A brief conversation with Chaminade K Andres Borregales, UM’s unlikely popular recruit
Before we get into the story of the Miami Hurricanes’ most popular committed recruit, a personal story:
I was in Milwaukee covering the Miami Marlins in June when the Hurricanes’ landed an oral commitment from a Chaminade-Madonna kicker in the Class of 2021. Recruits committing so far out aren’t always a no-brainer for us to write and definitely not if it’s at a position like kicker or punter. When I saw Andres Borregales’ tweet, I sent a text to Jordan McPherson, who covers the Marlins and high school sports for the Miami Herald.
“Chaminade Madonna 2021 kicker committed to Miami. Not sure if you wanna write something or if we wanna just let Barry [Jackson] stick it in a buzz,” I wrote. “If it wasn’t a local kid I would say no doubt the latter but it’s up to you.”
Neither of us could get to it right away. We finally got a story up about his commitment the next morning.
It’s a good thing we did. Borregales, a three-star kicker in the 247Sports.com composite ranking, has quickly become the most popular commit for the Hurricanes even though he’s a specialist who won’t join Miami until the season after next.
On Oct. 11, Borregales hit a career-long 56-yard field goal in a win in Pahokee and quickly started to turn heads from even the most casual Hurricanes recruiting followers. On Friday, the 5-foot-11, 140-pound junior was even better. Borregales drilled another 56-yard kick and added a 50-yarder to help the Lions upset Central, 27-7, in Hollywood less than a week after Miami lost to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Miami Gardens in large part because of three missed field goals inside 35 yards.
Borregales, whose older brother is the starting kicker for the FIU Panthers, is now 11 of 13 on field goals this season and 33 of 34 on extra points. He said his longest kick in practice this season was from 65 yards out.
What follows is a brief conversation with a recruit who didn’t expect to get much attention this season, but has instead become the prospect Hurricanes fans seem to be most excited about:
Herald: You’ve become very popular. I wanted to ask you a little bit about that. The 56-yard field goal you hit against Pahokee got you a lot of attention. What Hearing from Miami fans after, what was it like?
Borregales: “It was crazy because they’re all like, Oh, reclassify. I wish, but I can’t.”
MH: Kickers don’t usually get a lot of attention as recruits. Were you surprised?
AB: “I was kind of surprised because I’m thinking I’m going to get all my offers like senior year. That’s usually when kickers get offers. I was just really surprised.”
MH: What’s the best thing you’ve heard from a Miami fan?
AB: “There’s a lot. Some guy said he’ll take all my online classes just for me to enroll early, graduate early.”
MH: What made you want to commit to Miami so early?
BG: ‘it’s my dream school. I was born a UM fan. My dad’s a UM fan, so it’s all in the family. Take the opportunity.”
This story was originally published October 29, 2019 at 12:47 PM.
