Cristobal shares more thoughts on UM’s new players. And analyst feedback, stadium update
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on the first day of the early signing period:
▪ The Canes signed eight players on Wednesday but expect to add eight to 12 more among the prep ranks and the transfer portal in the months ahead. They’ll target help on both lines and at least one more edge player.
“You’ve got to make sure you can knock them back [on defense] and protect the passer,” Cristobal told WQAM’s Joe Zagacki on Wednesday night.
“This will extend…into February. It’s been a really good day so far. We targeted guys we knew could be game changers and could make an impact right away. We went local and a little far as well. Guys that are hard-nosed, tough, physical with incredible work ethic.”
Cristobal said “there are some things we’ll address in the portal.. We have found great football players playing rugby overseas.”
▪ Quick hits from Cristobal on the eight new players: He said quarterback Jacurri Brown “is a winner” and is very accurate…
He said linebacker Wesley Bissainthe “is a fast, rangy, instinctive, hard working leader. He’s a game-changer at a position we really need guys to help us.”
He said defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly “is as good a pass rusher as you will find in the entire country. Fast, physical, big. This is a 250-pound edge guy that can play the run and set edges. On third down, has an unbelievable variety of moves. Great with his hands, bull rush.”
He said cornerback Khamauri Rogers “is about as agile, athletic a DB as you’ll find. He has so much value, not only on defense, but also on special teams. Willing tackler. Instantly allows you to plug him in nickel and dime packages.”
He said cornerback Chris Graves “could just as easily play on offense. But he’s a corner for us.”
He said safety Markeith Williams “is another physical safety, another guy that can run the alley and play those perimeter bubbles. Another guy that can set edges. Unique to have that length and still be able to play man to man coverage on some of those smaller slots.”
And he said defensive back Jaden Harris has “a different kind of ball skills [having played soccer, too]. The way he’s in and out of breaks [is impressive]. Excellent athletic ability, combined with instinctive movements.”
He said receiver Isaiah Horton “doesn’t look like a wide receiver. He looks like he plays outside linebacker or defensive back. Big, physical, fast, gets behind guys. Does a great job on the contested catches.”
▪ Rivals rated UM’s class 63rd, just behind Boise State and Kansas State.
But here’s the glass half full perspective: Six of UM’s eight signees are in ESPN’s top 300, led by cornerback Rogers, who’s rated 61st among all prospects in this class.
Other UM players in the top 300: Kelly at 119, Brown at 152, Bissainthe at 159, Williams at 236 and Horton at 272.
And UM remains in the mix for several top 300 players, including Miami Monsignor Pace defensive end Shemar Stewart (No. 3 in ESPN’s top 300), St. Louis-based receiver Kevin Coleman (58) and Las Vegas-based defensive end Cyrus Moss (75)
Who’s the best player in this UM class?
ESPN’s Tom Luginbill said it’s Mississippi four-star cornerback Rogers.
“I just think he’s one of those tall guys, almost six foot. [Cornerbacks] are too valuable. Look what offensive football has come down to. Hey, do we have a guy that can lock down on that guy over there and take away half of the field? Outside of a pass rusher and tackle, those are the guys everyone is going after.”
Luginbill said UM’s class “might be small, but it’s pretty mighty. This is a heck of a group. You have eight verbal commitments and [six] are in the ESPN 300. You’ve got the first two are top 10 players at their position. The third guy is a top 20 player at his position. I think it’s a great little core nucleus.”
▪ Though UM donor John Ruiz continues to explore the possibility of building a football stadium closer to the school’s Coral Gables campus, UM chief of staff Rudy Fernandez said no proposal has been presented to the school.
“We have 11 years left on our lease at Hard Rock,” Fernandez said. “Hard Rock is a great facility to play in. Long term, will the university listen to people and ideas and other possible locations? Sure. We owe it to the university to always look at other ideas and proposals that will benefit the longterm outlook of UM football. Hard Rock and the Dolphins have been great to deal with.”
Would UM be content being there beyond 11 years? “We’ll see,” Fernandez said. “Time will tell.”
Has any stadium proposal crossed your desk?
“I followed the conversation on social media but nobody has approached the University of Miami directly on that,” Fernandez said.
▪ Fernandez said he believes the enormous expenditures being made in the athletic department in the past two weeks should be covered by projected new revenue. But the team needs to win and draw.
“The projection, which you look at [the 2022] season, we will see significant increases in revenue,” Fernandez said. “If we’re playing in a stadium that’s 50 percent full, and it’s 80 to 90 percent full, the revenue more than covers the investments we’re making.”
UM averaged 45,877 fans this season at Hard Rock Stadium, which seats 65,326.
From a ticket perspective, UM has not been able to capitalize on the hiring of Cristobal and athletic director Dan Radakovich because the Hurricanes aren’t yet selling individual or season tickets for 2022. Here’s the 2022 schedule.
▪ Quick stuff: If college football used the NFL’s passer rating formula, Tyler Van Dyke’s passer rating this season would have been 109.8. For perspective, Aaron Rodgers is first in the NFL in passer rating at 108.8. Van Dyke, incidentally, handed out toys at a Miami-Dade Boys and Girls Club on Wednesday…
Cristobal told Zagacki that he has met with about 40 of his players individually so far..
Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, who interacted with new UM athletic director Dan Radakovich at Clemson, said Wednesday: “I thought he was a great guy. Very solid guy. They’re getting something good down here.”...
Former UM safety Gurvan Hall transferred to Utah State, where he will play for defensive coordinator and former Hurricanes safeties coach Ephraim Banda.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 6:37 PM.
