UM discusses Highsmith hire but delays decision. And James discusses UM football
The University of Miami on Monday spoke to NFL executive and former Hurricanes great Alonzo Highsmith about joining the athletic program but has delayed a decision, for now.
Highsmith and UM athletic director Blake James spoke Monday about Highsmith coming to UM in a high-level football administrative job, according to two UM sources. UM expressed interest.
But according to a Canes official, UM conveyed to Highsmith on Monday evening that the administration wants to look at other candidates, too, and will be in touch with Highsmith down the road, and that the priority now is hiring an offensive coordinator.
The question is whether Manny Diaz would welcome the hiring of an NFL executive with gravitas or whether Diaz would view Highsmith as a threat to his authority.
A potential role for Highsmith could include overseeing the football program with Diaz, evaluating recruits, giving input to Diaz and the coaching staff and helping further Diaz’s efforts to establish a winning culture and get the program back to its elite level.
During an interview with WQAM’s Marc Hochman and Channing Crowder on Monday, athletic director Blake James was asked about adding another set of eyes and hiring Highsmith.
“Manny talked to me about a chief of staff position when he got the job,” James said. “That is something that might happen in the future, yeah it is something Manny has brought up. But in the bigger picture we need to get an offensive coordinator. We aren’t going to win many games if we can’t score points.”
Highsmith, 54, has worked in the front office of NFL teams for 20 years, first as a scout for the Green Bay Packers beginning in 1999, then as the Packers’ senior personnel executive from 2012 to 2017 and, now, as the Cleveland Browns’ vice president of player personnel since 2018. He is respected in NFL circles.
Highsmith was an All-American defensive end at Columbus High in Miami.
He accepted a scholarship from the University of Miami over offers from Notre Dame University and Michigan. Though he was recruited by Howard Schnellenberger to play defense, he was converted to fullback before his freshman season started, won a national championship during that 1983 season, and was promoted by Jimmy Johnson to a starting role in 1984.
Highsmith finished his college career with 1,914 rushing yards (second in school history), 2,935 all-purpose yards (fifth in school history), 25 career touchdowns (tied for first in school history) and five 100-yard rushing games (tied for second in school history).
The Houston Oilers selected him third overall in the 1987 draft and he played 65 games over six seasons before knee issues curtailed his career. He ran for 1,195 yards (4.2 average) and seven touchdowns. He also had 42 receptions for 428 yards (10.2 average) and three touchdowns.
Highsmith declined to comment about any discussions with UM.
Asked if he’s feeling the fans’ wrath, James told WQAM: “Any time you have a season end that way, nobody is happy. When you under perform it is going to get people upset and they are going to want changes and we need to make changes. Obviously we made one on Friday [firing offensive coordinator Dan Enos] that was a big step in addressing our lack of offensive production, a clear issue for us.
“It’s understandable [fans] are going to point the finger at someone.obviously I am the head of the program and things start at the top. It is my responsibility to make sure I am giving Manny full support and resources. If you are going to point fingers and if it is at me, that is part of the job I signed up for.”
Asked by Hochman and Crowder if he’s on thin ice, James said: “That’s not for me to determine. That’s an evaluation for the President [Julio Frenk]. I have great support from him and the institution and our board. I will continue to do the best I can to put our institution in the best light and win as many games as possible.”Regarding those who want many dismissals, Diaz spoke of some fans’ “let’s clean house on everyone. I understand that approach. I don’t think it works if we are going to build a program that anyone who has passion for the University of Miami.....You can’t just be firing people. Finishing with three straight losses like we did is not OK. There are a lot of positives we can take out of what the team accomplished this year and we have addressed the biggest problem, which obviously was lack of offensive performance.
“The number one thing right now is to get the right offensive coordinator in here and get this offense being productive. When you look at the numbers where we were offensively and where we were defensively it is at two ends of the spectrum. Our defense is in the top 25 in every major category. Our offense is in the bottom third and in some cases bottom 10 in the country in terms of some statistical categories.”
Regarding the offensive coordinator position, James told Hochman and Crowder: “I think they will be able to capitalize on the talent on our team, specifically we have to get points. We need to find someone who will help us get in the end zone. You hear the spread thrown around here and there. I am sure it will be some form of what someone else did in the spread. We have a lot of very talented young men and we need to capitalize on their abilities at a higher level.”
Asked about Diaz’s performance, James said: “Manny’s year one didn’t go the way he expected or I expected or the way our fans expected. It has to get better. The University of Miami can’t be a 6-7 program. We can’t lose the types of games we lost this year. I am working with Manny to get the structure and support in place to make sure this doesn’t happen.
“I am going to do whatever needs to be done to put Manny in the best position possible. If it is helping our program, I am fine having the finger pointed at me. We have some work to do. I am going to do what I can do to support Manny and make sure we are operating at a much higher level next year. We can’t be a 6-7 program. I get it that people want heads to roll.”
Here’s my UM piece from earlier today on what quarterback commitment Tyler Van Dyke plans to do in light of UM changing offensive coordinators and schemes.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 7:00 PM.
