Miami football recruits discuss controversial FHSAA decision and update their UM plans
As the Florida High School Athletic Association’s Board of Directors were debating nearly five hours late Monday the merits and disadvantages of starting formal high school football practice on time despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the players themselves were wondering their fate.
“I have a grandma and a 91-year-old great grandma who lives not even a block down from my house,’’ said Miami Columbus offensive lineman Ryan Rodriguez, who committed to the University of Miami in late April and is the nation’s No. 6 center according to the 247Sports.com rankings for the vaunted 2021 recruiting class. “I’m worried about them. If I were to go to their house and get them sick I’d have that on my head. I understand all the precautions. Hopefully, we have a season at some point, but I’m just being patient and getting ready for whatever does happen.’’
The FHSAA unanimously voted against the recommendations of a medical advisory committee to indefinitely delay the season, instead allowing Florida high schools to start practice Monday, the original start date, as long as it’s allowed by each school’s local governments. At least some schools, if not all, in coronavirus-rampant South Florida will delay the start, but after a certain point of holding off would be unable to take part in the state playoffs — usually dominated by Miami-Dade and Broward teams.
The Broward County Athletic Association posted on social media Tuesday that despite the FHSAA’s ruling, “the BCAA membership remains united to stay home, safe and healthy until further notice,’’ adding that it “will always put all of our student-athletes, coaches, volunteers and school personnel safety first.’’
Future Canes weigh in
Three University of Miami commits from the 2021 class — Rodriguez, linebacker Deshawn Troutman of Orlando Edgewater and kicker Andres Borregales of Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna — on Tuesday discussed with the Miami Herald their feelings on the situation and their plans for enrolling in college.
Rodriguez and Borregales, both 17, attend private schools that do not allow students to graduate early, so both can’t enroll until the fall of 2021.
Troutman, 17, wants to get to Coral Gables as soon as possible, whether or not high school football is pushed back to the spring of 2021. Orange County, which encompasses Orlando, announced Tuesday it is postponing fall athletic practices “until further notice.’’ Troutman is nevertheless intent on enrolling early at UM.
‘Ain’t the worst thing’
“I’m going to graduate in December regardless,’’ Troutman said. “If I have to miss my senior football season I’m just going to have to accept it. It ain’t the worst thing in the world.’’
Troutman, a three-star prospect, said he likes the FHSAA decision to allow schools, if they wish, to begin official practice July 27. “I’m all for it,’’ he said. “Right now we’re working out by position in groups of six or seven or eight and getting temperature checks every morning. We rarely see each other.
“I like wearing masks during the whole workout because it helps me breathe in with my nose and out with my mouth like you’re supposed to. You run full speed like that with a mask on all the time and you stay better conditioned.”
Not everyone is as diligent about donning their masks. “We have a bunch of freshmen that take it off,’’ Troutman said.
‘Nasty,’ but wears mask
Rodriguez, the center from Columbus, said he keeps his mask on during informal workouts that he said began a couple weeks ago.
“Everyone is six feet apart, and we do it by position groups with no more than nine allowed on the field at once,: he said. “And nine of us are spread out in the weight room using different racks. We each have our own disinfectant to wash the equipment afterward.
“We wear masks inside and out, and it’s uncomfortable. I can barely breathe and I have sweat in my mouth — nasty. Miami-Dade has big coronavirus numbers. We do what we have to do.’’
Rodriguez said he will sign his letter of intent during the early signing period in December if it remains the same. And if the high school season should get moved back to the spring of 2021, he will play. “I have too much pride in my school,’’ he said. “But a lot of recruits are saying they wouldn’t play in the spring because if they get hurt they’d only have one month to get healed and prepared for UM.
“I hope the season starts sooner than later, because taking us out of the playoffs would be a little boring.”
Kicker contemplates UNC
As for Borregales, rated the No. 1 kicker in the nation by Kornblue Kicking, he is now contemplating a still unplanned trip to the University of North Carolina, which has entered his recruiting picture. The dead period, however, has been extended through at least August.
“I’ll probably sign in February and not during an early signing period,’’ Borregales said. “I am committed to Miami, but UNC wants me to go up there and visit. I just want to see how it is. But I’m still pretty solid with Miami.’’
Borregales said he personally takes “precautions of staying safe’’ and wants to play his final high school season. He said it’s especially bad for “a lot of athletes who still need another season for film and to get their name out there.’’
“Who knows?’’ Borregales said. “It could be their breakout season and the next thing you know they have D-1 offers and get to live out their dreams.’’
This story was originally published July 21, 2020 at 4:49 PM.
