Former FIU kicker Jose Borregales put a hurting on Miami. Now he’s transferring there
Former FIU Panther Jose Borregales hurt the Miami Hurricanes with some magnificent kicking in the Panthers’ Nov. 23 upset victory.
Now he’s joining them.
Borregales, the Panthers’ finest kicker in school history, announced Sunday he will be transferring to the University of Miami for his final year of college football after graduating from FIU. No doubt the Hurricanes are ecstatic with the announcement considering what had to be some of the most horrendous kicking this season in Miami history.
Since Borregales is a grad transfer, he can play immediately for Miami.
“Blessed to be given this opportunity,’’ Borregales said in a tweet that announced his decision. “No matter the hate I’m ready to work #CaneGang.’’
Borregales’ younger brother Andres, the nation’s top prep kicker who helped Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna win a state championship this past season as a junior, is already committed to the Canes’ recruiting class of 2021.
“The Borregales legacy starts now,’’ Andres tweeted in response to his brother’s commitment.
The Canes in 2019 used three kickers who went a combined 12 for 20 (60 percent) in field goals, most notably because scholarship kicker Bubba Baxa struggled by going 5 of 10 to start the season, including three misses from 20-29 yards out — as well as two missed extra points.
Against the Hurricanes, Jose Borregales, who played in high school at Miami Booker T. Washington, hit a 29-yard field goal in the opening quarter, a 50-yard field goal with two seconds left in the first half and his own school-record-tying 53-yarder in the third quarter. He also kicked three extra points before FIU went on to win 30-24.
“It was just getting back to basics,‘ ’Borregales said after the victory over UM, when asked about his high energy against UM and how he bounced back from early-season struggles. “As a kicker, everything has to be the same each kick. So, I just went back, looked at old film to see what I was doing right and had to take that into the game. I knew it was a big game. I knew we all had to come in and be energetic and support the defense and offense and special teams, so I was just trying to be the main guy to motivate everybody.’’
Borregales’ 281 career points set the school record for scoring. He redshirted in 2016 and then was 15 of 18 for field goals in 2017, with all 40 extra points converted. In 2018 he hit 14 of 18 field-goal attempts and 54 of 55 extra points. This season he was 21 of 29 for field goals and 37 of 39 on extra points — and hit three of his four attempts from 50-plus yards and 10 of 11 from 40-plus.
“My main goal after FIU is obviously to graduate, but also make it to the NFL,’’ Borregales, 5-10 and 190 pounds, previously told FIU. “And if that doesn’t work out, probably stay involved in sports and coach kicking for little kids and high school kids.”
Borregales posted on Twitter last month when he entered the transfer portal that before he “stepped foot at FIU I told myself, my family and [running backs] coach Tim [Harris Jr.] that I will go on and break records and be one of the best kickers that had ever been a Panther.
“Today I can finally say that I have accomplished what I set out to do. Being the man I am today and knowing what type of person I am, I am always looking for new challenges to test my abilities. Unfortunately, I have accomplished all of those challenges that I set out to do here at FIU.
“It is time for me to look for a new challenge to grow as a person and as a player. I am forever grateful for the time I’ve spent here at Florida International.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2020 at 11:44 AM.
