Eye on the U

McCartney: "I have to find a fit for me"

As a former college football star at West Virginia and professional football player, Damon Cogdell is trying his best to prepare Ivan McCartney for the tough decision he's going to have to make soon. As McCartney's football coach at Class 6A state champion Miramar High, Cogdell is also trying to toe the fine line of telling him what's right for him and letting him think all for himself.

 McCartney still hasn't decided whether or not to join the team he grew up rooting for in Coral Gables, his former high school teammates who are now Mountaineers, or fill some big receiver needs for Urban Meyer at the University of Florida. But after McCartney spends his last recruiting weekend at the University of Miami beginning this Friday, Cogdell expects him to be ready with a decision come Wednesday morning at 9:30 a.m.

"I think he kind of has his mind set of where he's going, but he'll know for sure by Monday," Cogdell said. "I told him he has to be thick skinned. This is a business decision, not an emotional decision. He's taking everything into account.

"He wants to go up to a place where he can play and make a big impact on that team right away. And if not right away, he wants to play the next year. I told him, he also has to look at the school with the highest graduation rate, which coach has been the most loyal to you and always been there. I don't like it when the coach calls you and just talks football. Neither does he. I told him you can't look at in terms of where you are going to live the rest of your life, just the next four years. At the end of the day, he knows it's his life decision."

McCartney, a 6-3, 180-pound U.S. Army All-American, hasn't spoken to reporters recently. But last week, when he came in to take his photos as an All-Broward First Team selection, he spoke to me for five minutes about what he was feeling. Ultimately, he wants to make the best decision for himself. Most experts believe with his coach being a West Virginia grad and two teammates already playing for the Mountaineers (current Miramar receiver Dante Chambers is a WV commitment), the Hurricanes don't stand much of a chance. But McCartney insisted when I talked to him the Hurricanes are very much in it.

"When I went to West Virginia, I felt like I was at home, especially with [quarterback Eugene] Smith and [receiver] Steadman [Bailey] up there," said McCartney, who caught 37 passes for 693 yards and 10 touchdowns -- including three in the state championship victory.

"West Virginia was a fit for Gino and Steadman. I'm not saying it's a fit for me or it isn't. I have to find somewhere that is a fit for me."

Although some might believe otherwise, McCartney said he is not turned off by the number of receivers currently on the Canes roster (1 senior, 4 juniors, 3 sophomores). "I feel like anywhere you go there are going to be receivers," McCartney said. "Depending on your work ethic, that will determine if you get on the field or not. I know anywhere I go, I'm going to work hard to get on the field."

Cogdell calls McCartney's relationship and his own with UM coaches "outstanding."

"Miami has been there loyally for a long time," Cogdell said. "Coach Shannon and I have a great relationship. We have history together. We both grew up at Scott Park. He recruited me coming out of high school. He coached me when he was an assistant with the Dolphins, when I was a linebacker there. We talk all the time about life, how we both grew up at Scott Park and became coaches. He's come by the school a couple times and had a great in home visit with Ivan. They've done what they've had to do."

The question remains, though, will it be enough to keep McCartney home? "I'll find out Monday, but you'll find out Wednesday like everybody else," Cogdell said with a laugh. "I told him to enjoy it, have a little fun with it."

A FEW MORE TIDBITS...

> Locally, McCartney might be the only player Hurricanes fans will be holding the breath for on National Signing Day. Although I haven't spoken to Hialeah defensive end Corey Lemonier of late, our Larry Blustein says it looks more and more like the No. 1 recruit in Miami-Dade County will be going to Florida State.

> Speaking of Mr. Blustein, he and I recorded three podcasts in a Countdown To National Signing Day on Monday night. They are all available for download on our high school podcast The Countdown. Part 2 of our discussion is on the University of Miami. 

> Two years ago, Jordan Futch became sort of the spokesman for the 2008 recruiting class. This year, I'd have to say that guy is Gainesville High linebacker Kevin Nelson. The more I talk to the kid, the more I'm reminded of the old school Canes mentality. The kid bleeds green and orange. I'll have a full interview (audio included) for you tomorrow.

LB Gaines becomes latest UM commitment

One recruiting weekend down, one to go. The University of Miami hosted its next to last group of weekend visitors. Here are a few tidbits I was able to gather... 

As expected, the Canes were able to nail down a commitment from Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius High linebacker Jimmy Gaines. The former Buffalo recruit apparently had a great time on his visit and told UM coach Randy Shannon Saturday night he was ready to join the family. "He just loved it from the moment he got there," Canisius coach Brandon Harris said. "I think the kid is going to be a really good player for Miami. In three years, you'll find me and say 'Coach, you were right." 

While it looks like St. Thomas Aquinas kicker Michael Palardy is going to stay true to his commitment to Tennessee, UM was able to bring in Sacramento (Calif.) Christian Brothers tight end Asante Cleveland and his parents for a visit. And word is, Cleveland had a great time and is now considering switching from Washington State to Miami. Cleveland (6-5, 230) would be a great get for the Canes considering the need at tight end. Stay tuned for updates this week.

> Gaines might have enjoyed his visit, but he did get a little razzing from his future teammates. According to Davie Western offensive lineman and now fellow UM commitment Jonathan Feliciano, players were deliberately ignoring him until he decided to commit.

"We kept messing with him, telling him 'We don't talk to guys who aren't Canes," Feliciano said. "He's cool. I didn't get a chance to see him [Sunday] before we left. But I heard he decided to become part of the family. That's great news."

Feliciano, who had Wake Forest, Florida State and Tennessee still chasing him up until last month, said he's grown an inch (he's now 6-5) and put on another 10 pounds (He weighs 318) since the start of the season. He said UM coach Randy Shannon told him he's happy he never strayed and is looking forward to him competing for playing time at guard.

A FEW MORE TIDBITS...

> I've been told the Hurricanes are hot after another defensive tackle, current Ole Miss commitment Byron Bennett. Although I haven't been able to confirm it with Bennett or his coach, the 6-3, 265-pound senior at Madison Central High in Mississippi could be making a visit to UM this weekend. 

> Miami Springs receiver Willis Wright hasn't heard from Miami coaches in a long time. But his high school coach Alex Pacheco said he received a phone call from UM assistant Wesley McGriff on Friday to see if Wright was still interested in UM. 

Wright, who visited FIU this past weekend and has West Virginia as another of his finalists, told me Sunday afternoon he would love to visit UM next weekend. But he still hasn't heard from Canes coaches.

"I'm willing to give them a look," Wright said. "I've taken three visits and can take one next week if they wanted me to."

Pacheco said Wright, who is still awaiting his ACT test scores and should get them this week, took his studies seriously his senior season (he worked with a tutor) and raised his GPA to 2.6. "Willis isn't a dumb kid," Pacheco said. "Is he lazy? Yes, he had been. I know grades could have been an issue with Miami. But he might have what he needs to get in there now."

> There is no reason to hold out hope anymore on Winter Park Lake Howell linebacker Christian Jones giving UM a visit. His coach, Tom Oliver, told me Friday Jones has basically eliminated UM. 

"I think he was supposed to go down there and visit and just decided not to," Oliver said. "I know the last thing he wants to do is waste anybody's time. I know Micheal Barrow has made a strong effort to convince him to give Miami a look. But it just doesn't look like its going to work out. He's probably going to give USC a look next week."

Finding hidden gems no easy task for Canes

I've never been a believer in the star system used to rate recruits. Just because a player has a certain number of stars -- or offers -- doesn't necessarily mean he'll become a superstar in college. 

 But on the flip side of the argument -- and one I think maybe isn't discussed enough -- are the under the radar players, the kids who don't have offers from many BCS schools. There has been a long held belief that when the University of Miami was thriving in the 1980s and late 1990s, it did a great job at finding those hidden gems and signing them. 

Over the past couple of days, we've heard about how UM has gone after players like Miami Beach defensive tackle Delmar Taylor (a player with five high school games under his belt), Buffalo Canisius High linebacker Jimmy Gaines (a Buffalo commitment and 2-star prospect visiting UM this weekend), Clovis (Calif.) Buchanan High linebacker Kelvin Cain (a player with no other BCS offers). 

If there is one common theme with the Hurricanes' 2010 recruiting class its that most of the players expected to sign on Feb. 3 aren't among the most highly coveted in the nation. In fact, if you look at Rivals for instance, only six of UM's 24 commitments are rated four stars (elite) or above. Those are: RB Storm Johnson, OL Malcolm Bunche, RB Eduardo Clements, OT Tavadis Glenn, OT Brandon Linder and LB Travis Williams. ESPN also has six players rated four stars or above. Their list has: Johnson, Clements, Linder, Glenn and DE David Perry and LB Kevin Nelson. 

For argument sake, let's say there are eight players that are being recognized as "BCS caliber." That means the Hurricanes are counting on 16 current commitments, considered "middle of the road" to "2-star gambles" that UM's staff is hoping develops into gems. So what is the likelihood of that happening? Who really knows. But if you look at UM's recent history with players rated 3-stars or less, it's easy to see finding a gem is harder than it might have been when UM was winning national titles. 

Here's a look at the good, the bad and the ugly since 2005 when the Canes signed players considered by Rivals.com to be three stars or less. Note: *-denotes 2-star player.

