and and the height and arm are developing in the right direction as well.
Like Bell, there are several big-time 2025 prospects that will be on campus this weekend. The one I am most curious about, as it relates to Miami, is Tampa (Fla.) Tech wide receiver Dallas Wilson. He's an elite recruit. Not sure where things stand there, but hard to find 6-foot-3 and 195-pound receivers with his all-around skills. Now a couple of thoughts about this weekend's college football slate.
It usually is anyway, but I think the Texas versus Oklahoma game will be tremendous. I like the 'Horns in a close game, but would not rule out the Sooners here.
On a similar note, with how bad LSU's pass defense is (and overall honestly), do not be alarmed by any scores you see coming out of Columbia, Mo. That game could be a total shootout!
I'm also struggling with figuring out how the Kentucky at Georgia game will go. UGA is not coming out red hot in games, and UK just obliterated Florida. Will the Dawgs wake up?
Finally, the more and more I dig into the Miami versus Georgia Tech game, there really is no reason for Miami not to win by double digits other than not taking the Yellow Jackets seriously. As consistently brought up on this site, GT can absolutely throw the ball and score. It's awful on defense though.
Miami needs to show up and show out. The rest will take care of itself.
September 26
During an off week, there are many behind the scenes scenarios that play out. I just wanted to take a few moments to discuss how many college football programs handle an off week, typically speaking. There are four areas to discuss, including practice, injuries, recruiting, and media.
First up, practice can go many different directions. For a team that's struggling, there might be more hitting, and yes, more risk with injuries, because a team is just not getting the job done. With Miami being the #18 team in the Associated Press Poll and also being undefeated at 4-0, it's doubtful that Mario Cristobal is going to push too much in practice.
Sure, some hitting will take place. More importantly, not adding to an already concerning injury list. That's the second point to go into.
With Kamren Kinchens, Akheem Mesidor, Branson Deen and other Miami players being banged up, this is a big week to figure out the realistic return date for each player, if it's possible at all this season.
Take note, what Cristobal states this next Monday will be key. He's extremely guarded about injuries. I get that. If he does not talk about any of the above players coming back soon, that's not a good sign in my opinion.
Cristobal likes to promote his players as much as possible. He will be happy to see them back and full-go. Again, keep an eye on next Monday's press conference. Now time to talk recruiting.
There's buzz around Armondo Blount and all the recruiting success that Miami is having. There should be. The Canes are doing an excellent job of covering South Florida and finding top talent overall. This week is vital for that trend to continue.
I'm quite curious to see where Miami assistant coaches head this coming Friday to check out games. Expect to see Hurricanes coaches scattering across the Sunshine State and also to see out of state Miami commitments play this Friday. Finally, did you notice the Miami football X handle?
It's pumping out a lot of recruiting information. This is the era we're in, where recruits receive "edits" from the Canes, like and repost them, continuing to keep the Canes in the news as much as humanly possible. It's a part of a calculation of when and where to promote the Miami football program.
Different graphics and videos are being sent out and the recruits love it, from everything I am currently gathering! If that's what brings in the talent, Miami should continue to roll with it. It's interesting to scroll through all of it and check it out.
September 19
Looking at the Associated Press Poll and the all but limitless opinions of sports writers, columnists, and college football fans across the world, this is the craziest the sport has been since 1990.
To that point, too many people are just filling in the usual suspects within their top 10 lists. It's ridiculous. How come teams, such as the Miami Hurricanes, are not getting more love?
Looking at the top 10 of the AP Poll, plus Miami and one other school, there's reason to believe that the Canes are being slept on.
#1 Georgia: Two-time defending champs. That's a fact. It’s also a fact that the Dawgs were looking up at a 14-3 halftime deficit to South Carlina, at home, this past Saturday. Georgia could still win it all, but this is no place near the team it was the past several years.
A recurring theme starts here with UGA as well. Quarterback Carson Beck does not look ready for prime time. The pass rush is not quite where it needs to be either. I still would not want to be UGA's next opponent after almost losing to South Carolina though.
#2 Michigan: This is my preseason pick to win it all. Balance between the offense and defense, a veteran quarterback in JJ McCarthy, and a coaching staff that seemingly always has quality defenses.
While the Wolverines appear to be good, they did sleepwalk through their last game by beating Bowling Green 31-6. McCarthy was picked off three times! Michigan will not be hard pressed versus many top teams this year (weak schedule). A trip to Penn State (Nov. 11) might be the first test, and I am not kidding.
#3 Texas: Do you trust Quinn Ewers for 12 games? I do not, but he's growing on me after that Alabama contest. No doubt about that. It’s just that Texas always seems to come up short when one least expects it. Ewers could prove me, and many other folks, wrong.
That being the case, the Longhorns were tied at 10 with Wyoming, in the fourth quarter, before winning 31-10. There’s sleepwalking and then there’s that. Whatever that game was. Need to see more consistency from the Horns.
#4 Florida State: Quite possibly could be 2-1 after a horrible second half at Boston College. The 31-29 win might serve as a motivator. Or, it could be a flat out sign that this FSU team is not locked in.
With a trip to Death Valley to play Clemson this next Saturday, everyone will know soon enough. There’s a ton of talent for the Noles, but 31-29 versus BC is just weird.
#5 Southern California: No doubt, Caleb Williams is all but superhuman. He does not make tackles, however. With the Trojans not playing a big game until a trip to South Bend to play the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (Oct. 14), this is arguably the hardest team to project.
Can the Trojans play defense – versus a quality opponent – and not rely on Williams to bail them out of trouble? If yes, okay, the Trojans can reach the College Football Playoff. Still need to prove the defense is legit.
#6 Ohio State: New quarterback Kyle McCord is slowly finding his groove. He’s erratic at times, but also throws some really beautiful passes. He’d better be ready for primetime with a trip to play the Irish this Saturday.
The Buckeyes look pretty good on defense. If they can slow down the Irish passing attack, led by quarterback Sam Hartman, it’s a sign that the Buckeyes are on the rise again. It’s just that OSU has these moments where they do not look like there’s much cohesiveness. Still, probably too low at #6 right now.
#7 Penn State: There’s reason to believe that 5-star quarterback Drew Allar is going to be the man for the Nittany Lions. Ready now, however?
He’s playing well to date, and cornerback Kalen King is one of the nation’s top defenders. One could argue that PSU is playing the best of any of the top 10 teams right now. The Nittany Lions did not play anyone yet though.
#8 Washington: Speaking of playing well. This is my vote for the best team – solely on merit – from the first three weeks of the college football season.
How good is the Washington passing game? Holy smokes! Quarterback Michael Penix, Jr. is a deep-ball throwing machine! Need to see more from the defense of the Huskies, but the offensive firepower is exciting to watch. This is the team I would place at No. 1 right now.
#9 Notre Dame: The Irish squashed North Carolina State on the road, 45-24. Pretty good. NC ST does not possess the playmakers on offense to compete at a high level though.
Hartman is a dude. Must give him that with his 13 touchdowns and no interceptions. Does not hurt that Audric Estime is leading the country in rushing either. That's 230-plus-pounds coming downhill.
Can the Irish rush defense hold up though? There’s not a NFL-ready defensive lineman (there will be from some reserves) that’s starting right now. That could spell doom versus Ohio State.
#10 Oregon: Texas Tech gave the quack attack a scare by only losing 38-30. Oregon won its clunker. The Ducks will likely crush Deion Sanders and Colorado; especially with Travis Hunter out of the lineup.
From a talent perspective, no big-time matchup is taking place until Oregon plays at Washington (Oct. 14). Over-under on that game, 75? 80? That might be college football’s most entertaining game of 2023.
#20 Miami: It should be higher. I get that the Hurricanes are coming off a 5-7 campaign. I look at merit, however. Miami hammered its three opponents. That’s the bottom line.
Now, can the Hurricanes stay focused versus Temple, then a bye week, before hosting Georgia Tech? The Yellow Jackets could be a sleepy game for Miami. That’s not good. Miami must prove it can play with focus, handling praise along the way, and still be dominant. Just going off how it's playing, the Canes are better than some of the top 10 teams though.
With Tyler Van Dyke and that offense, the Canes can score quickly though. Perhaps Miami just bombs GT?
#12 LSU: Everyone is seemingly forgetting about the Tigers after the loss to Florida State. While a deserving drop in the polls is fine, do not discount this team completely. With Jayden Daniels at quarterback, that’s not really a good idea.
There’s still quite a bit of talent on defense despite the secondary not being up to LSU standards. Do not be surprised when LSU is in the SEC Title Game. The SEC is down, and in particular, Alabama is down.
September 12
The Texas A&M game was a chance for the Miami Hurricanes to bring in numerous recruits from across the state of Florida and beyond. Based on what I've seen and heard, there will be two main points about the game between the Canes and Aggies, as it related to recruiting.
One, there were a bunch of prospects that truly had a great time. After discussing that point, discussion about how important this game was not only for gaining 2024 commitments, but 2025 and 2026 prospects as well.
Just to name a few of the recruits that were in attendance, big-time talents like defensive lineman LJ McCray (article photo is of McCray) and cornerback Zavier Mincey came from Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland.
For me, it’s not about the names and the stars, at least for this specific scenario. As I was taking photos of the Canes during warm ups, it was far more important to me that several of the top recruits were truly locked in to watching the lineman drills (yes, McCray being one of them).
That was a theme. It’s generally not been really hard to tell when recruits go to games for fun as compared to prospects truly interested in what’s going on. The latter tend to be the ones that sign with those schools.
There were a bunch of prospects that were engaged with what was happening. That’s not always the case whether it’s at Miami or any other school, based on the past 20-plus years.
