Miami WR commit Brinson: ‘I’m going to do what I’ve got to do to come in and start’
It took only two plays for Romello Brinson to start his senior season off with a game-changing play.
On the second play of Miami Northwestern’s long-delayed season Friday, Brinson ran straight down the field while the Miami Central defense looked into the backfield to watch the scrambling quarterback.
By the time Central’s secondary looked back to track the wide receiver, Taron Dickens had already sailed a pass down the field and Brinson was on his way to a 77-yard touchdown in Miami.
“The corner bit for one second,” Brinson said Friday, “and if he’s biting I’m going for the touchdown.”
Brinson began his final season at Northwestern with three catches for 97 yards and one touchdown to help the Bulls beat the rival Rockets, 21-14, at “Traz” Powell Stadium. It was exactly the sort of explosive performance Northwestern has come to expect from the four-star wide receiver since he broke out as a sophomore back in in 2018, making him one of the most coveted wideouts in talent-rich South Florida for the Class of 2020.
Brinson first orally committed to the Miami Hurricanes in 2019, then backed off his pledge about nine months later as the Hurricanes struggled and offers piled up. He ultimately committed to the Hurricanes again in June, picking them over the Georgia Bulldogs and Texas A&M Aggies.
His commitment always seemed important — he’s the No. 1 wide receiver in the Miami metropolitan area, according to the 247Sports.com composite rankings — and now the need for players like him is even more pressing.
Until the Hurricanes’ starting three wide receivers combined for 254 yards in a 19-14 win against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, they had totaled just 487 yards in the Hurricanes’ first five games. Brinson, who plans to early enroll, said he’s aiming to contribute early once he gets to Coral Gables.
“I can come in and be a leader for the group,” Brinson said. “I’ve got that dog in me that’s going to push the guys to want to work. I’m going to come in and do what I’ve got to do.
“I’m going to do what I’ve got to do to come in and start right now.”
When Brinson committed to the Hurricanes, he did so banking on the promise of Rhett Lashlee’s system to deliver. The offensive coordinator told him the offense would be totally overhauled in 2020, transformed into a pass-friendly spread system, but Brinson pledged to the Hurricanes before ever actually seeing it in action in Miami Gardens.
Through six games, the Hurricanes’ passing game has been more efficient, and it has translated into about 50 more yards per game and seven more points.
“He’s been telling me what he had in mind and what he was going to do. I got my trust in UM and the coaches,” Brinson said. “I’m liking the wins and how they’re passing the ball. Our receivers just got to catch the ball and make plays, and bail the quarterback out right now.”
After his early touchdown Friday, Brinson made two more important catches to help the Bulls pull out a narrow win. In the second quarter, he caught a 12-yard slant to help flip field position in the defensive struggle. In the third, he caught a curl for 8 yards to convert on third-and-7 and set up the game-winning touchdown.
His most impressive play of the game, however, didn’t even count. On a third-and-27 in the second quarter, Northwestern ran a basic tunnel screen to Brinson and the 6-foot-2, 180-pound receiver weaved through traffic for about 30 yards, leveling a Central defender on the sideline as he ran out of bounds. The third-down conversion came back, though, because of an ineligible player downfield.
Brinson’s final season of high school football could be as short as four games if Key West springs an unprecedented upset on the Bulls in the first round of the postseason next month.
More likely, the Bulls will play deep into November and December, contending for a fourth straight state championship, led by Brinson and fellow Hurricanes commits Kahlil Brantley, Tim Burns Jr. and Kamren Kinchens.
While most Miami-Dade County Public Schools opted out of the Florida High School Athletic Association’s state series this year to ensure more games and compete for a tri-county championship, Northwestern opted in to go for another state title.
Few high school players have won more big games than Brinson. He wants to bring the same habits to the Hurricanes.
“We’ve got to get the best of the best of guys from anywhere we’re trying to get so we can build our program to get back to where it was back in the day,” Brinson said. “I’m trying to win a national championship — I’m from a high school that wins state championships, so I’m trying to pass that on to the team I’m going to at Miami so we can be a winning team. I’m going to bring the winning.”