2005
- Eric Houston, LB: Career special teams player
- Daryl Shaprton, LB: Late bloomer broke out his senior year
- Matt Pipho, OL: Didn't play until his fifth season, struggled at right tackle
* Jerrell Mabry, FB: Never panned out 

2006
- Chris Lewis, DE: Transferred to Fresno State, had 20 tackles, 1 INT in 2009
- Colin McCarthy, LB: 3-year starter, All-ACC First Team in 2009 
- Ian Symonnette, OL: Career special teams player
- Chavez Grant, CB: Never made a strong impact. Started 19 games, 2 INTs
- Steven Wesley, DL: Has started 17 games and has 3 sacks heading into senior year
- Matt Bosher, K: Team MVP in 2008, All-ACC First Team
- Chaz Washington, DT: Never panned out
* Daniel Stegall, QB: Returned to baseball, career fizzled with Mets in minors
* Joel Figueroa, OL: Has 13 career starts heading into senior year at guard
* George Robinson, WR: Quit football after one year

2007
- Lee Chambers, RB: Career backup has 272 yards rushing, 1 TD heading into junior year
- Harland Gunn, OL: After two years on scout team, he started five games in 2009
- Leonard Hankerson, WR: Had breakout 2009 season and enters senior year highly touted
- Shawnbrey McNeal, RB: Transferred to SMU and had breakout season, entering NFL Draft
- Jojo Nicholas, S: Injured in '09, likely will be passed up on depth chart in 2010
- Chris Perry, DT: Played in eight games in '09 at Texas Tech, four tackles, 1 sack
- Adewale Ojomo, DE: Broke jaw in a preseason fight with walk-on; expected to start in 2010 
- Jared Campbell, S: Made 6 starts in 2009, 31 tackles, 5 pass breakups 
* Tyler Horn, OL: Projected started at center in 2010
* Daniel Adderley, WR: Has not panned out 

2008
- Micanor Regis, DT, Made strong push toward end of '09 season, 2 INTs in 13 games
- LaRon Byrd, WR, Struggled down stretch of '09 season, 33 catches, 460 yards, 1 TD
- Joe Wylie, DB, Left the program last summer 
- Thearon Collier, WR, Shined as a punt returner, finished with 18 catches, 250 yards
- Antonio Harper, LB, Academic casualty, now a defensive end at Troy
- Kendall Thompkins, WR: Has hardly played, rumored to be transferring or switching to cornerback
- Gavin Hardin, LB: Played in one game in '09, missed rest of season with injury
- Cannon Smith, QB: Transferred to Memphis, expected to assume backup role in 2010
* Taylor Cook, QB: Transferred to Rice, expected to assume backup role in 2010
* Brandon Marti, LB: Arrested, cut from the team; in JUCO trying to revive career
* Zach Kane, LB: Arrested, cut from team, not heard from since he entered prep school
* C.J. Odom, DB: Another academic casualty. Out of football
* John Calhoun, FB: Has played mostly on special teams
* Patrick Hill, FB: A two-year starter expected to return in 2010 after missing most of '09 with injury.
* Jake Wieclaw, K: Hasn't been able to wrestle away any of the three kicking jobs from Bosher 

2009
- Prince Kent, DB: Academic casualty, signed with Baylor after shining in prep school
- Curtis Porter, DT: Filled in well during his freshman season for injured Marcus Forston
- A.J. Highsmith, QB: Elevated himself to backup quarterback in the spring
- Billy Sanders, TE: Expected to compete for the starting tight end job
- Jared Wheeler, OL: Could compete for playing time at guard or center
- Cory White, TE: Converted to offensive tackle, played on scout team
- Shayon Green, DE: Injured, missed entire freshman season
- Stephen Plein, TE: Converted to offensive tackle, played on scout team

Canes targeting New York area linebacker

With two recruiting weekends left before National Signing Day, the University of Miami is close to wrapping up its 2010 class. But there are a few players they still are trying to land, including someone relatively new to the recruiting radar: Buffalo (N.Y.) Canisius High linebacker James Gaines.

The 6-3, 216-pound senior grew up a huge fan of former Hurricanes running back Willis McGahee and is one of a few uncommitted recruits visiting the Hurricanes this weekend with his family. According to his coach, Brandon Harris, Gaines was all set to go to the nearby University of Buffalo before coach Turner Gill bolted for the University of Kansas on Dec. 13. Shortly after Gill left, Gaines reopened his recruiting and sent out highlight tapes across the country.

Using his connection to the University of Miami, Harris quickly got the attention of Hurricanes defensive coordinator John Lovett, who made the trip up to Buffalo, made an in-home visit and watched Gaines play basketball. The Hurricanes have been among several BCS schools in hot pursuit of Gaines ever since.

"It's been crazy since we sent those tapes out around Christmas," Harris said. "Being in Buffalo, we're in an area where some of the top schools in the country drive right past. But Jimmy is a diamond in the rough. He's a great player. He wouldn't be down [at UM] visiting right now if he wasn't. Oklahoma wouldn't be calling either if he wasn't good. In fact, they're a little irritated because there just aren't enough recruiting weekends left. Right now, I'd say it's either going to be Arkansas, Miami or Buffalo."

Gaines can't be found on Rivals.com, ESPN or Scout.com. But he comes highly recommended by Harris, who was coached at Idaho by former Hurricanes receivers coach Curtis Johnson. Harris has had plenty of run-ins with the Hurricanes since his playing days. At Brophy Prep in Arizona, he coached Raiders tight end Zach Miller (who was recruited by UM) and current Hurricanes redshirt freshman tight end Billy Sanders. 

According to the team stats on MaxPreps.com, Gaines had 154 tackles (108 solo), three sacks, an interception while playing inside and outside linebacker. On offense, he played tight end and running back and finished with 15 catches for 270 yards and three scores.

"Usually when I call Miami and tell them I got one, they know I'm not just throwing any player at out there,"  Harris said. "Jimmy brings a lot intensity and a lot thud when he hits people. When I called over there, I said he's another Sean Taylor. Jimmy can hit. Miami loves his frame and the fact he's a 4.5 kid. Once [strength and conditioning coach Andreu] Swasey gets a hold of him, he'll be exactly what they want. He can bench over 300 now and squat in the 400s. His mom was a track star and his dad played football and basketball. And he's got the grades too with a 3.5 GPA and a test score in the four digits."

Harris said if UM offers Gaines a scholarship, he's almost sure he'll commit and cancel his scheduled trip next week to Arkansas. "When I told him the University of Miami was coming in, he was beaming," Harris said. "The U is his dream school."

A FEW MORE TIDBITS...

> Aside from Gaines, the only non Canes commitment visiting UM this weekend appears to be St. Thomas Aquinas kicker Michael Palardy, who is still committed to Tennessee. UM was chasing after Bjoern Werner, a 6-4, 264-pound defensive tackle/tight end from the Salisbury School in Connecticut. But Warchant.com quoted Werner's coach saying he had canceled his visit to UM and was deciding between Florida State and Oregon.

> Delray Beach Atlantic receiver Quadarius Mireles has told a lot of recruiting websites he was visiting UM this weekend. But that was news to his coach. Andre Thadbies said Mireles was probably playing reporters and has simply been waiting to be cleared by the NCAA Clearinghouse so he could enroll at Mississippi. 

"Coach [Aubrey] Hill and their offensive coordinator [Mark Whipple] we're here about three weeks ago to talk to him and check him out when things were heating up," Thadbies said. "But no ever called us back. Quad's always been set on going to Ole Miss."

Thadbies, who was the defensive coordinator at Atlantic when Orlando Franklin was there as junior and senior, said UM coaches are very much interested in 2011 receiver Ezekiel Turner (5-10, 170-pounds). Thadbies said Turner is close with Franklin and stays with him at times when he visits Miami. Turner caught 23 passes for 458 yards and eight touchdowns this past season.

> Palm Beach Post high school writer Jason Lieser reported earlier this week that the Hurricanes were no longer recruiting Pahokee safety Raheam Buxton. Not much of a surprise considering Buxton was an early commitment and had a tough senior season. The real worry here is how this might hinder UM from recruiting more Pahokee players in the future. 

McDermott eager to make impact

If there is one area the Miami Hurricanes absolutely needed to address in the 2010 recruiting class it was offensive line. With three starters (Jason Fox, Matt Pipho, A.J. Trump) headed out the door and only four players (Orlando Franklin, Harland Gunn, Brandon Washington and Joel Figueroa) returning with real in-game college experience, the Hurricanes absolutely need to not only find big bodies but guys who could play if called upon.

 Shane McDermott is ready to be one of those guys. I caught up with the 6-3, 275-pound All-American center from Palm Beach Central High before he began taking classes at UM this past Tuesday to see where his mind was at heading into spring football next month. Needless to say, this guy sounds like he's ready.

"I want to make an impact," McDermott answered when I asked him about his expectations for his freshman season. "Coach [Jeff] Stoutland told us if you come in and you perform, we'll play you. We aren't scared to put a freshman in that position. I've let him know I'm not scared to be in that position."

As it stands, the Hurricanes are bringing in seven offensive linemen in this class. There could be more. But of the seven, a source at UM told me its not hard to imagine McDermott, Milford Prep offensive tackle Malcolm Bunche or St. Thomas Aquinas offensive tackle Brandon Linder seeing real playing as true freshmen. The truth is none of them have much in the way of competition -- especially McDermott. 

Redshirt sophomore Tyler Horn, penciled in as the starting center, played in all of six games this season -- garbage time minutes mostly against Florida A&M, UCF, Virginia and USF. Brandon Washington has taken snaps at center in practice, but the Hurricanes want him to take over the left guard spot while Franklin moves out to left tackle. The other returning scout team offensive linemen -- Ben Jones (6-5, 300), Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 310), Jared Wheeler (6-5, 330), Cory White (6-5, 260) and Stephen Plein (6-6, 260) -- are expected to compete mostly at tackle and guard.

"I think I could make a big difference early," McDermott said. "I'm pretty much second string. Coach told me they're looking at converting a couple of other guys to center, the guy who used to play tight end [Plein]. But I'm graduating early for a reason, that's to play early."

McDermott is definitely gifted. Despite playing on a 3-7 team, he graded out a 98 percent according to his coach and is already as strong as some of UM's biggest linemen. He benches 365 pounds and squats 490 pounds. He also received great reviews at last month's Under-Armour All-Star Game in Tampa, where he lined up opposite former Canes recruits Louis Nix (now of Notre Dame) and Todd Chandler (USF) and dominated. 

"It was a great experience and awesome to compete against some of the best in the nation," McDermott said. "I thought I did really good, especially against Nix and Chandler. It was a little weird facing them after they decommitted. There were some serious battles and we were going at it a little bit. But I felt like I came out on top."

McDermott is definitely one of the brightest minds in the class. He graduated with a 3.4 GPA and scored a 1010 on his SAT. His plan is to double major at UM, Marine Affairs and Marine Biology. It's not surprising since he won the Palm Beach Science fair with a project on the on the effects of acidification on the asexual reproduction of corals. It's no surprise either that in addition to his love for the study of the sea, McDermott loves spear fishing, something he said he plans to do a lot with Linder.

"Being in the ocean, hunting, is a lot of fun," said McDermott, who is rooming with quarterback Stephen Morris. "Brandon and I have been keeping up on Facebook a lot. He told me how cleaned up during mini season, 60 lobsters. The biggest thing I've ever caught is a six pound hog fish."

Truth is, the biggest catch McDermott could end up with this fall is a starting job. He's going to give it his best shot. 

"I've been lifting everyday at 6 a.m. since the season ended," McDermott said. "I've been doing speed and agility drills with Athlete's Advantage. I feel like I'm ready for college. It's all I've been focused on. I can't wait to get in there."

A FEW MORE TIDBITS...

> I wasn't able to hook up with Malcolm Bunche before he began taking classes Tuesday, but word is he'll be given every opportunity to win the starting right tackle job this fall. Hurricanes coaches felt Bunche could have made an impact last year if he hadn't had to go to prep school. 

> I wasn't able to attend Tuesday night's basketball game because I spent a few days taking care of my wife who is sick with a vicious stomach virus. But I spoke to a few well respected coaches last night to get a feel for what they believe might be wrong with the Hurricanes. 