That means this staff has done a good job of not only gaining the attention of recruits, but also connecting with them. There was a vested interest to see what’s going on.
I lost track of how many recruits were having fun talking to a coach like Jason Taylor (Canes commitment Marquise Lightfoot being one) or being right next to a pregame drill. Those examples caught my attention. Most games, that’s just not the case, at least for many of the prep players watching.
Recruits walk around and play on their phones and talk with other recruits, just as much as they pay attention to warm ups. Now, onto the second point.
The Hurricanes picked up the commitment of 2025 wide receiver Waden Charles after the game. That’s a big-time pickup. As I’ve already noted on Alex Donno’s Locked On Canes podcast and within articles here at All Hurricanes, 2025 recruiting would start taking off in August and especially in September. Charles was just the tip of the iceburg.
Now into the month of September, recruiting 2025 prospects has gone into hyperdrive. Mario Cristobal and the Miami staff have done an incredible job of getting top 2025 talents to Coral Gables for visits, as well as to Hard Rock Stadium for home contests. Here's an example of getting the job done.
Canes fans will be hearing the name Armondo Blount frequently as he’s already been denoted one of the nation’s top 10 2025 prospects. The Canes have seen a lot of success recruiting Miami (Fla.) Central over the years, and that’s where Blount has been playing and dominating.
He was at Hard Rock for the A&M game and has been in consistent contact with UM's staff. Expect Miami to be a major factor in Blount's recruitment. Miami has several other 2025, and even 2026, prospects at Hard Rock.
The Miami coaching staff has been just incredible at being balanced with the underclassmen recruiting efforts. That’s a pet peeve I’ve held for a long time, as many other college football staffs have been flat out lazy (some at UM, too) when it comes to recruiting underclassmen.
With that, do not be surprised when a few more underclassmen prospects pledge to the Canes this fall. I expect that based on the tireless effort the Miami staff has put into recruiting.
Overall, the A&M game was a great experience for recruits and it needed to be brought up. Hurricanes fans should be excited about the future of the program based on the 48-33 win, as well as how their Canes have been recruiting.
September 8
Beyond the Miami vs Texas A&M staff predictions, here are a few final scores for more of this Saturday's college football's games. It's a pretty good weekend of matchups, so make sure to enjoy as many of them as possible. The following three contests should impact the race to make the College Football Playoff:
Texas at Alabama
The Longhorns possess the talent, but do they also know how to win big games? Inside of Bryant-Denny Stadium, the Horns gain their opportunity. Look for Texas to be able to match size and speed with Bama, especially the wide receivers for the Longhorns. Xavier Worthy and Jordan Whittington will be a thorn in the side of the Crimson Tide. There’s still Bama’s Jalen Milroe to overcome and he’s going to prove to be Nick Saban’s best option – with his arm and his legs – versus a really talented Texas defense. The Horns need to clean up their offensive pass protection after allowing three sacks to Rice. That’s going to be the difference as Bama gets to Texas signal caller Quinn Ewers five times. The Tide rolls on.
Alabama 34 Texas 24
Utah at Baylor
After the Utes absolutely smashed the Florida Gators, there will probably be a bit of a letdown? Not necessarily. The Utah coaching staff has a great track record of keeping their squads even keel. Obviously the Bears have some issues after losing to Texas State, but Dave Aranda and his staff also possess a track record of turning things around. The 2021 Big 12 title is proof. This should be a great game. It will come down to the wire, and the Utes get a last-second field goal to win.
Utah 27 Baylor 24
Notre Dame at North Carolina State
The difference a big-time quarterback makes will be on display in Raleigh, N.C. with Sam Hartman leading the Irish. Notre Dame has a budding wide receiver corps, talented tight ends, a bevy of running backs, and one of the tackle combinations in the country with Joe Alt and Blake Fisher, for Hartman to work with. Those weapons will be too much for NC ST. The Wolfpack has a good defense, but that’s not the issue. Finding a way to score against the Irish passing defense will be problematic on the other side of the ball, and that’s going to allow the ND defense to press the line of scrimmage and suffocate the Wolfpack rushing attack. Look for a couple of turnovers to be a result and short fields for Hartman to operate with. The Irish win going away.
Notre Dame 34 North Carolina State 17
August 25
Ever wonder about the Jugs machines that are sometimes on camera from a college football practice? The one that shoots out passes to wide receivers, tight ends and running backs, over and over?
Well, looks like Miami found itself an updated version of that machine. Hey, it helps the Hurricanes players gain more reps and get better, as well as be more efficient, why not?
Check out this video. It's really cool.
In today's college football, the Canes need to stay ahead of the curve. As Miami wide receiver coach Kevin Beard was discussing in the video, this Monarc Seeker allows that to happen.
Always nice to see the Miami football program investing in their program in an attempt to improve.
August 20
It's decision time for one of the Miami Hurricanes' recruiting targets, Zaquan Patterson. The talented safety out of Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna has narrowed his decision down to Miami, Florida State, Auburn, Ohio State and Michigan.
The talented performer has been a jack-of-all-trades in the secondary for Chaminade, as Patterson can play the football off the hash and rush towards the sideline to make a play (see video below), playing man defense against shifty receivers, and he's proven at making stops near the line of scrimmage.
At 6-foot-1 and roughly 200 pounds, Patterson's game embodied a physical nature. To this point, he's been seen with clutch plays of all kinds. Do not discount something else he's brought to the table either.
Intelligence.
Patterson has operated the back end of the defense and done well. That has meant helping teammates be lined up, help recognize what's coming based on the opponent's formations, and knowing the other squad's top talent as well.
Indeed, there's been ample reason for Patterson to be recruited by the nation's best programs. The discussion of late has been towards multiple schools, and here's what I've learned to date, reason for each school to have some optimism and potentially some concern as well.
Miami - The odds-on favorite by many, yours truly included, for quite some time. With the Hurricanes having recently offered fellow Broward County safety Jermaine Dallas, a talented prospect from American Heritage, that still raised some eyebrows.
Why would Miami offer a 2024 safety right before Patterson was getting ready to announce? That was interesting. Miami has built a great relationship with Patterson. That's a fact. Hard to pick against the Canes here because of how hard they worked to land his commitment.
Michigan - There have long since been rumblings that the Wolverines would be a factor, especially with 2025 Chaminade cornerback Chris Ewald already pledged to Jim Harbaugh and the Maize and Blue.
Would Patterson venture that far from home? I could see it. He's a bright young man and explosing the United States via his college football journey would not be shocking.
Auburn - Few college football teams have been as hot as the Tigers during the last six weeks. The Tigers made Patterson a priority long ago and he has been receptive to them. Even if Patterson selects Hugh Freeze and the Auburn program on Aug. 26, it will be interesting to see what he thinks of his visit down the line.
The South Florida safety would have a chance to make an instant impact, as Auburn has long since needed more playmaking ability and depth in the secondary. Plus, it's a senior-dominant starting lineup, so Patterson could play early. Now it's about the ability to close a player that's not as familiar with The Plains and how things work at Auburn.
Ohio State - There's the connection with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, and he's been committed to the Buckeyes since last year. Patterson and Smith have continued to be good friends. So, while hardly anyone has picked Patterson to land in Columbus, Ohio, perhaps the Bucks are a bigger contender than some believe.
Further, it's imperative that Patterson make it up to the state of Ohio and see the Buckeyes play this year. One never knows, that could be the difference with where Patterson ultimately ends up.
Florida State - The trending team? Many have seemed to believe that's the case. Mike Norvell and his staff have gone after Patterson hard and he's friends with a few players on the Noles roster that hailed from South Florida prior to heading to Tallahassee.
There's also been the move of now former American Heritage and NFL cornerback Patrick Surtain, Sr. up to Tallahassee. He certainly has earned respect in South Florida with his exploits as a dominant player, as well as coach, so perhaps the Noles have their own edge as well.
August 18
Finally made it up through all the traffic in Central Florida and arrived in Ocala for tonight's Miami (Fla.) Central at Ocala (Fla.) Vanguard game. This is a unique in-state battle because few teams north of Orlando travel to Miami and vice versa.
There are a plethora of elite players for both schools. Many folks in South Florida know the names, such as wide receiver Lawayne McCoy, edge Armondo Blount, defensive lineman Randy Adirika, and linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin, among many others, for the Rockets.
Vanguard has talented players, too. Wide Receiver/Athlete Deanthony Sancho, safety Fred Gaskin, safety Cameron Powell, and linebacker Markell Davis, among others.
I'll be posting some videos and thoughts throughout the contest, and there will be a couple of different articles from the game over the next few days.
The Miami Hurricanes are recruiting several of these young men and this contest will be a chance to better evaluate what they can do on the gridiron. Really looking forward to the opening kickoof!
August 10
At 3 p.m. EST, top edge rusher Colin Simmons will announce his choice between LSU, Texas and Miami. Up until recently, the feeling was that the Tigers were the squad to beat.
Well, from multiple sources, it appears there's a new leader in the clubhouse. First, Texas has gone all-in with the NIL (allegedly), so I’m hearing (whatever total that might be). Assuming that's true, it can be a game-changer for a young man's college decision.
Next, Miami has also been battling to land Simmons and the Canes are a bigger factor than many believe. Then there are the Tigers, the team many thought would get Simmons.
The staff in Baton Rouge has been working tirelessly to land the edge recruit. The Tigers staff honestly did a great job for a long time, based on everything I heard and continue to hear. They will probably be exasperated if he picks another school.
With each of those notes brought into the calculation, I have been led to believe the original point about UT could be the difference.
