Quick hits from Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes signing day press conference
Quick hits from Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal’s early signing day news conference on Wednesday, a day in which the Canes announced 24 high school signings but were still awaiting word from five-star cornerback commitment Cormani McClain, who did not sign:
▪ With UM putting together a consensus top-five class, Cristobal called this an “historic day, in terms of recruiting,” noting UM added “15 of the top 300.”
He said it’s one of the three-best “talent acquisitions” he’s been a part of, alongside one Alabama class and one Oregon class when he coached there.
He has said he wants the roster “to look a certain way” and this was a step toward that.
And “we’re not done. Hopefully, we’ll keep getting more and more momentum. We want to go after the best of the best. We don’t want whiners, complainers, tweet monsters.”
▪ He said running back signings Mark Fletcher and Christopher Johnson were “must-have guys for the program” with “two different skill sets.”
Johnson has “borderline world class speed, as explosive as it gets. Mark Fletcher is powerful, elusive, strong, fast, smart. Has all the traits, like Chris Johnson, you want in a running back.”
▪ He said the one quarterback signing, Emory Williams, is “a student of the game, a relentless, tireless worker. Accurate arm. Not what you consider a dual-threat quarterback, but for us, he can run as much as he needs to run. He checked all the boxes.”
▪ He said UM had to “get a lot bigger” on the offensive and defensive lines and at linebacker, which this class begins to achieve. “We got significantly larger at those positions. A lot of length and range as well.”
▪ Cristobal on the four transfers who have signed with UM:
Georgia State’s Thomas Gore “is a really productive player on film, plays with a lot of power, all conference player [in the Sun Belt].”
Alabama guard Javion Cohen “is the top offensive lineman in the portal. Athletic, tough, smart guy. He’s very familiar with the system we run.”
Cristobal announces Washington State linebacker Francisco Mauigoa has signed with Miami. Cristobal said he’s “a top 3 linebacker” in the Pac 12. He had 61 tackles and 3.5 sacks last season.
UCF cornerback Davonte Brown has two seasons of eligibility remaining and Cristobal noted he had 1900 snaps in three seasons at UCF and has allowed just four touchdowns. “Great feet, great hands.”
His brother, four star Plantation American Heritage cornerback Damari Brown, also signed with UM after announcing shortly before 4 p.m. So, of course, did Francisco Mauigoa’s brother, Francis, who’s a five-star offensive tackle.
▪ UM’s new punter Dylan Joyce, “film wise, he was the very best.“ He got a scholarship and won’t be a walk-on.
▪ He said four star defensive lineman Rueben Bain and five-star offensive tackle Samson Okunlola provided “a tremendous amount of momentum to make this the type of class” that it became.
▪ On freshman linebacker: Bobby Washington “you talk about a guy who can strike.”
▪ All of the Hurricanes’ oral commitments signed except McClain.
▪ Cristobal said UM would like to add two more outside receivers; they’re deep in the slot.
“We need a couple [receivers] just to have a balanced roster,” he said. “We’re low on numbers.”
Of the two freshmen receivers Robby Washington and Nathaniel Joseph, Cristobal said: “We think they’re dynamic playmakers. They were must get guys, local guys, made of the right stuff.”
▪ Cristobal said UM is also pursuing more defensive tackles.
▪ Cristobal, on defensive end Collins Acheampong, who flipped from Michigan: “To be able to get off the edge the way Collins does makes it really special. That’s a uniquely talented guy that is really hard to find. He was a late flip but his heart was always set on Miami.”
He also raved about IMG Academy edge player Jayden Wayne.
▪ On the two five-star offensive tackle additions, Okulola and Mauigoa: “They are elite monstrosities, play with power, as mean and nasty on the field as you can imagine.”
He said the “line of scrimmage has to look a certain way. The line of scrimmage always needs more time to develop. If you don’t have them, it’s hard to make up for them in the weight room.”
▪ UM got three defensive players from Georgia in this class, including productive linebacker Raul Aguirre. As for the others:
Defensive tackle Joshua Horton “is exactly what three technique should look like. He’s a jumbo athlete that’s explosive.”
Marcellius Pulliam “was knocking people out left and right. Size, speed guy.”
▪ Orlando-based linebacker Malik Bryant “has been playing inside linebacker and also has edge player capabilities. He’s a guy we can use” at both of those spots.
▪ Virginia-based Kaleb Spencer, a high school linebacker, will play safety for UM.
▪ Melbourne-based four-star cornerback Robert Stafford is “one of the most electric players in football,” Cristobal said. “He’s like Spiderman, catching balls as a receiver, [defensive back], return specialist.”
This story was originally published December 21, 2022 at 4:50 PM.
