From the first day he accepted the position of footbal coach at Florida International University, Mario Cristobal has not compromised, made excuses or set lofty goals that would be tough for any team to live up to. What he did promise is that this program would be elevated to its highest point. Mission accomplished.
Just as the dust settles on National Signing Day, and the Class of 2012 has been pointed toward that next level, the Class of 2013, which had been waiting patiently in the wings, is officially on the clock.
When spring rolls around and college coaches start pouring down to Miami-Dade and Broward counties in record numbers, keep your eye on the schools that are starting to feel comfortable in an area that has long been open to schools from across the nation.
Less than two weeks remain until that most important of dates on the college football calendar. National Signing Day.
At a time when much of the focus on recruiting centers on elite players nationally, the University of Miami has gotten back to what put this program in the spotlight some 30 years ago.
With less than a month from National Signing Day, many of the elite players are taking those winter trips, watching teams play, checking out what schools have to offer — trying to make that most important decision on what program will provide playing time and what school will help to provide a bright future. Others simply do not have that luxury.
Three years ago, there was an idea to pit the best players in South Florida in a senior all-star game. After all, the two counties produced more than 200 collegiate players a year, and the athletes needed additional exposure.
As the dust settled on the second week of the state football playoffs at the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, from where Norland came home with the only hardware, there was a sense of optimism for the 2012 season.
Mr. Florida. On the list of past winners are a who’s-who of state high school football stars, many of whom went to have brilliant careers at the college level and beyond.
For nearly two decades, the Nike Miami-Dade vs. Broward All-Star football game attracted thousands of fans, showcased dozens of future NFL standouts and provided a forum for standout athletes to play a game for pride.
When longtime Booker T. Washington coach Tim “Ice” Harris returned during the spring — after spending several years as an assistant at the University of Miami — it wasn’t a cut or slight on sitting coach Earl Tillman. Tillman kept the Tornadoes relevant the past few years. And that’s what this group of longtime assistants is all about. They have all been like one family. There are at least five coaches on the staff who could be head coaches at any other school.
With all the speculation that Al Golden is going to listen to what Penn State — his alma mater — has to say about the vacancy in State College, I will give you 22 reasons why the likable first-year head coach is not going anywhere.
Through the years, Cooper City football teams have been competitive and always have been able to produce a few prospects along the way.
If you happen to be one of those Miami Southridge football players who elevated the Spartans to a nationally-rated level for much of the ‘90s, you will be happy to know that your alma mater is showing signs of returning to that position.
During the spring, when college coaches head to Florida — hoping to land that athlete who will help their program turn the corner, there are dozens of elite teams and players that are watched and evaluated.
If Northwestern’s win over Christopher Columbus last week showed Miami football fans, like myself, one thing, it definitely proved that the Bulls are still loaded with talented prospects and will not back down.
If Wayne Blair learned anything as a student in his time at St. Thomas Aquinas and Tulane University, he found out that a solid education will open doors for the rest of your life.
Miami Central High boasts of some of the area’s strongest and deepest recruiting classes, and expects a national title this year.
For years, we have watched those national powerhouses dominate games across the country, producing top-flight prospects and standing toe-to-toe with other elite teams. Now, we have the chance to see one in our own back yard.
Miramar might not have a marquee quarterback or a running back that is being coveted by every BCS school in the nation. But the Patriots have the best offensive line in the state, and perhaps the best group of receivers in Florida.
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