Will that end this 6-foot-2 and 225-pound pass rusher’s recruitment?
Doubtful. Elite edge defenders are worth far more than can truly be calculated. College football coaches know that and recruit accordingly.
That means that even if Simmons does select the Longhorns as expected, expect Brian Kelly and Mario Cristobal, plus their LSU and Miami coaching staffs, to absolutely not give up on signing a pure 5-star edge rusher from Duncanville (Texas) High School. It's a long way to National Signing Day on Dec. 20.
Aug. 4
Looking at Miami’s defensive position groups, there could be several outcomes. Some of the questions that need to be answered to figure out those outcomes are as follows:
Which cornerback(s) emerge opposite of Davonte Brown? Which linebacker(s) provide depth? How much will James Williams drop down to play nickel and linebacker? Working off the last question, do any of the young safeties earn more playing time, which allows Williams to make a more permanent move to linebacker?
That list is a lot to think about. That’s also the crux of each fall camp. The Hurricanes must get answers sooner rather than later if they want to play big-time defense this fall. A couple of projections.
One, the defensive tackle rotation will be consistent. Defensive tackle numbers, overall, are fine. Size could be an issue in certain games at defensive tackle, but that’s also why defensive coordinator Lance Guidry will likely rotate bodies to keep players fresh.
Two, linebacker is a work in progress – especially from a depth perspective – so look for Williams to see plenty of action at the position. Third downs and obvious passing situations make it easy for him to get closer to the line of scrimmage. Do not discount Williams as a blitzer, however, as his speed will be an asset with getting to the signal caller.
Third and finally, there needs to be a player step up at all three levels that’s not currently being discussed much, if at all. Winning includes rotating talented players. Lots of them! That's something Miami must get to because right now that's a primary concern.
For instance, Miami flat out ran out of gas during the end of the 2022 season (Pitt averaged 7.1 yards per carry). Key starters absolutely must rest more often than last season, and it cannot be with a major dropoff in play from the reserves.
Defensive tackle Ahmad Moten and safety Markeith Williams would be two players to watch. The Hurricanes also need another linebacker to take serious reps and that could be Corey Flagg, last season’s starter at middle linebacker.
Overall, the Canes still have questions on defense and this fall camp is critical to finding the depth to fix the issue.
Aug. 3
Article photo of Plantation's Jaden Willims; photo by Brian Smith
South Florida football has so many good players, many times folks overlook the talent right underneath their noses. It’s pretty common actually.
During yesterday’s Broward County High School Football Media Day put on by the Broward County Athletic Association, there were some obvious examples of why that has been and continues to be the case.
Here’s an example from yesterday: Plantation High School defensive back Jaden Williams. 6-foot-2 and had length as well. He’s earned offers, but not nearly as many as he probably should have. Many high school football fans may not know about him either.
That’s long since been the case with players in South Florida. Hard to say exactly why that’s been the case. Watching several players walk through the door yesterday, there were numerous guys that raised eyebrows with natural size alone.
Forget about what one might think, if you go to a game at a school like West Broward (wait until you see Joshua Moore – 2025 WR), Coral Glades, Miramar, Western, Stranahan, Fort Lauderdale High School (watch out for wide receiver Jaboree Riggins), etc., there are going to be under the radar prospects no matter if that school has a reputation as a top-notch program or not.
There’s no shortcut that’s been provided. People need to go out and see these young men play (more college scouts, too).
Just wanted to post this as a reminder that numerous programs down in South Florida have talent beyond the normal thought process. Several of them have been on the cusp of major Power 5 offers.
So, get out and see some South Florida football in the coming weeks and months. It’s well worth one’s time.
Aug. 2
Today is the Broward County High School Media Day at Pompano Beach High School. There will be players from numerous programs in attendance, with programs like Deerfield Beach, Dillard, South Broward, Blanche Ely, Plantation, Western, American Heritage, Boyd Anderson, Cardinal Gibbons, Monarch, Chaminade-Madonna and Saint Thomas Aquinas, among other schools, bringing coaches and players to be interviewed.
It's a chance to meet with people getting ready for another big season of South Florida high school football. Players like Miami commitments Joshisa Trader and Chance Robinson are expected, but we shall see which players come to the event.
Want to gain a further perspective why some players selected Miami, as well as where other recruits stand with the Hurricanes.
At any rate, want to give a heads up that there will be some photos and videos of several young men that will end up on this site as well as the AllHurricanes and canesandnolesrivalry Twitter handles.
July 29
Miami begins its fall camp on Aug. 1 and everyone should be excited. Tyler Van Dyke being in a new offense, the offensive line is much more talented, numerous players back from injuries, the Transfer Portal additions, on and on, much to discuss with the 2023 Hurricanes.
There will be some projections and Miami camp updates coming from myself and even more often from the man himself, Alex Donno, during the month of August. That stated, a couple of recruiting notes need to be brought to light here, as well as an article about talented 2025 offensive line recruit Ziyare Addison in a couple hours.
Let's start with what's happening today. There's the big weekend bash that's going on with 2024, 2025, and even 2026 recruits trekking to Coral Gables to see Mario Cristobal and the Canes.
That's great news. Now, which players show up? There could be 50 kids in and out of Coral Gables this weekend. Hard to say overall. There's one player in particular that is not easy to track, and he's also an example of why recruiting is fascinating and frustrating at the same time.
For what it's worth, I've heard varying reports on whether stud defensive line recruit Kamarion Franklin. That's in regards to how long he'd visit Auburn (Tigers are having an event too), whether he'd visit Auburn at all, and whether or not he'd come down to Miami again.
While I expect him to be on Miami's campus for a few days, it's a good time to remind folks that recruiting was and is fluid! 17-year olds change their minds constantly.
When he has officially left Miami, I'll probably more details about Franklin. For now, know that multiple schools feel good about where they stand with Franklin among Ole Miss, Tennessee, Auburn and Miami. That's recruiting in 2023. Now, onto something else of importance on the recruiting front.
There are a few players that could pull the trigger for the Canes over the next month or two. Perhaps even this weekend or at least by the end of August. Now, guessing when recruits will pop can be tricky.
As someone that's literally had recruits tell me when they would commit, and I have a story ready before they announce, only to have them change their mind at the last moment, I'm not a fan of projecting any longer.
Just know that Miami is on commit watch, whatever that means in today's age. Again, 17-year olds...
July 28
At Raymond James Stadium, the Tampa High School Media Day is rolling along. Programs from across Hillsborough County have come through. Jesuit, Catholic, Jefferson, Gaither, Hillsborough, Spoto, Tech, Robinson, Middleton, Plant, King, Berkeley Prep, and more to come.
Here are a few of the photos from today's event, with some recruiting insights as well. Let's start with the big fella at Tampa Catholic, Eddy Pierre-Louis, one of the nation's top offensive line prospects.
He's no place near making a final decision. Among the programs he's still interested in would be UCF, Miami, Oregon, Tennessee and Georgia. Pierre-Louis is 6-3 and 320 pounds.
Another prospect I was checking out a few weeks ago would be Andrew Brinson. He's one of the most underrated cornerbacks in Florida. Oregon State got a steal!
One thing the state of Florida never lacks would be speed. That's no different this year either.
Santonyo Isaac
One of the fastest kids in the greater Tampa area would be Tampa Tech's Santonyo Isaac. Humble, down to earth, and ready to roll. Lots of speed, too. Isaac has offers from Alabama, Georgia, Oregon, Auburn, Wisconsin, UCF, Texas A&M, West Virginia, South Carolina, Pittsburgh and Penn State among others.
Isaac could end up play slot receiver or play outside. Just from an athletic perspective, he could also play cornerback.
Speaking of speed and raw talent, Alabama commitment Jameer Grimsley fits the profile. Grimsley is just under a legit 6-foot-3, and his long arms add more length to the profile. He could play wide receiver, but the Crimson Tide wants to see him at cornerback. Grimsley is good with that idea. He's #1 in the following video:
If you're looking for a sleeper, look no further than Tampa Robinson's Samaud Jones. The 6-foot-5 and 245-pound defensive end looks great. He's well spoken and highly thought of here in the Tampa area.
Toledo and Boston College already extended an offer to the 2024 defensive line prospect. Look for several more offers to come down the line. Hard to find prospects with the frame that he has. Jones could end up at 280 in a couple of years.
There are a bunch of other players that are impressive here as well. Tampa is loaded with talent! Going to be a fun season watching these young men play.
July 25
If there's ever been a more talented coach, yet one that finds a way to get himself into hot water some way or another, whom might that be other than Michigan's Jim Harbaugh?
I will have much more to say abou this matter and soon. For now, just check out the following article from a non-Michigan source (trying to avoid bias here).
Harbaugh Allegedly Receiving 4-Game Suspension For Lying to the NCAA
Considering how much Michigan and Miami cross paths along the recruiting trail, this could impact 2024 recruits, and possibly, recruits in the 2025 and 2026 classes. Hard to say right now.
Again, he just cannot get out of his own way. It's truly hard to understand why such an intelligent coach finds himself in odd situations.
July 24 1:10 p.m. Update
How many 15-year olds look like this at 6-foot-7 and 285?
Jaden Wilkerson, OT/DL, Orlando (Fla.) Lake Nona
A massive young man, yes. One that's also well put together and absolutely looks the part. Further, Jaden Wilkerson has the feet to be a big-time player. He's a basketball player that's now really concentrating on football.
Wilkerson will be playing defensive line and offensive line for Lake Nona. Best guess, he ends up being a tremendous pass protector at the college level. He's a year young for his grade so there's plenty of time for him to fill out his frame as well.