In their opinions, while UM coach Frank Haith has done an excellent job recruiting talent to Miami, he needs to find more help in terms of X's and O's. "Everyone knows Frank can recruit, but just like Leonard Hamilton needed to go out and get him a Stan Jones, Frank needs to do the same," one coach said. "Once Leonard got Stan, UM really started winning. What I see now is a lot of confusion."

The other criticism: Substitutions. "It kills me to see him yank guys like clockwork," another coach said. "At the four minute mark every game, he gives his starters a blow. Why? Post guys like [Dwayne] Collins need to feel the ball, need to get into a flow. He needs to go with his best guys more often."

Source: Hurtt on way out; McGriff says he's 'staying'

CHARLOTTESVILLE -- Rumors have been swirling for days that a few Hurricane assistants could be on their way out. Turns out one of them is true and one isn't.

According to a source who spoke with our Susan Miller Degnan moments ago, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt has been interviewed by Louisville and is likely going to be given a job on new coach Charlie Strong's staff. 

The other rumored coach to be leaving, defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, told me moments ago he isn't going anywhere and "to please end the rumors."

"Any rumors of me leaving are totally false," Wesley McGriff said by phone Saturday night. "I'm staying at the University of Miami. I haven't spoken to anyone at Kentucky or any other school. I haven't interviewed. I'm a Hurricane. Please let everyone know that."

Hurtt has not answered repeated phone calls. But if we can get him on the phone, we will try to get something from him. Last week, a source told me the Hurricanes are interested in bringing in former UM defensive lineman and USF defensive line coach Kevin Patrick as Hurtt's replacement.

Stay tuned.

Clements open to idea of playing corner

ROANOKE, VA. -- The only position Eduardo Clements took seriously growing up was running back. But as he prepares to begin taking classes at the University of Miami, the Miami Booker T. Washington standout isn't sure that when he finishes his college career he'll still be taking handoffs.

For the past two weeks, Clements has been working out with former high school teammate and Canes cornerback Brandon Harris, who apparently has been getting in Clements' ear about giving the secondary a try.

"Brandon and I got into a heated discussion the other day," said Clements, who is expected to begin taking classes at UM on Jan. 23, a few days after he receives his final report card from Booker T. "He said, 'Bro, if you go in there and learn the system, I know you can play corner.' He said because a couple of other guys will be doing track, they'll only be like three corners around for the spring. [Defensive backs] coach [Wesley] McGriff] jokes with me all the time about going out for corner.

"To be honest, if I had to make a choice and switch, of all the positions I'd pick corner. I always liked playing it during 7-on-7. If I had to do it, I could."

With Miami's wealth and depth at running back, Clements (5-10, 190) might eventually be asked to do so. But at least when spring football begins in late February, Clements expects to be where he always has -- on the offensive side of things. That is, of course, if he's physically ready.

Five games into his senior season, Clements badly sprained the meniscus in his left knee while playing defensive end in the Tornadoes' 35-28 win over rival Miami Northwestern. He sat out his team's next three games in October before returning for the final month of the season. He finished with 694 yards rushing and 12 catches for 151 yards and a score, his worst season his freshman year when he ran for 624 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 10 passes for 107 yards. Clements still finished his career as one of the best all-time in Miami-Dade County, rushing for 3,105 yards and 50 touchdowns and catching 77 passes for 743 yards and five TDs. He also was named Most Valuable Player of the Class 4A state championship game in 2007.

"Basically, I'm still rehabbing," said Clements, who is graduating from Booker T. with a 3.2 GPA and 22 on the ACT exam. "The last time I saw my doctor he told me I didn't heal the way it needed to. So, now, I'm wearing a brace, trying to workout with it, stuff like that. The past two weeks, [Brandon] has been coming to Booker T., training me at corner. I'm just working to get my knee back 100 percent. I should be there by the spring game."

Rated by Rivals as the 10th best running back in the country (14th by ESPN), Clements said he feels like he closely resembles the playing style of Graig Cooper, who has become a close friend of his. With Cooper not expected to play in 2010, Clements feels he could fill the Canes' need for "a scatback."

"When you look at it, Damien Berry, Lamar Miller and Mike James are all downhill runners," Clements said. "Me and Coop are guys you can split out wide, just like he was against Florida State when he caught the touchdown.

"Basically, in all our meetings, coach Robinson tells me to be patient because they don't really know how they're going to use me. I can be patient. If I have to do the same thing Lamar Miller did, run the scout team, I will. Lamar was still ringing bells, though. I can do the same."

Clements said what he loves about Miami is the family atmosphere, which he said showed itself perfectly in the Champs Sports Bowl. "If you want to know why I picked UM, just look at one play -- when Coop got hurt," Clements said. "The first guys on the field where JJ [Javarris James] and Berry. They picked him up, helped him off the field. On this team, there are no selfish attitudes. There is just family. That's why I love The U."

> For what it's worth, Clements said Cooper told him recently his decision to return to UM or enter the NFL Draft remains "in the air." But Clements said he thinks Cooper will come back to UM. "He's down, but he's trying to stay positive," Clements said. "I think Coop just loves the UM family too much to go out like that. I think he'll be back."

> Althought I haven't been able to confirm it yet with Carol City High receiver Allen Hurns (he wasn't answering his phone late Thursday night), Clements said Hurns will be his roommate in the spring. Hurns has been waiting on receiving news regarding his grades. 

> So much for giving up on Seantrel Henderson. On Thursday, Scout.com spoke to the father of U.S. Army-All American and the nation's No. 1 offensive tackle, who said his son will take his last official to the University of Miami on Jan. 22. Henderson (6-8, 330) would be the home runs of home runs if the Canes were to land him in this class. But being from Saint Paul, Minnesota, I've always felt this was a long shot. And I'm sticking to it, no matter all the nice things his dad might have to say about UM.

Georgia duo ready to begin UM career

ROANOKE, VA. -- They grew up playing football together at the Pop Warner level and spent most of their lives in homes just a 10 minute drive apart in of the richest areas for football talent in Georgia. Tyrone Cornelius and Storm Johnson always thought there might be a chance they could be college roommates one day. They just never thought it would be at the University of Miami.

But Coral Gables is exactly where both will begin college this weekend when six 2010 football recruits begin arriving for the start of classes Tuesday (Jan. 19). 

"We've known each other since we were little kids," said Cornelius, a 6-2 1/2, 190-pound outside linebacker with 4.5-speed from Stephenson High in Stone Mountain, who played up the road from Johnson, a 6-1, 217-pound All-American running back from Loganville with 4.48-speed.

"For the longest time I thought he was going to LSU. Then, he decommitted and joined the University of Miami in November. I was stunned. But it made me feel better. At least now I know I can go down there with somebody I have a bond with."

Little by little, the Hurricanes have begun creating stronger bonds with top-notch recruits in Georgia. Call it the Wesley McGriff factor. UM's defensive backs coach is from Tifton, a three-hour drive south of Atlanta. Last year, he plucked defensive end/linebacker Shayon Green (6-2, 225) from his hometown (Green missed the season with a knee injury). This year, McGriff was all over Cornelius and was ready to pounce on Johnson, an ESPN Top 150 player, the moment he parted ways with his first choice, LSU.

All three Georgia players represent more of what the Hurricanes are looking for in their recruiting classes: players that don't just have more size, but are smart enough to handle more complex schemes and have the grades to get into school early.

Cornelius, who hopes to add on 20 pounds of muscle to his frame, graduated from high school with a 3.0 GPA and scored a 20 on the ACT. When you talk to him, he sounds just as smart as Jordan Futch and about as football saavy as Sean Spence. Johnson, who graduated with a 3.2 GPA and ACT score of 20, seems destined to make the same type of impact Mike James made last season.

"Coach McGriff actually came at me and showed me a lot love the spring before my junior year," said Cornelius, who plans on majoring in Forensic Science.

"The one thing he said he loved about me from the start were me academics. I've always been on top of my books. I think I've made only one C in high school. Graduating early has always been a big deal for me. Starting off on college early, getting that head start on football and academics is huge."

The Hurricanes could certainly use reinforcements at both linebacker and running back. Last season, after Futch went down with a torn ACL, UM rotated four linebackers -- senior Darryl Sharpton, junior Colin McCarthy, sophomores Sean Spence and Ramon Buchanon -- the rest of the season. Entering the spring, Cornelius said he hopes to learn a lot from the veterans to put himself in position to compete with Arthur Brown and Futch for playing time.

"As long as I'm on the field and helping the team out, that's all I care about," Cornelius said. "Either side -- weak or strong -- is good for me. I think I'll be able to catch on pretty quick. Their run defense is a lot like the one we ran at my high school, a pro style 4-3. Zone coverages, blitzes, stunts, I've done those before. I'm actually a very smart kid on the field.

"I could be a big hitter. But I prefer to see myself as a real fast linebacker. I can get from one side of the field to the other in a matter of seconds. I'm fast, take on blocks as well. I can also drop back in pass coverage. I know a lot of linebackers can play the run extremely well, but can't drop back in pass coverage with ease. But I can do that. Coach McGriff told me he wouldn't be scared to put me at safety either."

Cornelius, a three-star recruit and Top 40 outside linebacker according to Rivals, Scout and ESPN, finished his senior season with 108 tackles, an interception, two forced fumbles, two blocked punts and eight tackles for loss and helped lead Stephenson to an 11-1 record and the second round of the playoffs.

He didn't get to play against Johnson, who literally lives 10 minutes from his house, because Loganville is in a different classification and county. But he respects his game plenty.

"Storm is a fast, bruising back, a North-South runner who you better be ready to take on," Cornelius said. "He's a strong worker in the weight room and very smart when it comes to the books. He does everything he has to do to stay on his game."

Johnson, who ran for 1,933 yards and 32 touchdowns on 252 carries his senior season in 11 games, said Cornelius "is gifted."

"Tyrone is a good guy, quiet, hard working and very smart," Johnson said. "He just flies to the football."

Johnson will arrive in Coral Gables Sunday night (a day after Cornelius) and said his goal is to make an immediate impact -- whether its carrying the football, blocking or handling kickoffs. With Javarris James gone and Graig Cooper (torn ACL) expected to miss all of 2010, UM's available backfield veterans are senior-to-be Damien Berry, redshirt freshman Mike James and junior Lee Chambers. Redshirt freshman Lamar Miller is also expected to make an impact. 

Johnson's recent performance at the Under Armour game in Tampa elevated his recruiting ranking on Rivals from a three-star recruit to a far star level and his him ranked 106th nationally overall. He will be joined by Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements, ranked 156th overall by Rivals, in the spring.

"If I could wear the number 5 [a jersey number expected to be available after the departure of Javarris James] that would be great," Johnson said. "But other than that, I just want to come down, be another hard worker and get after it.

Reports: Whipple not headed to USF

Rumors and reports began swirling last night that Canes offensive coordinator Mark Whipple had not only been interviewed for the head coaching job at South Florida, but was the leading candidate. 

