Thad Franklin is locked in with Miami, but he knows he has to improve to compete at RB
Sometime during the seemingly unending spring — or was it summer — morass of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thad Franklin had time to think about all the reasons he committed to the Miami Hurricanes in the first place.
The four-star running back had actually committed to Miami twice, once in 2018 when he was just a sophomore committing to his “dream school” and then again in February when he had weighed all the factors more thoroughly. In July, he briefly said the Florida State Seminoles had pulled even with the hometown Hurricanes and then, just a few days later, he abruptly shut down his recruitment with a Twitter post.
“Being able to play where I’m from and my family can come see me play, plus Miami was my dream school,” Franklin said Wednesday, explaining why he’s done considering anyone else. “I want to be down here with [my parents] and I’m pretty sure they want me to be home, so it was just being smart about my decision and doing what’s best for me.”
On the eve of the start of his senior season at Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna, Franklin is still as locked in with Miami as he was back in July. He said he still hears from other suitors and doesn’t mind — “that’s their job,” he said — but he’s more focused on winning a fourth straight state championship and getting prepared to compete in Coral Gables.
One of the biggest storylines throughout Hurricanes training camp has been how impressive Miami’s two freshman running backs are. the Hurricanes list Jaylan Knighton and Donald Chaney Jr. as the co-backup running backs to junior Cam’Ron Harris on its depth chart for its season-opener Thursday against the UAB Blazers, and coaches have continually praised the two freshmen throughout the preseason.
They’re setting a standard Franklin wants to match once he gets to Miami.
“I’m ready to put in the work,” Franklin said. “It’s going to be tough, but I feel like all three of us can get the job done, so it’s just try to come in and work.”
His top priority this fall is to win another Class 3A championship — a quest which begins Friday against defending Class 2A champion Hialeah Champagnat Catholic — and he knows there are a few areas in which he can personally improve to ensure it happens, even after he ran for 2,282 yards and 28 touchdowns as a junior last year.
Chaminade-Madonna coach Dameon Jones wants Franklin to focus on his leadership. The senior is admittedly laid-back, so being vocal doesn’t exactly come naturally to him. Still, he was barking orders at practice Wednesday in Hollywood when some of his teammates messed up in a goal-line drill.
“I went off on them just now,” Franklin said, “but they understand where I’m coming from, so it’s not that bad.”
Franklin was more concerned this offseason with getting faster and getting in better shape by the time he joins the Hurricanes.
This is where the coronavirus pandemic presented a challenge. Franklin said he only got into a weight room or gym twice between the time the shutdowns began in March and when Chaminade-Madonna started conditioning in August. Physically, he still looks similar to the way he did in March when he was helping Chaminade-Madonna reach the 3A semifinals in boys’ basketball.
Coaches, however, say Franklin is noticeably quicker, which squares with what the halfback was actually able to do throughout the summer. Franklin spent time doing speed training with a personal trainer, mostly using resistance bands and doing change-of-direction drills. The No. 10 running back in the 247Sports.com composite rankings for the Class of 2021, Franklin was a physically overwhelming power back in 2019 and he wants to be more well-rounded this season. The 6-foot, 225-pound tailback is also eating better and trying to shed some bad weight before college.
“Turning the little fat I have into muscle, stuff like that,” Franklin said. “They said I got faster. I feel myself getting faster. I want to get faster and then I want to get my body right, so I can be ready for college.”
While an extended dead period means the Hurricanes can’t make in-person contact with recruits until at least October or host recruits at games in Miami Gardens, Franklin said he still talks to running backs coach Eric Hickson every day, coach Manny Diaz from time to time, and recruiting director David Cooney and assistant recruiting director DeMarcus Van Dyke “a lot.”
He also said he’s still trying to figure out how he can be one of the 13,000 fans allowed inside Hard Rock Stadium on Thursday.
“I’m trying to get tickets for tomorrow,” Franklin said. “Just because we can’t go, I want to still try to go.”
This story was originally published September 10, 2020 at 10:22 AM.