UCF was the first to offer Wilkerson, but shall not be any place close to the last.
July 24 11:45 Update
One of the fastest risers in the 2024 class would be quarterback Trever Jackson from Orlando (Fla.) Jones. He went to the Elite 11 finals out in Los Angeles and did quite well.
Having watched Jackson play the past couple of seasons, it's amazing how much he's improved. Accuracy, improving how quickly he releases the football, and making good decisions are all among Jackson's biggest improvements.
Among his finalists would be Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, UCLA, Ole Miss and Maryland. During the Orlando High School football media day, Jackson just let me know that an August decision is likely.
He's fired up to get his recruitment concluded, but still has trips to Ole Miss and Maryland coming up very soon. Really hard to say where Jackson will end up. He's honestly still taking each visit seriously, as well as each phone call from a college coach.
July 24 10:45 a.m. Update
One of the best young recruits in the Central Florida area would be Jake Kreul, DE, Orlando (Fla.) Bishop Moore. A 2026 recruit, he was a tremendous pass rusher at this year's Orlando Under Armour event, winning reps versus older recruits.
He's 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds right now. Probably end up closer to 250 by the time Kreul leaves the high school level. Also plays some H-back and tight end.
Offers from several programs including Marshall, UCF, and USF so far. With three seasons of high school football left, Kreul's list will grow quite a bit. He's likely to be one of the top 10 Orlando area recruits in his class, if not top five.
July 24 10 a.m. Update
Get to know Tyler Davis, WR, Orlando (Fla.) Oak Ridge, class of 2024.
Had not met Davis before a few minutes ago. Huge wingspan. Really chill personality and a lot of upside. Hardly anyone knows about this young man, at least compared to what they should.
6-foot-5 and already over 200 pounds, he's a player with tremendous upside. Here's a link to his HUDL highlights.
Davis is the kind of recruit that can blow up in a hurry. Curious to see his first few games this fall.
July 24 - 9:15 am Update, Evans OT Oliver Aime
Class of 2025 prospect that has so far gone under the radar with an offer from Florida Atlantic. That will not last long. 6-foot-4, maybe a little taller, and he's already 250 pounds. His junior film showcased a player with quick feet to handle edge rushers. Just as important, he knows how to lock onto defenders and drive them 10-plus yards down the field.
After meeting him, Aime is a really nice young man. Easy to communicate with and friendly, too. Huge upside.
July 24
I just arrived at the Orlando high school media day. It's day one of a two day event. It's being held at Camping World Stadium near downtown Orlando. This event took many folks working together so several young men that play high school football here in the Sunshine State could openly be interviewed and discuss why they love the game of football.
Props to Dan LaForest and Joshua Wilson for being lead individuals to help all the high school programs gain this needed exposure! Wilson operates floridahsfootball.com and LaForest has long since been a major advocate of Florida prep football.
With their help there will be a plethora of high school football programs visiting with their head coach and up to five players. Included, several big-time recruits will be attending. That includes underclassmen that programs like Miami, UCF, FSU and UF all would like to land.
High schools like Jones, West Orange, Edgewater, Dr. Phillips, Apopka, Osceola, and Seminole are on the slate, among numerous others. It's always good to see talented prospects like quarterback Trever Jackson (Jones), running back Taevion Swint (2025 - Osceola), defensive end Sincere Edwards (Wekiva), and many more, will be here to be interviewed.
With that, look for several small updates today and tomorrow. Interviews, photographs, and some videos from various coaches and players.
Also of note, I will be traveling to other media days later this week that cover Polk, Hillsborough and Pinellas. Soon, I will head to South Florida for a similar event. It's great to learn more and more about these amazing players and coaches.
July 19
Just a quick note. With all of the recent verbal commitments across the country and including the Miami Hurricanes, sometimes decommitments get a little bit lost. Well, they should not.
Case in point, Jaylen Heyward is now back on the market after being an early commitment to the University of Georgia. This is an important note as the Canes need cornerback and safety help.
He's also been to the University of Miami while being committed to the Dawgs. Other schools to watch here?
UCF would be one. Heyward will see plenty of other opportunities as well. Keep an eye out for Heyward with the Canes though. Could get interesting between now and National Signing Day.
July 17
Looking at the ACC this season, there are two teams most prognosticators feel best about: Clemson and Florida State. After that, it’s a bit difficult to truly pin down which direction a publication, or even a college football fan, should go for the next three or four spots in the league.
Does Miami deserve legitimate consideration for being a preseason No. 3 team in the ACC? Here are my thoughts on that.
First, after last season’s debacle, the Canes need to earn any respect. It shall not be given to them freely. Respect will come at the hands of winning games and being a sound football team week after week.
For instance, gaining a ton of yards on offense, which I absolutely believe Miami will do, is not the point. More importantly, will the Canes score touchdowns when it’s needed most?
Further, will The U muster up key defensive stops in big moments? Miami was no place near clutch in 2022. That must change in 2023.
Now, do I believe Miami’s talent has risen to a point where it absolutely does possess the talent to finish in the third spot? Yes. I also believe it would not be surprising if the Canes knocked off one or both of Florida State and Clemson.
Then, I also must admit, it would not surprise me if Miami lost to Louisville and Georgia Tech either. That’s the point. The Canes must earn respect. After the turbulent 2022 season, there’s a need to see it to actually believe it.
The more I dig into Miami’s 2023 roster and potential depth chart, the more I see a wild ride this season full of highs and lows. There will be growth, but the Canes are a program rebuilding and patience will be needed.
I expect Miami to finish tied for fourth in the ACC, as of today. More on that once we get at least midway through fall camp, when more information has been revealed via practices, such as player moves on the depth chart and injury updates. Now, some fun with college football predictions.
Biggest Surprise Team: Washington (11-1 regular season)
Most Disappointing Team: Tennessee (Southern California will be a close second)
Similar Result, New Season: Iowa’s offense will be better, but not nearly good enough
Tradition-Rich Program In Rebuilding Mode: Florida (5-7 record)
Heisman Winner: Michael Penix, Jr., QB, Washington
Doak Walker Award (Best Running Back): Raheim Sanders, RB, Arkansas
Biletnikoff Award (Best Wide Receiver): Marvin Harrison, Jr., WR, Ohio State
Joe Moore Award (Best Offensive Line): Michigan
Outland Trophy: (Best Offensive or Defensive Lineman): Joe Alt, OT, Notre Dame
Chuck Bednarik Award (Best Defensive Player): Jer’Zahn Newton, DT, Illinois
Jim Thorpe Award (Best Defensive Back): Kamren Kinchens, S, Miami
New Head Coach Gaining Respect: Purdue’s Ryan Walters (Was the Illinois DC last season)
Player You Will Soon Know About: Carson Steele, RB, UCLA (Transfer from Ball State)
I will have more about the College Football Playoff coming up in another article soon.
July 15
There will be several more prospects across the South that make decisions today. Here are some of those players:
Caleb Odom, WR/TE, Carrollton (Ga.) High School - Expected to be Alabama, but Ole Miss, Miami and others will likely continue to recruit him if Bama ends up being the choice.
Jalyn Crawford, CB, Lilburn (Ga.) Parkview - Depending on what one believes, it's Auburn or Florida. Maybe it's a down to the wire decision?
Ashton Hampton, DB, Tallahassee (Fla.) University School - Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Louisville and Arkansas are all under consideration.
Micahi Danzy, RB, Tallahassee (Fla.) University School - Probably staying home, but numerous programs would love to land the talented runner from the Florida Panhandle.
Kevin Levy, CB, Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman - Florida State, Louisville, Illinois and Rutgers were his four official visits.
The above players will announce today. There will also be two talented players committing on July 20:
D'antre Robinson, DT, Orlando (Fla.) Jones - Texas, Florida, Alabama and numerous other programs were and/or are involved. Even with his summer decision, it's likely that Robinson at least considers taking more official visits in the fall.
Brandon Jacob, S, Orlando (Fla.) Evans - UCF, Maryland and Texas A&M were the schools he took official visits.
July 14
While researching information for this year's crop of top ACC quarterbacks, I came across Athlon. It's been around for decades and its been a brand that's fairly trustworthy. When I saw the quarterback rankings, however, I did a double take.
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is No. 8 in the ACC? Hey, that's the opinion from Athlon, but I found that a big harsh. Here's part of what Athlon stated about Van Dyke:
"High expectations surrounded Van Dyke after finishing '21 with six consecutive 300-yard performances and 20 touchdown passes in that span. However, a combination of factors - injuries, receivers, offensive line, play-calling or scheme - all contributed to a disappointing '22."
For the record, Athlon had North Carolina signal caller Drake Maye at No. 1 and Florida State quarterback Jordan Travis as the next person in line. With just a little bit of experience and not much else, Athlon did place Clemson's Cade Klubnik at No. 3. That might have been a reach, at least at this juncture of his career.
Anyone can read the full Athlon article right here to gain a full rundown of the quarterbacks on the list.
July 13
As many probably watched live and already know, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy defensive tackle Jayden Jackson has selected the Oklahoma Sooners over the Texas Longhorns and Miami Hurricanes.
The Sooners were in need of defensive talent after giving up at least 35 points seven times last season, including the embarrassing 49-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Longhorns.
Adding Jackson, and still expecting several more defensive recruits to end up in Norman, Okla. will help to make sure that does not happen again.
July 13
Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy defensive tackle Jayden Jackson will announce his decision at 5 p.m. today. The big-time interior defensive lineman will likely select between Miami, Oklahoma and Texas.