Regardless of whether or not either was true, it looks like Whipple won't be going anywhere at the moment. FanHouse.com is reporting the USF job will be going to former East Carolina coach Skip Holtz and according to the Tampa Tribune, a deal with Holtz is imminent. 

The bigger question for the Canes now becomes if and when they'll lose their offensive coordinator. Whipple has made it no secret he's interested in becoming a head coach at a BCS-level school. He was reportedly a finalist for the job at Cincinnati. He's also got plenty of NFL connections and could always end up leaving if former boss Bill Cowher ends up finding work. 

The Miami Herald has tried reaching Whipple by phone several times, but has been unsuccessful. Either way, losing Whipple, who is the assistant head coach, quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator, would be a major blow for the Canes. Hired a year ago to replace Patrick Nix, he turned UM's inept offense around. The Hurricanes scored 394 points, their most since 2002, and ranked 45th in total offense and 31st in scoring offense. 

> The Hurricane club is hosting "An Evening with UM Football Greats" on February 1 at the Fontainebleau on Miami Beach from 7 to 10 p.m. It is open to 500 guests and will feature UM coach Randy Shannon, former coach Jimmy Johnson and many former UM players including Russell Maryland, Ted Hendricks, Michael Irvin and Darin Smith. Tickets are $200 per person and will feature an open bard, hors d'oeuvres, buffet stations, coffee and dessert service. Call 305-284-6699.

> UM running back Javarris James and center A.J. Trump have accepted invitations to play in the East-West Shrine Game, which will be played in Orlando on Jan. 23. 

Canes land Bahamian defensive tackle recruit

You won't find Delmar Taylor on any national recruiting lists. And unless you attended one of the five high school football games he played in at Miami Beach High this past fall, you probably have never seen him. 

But assuming all goes well over the next month, the 6-5, 260-pound Bahamian born defensive tackle will be one of the recruits who is a part of the University of Miami's 2010 signing class. Taylor is about as raw and unknown a player as there is in South Florida. But according to our recruiting coordinator Larry Blustein, who saw Taylor play twice, he is very, very talented.

"I came away very impressed with his quickness and strength," Blustein said. "This is an athlete who never takes plays off, which is something any college coach notices right away. This is an athlete who has a real chance to do some big things at the next level."

According to Miami Beach coach Ralph Jimenez, FIU coach Mario Cristobal was the first to spot Taylor and offer him a scholarship. Bowling Green and Western Michigan followed. Memphis was about to offer. But according to Jimenez, when UM assistant coach Wesley McGriff came in a day before students went on vacation for Christmas break and watched film of Taylor, it was love at first sight on both sides.

"If he stays injury free and stays hungry and shows me the way he has shown me since he showed up in January, he could definitely play in the NFL one day," said Jimenez, who has been at Miami Beach High for two seasons. "He has to stay coachable and watch a lot of film. All the things he's done with us, he has to continue to do. But once you meet the kid, you fall in love with him. He didn't even know how to get into a three-point stance when we got him last January. But he's got a lot of talent and a lot of hunger."

Taylor first came to South Florida, according to his uncle Tony Hamilton, when he was 14 and enrolled at Miramar High. But after his mom was involved in a bad car accident, he was forced to return home and work to financially support his mom and now eight-year old brother Malik.

"His mom is better now, which is why he was able to come back," Hamilton said. "But when he went back, he was working with his uncle in plumbing, learning the trade and making whatever money he could to take care of his mom and brother. It was pretty tough. He sacrificed himself."

According to Hamilton, Taylor returned to South Florida his junior year and went out for football at Miramar, where Taylor lives. But he never saw the field because he was still learning how to play. In January 2009, Taylor enrolled him at Miami Beach High, not far from where he works at a nearby Publix. Unfortunately, do to some eligibility issues, the Florida High School Athletic Association only allowed him to play in five games at Miami Beach. Still, Jimenez said, Taylor made his presence felt. He earned best rusher award at the Down & Dirty Camp and played well in his five games.

"One thing he's done is gotten a lot stronger," Jimenez said. "When he first got here he was 6-4, 225. Now, he's 6-5, 260. He was benching 185 and now he's up to 260. He was power cleaning 125 and is at 225. We really pushed himself in the weight room. He was one of the guys who broke records. Now, he's squating 385 pounds. He's a great story."

Jimenez said Taylor has the grades to get into UM. "He's got like a 2.8 GPA and an 18 on his ACT score," Jimenez said. "Believe me, UM wouldn't have offered if they didn't think he could make it into school. He's a qualifier."

Taylor isn't the only good recruiting news for the Canes in the last 24 hours. Monsignor Pace quarterback Stephen Morris said he's a full-go to begin classes next week at UM and participate in spring football. Morris had been waiting on clearance from his school's principal on graduating early. He got it. Pace usually doesn't let students graduate in January. 

It looks like Morris will be joined by running backs Eduardo Clements and Storm Johnson, linebacker Tyrone Cornileus, center Shane McDermott and offensive tackle Malcolm Bunche as early entrants. UM is still waiting on word regarding JUCO tight end Chase Ford, who needs approval on a class he took at another school to begin this spring.

> Two current Cane commitments and cornerbacks -- Devont'a Davis from Gainesville High and Jeremy Davis from Cape Coral -- will take visits to other schools this weekend. Jeremy Davis is visiting North Carolina and Devont'a Davis is headed to Arkansas. 

> Don't hold your breath on the top offensive tackle in the country, Seantrel Henderson, visiting UM on Jan. 29. The Hurricanes weren't probably going to land him anyway.

Here are some clips on Delmar Taylor...

Is UM fading down the recruiting stretch?

I got to enjoy a few days off after the Orange Bowl last week and took comfort in the fact there probably wouldn't be much Canes news outside of what Frank Haith's basketball team would do Saturday night against Wake Forest in a big ACC showdown.

It was definitely a good win for the Canes, who needed a big win to hang their hat on after going 14-1 against what was ranked the 313th best non-conference schedule. But as much as I want to keep focus on Canes hoops, the disturbing trend of emails I've been receiving lately concerning what U perceive as UM fading down the recruiting stretch warrants conversation.

Sunday night, UM lost yet another commitment from its 2010 class when Javarie Johnson of Dunbar High in Washington -- considered the Canes' top linebacker -- switched from UM to Maryland. According to several recruiting websites, Johnson's coaches said he wanted to stay closer to home.  Canesport.com reported Johnson scored below an 820 on his SAT, which is the athlete requirement for admission to UM. Either way, Johnson became the third highly-rated recruit to drop off UM's commitment list since December, joining Miami Northwestern defensive tackle Todd Chandler (now headed to USF) and Jacksonville's Louis Nix (bound for Notre Dame) 

The Hurricanes basically replaced Johnson with little known Kelvin Cain, a 6-4, 215-pound linebacker from Clovis Buchanan High School in California. Cain's other scholarship offers were from Fresno State, Portland State, Nevada and San Jose State, according to CaneSport. 

Losing "commitments" is never good, especially those considered highly ranked. But it happens in recruiting. So you probably shouldn't be stunned or feel like the Canes' recruiting efforts are crumbling to the ground when it happens. 

The real cause for concern will be if UM doesn't close strong come Feb. 3. Right now, most recruiting analysts would tell you this UM class being put together after a 9-3 season and bowl loss to Wisconsin is average at best, and certainly not anywhere near the top of any national rankings. UM has met needs. There are seven offensive linemen (St. Thomas Aquinas tackle Brandon Linder, Malcolme Bunche and Shane McDermott are solid), four linebackers (Gainesville Kevin Nelson is impressive), four cornerbacks (none highly regarded), three running backs (Storm Johnson and Eduardo Clements are considered high-end), two tight ends (JUCO signee Chase Ford should help right away), a quarterback, a safety, a defensive end and a receiver. 

But where critics say UM has failed is nabbing the stars in their own backyard. And they -- the critics -- would be right. The 2010 class in South Florida was considered one of the best in the country (as usual). Yet, when you look over the top names from Palm Beach south all the way to Homestead, there aren't many who will be heading to Coral Gables in a few months to continue their football careers. 

Look at the Top 40 players from South Florida according to Rivals.com and see where they are headed or what schools they are considering. I bolded the future Canes to make them easier to find... 

1. Matt Elam, DB, Palm Beach Dwyer (Florida commitment)
2. Lamarcus Joyner, CB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida State commitment)
3. Jeff Luc, LB, Port St. Lucie (Florida State commitment)
4. Ivan McCartney, WR, Miramar (UM/West Virginia)
5. Gerald Christian, TE, Palm Beach Dwyer (Florida commitment)
6. Chris Dunkley, WR, Pahokee (Florida commitment)
7. Corey Lemonier, DL, Hialeah High (UM among six schools, but not favored)
8. Cody Riggs, CB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida commitment)
9. Michaelee Harris, WR, Northwestern (Louisville commitment)
10. Joshua Reese, WR, Miami Central (UCF commitment)
11. Quinton Dunbar, WR, Booker T. Washington (Florida commitment)
12. Eduardo Clements, RB, Booker T. Washington (Miami commitment)
13. Jakhari Gore, RB, Columbus (LSU commitment)
14. Giovanni Bernard, RB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Notre Dame commitment)
15. Lynden Trail, DE, Booker T. Washington (Florida commitment)
16. Delvin Jones, DE, Miami Palmetto (Tennessee commitment)
17. Torrian Wilson, OL, Miami Northwestern (Michigan, Tenn, Louisville)
18. Todd Chandler, DT, Miami Northwestern (USF commitment)
19. Brandon Gainer, RB, Miami Central (undecided)
20. De'Joshua Johnson, WR, Pahokee (Florida State commitment)
21. Brandon Linder, OL, St. Thomas Aquinas (Miami commitment)
22. Ethan Grant, RB, North Broward Prep (TCU commitment)
23. James Louis, WR, Delray Beach Atlantic (Ohio State commitment)
24. Jeffrey Godfrey, QB, Miami Central (UCF commitment)
25. Demar Dorsey, S, Boyd Anderson (Florida commitment)
26. Ted Meline, WR, North Miami (Tennessee commitment)
27. Richard Ash, DT, Pahokee (Michigan commitment)
28. Calvin Smith, DT, Hialeah (Tennessee commitment)
29. Brian Robinson, DB, St. Thomas Aquinas (undecided)
30. Shawn Corker, WR, Cardinal Gibbons (Texas Tech commitment)
31. Keion Payne, CB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Miami commitment)
32. Allen Hurns, WR, Carol City (Miami commitment)
33. David Perry, DE, University (Miami commitment)
34. James White, RB, St. Thomas Aquinas (Wisconsin commitment)
35. Darrius Milines, WR, Delray American Heritage (West Virginia commitment)
36. Max Beaulieu, DE, University (Syracuse commitment)
37. Shane McDermott, C, Palm Beach Central (Miami commitment)
38. Zachary Allen, LB, Pahokee (Wake Forest commitment)
39. Tony Grimes, CB, Hollywood Hills (Michigan/Mississippi)
40. Charles Fashaw, TE, Miami Northwestern (Undecided)

There were a few other Canes sprinkled in the Rivals 100 for Florida from other parts of the state: OT Tavadis Glenn from Jacksonville Parker was sandwiched in between Meline and Ash in the state rankings at No. 44; RB Darion Hall from Naples Lely is ranked 75th, right after Fashaw. Gainesville LB Kevin Nelson follows at 77, Fort Myers High CB Jeremy Davis is ranked 78th, OL Jonathan Feliciano from Davie Western is listed 92nd and QB Stephen Morris from Monsignor Pace is 93rd. 

