Here are some of the prep and grad transfer players being pursued by the Miami Hurricanes
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Friday:
▪ With at least a half dozen roster openings available, UM is pursuing a mix of high school seniors and grad transfers.
The Hurricanes are looking to augment quarterback and defensive end with grad transfers, and the offensive line with grad transfers and potentially a prep player. Another grad transfer receiver also could be targeted.
Houston’s D’Eriq King remains the top quarterback target and will visit UM this weekend, per 247 sports. The Washington Post reports he’s also visiting Maryland this weekend.
Meanwhile, defensive back is an area which UM would like to supplement with a prep player or two. UM has four defensive backs in this class, but three don’t arrive until this summer. Two prep players visit this weekend: four-star Georgia-based cornerback Isaiah Dunson (a former FSU commit) and DeLand four-star safety Avantae Williams.
UM’s most realistic cornerback target is probably Georgia-based three-star cornerback Jamorri Colson, who is visiting Jan. 24. Colson has 24 career interceptions, and Miami appears to his only Power 5 suitor.
Among other defensive backs still in the mix for Miami: Dunson, Williams, Texas-based three-star cornerback Edric Whitley (Mississippi reportedly the front-runner); Louisiana-based cornerback Daran Branch (a former UM commitment who is now committed to Mississippi but is also considering UM and Georgia) and Miami Christian four-star safety Marc Britt (a UF commit who tentatively is planning to visit UM at some point this month).
Dunson reportedly also plans to visit Texas, but Miami has a chance here for a player who was also a standout wide receiver in high school but has the skill set to play corner.
Britt, a former Miami commit, can also play receiver. He appears to be giving at least some consideration to the Hurricanes. Branch plans to visit UM the weekend of the Super Bowl. UF is said to be the front-runner for Williams, but at least UM is getting him on a visit.
Four-star Georgia-based cornerback/safety Javier Morton, a former Alabama commit, has told recruiting websites that he might visit UM this month.
UM also has made a push for Texas-based three-star cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, but the Canes aren’t viewed as a front-runner.
The hope is to emerge with one or two of these players, with Colson probably the most likely.
Meanwhile, we hear UM has kept in touch with four-star Miami Columbus High receiver XZavier Henderson, a Gators commitment who didn’t sign in January and has been to Miami’s campus multiple times. This cannot be ruled out.
▪ UM has been in contact with more than a handful of grad transfer offensive linemen, including Southern Cal tackle Clayton Bradley (three career starts), Vanderbilt tackle Devin Cochran (37 career starts) and Stanford tackle Henry Hattis (six starts last season before a knee injury).
UM has offered a few prep offensive linemen as well, including Alabama-based three-star tackle Brady Ward. There was December contact with three-star Georgia-based tackle Phillip Wilder and new offensive line coach Garin Justice has had contact with a few others.
▪ One bit of advice offered by a person inside the UM program: Manny Diaz needs to hire more voices around him who are older than him, preferably with more head coaching experience. That hasn’t happened this offseason, though we very much like the hiring of younger assistants Rhett Lashlee as offensive coordinator and Garin Justise as offensive line coach.
The only former head coach on Diaz’s 2019 staff was offensive coordinator Dan Enos, and he’s gone after a year. The only member of the 2020 staff with head coaching experience is Justice, who coached at Division II Campbell.
Keep in mind that when Erik Spoelstra was named Heat coach 12 years ago, Pat Riley made sure he had a sage, experienced lead assistant in Ron Rothstein. Something like that should have happened here.
I’m guessing Diaz will turn this around because of his intelligence (I always gamble on smart people) and because Lashlee’s offensive system should work here. But an experienced, been-around-the-block voice in Diaz’s ear would help, as the person inside the program said.
▪ One member of UM’s Board of Trustees said: “I’m concerned about the alumni, boosters and fans and how dissatisfied they are. When they’re dissatisfied, they don’t spend money.”
That trustee said that’s one reason he hopes changes extend beyond a new offensive coordinator and scheme. But that’s not going to happen, with UM’s decision not to hire Alonzo Highsmith.
At this point, UM believes Lashlee’s offense, a new quarterback, a new kicker and a crackdown on player behaviorial issues will fix what ails the program.
▪ Betonline.com gives UM the 18th-shortest odds of winning the national title next season at 100-1, which is tied with Iowa State, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, Southern Cal, Utah and Washington…. UM this week gave a scholarship to walk-on tight end/H-back Michael Parrott, who got playing time ahead of Realus George last season. George recently transferred to a community college in Kansas.
▪ Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Senior Bowl, told me that UM defensive lineman Trevon Hill —who will play in the game next week —is “super talented. With his Virginia Tech tape, he looked like a first-round pick. He’s long, explosive off the edge, has as much pass rush upside as anyone else in this class. This could be a huge week for him. You don’t hear a lot nationally about him, but he’s a hard guy not to find on tape. With that length and ability to come off the edge and pressure, those things are at a premium.”...
Draft analyst Tony Pauline, at East/West Shrine game practices this week, said former UM linebacker Michael Pinckney “is dealing with a hip injury that must eventually be fixed.” But Pinckney’s agent said the hip will not require surgery; the Dolphins already have told Pinckney they want to see him at their local pro day… Pauline said Pinckney rebounded in coverage drills after a tough start. He also said former UM linebacker Shaq Quarterman struggled in coverage drills early in the week.
This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 10:46 AM.