Truth be told, the predictions are all over the map here. Jackson is a great guy to be around and he tells it like it is, but as noted in yesterday's defensive line update, most were thinking OU or UT would be the pick (myself included). Miami, reportedly, is also a contender as well. I still like UT or OU, but I've been wrong several times so who knows?
I'm just going to watch the announcement like everyone else. That will make it easy. That stated, a college football program will be getting a big-time player early this evening. Jackson is definitely the type of guy people should root for. Few recruits are as polite as him or work as hard either.
For the record, Ohio State and Florida are the other two finalists for Jackson, but are considered to be on the outside looking in. The Gators have other reasons to be happy of late.
As was expected, the Florida Gators secured the commitment of top defensive lineman Kendall Jackson from Gainesville (Fla.) Buchholz yesterday. He had gone somewhat under the radar early in the recruiting process but the offers eventually came rolling in.
Nice pickup for Billy Napier and his squad. UF now has five verbal commitments from defensive ends and defensive tackles combined, including edge rusher Jamonta Waller (No. 29 in the 247 composite) and combo defensive lineman Amaris Williams (No. 84 in the 247 composite).
While the Gators might struggle on the field this year, need to give Napier and his staff credit for shoring up the defensive front, a major recruiting need, for the future of the UF program.
Just a little bit further north in Tallahassee, Mike Norvell and his coaching staff are hoping to land top offensive tackle Jonathan Daniels from Pensacola (Fla.) Pine Forest, and he will announce his intentions soon. He has offers from across the country and is a priortity prospect for many schools.
The Noles have 15 commitments for 2024, but did not yet secure the talents of even one offensive lineman. In 2023, the Seminoles signed a couple of big guys in the trenches.
Instead of going the high school route, Norvell and the Noles hit the Transfer Portal pretty hard, including three offensive linemen that will be on the roster this fall.
July 11
As we near another college football season, there are thoughts about tailgates, beer, brauts, touchdowns, rivalry games and hard hits.
That last point among the above list should not have been in combination with hazing, however. The Northwestern football program was just rocked as long time head coach Pat Fitzgerald was relieved from his duties as the leader of the program because he did not properly monitor what was happening with his players.
In 2023, how in the world would anyone with Fitzgerald's expertise be so foolish?
Further, here's what probably tipped the scale for Northwestern President Michael Schill: Racism accusations from former Northwestern players.
Indeed, something was amiss with the Northwestern football program. As more and more details come to light, it could be harder to grasp why it happened, but at least the truth will be coming.
Here's the rundown on the hazing accusations from Fan Nation right here, plus some media input as well. It's a good read. Also, it's a reminder that even a legendary coach and player, regardless of the institution that's being represented, can tumble towards the unemployment line quickly with poor judgment. That does not mean that every player was happy with the decision. That's especially true of how the decision was made. The following tweet from Wildcats tight end Marshall Lang blasted Northwestern's administration.
Fitzgerald was fired, but it appears that members of the administration have also caused serious strife with members of the football team. A search on Twitter and other social media outlets will find plenty of unhappy players. Do not be surprised if the Transfer Portal sees some Northwestern players at various points during the next year that otherwise would not have gone that route. Back to the main point though.
So many questions to come from this, but a couple need to be addressed quickly. Will there be any formal police charges to players for the hazing? Will there be specific details of a serious charge of racism? If yes, by whom and regarding which individuals? There's also the obvious football question as well.
Where does the Northwestern football program go from here?
No matter what coach the Northwestern administration goes with in 2023, it's going to be really hard for the actual Wildcats players to concentrate on just playing ball, as the distraction will be blinding for at least some of the players.
This shocking and evolving story will be a big part of the 2023 college football season. It's sad, but it's also reality. Hopefully this matter is resolved and quickly.
July 8
Today will be another announcement that could swing Miami's way. This time it's a class of 2025 prospect, however. In fact, it's a player that might be the best in America at his position.
Tight end Davon Mitchell will announce at 4 p.m. EST time, and 1 p.m. PST, per his Twitter page.
Being from out West and Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School, the 6-foot-4 and 245-pound all-around talent will not be a name that's familiar to many Hurricanes fans, but this young man can ball!
Here were a few of the points I typed up on the All Hurricanes Twitter account after watching his film. He had me pumped up!
While Miami's focus should primarily be on the class of 2024, obviously, landing a prospect with 5-star ability in the 2025 class would be a great way to start the weekend.
As for the competition, it's believed that Mitchell will end up at Oklahoma or Miami, depending on the intel one receives. This is a big commitment opportunity for the Hurricanes.
July 7
At noon today, talented 2024 offensive lineman Deryc Plazz will announce his decision. The 6-foot-5 and 280-pound offensive lineman has taken official visits to Penn State (June 2), Miami (June 16) and North Carolina State (June 23).
He probably has not received the recognition for his talents that was deserved. From Jacksonville (Fla.) Jackson, Plazz's film showed a talented athlete that could project at tackle of guard. His physicality and ability to move in space also fit the modern spread era where offensive linemen have been asked to be involved with the wide receiver screen game more and more.
That's also probably why Plazz earned offers from several programs like Pittsburgh, Florida State, Mississippi State, Kentucky, Louisville, and Wake Forest, among others.
All Hurricanes will have an update on Plazz regardless of whether he selects the Canes or Wolfpack at noon.
July 5
Florida State won out for Phenix City (Ala.) Central safety Rydarrius "Red" Morgan. He was a heavily coveted prospect that took official visits to Miami, Cincinnati and FSU. He was also considered a priority recruit for Auburn.
Along with the shocking commitment of national wide receiver and Central teammate Cam Coleman to Texas A&M on July 4 (recruiting fans will be hearing many different theories as to “why” he chose the Aggies), the top two players at one of Alabama’s best high school programs have now made their decisions.
Morgan was ranked a 3-star recruit across the major recruiting services. Coleman, meanwhile, was ranked as an elite recruit by each of the four primary services. Here were the rankings for Coleman in order of national, position and state:
On3: 6, 2, and 1
ESPN: 8, 1, and 2
Rivals: 23, 4, and 7
247: 17, 5, and 3
Today will see more big name recruits make decisions across the country. Marietta (Ga.) Walton offensive lineman Daniel Calhoun will make his decision at noon. He’s expected to land at Georgia, but Alabama and other programs are in contention. Calhoun has been a national recruit since he was a freshman. Like Rushing, he’s earned some high marks from the recruiting services:
On3: 278, 19, and 33
ESPN: 110, 11, and 18
Rivals: 72, 5, and 11
247: 70, 4, and 13
Coming up on July 6 at 5 p.m., Tucson (Ariz.) Salpointe Catholic defensive end Elijah Rushing will be making his college announcement. He’s expected to select from Oregon and Tennessee, but he also visited Arizona and Notre Dame. More locally, there’s been quite a bit of recruiting news as well. Here were his rankings:
On3: 50, 4, and 1
ESPN: 20, 5, and 1
Rivals: 57, 3, and 2
247: 8, 4, and 2
On July 3 and July 4, and in the state of Florida, the following players came off the board; three of them picking the same SEC school:
James Madison, Wide Receiver, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Missouri
Nicholas Rodriguez, Linebacker, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Missouri
Cameron Keys, Cornerback, Panama City (Fla.) Mosley - Missouri
Elias Rudolph, Edge, Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School - Michigan - Note: Rudolph plans to play his last season of high school football in the state of Ohio.
Shamar Meikle, Edge, Miramar (Fla.) High School - Indiana
Char’quez Lee, Linebacker, Miami (Fla.) Palmetto - East Carolina
July 3
The Miami Hurricanes will be waiting on a decision today, and it's an important one.
Marquise Lightfoot will be making his decision today at 5 p.m. Depending on what one believes, Miami is in the thick of the race. Those around the Ohio State program have been pretty confident that it will land the Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood prospect. Miami would love to add the pass rusher to the 2024 recruiting class and hosted him for an official visit this past month.
There's also defensive tackle Artavius Jones could be deciding soon. Have not heard a specific date just yet, but he did tell me directly that he's done with trips this summer. He's from Blountstown (Fla.) High School and one heck of a talent. There's also been a lot of action around Florida.
To help show just how many recruits have made college decisions of late, here's a look at just the prospects that committed from the state of Florida, from this past Friday through Sunday.
Jashad Presley, Linebacker, Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips - UCF
Alberto Mendoza, Quarterback, Miami (Fla.) Columbus - James Madison
Romanas Frederique, Cornerback, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - Miami
Jordan Johnson-Rubell, Safety, Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy - Texas
Lawrence Johnson, Cornerback, Miami (Fla.) Palmetto - Florida Atlantic
Jarvis Johnson, Jr., Linebacker, Miami (Fla.) Westminister Christian - Florida Atlantic
Ricky Knight III, Cornerback, West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman - Florida State
Mason Carter, Edge, Jacksonville (Fla.) Baldwin - Vanderbilt
Jameer Grimsley, Cornerback, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic - Alabama
Jacory Barney, Jr., Wide Receiver, Miami (Fla.) Palmetto - Nebraska
Jayvion Showers, Wide Receiver, Pensacola (Fla.) Catholic - Arkansas State
There will still be many more prospects from the Sunshine State make decisions during the month of July. Here are a few more of the names that will come off the recruiting board, along with the dates they plan to announce their college decisions:
Nicholas Rodriguez, Linebacker, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - July 3, 9 a.m.
Char'quez Lee, Linebacker, Miami (Fla.) Palmetto - July 3, 3 p.m.
Elias Rudolph, Edge, Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School - July 3, 5:30 p.m.
Shamar Meikle, Edge, Hollywood (Fla.) Miramar - July 4, 12 p.m.
James Madison II, Wide Receiver, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas - July 4 - 1 p.m.