Rankings and stars aren't everything. But the fact remains there is a lot of talent in UM's backyard heading to other place (namely pretty good football programs). Randy Shannon and his staff could make up for it with some excellent evaluation work and coaching, getting under the radar guys, making them better players and superstars. And they still have plenty of other high-end recruits (No. 1 OL Seantrel Henderson, Lemonier, McCartney, LB Christian Jones, TE Christian Thomas) at least reportedly interested in giving the program a look with visits.

But here's my advice: Keep your fingers crossed and hope the guys Shannon hired to restock his program with talent are a lot better at this than Rivals.

> In case you were wondering... Last year, the Canes nabbed RB Lamar Miller, DB Brandon McGee, DL Luther Robinson and DL Olivier Vernon among the Top 12 South Florida prospects according to Rivals. Among the state's Top 100 recruits, UM signed No. 2 overall player and safety Ray Ray Armstrong, No. 33 prospect in defensive end Dyron Dye, No. 39 prospect in cornerback Jamal Reid, No. 43 prospect in RB Mike James and No. 92 prospect in OL Cory White.

QB recruit Morris patiently awaiting clearance

Stephen Morris has known for quite awhile that he'll be playing for the University of Miami next season. But when his Canes career will begin exactly has remains a mystery.

 Morris (6-2, 181) is patiently waiting and hoping for good news from his coach and athletic director regarding his ability to graduate early from Miami Monsignor Pace. The Catholic private school in Opa Locka usually doesn't let students graduate early. But Morris, who took an online English course to complete his requirements and has a 3.6 GPA and 1000 SAT score, is hoping to receive permission to do so in hopes he'll be around to participate in spring football.

With starting quarterback Jacory Harris expected to miss the majority of camp after having surgery to repair torn ligaments in his thumb on his throwing hand, Morris was looking forward to getting extra snaps with backup A.J. Highsmith. 

"It's just been frustrating," said Morris, who received an in-home visit from offensive coordinator Mark Whipple and receivers coach Aubrey Hill on Monday. "I don't even know the whole process. [Athletic director] Joe Zaccheo and [coach Alvin] Slaughter are trying to clear that up. But Pace is a private school and they do things differently. It's one of the disadvantages. If I won't be able to do it, I'll still be at UM learning the playbook and watching practices. I'm supposed to find out soon."

Morris had a tough senior season at Pace. The Spartans suffered a number of key injuries to players on both sides of the ball and failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 19 years despite finishing 7-3. Their losses were to Class 6A state champion Miramar (13-7), Class 2A state semifinalist Hollywood Chaminade (24-20) and regional semifinalist Gulliver Prep (28-27). 

Morris still completed 96 of his 179 pass attempts for 1,531 yards, 22 touchdowns and only six interceptions. He also ran for 125 yards and a touchdown. 

"The last game was fun," Morris said of his team's 48-13 blowout of Broward power Cardinal Gibbons. "We played the last game for pride. We finished out real good. It's just a bitter feeling my high school career is done and over with. Everything about my senior year was difficult. A lot of people went down with injuries and I was asked to step up a lot more. It's a lot harder when your starters are out on defense and offense. I felt real bad about not making the playoffs. But I think it was a good lesson learned. You aren't always going to be healthy. You have to fight through it. You have to come ready to play."

Morris took his official visit to UM in early December and hung out with a number of recruits. "I took my trip about three weeks ago," Morris said. "I went the trip before Brandon Linder committed. It was me, [Carol City receiver] Allen Hurns, [running back] Storm Johnson, [linebacker] Javarie Johnson, [running back] Eduardo Clements and two other linebackers. We had a good time. We all know we're going to be Canes, so it was nice to bond."

Morris said he doesn't have a playbook (recruits aren't allowed to) but he still attended a number of Hurricanes practices throughout the season and before the bowl game to take notes and learn. "I'd listen to Jacory call out the formation and I'd ask AJ and Spencer questions. I talk to Jacory, AJ all the time. We're chill."

Morris said he should find out after Jan. 14 if he will be able to enroll at UM when the spring semester begins on Jan. 19. 

> Hurricanes coaches have been visiting recruits around the country since Monday. UM currently has 25 commitments in its class. Look for more recruiting updates on commitments and targets here at Eye On The U over the next couple of weeks. 

Canes land Aquinas OL Linder, Barton

St. Thomas Aquinas offensive lineman Brandon Linder told me back in August that as long as there weren't any coaching changes at the University of Miami come December or January, he'd be a Hurricane. Linder stayed true to his word.

Sunday morning, the 6-6, 290-pound left tackle -- and possibly the best recruit in UM's 2010 class -- told coach Randy Shannon and position coach Jeff Stoutland he wants to be a Cane. 

"I always liked Miami and I just wanted to see the other schools and make sure it was the right school," said Linder, whose other finalists included Notre Dame, Florida and Ohio State. "Coach Shannon and Coach Stoutland are just regular people. So is the rest of the coaching staff. They all care about each other. They're like family. That's what I saw this past weekend when I visited. And that's what I like."

Linder, a U.S. Army All-American and ESPN Top 150 Recruit, is rated the third best center in the country (the position he played his sophomore year) according to Rivals.com. But UM will likely ask him to protect the blind side of their quarterback once he settles in. Linder said his first goal at UM is to simply find a way to contribute.

"Every freshman wants to go in and compete. I just want to go in there and help out," Linder said. "I can see myself playing any position on the line. Wherever I can fill in and play faster -- tackle, center -- that's what I want to do." 

Aquinas, ranked the No. 1 team high school in the country until it was beaten in the Class 5A state semifinals by Bradenton Manatee two weeks ago, will also be sending right tackle Jermaine Barton (6-7, 290) and cornerback Keion Payne to Miami with Linder. Barton, a second-year football player, also called UM coaches Sunday to give him his commitment.

Linder said he and his two teammates spent their official weekend visit weekend with fellow UM commitment and Glades Central tight end Clive Walford and Byrnes, S.C. defensive lineman Brandon Willis, a Tennessee commitment. 

"They put us up in a nice hotel, went out to dinner, had a great time," Linder said. "We also went down to UM and watched practice. Me and Jermaine are just motivated to start working out and helping out as much as we can. Jermaine is a great player. He's got a great body, great athleticism. He's 6-7, 6-8, 290. He looks lean as can be. He has a lot of talent that hasn't been discovered yet. He's a great learner. I think we're going to have great careers."

Linder said he hopes he can convince Willis to join UM's class. The two went head-to-head when Aquinas played Byrnes in the regular season.

"Brandon is a great kid," Linder said. "I'm going to start talking to him now. Going against him, he's probably the best we faced all year. I definitely want him to become a Cane."

Are the Canes really done with Todd Chandler?

Everybody and their mother is reporting that Miami Northwestern defensive tackle Todd Chandler is no longer committed to the University of Miami. But is it true? Or, are we dealing with a recruit's bruised ego and a tiff between a program and a local star?

 I spoke to Chandler twice Tuesday on my cell phone during visits to Miramar High and Belen Jesuit -- the two remaining South Florida high school football teams playing for state championships this week in Orlando. My impression of this internet ratings sensation of a story: the 6-foot, 300-pound prospect (considered a four-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout.com) is upset with the Canes because he hasn't heard from them in a while. But is Chandler definitely not headed to Miami anymore? No. And I won't believe it until he signs a scholarship to another school until National Signing Day.

Chandler has been a UM commitment since his junior year. He plays for the one high school in Miami-Dade County the Canes could ill-afford to anger for dropping one of their players. You remember the West, don't you? The school Randy Shannon and his entire staff came to watch in October during the Northwestern-Central nationally televised showdown. The school that sent eight recruits to Miami in 2007.

It simply doesn't make sense for Chandler to get dropped like a bad habit six weeks before National Signing Day. "I switched to USF tonight," Chandler told me by phone at around 9 p.m. 

Why? "Coach [Jim] Leavitt said they want me real bad," Chandler said. "They got room for me."

Is it a done deal? Are you finished with the Hurricanes? "I don't know. I'm confused," Chandler said. "I'm still thinking about UCF, Colorado State and Louisville. I still have to talk to my dad and uncle about things, see what they think."

But Todd, what went wrong with Miami? "The way they're acting makes me feel like they aren't recruiting me anymore," he said. "It's been so long, I don't remember how their voice sounds. The last time I spoke to [recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt] was during the football season. The last time I talked to coach Shannon was last year."

But didn't I see you at practice a bunch of times this season? Didn't you hang out at UM all the time? "I was going to practice, but the way they made it seem was like they were playing me," Chandler said. "When I spoke to coach [Wesley] McGriff three weeks ago, I asked him what the deal was, why they were looking at other defensive tackles. He said they were just recruiting."

When asked if UM were to call him tomorrow telling him they wanted him, Chandler said he would have to think about things. "We'll have to see what happens," Chandler said. "At first, I was disappointed. But I know I can go anywhere and become a star. My grades and my test are in order. I can qualify where I want to go."

Chandler said he's still considering UCF, Louisville, Colorado State and Louisville. But my guess is we will still hear a lot about the Canes and Chandler over the next few weeks. I just don't want to be a part of it. I had enough with Bryce Brown last year.

For the record, our recruiting writer Larry Blustein is on board with me in believing all of these Chandler reports make for great reading at internet paysites.

"This is a Miami Northwestern program with 25 Division I recruits," Blustein said. "Why would they ever jeopardize their relationship with a program in their backyard like that? It's not like Chandler is an add on. He's one of the best defensive tackles in the country. I'd be shocked if Randy Shannon just really cut him loose because they are upset about him taking other recruiting visits."

CANES OPEN PRACTICE FRIDAY: I'll be in Orlando this weekend for the state championships, but our Susan Miller Degnan will be out there Friday and Saturday and will provide reports at MiamiHerald.com. UM will practice again Tuesday and Wednesday next week before heading to Orlando on Christmas Day. I'll be arriving in Orlando Dec. 26.