Xavier Porter, Defensive Tackle, Tampa (Fla.) Catholic - July 8, 10 a.m.
Kevin Levy, Wide Receiver, West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman - July 15, 12 p.m.
Charles Lester III, Cornerback, Venice (Fla.) High School - July 28, 2 p.m.
Keep in mind, there will be other prospects that decide to announce this month, and some unexpectedly. That's the nature of recruiting.
July 1
As a reminder, today there will be an announcement for cornerback Ricky Knight III at 4 p.m., as well as wide receiver Jacory Barney at 7 p.m.
For Knight, it's believed to be a Florida State versus Miami battle, while Barney will likely come down to Nebraska and the Canes.
Last night, offensive lineman Moritz Schmoranzer committed to Pittsburgh. He was a prospect that The U had hosted for an official visit in June.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet up with and interview top offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis. He's been on the short list for numerous top-notch Power 5 programs across the country.
Miami has stayed in contact for the 6-foot-4 and 318-pound offensive lineman, and he's still likely to take an official visit during the fall to The U.
When asked about in-state schools he likes beyond UCF, here's what Pierre-Louis stated.
"Miami too, I like Miami." He also mentioned Miami's offensive line coach, Alex Mirabal.
"He's been on me a little bit."
Pierre-Louis's list of schools has truly taken a national approach.
Oregon, Oklahoma, and UCF (June 2 official visit) appear to be three teams towards the top of his list. The Canes would be another team to watch, especially if he makes another trip down to see the Hurricanes play a game like the one against Texas A&M or versus Clemson. Pierre-Louis has no intentions of rushing his final decision, so that could also play into Miami's favor.
Pierre-Louis unofficially visited Miami earlier this year, and here's an Instagram post from that visit:
Look for the Tampa (Fla.) Catholic offensive lineman to make a college decision near or on National Signing Day in December.
June 30, 4:50 p.m. Update
Well, Tennessee gained the commitment of Aiken (S.C.) High School wide receiver Braylon Staley, while Maryland kept linebacker Keyshawn Flowers inside its state borders to play for the Terps.
The other decision today would be offensive lineman Moritz Schmoranzer from Roanoke (Va.) North Cross School. That one will come at 6:30 this evening.
Looking towards Saturday, the first day of July will be important for the Hurricanes. Ricky Knight III and Jacory Barney will be two South Florida prospects they want to keep home.
I'll have more on these two players and more tomorrow morning.
June 30
It’s time to see the results. Prospects from across the country have been making decisions, as well as setting up commitment dates.
For the Miami Hurricanes, several of their top targets could be in decision-mode, while some have in fact made decisions and await a chance to announce where they intend to play college football.
Below will be a general timeline of prospects expected to make decisions that Miami has been recruiting. When available, additional information was added.
Keyshawn Flowers, Linebacker, Severn (Md.) Archbishop Spalding
June 30, 3 p.m.
Bralon Staley, Wide Receiver Aiken (S.C.) High School
June 30, 4 p.m.
Moritz Schmoranzer, Offensive Line, Roanoke (Va.) North Cross School
June 30, 6:30 p.m.
Ricky Knight III, Cornerback, West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman
July 1, 4 p.m.
Jacory Barney, Wide Receiver, Miami (Fla.) Palmetto
July 1, 7 p.m.
Marquise Lightfoot, Edge, Chicago (Ill.) Kenwood Academy
July 3, 5 p.m.
Elias Rudolph, Edge, Deerfield Beach (Fla.) High School
July 3, 7 p.m.
Deryc Plazz, Offensive line, Jacksonville (Fla.) Andrew Jackson
July 7, time to be determined
Caleb Odom, Tight End, Carrollton (Ga.) High School
July 15, time to be determined
Additional Recruiting Notes
There’s still time for other prospects to make their college choices as well. For instance, national offensive line recruit Isendre Ahfua from Seattle (Wash.) O’Dea has trekked to Texas A&M, Utah and Miami. He has not announced a scheduled commitment date since his trip to Coral Gables on June 23.
Like Ahfua, defensive back Zavier Mincey from Daytona Beach (Fla.) Mainland has been on several official visits and it could come down to the Big 3 in Florida. Still, no timeline for a future decision has been given to the public.
There have been on-and-off rumors about Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius defensive tackle Justin Scott making a college choice in July. Whether that actually happens or not, well, that’s hard to say.
There have been so many shifts in Scott’s recruitment that it’s anyone’s guess what will happen, as well as when it will happen.
Another defensive tackle could be making a decision fairly soon, and that would be Artavius Jones from Blountstown (Fla.) High School. While nothing has been publicly disclosed, a decision will allegedly take place fairly soon.
Jones did confirm to me that he’s done taking trips to schools this summer. Miami has done a really good job with him to date, so I like the Canes here.
There are several other 2024 prospects that could be making decisions at some point between now and the beginning of the high school football season. More dates and times will be forthcoming from right here at All Hurricanes. There’s a 2025 prospect to mention as well though.
Miami and several other programs have already gone after 2025 tight end recruit Davon Mitchell from Los Alamitos (Calif.) High School. He recently took a trip to The U and had a really good time. He tweeted this recently:
Mitchell could be making an early decision. Could Miami be the pick? All Hurricanes will report more when it gains additional information.
June 29
Miami has several more prospects that could make college decisions during the next few weeks, or not. From years of being involved with recruiting, this year has been as fluid as any I can personally remember.
That stated, I expect more good news within the next week. It's dangerous to project not only a prospect to pick a school, but more notably, when. Consider it a gut feeling on a couple of prospects that have not officially mentioned they will commit (at least that I know of). That leads into a player that the Canes should land.
I also really like Miami for wide receiver Jacory Barney, Jr. from Miami (Fla.) Palmetto. I've said it before and I shall say it again, I will pick Miami pretty much every time for a Miami Public School prospect against Nebraska. That program does not hold the same appeal it once did, and UM's campus would be a short drive compared to a plane flight. Here's the top three Barney recently dropped on Twitter:
Moving to a player that does have a commitment date set, there's momentum for Florida State to land cornerback Ricky Knight III from West Palm Beach (Fla.) Cardinal Newman. He's making his college choice on July 1. Miami has been the top competition for FSU with Knight for quite some time.
Also of Note, the Noles have been trending for several other players that have yet to make commitments. Watch out for FSU with cornerback Charles Lester, wide receiver Elijah Moore and offensive lineman Jonathan Daniels among others. It took longer than expected, but FSU should start to hit its recruiting stride fairly soon.
Looking at things nationally, the next week will see more commitments than one can keep up with. It's going to be fun to watch.
June 26 7:15 p.m. Update
There have been so many moving parts after the June 23 official visit weekend, that it's best just to give a few highlights of what's been going on. Plus, I went into a little more detail about some of the key visitors and what's next with timelines for public verbal commitments via a podcast down below. Here we go!
*Heard good things about a number of players. Which one did the Canes make the biggest move with? As usual, that's debatable. My guess for the top two with that would be wide receiver/flex tight end Caleb Odom from Carrollton (Ga.) High School, and wide receiver Jacory Barney, Jr., a wide receiver from Miami (Fla.) Palmetto.
*I'm often asked about which player or players would be next to commit? Fair question. While not giving away the answers, I expect multiple celebrations within the next week. Of course that could change, but that's what I've learned as I type this update.
*Looking back at the June 2, June 9, and June 16 recruiting weekends, several of those prospects will pop for the Canes and other schools as well, many within the next week or two. Those prospects have mostly visited all the schools they need to in an effort to come to a final decision. Now it's a matter of when those decisions come about. That leads to an interesting piece of news I learned, somewhat by accident yesterday.
*A prospect that committed elsewhere did not make all the people around him happy with his decision. It happens every year, but this particular young man could still end up at Miami. While I'm not going to hand out his name, just know that recruiting is a marathon and not a sprint.
*Finally, and prior to the podcast below, last week I made mention to Alex Donno that the Canes should get another five commitments prior to the month of July being over. I've now moved that number up to at least six, and seven would not be a bad bet either. The visits went even better than I expected. Here's more detail about the prospects I feel that the Canes have a great shot at:
June 26
This was a big weekend for the Miami recruiting efforts. There have been a ton of photographs and videos let out via social media. Propsects like Chance Robinson, Jeremiah Smith and many others were treated to a good time in Coral Gables.
From what I've heard, there will be some good news soon. Keep in mind, these are teenagers. Commitments are one thing, knowing when they will break is quite another. Recruiting is as fluid as it gets when it comes to anything being exact.
That stated, I do believe Miami's 2024 commitment list expands this week, and it could see multiple prospects jump on with The U. Right now is also camp season.
Prospects from all over the country have come to UM to check out the facilities and meet all the people inside the program. One of the prospects to keep an eye on, beyond the class of 2024, would be quarterback Kelden Ryan.
He's a class of 2025 quarterback from Keller (Texas) All Saints Episcopal. He's a quarterback that can make plays from the pocket or on the run. Having known him for a good while, I will attest to him being the type of person people will gravitage towards as well. Great fit for playing quarterback.
This is a brand new era. The quarterback dominoes already began to fall within the class of 2025 as Arizona State (Michael Tollefson), Texas (KJ Lacey), Clemson (Blake Hebert), Florida State (Tramell Jones, Jr.), Oklahoma (Kevin Sperry), Ohio State (Tavien St. Clair), Arkansas (Grayson Wilson), Wisconsin (Landyn Locke) and TCU (Ty Hawkins) have all made verbal commitments, among others.
Yes, that's really early in case that was going through your mind. Is it a good thing? Debatable. That's what's happened though. Miami and every other college football program must adjust accordingly.