Canes land JUCO tight end

According to Canesport.com and InsideTheU, the University of Miami landed a commitment from Kilgore Texas Junior College tight end Chase Ford Monday night. According to both websites, Ford committed to UM after an in home visit from Randy Shannon.

 Ford (6-6, 245) is rated a three-star recruit by Rivals.com and was also being recruited by Arizona. Ford finished his sophomore season with 32 catches for 545 yards and was named the Southwest Junior College Football Conference's Most Valuable Player, as voted on by the league's coaches.

Ford is supposed to enroll at UM in January and be available for spring football. He'll be classified as a junior. 

His recruitment is a big win for the Canes, who obviously need tight end help with the loss of Dedrick Epps, Jimmy Graham and Tervaris Johnson after this season. Aside from Ford, UM is hoping to have senior Richard Gordon (assuming he's granted a medical redshirt), redshirt freshman Billy Sanders and Belle Glades Glades Central senior Clive Walford (6-6, 225) available at the tight end position.

The Hurricanes are also still currently recruiting Will Tye, a 6-3, 230-pound senior at Salisbury Prep School in Connecticut. Tye, a three-star recruit according to Rivals, has offers from UM, Florida State and N.C. State among others. 

Canes lose another top recruit DT Louis Nix

University of Miami coach Randy Shannon has always said he doesn't buy into early commitments if players continue to take visits to other schools. He's compared it to be engaged to one woman while dating another. If that's the case, Jacksonville Raines defensive tackle Louis Nix (6-3, 318) just dumped UM for Notre Dame.

Nix, considered an ESPN Top 150 recruit and the seventh best defensive tackle in the country, had been flirting with the Irish since he first gave UM a "commitment" a year ago. He attended one of Notre Dame's summer camps in June and officially visited for its game against Michigan State in September. Then, he followed up with an unofficial visit for the USC game in mid-October.

Raines coach Deran Wiley said Wednesday morning he thinks Nix "won't be going back to the Canes" and is "really done with recruiting." Raines teammate Tavadis Glenn, a 6-5, 297-pound lineman, is still committed to UM. Wiley has said he thinks Glenn, who could end up playing on either side at UM, will stick to his word.

"Louis was a shock to me," Wiley said. "But I guess that's part of the recruiting world. To be honest with you, it's going to be boom or bust. I guess it's something totally different than what he's been around. As his coach, I have to support him."

> The Hurricanes are still chasing Hialeah High defensive end Corey Lemonier (6-4, 221) and Hargrave Military Academy's Ego Ferguson (6-3, 272). Ferguson told Canesport earlier this week Miami was in the running for his final visit.

Lemonier's coach Mark Berman said Wednesday morning the Hurricanes were in the top four for Lemonier along with Tennessee, Auburn and Florida State. Lemonier will take his final visit this weekend to LSU. "To be honest, UM has always been part of the mix," Berman said. "They are one of his top five and they're definitely in the mix. I don't think Nix decommitting will entice him more. Corey does his homework and that will play a role in his decision. Corey is a young man who is very smart, very loyal and committed. If he makes a decision at any point he'll be firm in that decision. He wants to be firm. I think there could be a possibility after the holidays he could make a decision."

> The Canes are down to 23 commitments in their class. Last week, they lost Glades Central safety/receiver Greg Dent to Florida State. UM recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt said in September the Hurricanes were looking to sign between 23-25 players in its next class.

Carol City WR Hurns commits to Canes

Allen Hurns always liked the Miami Hurricanes. But when it came to the recruiting process, he wanted to make sure he'd seen all he wanted to see from other schools before making a commitment.

After taking a weekend trip to West Virginia, the 6-3, 180-pound senior receiver from Carol City decided he had seen enough and called Hurricanes coaches Monday night to tell them he was ready to join the family.

"West Virginia was a great trip. Those guys were great. But I realized I just love Miami more," said Hurns, rated a three-star recruit by both Rivals and ESPN.com.

"I called coach [Aubrey] Hill and coach [Randy] Shannon last night and I told them I was ready to be a Cane. I can't wait. I love the way Coach Whipple gets everybody involved. 17 different guys have catches this year. I'm looking forward to coming in and helping right away. They said if I can pick up the plays and perform, I could see the field right away. Even if I don't, I don't care. I'll find ways to help in other ways."

Hurns caught 23 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns last season as a junior and was expected to flourish this season for the Chiefs. But in the second week of the season against Booker T. Washington, he tore the meniscus in his left knee. In six quarters of play against the Bulls and Tornadoes, two of the best teams in Dade, he caught seven passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.

"My knee is getting better," Hurns said. "I had surgery six weeks ago and they told me I'd be out about six to eight weeks. I might be able to come back by the second round. I'd like to. I want to help our team win."

Hurns had just one offer -- from UCF -- after his junior season. But he pulled in seven more this summer after he starred at three camps: UM, Pittsburgh and Florida's Friday Night Lights. After the Gators camp, Hurns admitted he was hoping he'd get an offer from UF. But the Gators didn't bite.

Hurns said what ultimately drew him even closer to UM was his relationship with Hill, who went to Florida and Carol City. He said his friendships with current Canes Jacory Harris, Sean Spence and Tommy Streeter as well as fellow 2010 recruits Stephen Morris, a quarterback at Monsignor Pace, and Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements.

"Stephen and I are becoming better friends," Hurns said. "We went and played catch this summer at Miramar Park. He can throw the football."

Hurns said he's looking forward to carrying on the tradition of being the next Carol City Chief to play at UM. Defensive end Eric Moncur, a sixth-year senior, is leaving after this season and is currently the only player from Carol City on the roster.

This summer, Hurns said worked out with former Hurricane and Chief Santana Moss. "We worked on hand-eye coordination with a tennis ball, staying low on our routes and and releases off the line," Hurns said. "It was a nice experience. He gave us gloves. We're kind of similar. We both have speed. But I'm aiming to be better."

Hurns said his GPA is "like a 2.7" and he fully expects to qualify academically in time for the summer. He said he took the ACT test two weeks ago. Hurns said UM coaches told him they are looking at landing one other receiver -- either Northwestern's Michaelee Harris or Miramar's Ivan McCartney.

"I just want to get to the next level after college," Hurns said. "I know I can do that at Miami."

> One other recruiting nugget... Word is St. Thomas Aquinas kicker Ben Hopfinger will walk-on at UM next fall. Hopfinger is the backup to Tennessee commitment and US Army All-American Michael Palardy. Hopfinger has 25 touchbacks on kickoffs and is 11 of 11 on extra points this season. I've seen him in person and the kid has a cannon for a leg.

> I'll have more for you from Tuesday's press conferences at UM. All audio interviews will be available later as well.

Clements decides to end silence

Sometimes keeping a secret can be really tough. Miami Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements was able to pull it off for nearly three months, but he finally broke down on Tuesday and called Hurricanes coaches to let them know he was formally announcing his commitment to the Hurricanes.

"I called coach Ice [Tim Harris] and told him I was tired of people asking me where I’m going, I’m ready to make it public," said Clements, considered one of the nation's premier running backs by both Rivals and ESPN.com. "He said do what you got to do boss. We're just glad to have you in the family."

Clements, who committed silenty to UM coaches back in August, wanted to make his big announcement on National Signing Day or when his football team, currently 8-0 and ranked No. 1 in the state's Class 3A, reached the state title game in December. But he said he couldn't wait any longer and wanted "to get it over with."

The Hurricanes have 23 commitments in their 2010 class. Sunday, they added two more when Belle Glades Glades Central defensive back Greg Dent and Loganville, Ga. running back Storm Johnson (rated the 23rd best RB in the country by Rivals) joined the class. In all, UM has four running backs it is bringing in. Clements (5-10, 185) is the highest rated.

After rushing for 408 yards in Booker T.'s first four games, Clements sprained the medial collateral ligament in his left knee playing defensive end in an upset win over Miami Northwestern. He said he expects to return to action this week against Miami Edison.

He said the announcement of his commitment had nothing to do with Johnson (6-1, 217) joining UM's class on Sunday.

"I've been committed since August -- and everybody over there knew about it," Clements said. "Really, I was just tired of people calling me and asking me about it. I wanted Signing Day to be special. But I prefer this. I can sleep at night and not worry about my phone ringing or people asking me anymore."

> I'll have more from Tuesday's press conferences and interviews with players later. I just wanted to get the Clements story done for you all. I'll have more interviews with UM's recruits in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.

Heavy hitters weigh in on UM's recruiting

Spent most of the day today talking recruiting with three respected names in the game -- ESPN's Tom Luginbill, Rivals' Jamie Newberg and South Florida's very own Charles Fishbein of Elite Scouting Services. Some of it will run in my story on how UM's 3-1 start has helped or not helped the Canes recruiting efforts (whenever the story runs). But I'm done holding off the info from you here on the blog.

Here's what you need to know: Regardless of public opinion that UM isn't getting enough superstars in their own backyard, recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt and most analysts believe UM's next sigining class (currently ranked 18th by Rivals, 19th by Scout.com and just outside of the Top 15 by ESPN.com) will finish strong no matter what.

In fact, where the real boost from the start to the 2009 season will likely come is in 2011. Hurtt told me the Canes have already offered 46 juniors -- more than double what they did at the start of October in 2007, 2008 and 2009 combined. He said the feedback, "has been amazing."

"I would be floored if they don't finish in the Top 10 [in recruiting] because I know they're going to close out this season well," said Jamie Newberg, an ACC and national recruiting expert for Rivals.

"I think in the end, they'll get [St. Thomas Aquinas offensive tackle Brandon] Linder, [Booker T. Washington running back] Eduardo [Clements] and a couple big time receivers from down there and finish with some impact guys from the area.

"But while it will be a good, solid class, some people -- including me -- will think it's somewhat disappointing. With all that talent within a stone's throw of Coral Gables, people are still going to wonder why didn't Lemarcus Joyner or Jeff Luc didn't end up there."

Hurtt has already encountered some of those questions from fans while out grocery shopping. Hurtt, who can not talk specifically about recruits per NCAA rules, said he tells everyone who approaches him about local players and why they aren't being recruited by Miami with "we believe in the way we evaluate players."

"Central, Northwestern, St. Thomas Aquinas are all great teams," Hurtt said. "But people have to understand while we try and take care of our backyard, we try and take the kids we want and we feel fits what we're trying to get done here. And if they don't fit that or we make a mistake, we'll have to live with it."

UM has six players from the Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach area. But only Miami Northwestern defensive tackle Todd Chandler is ranked among the nation's Top 150 recruits according to ESPN or Rivals. Jacksonville Raines defensive tackle Louis Nix is the only other current commitment in the ESPN Top 150.

Luginbill, however, said the Canes shouldn't be judged on what they do locally alone. "Recruiting is a marathon and not a sprint. With their numbers, they have to be selective and be sure of who they take every year," Luginbill said.

"Look at their track record in South Florida. They've been able to keep a lot of those kids at home. One year out of three where a few get away isn't a big deal. The way we rank classes is based on needs. When I look at their class right now, six of their seven recruits are guys up front who can win you games. That's where they need the help and that's what they're getting."

Hurtt said while players they once were recruited have tried to jump back on the Canes bandwagon, he and his staff have been firm in being selective. And the spots they've already given to other recruits, Hurtt said, will not be taken away.

"We've had a lot guys call in now who want to get on the boat, who had the opportunity before," Hurtt said. "But I tell them ‘Now, it's too late because other kids have given us their pledges and decided they wanted to be with us from the get-go.'

"We don't have a ton of spots available. We are to a point where we're very selective on who we're talking to and who we're talking with. We we have our focal points and our needs for the remainder of the class and we plan on meeting them."

UM's big focus areas coming in were offensive line, tight end, cornerback and linebacker. With the commitments UM already has, Hurtt said the Canes have one spot left for a running back, three for receivers, one for a tight end, one for a defensive end, one to two for a linebacker and two to three for offensive linemen.

> Palm Beach Central's Shane McDermott, Davie Western's Jonathan Feliciano, Jacksonville Raines' Tavadis Glenn and Malcolm Bunche, a 2009 signee now at Milford Prep, are four offensive line commitments.

Linder, considered a four-star recruit by both ESPN and Rivals from nationally No. 1-ranked St. Thomas Aquinas, has long been Miami's top target. Most expect UM to beat out Notre Dame and Florida to get him. Aquinas teammate Jermaine Barton, a 6-6, 270-pound, project, would then likely be the last linemen UM takes.

> Aquinas cornerback Keion Payne, rated 26th at his position by Rivals, said the same about the Canes. He likely will become the fourth corner in the class, joining Gainesville High's Devont'a Davis, Pahokee's Raheam Buxton, and Kacy Rodgers of Southlake Carroll, Texas.

"Payne would definitley be an upgrade at a position of need," said Charles Fishbein of EliteScoutingServices.com. "You look at their roster and they need guys who can play on the field next year with Brandon Harris and Demarcus Van Dyke. Payne could probably play right away."

> At linebacker, the Hurricanes already have three commitments. Gainesville High's Kevin Nelson is rated the No. 3 inside linebacker in the country by ESPN. Washington (D.C). Dunbar's Javarie Johnson (6-4, 215) is considered an elite outside linebacker.

"I love Nelson," Herald recruiting expert Larry Blustein told me. "Florida is going to be kicking itself it blew it with that kid."

UM is in position to yank in at least one more, if not two. Winter Park Lake Howell's Christian Jones (once a Florida State lean) would be the biggest catch with his 6-4, 220-pound size and mix of speed. Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor's Travis Williams (6-2, 190) and Pahokee's Zach Allen, currently a Wake Forest commitment, are also possibilities. Miami's interest in Jeff Luc has evaporated. 

> Defensive end, hampered by injuries this season, is deep with young talent. The Canes would be happy with either Hialeah High's Corey Lemonier (6-5, 223) or Fort Lauderdale University's David Perry (6-6, 230).

> With seniors Jimmy Graham, Richard Gordon and Dedrick Epps leaving after this season, tight end is a position of need. But there simply might not be much available.

Unless the Canes can convince Palm Beach Dwyer's Gerald Christian he'll get more playing time at UM instead of Florida, Clive Walford, a 6-6, 225-pound project from Belle Glade Glades Central, and Andrew Tallman, a 6-5, 237-pound defensive end from Boston, will be the best UM can reel in. Tallman will likely end up playing offensive tackle.

"It's just not a great year for tight ends," Luginbill said.

> Without a senior receiver on its roster, there is no pressing need for pass catchers. But UM could still end up signing quality targets for the future.

Miramar High's Ivan McCartney, an ESPN Top 150 recruit, said his interest level in UM went up "from 50 percent to 75 percent'' after the 3-1 start and says the Canes are serious contender along with West Virginia and Florida. Jacksonville Raines' Sean Tapley, who has teammates headed to UM but is currently a South Carolina commitment, said the Canes have his attention.

Ditto for Miami Northwestern's Michaelee Harris (6-1, 180) and Carol City's Allen Hurns (6-2, 180). Hurns is currently the only player UM feels confident they'll get.

"If they're going to take that next step toward winning a championship, they need to start getting those guys," Fishbein said. "Miami's strength has always been that next group -- after those first 22 -- to put them over the top.

"When they had [Jeremy] Shockey, they had [Kellen] Winslow behind him. When it was [Clinton] Portis, they had [Willis] McGahee behind him. Those are the type of players that could come in and be that next player -- behind the starter to help them get to the elite level."

Carey, Canes provide Northwestern with lift

As Jacory Harris was walking off the interview stage last Saturday night against Oklahoma, a reporter filled him in on how his beloved Northwestern Bulls had been upset earlier that same evening by rival Booker T. Washington.

"You're lying," Harris fired back. "Man, you just ruined my whole weekend."

Jacory and his seven former high school teammates at UM made sure their weekend wasn't ruined again Thursday night. Along with UM coach Randy Shannon, assistants Micheal Barrow, Aubrey Hill, Clint Hurtt and Wesley McGriff, the Canes made their presence felt when Miami Northwestern took on rival Miami Central in a nationally televised showdown at FIU Stadium. 

Jacory and the current Northwestern Canes didn't just cheer. They coached, spending most of the second half in huddles as their former teammatesrallied with 20 unanswered second half points beat the No. 1-ranked Rockets 22-14. Former Cane and current Dolphin Vernon Carey probably made the biggest splash when he stormed into the team's locker room at halftime and flipped over a Gatorade cooler during a fiery five minute speech.

Say what you want about the University of Miami's recruiting tactics in South Florida (they don't always get all the local stars) but they have a deep bond with Northwestern, the most talent rich program in the area every year. No local team has stocked the Canes with talent more than the 'West has over the past decade. And over the next few years, more Bulls will likely be headed UM's way. 

Defensive tackle Todd Chandler has been a UM commitment for what feels like has been more than a year. Next on the list? 

Probably senior receiver Michaelee Harris (6-2, 190), who hauled in nine passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns and looked every bit as good as the last Bulls receivers to head to UM. He says the Canes are among about a dozen schools (Louisville, Marshall, Nebraska, UM, FIU, UCF, West Virginia, Ole Miss, Miss. State, Kansas State are the others) he has offers from. 

Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, just a junior, has every team in the country coveting him. But says he absolutely loves Mark Whipple's offense. Another junior to watch? Linebacker Lyndon Edwards (6-1, 190), who was all over the field for the 'West.

"There is something about being a Bull and being a Cane that has a connection," Chandler said. "It's the swagger, the confidence, the love for your teammates. You see it here when you're wearing the blue and gold and when you're there wearing the green and orange."

FAMU's 'Vann-tastic' return man poses threat

Anytime Florida A&M comes to town, they bring the best soundtrack in the country with them. The school's band, known as the Marching 100, will get hips to sway, butts to jiggle and people like me who were born without rhythm the brief hallucination that even I can dance.

Rattlers fans love their band. But they aren't just standing for the halftime and postgame musical performances anymore. Nowadays, fans are standing and chanting for another "Vanntastic Voyage" when return man LeRoy Vann steps on the field.

"When he gets back there for a kickoff return or punt return, our fans and our entire sideline will stand up and start swaying their arms and hands side to side and scream 'Leeeeee - Roy!, Leeeee - Roy!'," said cornerback Curtis Holcolmb, a 5-10, 170-pound junior from Miami Southridge High.

"The funny part is he used to joke about how one day he'd get the crowd to do that for him. If you knew this guy two years ago like I did you would have laughed about it. But he's no joke. He's kind of like a rags to riches story to me."

If you haven't heard of Vann by now, you've probably been missing ESPN's College Game Day. The 5-9, 185-pounder from Tampa Blake High has run back four punts for touchdowns this season and earned national player of the week honors twice. He's also averaged 25.4 yards on kickoff returns and nearly broke one for a touchdown earlier this year.

He has 10 career returns for scores since his junior year, and holds the Division I-AA career record for kickoff return yardage (1,583). Holcolmb, who grew up a Hurricanes fan, said Vann runs a 4.36 in the 40-yard dash and reminds him of former Canes greats -- Roscoe Parrish and Devin Hester -- who now earn a living for what they do on returns.

"His first two years he was a gunner, he'd get down the field and hit guys on punt returns or kick returns," Holcolmb said. "When coach Taylor got here, he said 'This guy needs the ball in his hands.' Every time he gets back there, he does something exciting. He's so fast and quick. To me, he's just like Devin Hester."

The Rattlers, ranked as high as 23rd among the three FCS polls, shouldn't be able to play with the 11th-ranked Hurricanes (3-1) on Saturday. But it doesn't mean the Rattlers don't think they can. Two ACC teams have already lost to FCS schools this year. Duke lost to FCS No. 1 ranked Richmond and top-10 ranked William and Mary beat Virginia.

FAMU quarterback Chris Pulley, a transfer from Kentucky, has put up good numbers completing 67 percent of his passes for 846 yards, seven touchdowns and just one interception. He also leads the team in rushing with 291 yards and can be an elusive threat. FAMU's defense, meanwhile, hasn't given up more than 12 points in a game.

"Miami's a great football," said senior defensive end Joe Wims, who played alongside former Hurricane Kenny Phillips at Carol City High. "Their offense is good. When I look at them on film, they run a lot of pro sets and their offensive linemen do a lot of pro moves. But we aren't scared of them. We know if we take care of our keys, we'll defeat them."

> The FAMU band will perform for seven minutes at halftime Saturday and then will put on a 15-minute show after the game. According to Rattlers players, the performance will likely include a tribute to Michael Jackson.

> The Canes have steadily improved in their kickoff coverage this season under walk-on Alex Uribe. But the punt return coverage has had a few breakdowns. Opponents are averaging 17.2 yards a punt return. The last time UM gave up a punt return for a score was Nov. 13, 1999 when Ricky Hall took one back 64 yards for Virginia Tech. The Canes, by the way, rank dead last among the 119 FBS schools with a 1.1 average on punt returns. 

... RECRUITING NUGGETS: Spoke to a few potential UM recruits on the phone last night. Here's a quick version of what I learned...

- Miramar receiver Ivan McCartney said his desire to play for UM has grown from 50 percent in the preseason to 75 percent after the team's 3-1 start.

- Jacksonville Raines receiver Sean Tapley, a wavering South Carolina commitment, said he enjoyed his weekend visit to South Florida and UM's win over Oklahoma. "I could definitely see myself playing there a lot more," Tapley said. "The Canes are weighing on me and I like the fact Louis [Nix] and Tavadis [Glenn] are going there."