While Miami's 2024 class will likely be tremendous, keep an eye on 2025 recruiting as well, beginning with quarterback.
June 23
***Pittsburgh dipped into the Sunshine State once again, this time picking up a commitment from Miami (Fla.) Norland linebacker Jeremiah Marcelin.
He’s a player that could play on the edge of the defense for the Panthers, and he could be a linebacker as well. Congrats to Marcelin on making his college choice.
***Another South Florida prospect made a decision, as Elijah Cannon selected Florida Atlantic. A cornerback for Coconut Creek High School, Cannon is another one of those rangy cornerbacks that Florida has been so well known for.
***Today Marks the beginning of the Under Armour Future 50 event at IMG Academy. I will be in Bradenton interviewing 2024 and 2025 prospects from across the country.
These will be some of the absolute best of the best prospects in one location for this invite-only event. Miami has already offered numerous players that will be here today and tomorrow, much like Harlem Berry (see article photo) from the New Orleans area. He's absolutely electric.
Further, name a Power 5 program, and there will be a prospect there that it has already started recruiting. Today will be media day (11:00 to 3:00 EST), and tomorrow will be three separate times for workouts.
Look for a host of different posts from the All Hurricanes Twitter account, as well as my own via @fbscout_florida. Video highlights will definitely be a part of tweets from either account, and there’s also going to be some conversation about the interviews. Might be a few video interviews released on one and/or the other Twitter accounts, too. We’ll see.
June 22
Just a quick note about what's in store for the rest of the morning and into the afternoon.
Today will be the Legends camp at the University of Miami. I'll be stopping by to check it out. Hope to have some updates via the @AllHurricanes Twitter handle later today, as well as more detailed information this evening.
During these prospect camps, there's usually an unexpected senior to watch. The number of rising sophomores and juniors that could be prime Miami targets will likely be high as well.
As a side note, heard that big-time defensive lineman Kamarion Franklin will be back on Miami's campus. Not sure if that's today or not, but either way, it's a good sign. Tennessee, Ole Miss and Miami are the three schools to watch for the talented prospect from Mississippi.
June 21
Consider this a rapid fire edition. Lots of tidbits across the state of Florida and the South. Commitments just about everywhere honestly!
There is absolutely no rhyme or reason for the order here, just to be clear. Here we go!
*Miami has several important recruits that have taken official visits of late, but picking which one(s) will end up signing with the Canes has been quite a difficult task. There’s one that’s interesting for this weekend’s slate of visitors, however.
I told Alex Donno that I could eventually see this young man sticking within the state of Florida, but has been committed to the Georgia Bulldogs, and that would be Jaylen Heyward (play the video just below for more details) from Rockledge (Fla.) High School.
Just having been around Heyward several times, I believe he’s a kid that could truly stay home in the state of Florida, which would likely mean UCF or Miami.
*There’s been a lot of speculation about Miami and where it stands with Justin Scott. The Canes have done very well to date with the 6-foot-5 and 310-pound defensive tackle, but do not be surprised if his recruitment goes all the way to National Signing Day in December.
We’ve hinted at that several times at All Hurricanes, and there’s reason to believe that could be the case based on the latest intel. Not surprising really when one considers the plethora of attention the 5-star from Chicago (Ill.) St. Ignatius has received from programs across the county. Miami should still be considered the favorite as of today, however. Here's what Donno had to say about Scott on his podcast (scroll to the 1:25 mark):
*It’s finally been settled. Jeremiah Smith will officially visit the University of Miami this weekend. There has been quite a bit of shuffling with Smith’s itinerary up until this point. No word about whether Smith will eventually visit Penn State after that visit was canceled. It’s been a really busy time for Smith, too.
He took his official visit to FSU this week, and then stopped by Gainesville today to camp with the Florida Gators as well. He’s going to be worn out by the time he completes his Miami official visit this next weekend.
*UCF lost linebacker recruit Sam Robinson. The Tallahassee (Fla.) Lincoln prospect has flipped to Rutgers. Also decommitting from UCF was Sincere Edwards, the Apopka (Fla.) Wekiva prospect that was UCF’s first commitment from the 2024 class. Tough day for the Knights.
*Once a Georgia commitment, Tovanni Mizell has made a commitment to play for Kentucky. The speedy running back from Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Western will have a chance to play early for Mark Stoops and the Wildcats.
*Another talented offensive skill player heading north would be wide receiver Shamar Rigby. The 6-foot-4 and 170-pound prospect has been playing for St. Petersburg (Fla.) Lakewood, and his next stop will be West Lafayette, Ind. to play for the Purdue Boilermakers.
*Props to the Illinois Illini coaching staff for doing its homework. They just picked up a commitment from Vernon Woodward, a cornerback from Winter Park (Fla.) High School.
Do not be surprised if more programs down South come back around on the 6-foot-2 and 180-pound recruit later in the year in an attempt to flip him. He can play!
*While Ole Miss has missed out on more in-state targets than it would like, Lane Kiffin and the Rebels did just nab talented cornerback Bernard Causey from New Orleans (La.) John F. Kennedy. The Big Easy has continued to produce top talent and Causey will one day be a starter in the SEC.
Moving forward, look for a ton of commitments for schools across the country. Further, Thursday will be Miami's big recruiting camp and there could be news from that before the end of tomorrow.
June 20
Recruiting can be fickle. Look at the recruiting commitment numbers from the month of June as it relates to the traditional Big 3 in the Sunshine State.
Florida leads with an impressive nine verbal commitments, including a huge recruiting upset with landing Javanta Waller from Picayune (Miss.) Memorial over Auburn and Penn State just last night.
Miami has earned three verbal commitments this mont, with the latest being a prospect from right down the road from the University of Alabama, Kevin Riley, just last night as well. Then there's Florida State's recruiting.
The Noles have yet to see a commitment in June. Yep, not one. It's not that a ton of good players haven't visited Tallahassee. There certainly have been some studs that took official visits and also camped with the Mike Norvell and the Seminoles, elite wide receiver prospect Joshisa Trader being one that showed up for FSU's camp.
Further, Trader's teammate at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna, Jeremiah Smith, has been on FSU's campus for an official visit. He will visit Miami next. But before delving into Smith's recruitment, let's be clear about what's next for FSU.
At some point, the dam will break. The Noles stand pat with 11 verbal commitments and have not added one since the huge flip of national tight end recruit Landen Thomas on April 17. He's from Moultrie (Ga.) Colquitt County and was committed to the Georgia Bulldogs prior to selecting the Seminoles.
FSU will see multiple commitments during the next month. That's the nature of the beast with recruiting and the new NCAA calendar for official visits. It's just a matter of when that dam will break for the Noles, not if.
Now, onto Smith and what's next.
There's been a back and forth with whether Smith would be taking an official visit to Miami this week, or not, at least from what those of us in the media have learned.
It was supposed to be FSU, Miami and finally Penn State this week. Allegedly, all official visits. Apparently PSU has been ruled out or at least will happen later this year. Here's what Frank Tucker from Rivals posted about Smith's official visit plans with Miami yesterday:
I'll go with Tucker on this one because he's been dialed into South Florida recruiting for a long time. Then again, this is recruiting. Something could change yet again. More importantly regarding Smith's recruitment, each of his visits that already took place to Georgia, Florida, and Ohio State, plus the current visit to FSU and upcoming trek to Miami, will help close the door on his final decision.
At least that's what makes logical sense. Now, no school will stop recruiting an elite wide receiver. That's also a given. At least for Smith, he should know or be extremely close to shutting his recruitment down. His final official visit to Miami looms large.
June 18
The Florida Gators had quite an interesting Saturday. Of course there was the decommitment of Austin Simmons (see yesterday's update below), but Billy Napier and his program also secured the commitment of four prospects from the class of 2024.
One of those was a target for the Miami Hurricanes as well, Amir Jackson from Portal (Ga.) High School. He's an all-around athlete that many project to tight end despite his ability to possibly play linebacker or edge. It will be interesting to see if Jackson ends up taking more visits or not. He was slated to visit Miami (Sep. 9) for the Texas A&M game.
The other three commitments for the Gators would be defensive tackle Amaris Williams from Clinton (N.C.) High School, defensive tackle Nasir Johnson from Dublin (Ga.) High School, and top 100 linebacker recruit Aaron Chiles from Olney (Md.) Good Counsel. Do not expect the Gators to be the only program getting commitments among the in-state schools from this weekend.
Miami, Florida State, UCF, and USF will likely all gain commitments this week. But which players will they be? That's why recruiting has always been intriguing.
As noted several times here at All Hurricanes, this week will be the beginning of a barrage of recruits making their college intentions known. Some of those prospects will inevitably be for the Canes, Noles, Knights and Bulls.
Of note, I like Miami's chances to land a public commitment from at least one of this weekend's official visitors. There's defensive tackle Justin Scott, running back Kevin Riley, and offensive linemen Moritz Schmoranzer and Deryc Plazz, that at any point between now and the middle of July (predicting exactly when recruits will actually announce can be nearly impossible) could pop for the Canes, in my opinion.
Do not forget about all the official visitors for Miami from the June 2 and June 9 weekends either. One or more of them will probably soon announce their college plans.
Wide receiver Dre'lon Miller, plus linebackers James Nesta and Keyshawn Flowers would be three of the prospects to watch in particular. Here's a link to the official visit information for Miami for the month of June.
June 17
Wow! Moving up from the class of 2023 and heading to the class of 2025, that would be former Florida Gators commitment Austin Simmons. And there's also this....
Simmons has flipped from the Florida Gators to the Ole Miss Rebels. It's incredible, but it just seems like Rebels head coach Lane Kiffin finds his way into the middle of some of the most unique storylines within college football. This one, however, truly took the cake.
Simmons still had two more years of high school, but he's a truly elite academic performer with a 5.6 GPA. That's incredible for a big-time quarterback, as well as baseball pitcher and player overall.
Here were my overall thoughts on Simmons, having seen him play multiple times, including what he's like as a young man:
Bottom line, Ole Miss added a quality signal caller to the roster and one it can plan on for the future. Florida still has the upside of 2024 quarterback and Elite 11 finalist DJ Lagway coming in for the class of 2024, but this one stings a bit in Gainesville.
June 15
Time for some recruiting thoughts and updates.
Before delving into the Florida prospects that recently made commitments, want to remind everyone that starting next week there will likely be a big wave of commitments across the country.
Why?
Prospects will have been through the June 2, June 9, and June 16 official visit weekends. As a rule, that's enough time and visits for college football prospects to come to a conclusion.
Not all of them, mind you, but several. From roughly June 18 all the way through the middle of July, there will be a plethora of recruiting information for the Miami Hurricanes and schools across the nation.
Relating directly to Miami, expect at least four or five more commitments prior to the start of fall camp in August. Among the possible commitments Miami could add soon, 5-star Justin Scott, as noted in the update that can be found here.
It's also going to be interesting to see several battles play out between Miami and their two primary in-state rivals, Florida State and Florida.
Just as one example, Jamari Howard is one of the top cornerbacks in Florida from Miami Central. He could quite possibly end up at any of the Big 3 - UM, FSU or UF - when all has been said and done. He's also a reminder that recruiting can be fluid, as Howard was once committed to Michigan State, plus there's not been a lot of buzz with him and the Hurricanes of late.
Do not be fooled, however. Miami will be involved here, and could make a run at Howard (if it has not already started). That's especially true with him being at Central and right down the road from the UM campus. Now, onto some recruiting news around Florida.
The commitments around the country have started to get going. Within the state of Florida, there have been several prospects that made their decisions, too. One in particular has gone under the radar.
Michigan State earned the commitment of Camren Campbell, one of the best two-way prospects in the state of Florida. He was at Bloomingdale High School last fall, but now he's at Tampa Tech. His film was tremendous and it just goes to show that the recruiting services sometimes missed.
Rivals recently made Campbell a 3-star, but he's deserving of an even higher ranking. The film does not lie and neither do his measureables for a player that's a long and rangy cornerback at 6-foot-1 and 175 pounds.
Do not be surprised if any one of Florida, Florida State, Miami, or UCF make a hard charge at Campbell. He's too good to just allow him to leave the Sunshine State without a fight.
Down in Miami, Columbus edge Dylan Stephenson has decided on Stanford. Considering the academic reputation of Columbus, that's probably a good fit. Last year, running back Sedrick Irvin, Jr. decided on the Cardinal as well.
Stephenson had offers from many programs. This was a coup for Stanford as it has never been easy to get Dade County players to trek all the way across the country to attend college.
Auburn added Kensley Faustin from Naples High School. He's another player that could play multiple positions at the next level. The 5-foot-11 and 175-pound prospect projects best in the secondary at either cornerback or safety.
Faustin had a list of offers from Colorado, Florida State, UCF, Miami, Florida, Illinois, Arkansas, and many others. It's hard to say how many of those offers were valid right when he decided, but that's recruiting. Having seen him play myself, he's definitely a young man that can make a difference at the Power 5 level, in time.
Tampa Jesuit has been a dominant program for several years. With that, there have been a lot of talented players like Troy Bowles that signed with Georgia this past recruiting cycle. There have been several other talented players from that program, and it has not stopped in 2024.
Bryson Goodwin has picked Temple. Like many other prospects that were bypassed by some of the Power 5 programs, it will be interesting to see how many schools come back around to Goodwin later this year.
The 6-foot-2 and 180-pound wide receiver will have a far more experienced quarterback throwing to him this next season and that should allow him the chance to shine and gain more notoriety.
An unusual commitment for th Gators also happened. UF picked up class of 2024 offensive lineman Noel Portnjagin. Here's the unusual part, he's from Germany. That's not a recruitment that many likely believed would end up with him committing to the Gators...At 6-foot-5 and 330 pounds, Portnjagin certainly has the size to play Power 5 football though. Then again, Auburn, Liberty and South Carolina also extended offers to him. Here's some film of the big fella:
June 13
One of the top 2023 prospects from the state of Florida has already hit the Transfer Portal. Defensive Lineman Derrick LeBlanc had originally signed his letter of intent and enrolled at the University of Oklahoma.
Based on LeBlanc's tweet, a family situation has changed where LeBlanc wanted to be for college.
Coming out of Kissimmee (Fla.) Osceola, LeBlanc had offers from numerous schools beyond Oklahoma including Miami, Florida, UCF, Clemson, Penn State, Ohio State, Texas, Auburn, and Tennessee among many other college football programs.
No matter where LeBlanc ends up, the members of All Hurricanes wishes LeBlanc and his family all the best. He's a really good young man.
June 12
Props to Kamren Kinchens. Same to the University of Miami for doing the video where he could have a special platform discussing his love for The U and the fans that support the Orange and Green.
I remember the first few times that I had a chance to communicate with Kinchens while he was playing for Miami (Fla.) Northwestern. He was much different than most kids because he would be one or two steps ahead of the questions I had for him.
Whether we were talking football, academics, social life, it didn't matter. Kinchens had a natural feel for people and what needed to be done and knew what to say.
Seeing him after the spring game and chopping it up, Kinchens was still the same humble young man. Still the guy that knew what was coming up next and just all smiles.
That intuitive nature transitioned over to learning quarterbacks, as Kinchens intercepted 6 passes during the 2022 season. He also registered 25 solo and 19 assisted tackles, for a total of 44, plus a forced fumble, quarterback hurry, and 4 tackles for loss.
For his 2022 performance, he was a consensus All-American by multiple media outlets like the Associated Press and Pro Football Focus.
He's been placed on numerous pre-season All-American teams for 2023 as well. It should have Miami fans excited to see what Kinchens and his safety running mate, James Williams, can do during the 2023 season. It's the best safety duo in college football.
More importantly than the statistics and awards, Kinchens' spirit and leadership were what Miami needed to help to start the culture change for Miami Hurricanes football. In doing so, It was just really cool to see him admit that the Miami fans were a big reason for being the way that he has been, too.
Once again, Cogratulations to Kinchens and the media team for the Canes. Kinchens has earned his recognition and Miami fans should be proud of him.
June 11 - 8 pm update
With the addition of former Louisville linebacker KJ Cloyd, the Canes have helped to shore up the inside linebacker positions. He recorded 15 tackles and 2 quarterback pressures last season.
More importantly, Cloyd will help allow the young group of 2023 Miami linebacker signees to gain their football before being counting on. Now, don't get it confused. If one of the freshmen linebackers ends up starting by beating out older and more experienced players, so be it.
Cloyd and his 6-foot-2 and 230-pound frame will still bring a lot of experience and size to the Miami linebacker corps. Basically, it's also about improving the depth and competition of the position.
Cloyd hails from Columbia (Miss.) High School and played three seasons for Louisville before heading over to Miami.
June 11
Recruiting: Asked a source about Miami (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna wide receiver Joshisa Trader, as he went up to Tallahassee for their camp. This was the response I received about how Trader played.
“Freak show !!!!” That’s exactly the response that was provided to me. As noted several times from seeing Trader play, I believe he’s the most versatile prospect in the 2024 class.
Long, long way to go in Trader’s recruitment. Good to hear that he’s still competing at a high level, despite not having anything to prove. Not that it’s surprising, mind you. Trader gets after it rep after rep.
In the end, I expect Trader to end up at FSU or Miami.
Of course the Canes also picked up a commitment yesterday, as future linebacker Cam Pruitt selected Miami over a host of offers. Getting a talented defender from the greater Mobile, Ala. area, and Theodore (Ala.) High School specifically, was clutch for Mario Cristobal and his staff to begin with.
Perhaps it was even more surprising considering how talented that Pruitt has become and he’s in such a fertile recruiting area that numerous SEC programs like Alabama, Auburn, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Georgia attempting to sign the talent from greater Mobile.
Cannot state this enough, it was a coup for Miami to land the talented Pruitt. Look for a full breakdown of his skills coming soon to All Hurricanes.
Even closer to home, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Dillard wide receiver Edward Louis announced his intentions to attend Toledo. Good for Louis, good for Dillard, and good for Broward County.
Speaking of Broward County, hats off to Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Saint Thomas Aquinas running back Stacy Gage on his commitment to UCF. He’s a hard-charging downhill runner that will fit into Gus Malzahn’s offensive scheme very well.
Just from a human-interest standpoint, I’ve been keeping tabs on what Deion Sanders and Colorado have done along the recruiting trail. Well, he just reeled in a really good defensive line prospect from the Midwest.
Brandon Davis-Swain has been ranked the No. 201 prospect in the country by the 247 Sports composite. The West Bloomfield (Mich.) High School prospect was once committed to Notre Dame, and he also held offers from Penn State, Purdue, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Southern California among others. Nice pickup for Sanders and the Buffaloes.
Looking ahead, the topic of the Transfer Portal and how Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has all but refused to utilize it. Can Clemson remain a top national title contender without using the Transfer Portal?
That will be the primary topic on tomorrow's Miami News and Discussion, as it certainly will make a direct impact on the Hurricanes.
2024 Recruiting Rankings: Florida's Top 25 Prospects
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