- Jacksonville Raines coach Deran Wiley said Florida is coming hard after UM commitment defensive tackle Louis Nix and trying to convince Tapley to join him. "They think Urban's magic is going to sweep the kid off his feet," Wiley said. "But I'm not so sure that's going to happen after what happened with Tavadis at their camp. Those guys are close."

- St. Thomas Aquinas cornerback Keion Payne said he's really close to committing to Miami -- especially after Gainesville High's Devont'a Davis took one of the two remaining spots for a corner. But he doesn't want to "make any mistakes" with Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee and West Virginia coming hard after him.

Canes reel in Gainesville High corner Davis

For those of you looking for the first signs of recruiting success after UM's 3-1 start, here you go: Gainesville High cornerback Devont'a Davis decided about an hour ago he wants to be a Miami Hurricane.

The 6-1, 180-pound senior gave UM assistants Micheal Barrow and defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff the call, admitting he's fallen in love with the Hurricanes despite growing up a die-hard Gators fan. 

"My family just really wanted me to wait things out, see how I felt, make sure I was making the right decision," said Davis, who had been flirting with the idea of committing to UM since teammate and star linebacker Kevin Nelson committed to the Canes two weeks after school ended in June.

"I'm a Hurricane now. I feel like Florida missed the boat on me. I'm always going to be a Gators fan. But I'm wearing orange and green from now on."

The Gators never formally offered Davis, who passed on offers from FIU, Arkansas, UCF, South Carolina, Iowa State, Rutgers and Tennessee to pick UM. Davis, who said he has four interceptions and 35 tackles this season, is rated a three-star recruit by both Rivals and ESPN.com.

Gainesville High coach Ryan Smith said Davis is also averaging 35 yards on kickoff returns and said the Canes are getting a player who did an outstanding job shutting down Ocala Trinity Catholic's Kadron Boone, a four-star recruit headed to Texas Tech, earlier this season. 

"If you look at him, he looks like my cousin Demarcus [Van Dyke]," Nelson said. "He's 6-2, got long arms. He's a tall corner. He plays with a lot of passion. He can hit even though he's between 170 and 180. He can tackle, he can catch. He's gotten way better from last year. All summer when we were in workouts, all he would talk about was that Trinity Catholic game. He said all summer he was going to shutdown Kadron Boone. I said OK, tighten up. He came into that game and shut him down. He held him to 59 yards receiving on six catches. Normally, that man goes for 100, 200 yards. [Davis] can play."

The commitment is the 19th for the Canes, who are looking to sign between five to seven more players. One player counted in UM's class is a silent commitment.

Davis and Nelson are the first two players UM has recruited from Gainesville High since Clinton Portis. Davis told me Portis visited his alma mater this summer and talked to the players about the benefit of playing for UM. 

"He told us how the Gators really didn't want him either," Davis said. "I think it's funny how God works."

Davis said he plans to attend UM's game Saturday against Florida A&M.

> For those of you clamoring about the Gators getting commitments this weekend from Booker T. Washington defensive end Lynden Trail and receiver Quinton Dunbar, I was told by two UM sources the Hurricanes turned Trail down when he tried to jump on the bandwagon two weeks ago and Dunbar stopped being recruited after he decommitted from UM this summer. 

> Here is the link to the audio interviews from this afternoon. Included among them: Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, Defensive coordinator John Lovett, coach Randy Shannon, receivers Leonard Hankerson and Aldarius Johnson, safety Ray Ray Armstrong, cornerback Brandon Harris, linebacker Colin McCarthy and fullback Mike James. 

Linder, Payne love what they see in Canes

I had to race out of UM after today's press conference and interview session with players and coach Randy Shannon to visit St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. It forced me to miss our afternoon chat and not post anything I gathered from this morning.

So, here's something to tide you over until I can catchup later tonight. If you get a chance Friday night, catch No. 1 Aquinas' showdown with No. 2 Byrnes (S.C.). Chances are there will be two future Canes playing for the Raiders -- cornerback Keion Payne (6-0, 170) and offensive tackle Brandon Linder (6-5, 270).

Both told me this afternoon they've loved what they've seen from the Hurricanes so far this season and playing in Coral Gables next year is something they say could very likely happen. And both said they'll be on the Hurricanes sideline for the Oklahoma game on Saturday night.

"I love what Coach Whipple has done with that offense," said Linder, considered a four-star recruit by Rivals.com. "I'm not sure when I'm going to make a decision yet. But it could be soon."

"They are definitely No. 1 for me," said Payne, considered a three-star recruit by Rivals."I just love the intensity they bring every week and I know from watching them on film I could come in right away and help them out."

> I'll have more for you later including a video interview with Jacory Harris from our old segment Getting To Know The U with our new host Judy Erwin.

> And all the audio interviews from today -- Sean Spence, Jacory Harris, Randy Shannon, Joel Figueroa, AJ Trump and Demarcus Van Dyke -- will be available shortly on our UM audio page.

Top 60 Countdown: No. 8, DT Allen Bailey

Been quite a few hectic days for me leading up the start of Canes practice this Saturday. I've been organizing our local high schools media days this week (racking up recruiting interviews for you) and working on tons of online content -- video, podcasts, you name it. Among the projects: a weekly Dade-Broward high school football show and a Canes/college football show that will feature yours truly and a Herald columnist. Stay tuned for that!

With that said, the countdown of the Top 60 players at The U must continue (and end soon!). Today, we take a look at No. 8: junior defensive tackle Allen Bailey. Big Boss Bailey has always had an NFL body. He's 6-4, 290 now. He just hasn't been able to settle in. The Canes desperately need him to this year. Will he deliver and start playing like the first round pick he could potentially become?

> What we heard about him on Signing Day '07: Bailey was a big recruiting pickup for coach Randy Shannon, who visited the big man out on Sapelo Island in Georgia and swayed him away from the SEC (UF, Alabama and Georgia). Bailey only played in four games his senior season at McIntosh County Academy because of a stress fracture in his back. But as a junior, he posted 138 tackles, five forced fumbles and caught the attention of the recruiting experts quickly with his 6-4, 285-pound frame. Both Scout and Rivals had him ranked in the national Top 100 and as the seventh best defensive end in the country.

> What he's done as a Cane: Bailey came in as a linebacker -- a deal he worked out with Canes coaches before choosing UM -- and spent his freshman year struggling to pick up the position. He played in all 12 games. but saw most of his action on special teams. The following spring, Bailey was moved to defensive end and quickly went on the shelf when he tore a pectoral muscle lifting weights in the spring. It set him back in his move to the defensive line and caused him to miss the season opener against Charleston Southern. Bailey told us finally started feeling close to 100 percent after the Virginia Tech game. He finished with four starts and the team lead with five sacks to go with 36 tackles. It was strong finish to what started out as a shaky sophomore season. After seeing some time at defensive tackle on third downs, Bailey was moved to defensive tackle this spring. But he didn't play in the spring game.

> What Eye On The U expects from him in '09: There isn't a more physical freak at The U than Bailey, who runs a 4.65 in the 40-yard dash, has a 39-inch vertical (tied for 3rd on the team), benches 405 pounds (2nd on the team), squats 565 pounds (2nd on the team) and power cleans 375 (35 pounds more than anybody else on the team). Those can't be ignored. But neither can the fact the last three seasons Bailey has played have been uncomfortable. From the injury his senior year of high school to the wasted year at linebacker as a freshman and the pectoral injury that slowed him this past year, one has to wonder where Bailey would be right now had he just had some semblance of stability. This has to be the year that finally happens for him. There isn't a player on this team who has more gifts than Bailey. If he can stay healthy and start putting them to use full-time, Miami's horrid run defense could be a whole lot better.

Penn State corner could transfer to UM

Darrell Givens, one the nation's top high school cornerbacks last year, is looking for a new school. And the University of Miami is one of his finalists.

Givens, rated the fourth best corner in the nation last year by ESPN, was denied admission into Penn State this week. Blue and White Illustrated, the Rivals website for Penn State, reported Thursday Givens had been attending summer school at home in order to qualify at University Park but after receiving his grades for the course learned that he did not meet the university's qualification requirements.

He was asked to attend prep school this fall, but has decided against it. In an email, his high school coach Doug Lamb confirmed UM is among the many schools being considered, but declined further comment until the 6-0, 180-pound Under Armour All-American decides on a school. Givens is expected to choose between UM, Florida, Rutgers, North Carolina, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Nebraska and South Carolina on Saturday.

Givens, however, still needs to be formally released from his scholarship from Penn State.

The Hurricanes have at least two open scholarships they could use -- one that was going to go to defensive back Prince Kent (who did not qualify academically and could end up at Marshall) and one that was going to go to offensive lineman Malcolm Bunche, who is headed to prep school.

UM opens camp Saturday, Aug. 8. The Gators open on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Givens told Rivals he wants to find a school in time to start camp. A UM staffer said Givens has plenty of time to get into Miami. His transcripts, however, have yet to arrive.

Last season, Givens made 57 tackles and two interceptions and was an integral part in leading Indian Head Lackey High, Maryland to an 8-4 record. He also caught 18 passes for 268 yards and a touchdown.

FISHBEIN: MORRIS CAN BE A STARTER I caught up with Charles Fishbein of Elite Scouting Services about an hour ago to get his take on Canes quarterback recruit Stephen Morris, who committed to UM earlier this morning. Even though Morris isn't highly rated at the moment by Rivals or Scout, Fishbein said Morris is a good pickup for Miami and believes offensive coordinator Mark Whipple can help him improve his mechanics and flourish.

"He's really improved since last year and if you watched the spring game he had against Booker T. Washington, he made all the throws he needed to make," Fishbein said. "He's a kid that can sit behind Jacory Harris and learn because there is no rush. Miami just needed a quarterback to come in and compete and be a backup and worst case scenario take some snaps. If they weren't going to take [Jeffrey] Godfrey, this is a good kid to get. He's a kid that in two years, with some good coaching, could start. He's not going to be a superstar. But you don't need that with the type of receivers they have there. He can get the ball and put it where it needs to be."

Has UM found its next QB recruit?

If there is one position that usually ends up being resolved early in the world of recruiting, it's quarterback. For the past few years, every top school in the country has usually settled on who its future QB is going to be long before they've even thrown a pass as a high school senior. 

The Hurricanes appear close to pulling that off again this year with Monsignor Pace quarterback Stephen Morris. The 6-3, 184-pounder drove down to UM Wednesday with his parents and was genuinely surprised by what he encountered. He said he had a 40-minute meeting with coach Randy Shannon and checked out the Canes playbook with new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, who finally mailed him his scholarship offer this week. 

"They are in the lead right now," said Morris, who completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,005 yards and 19 touchdowns and led Pace to the state semifinals last year as a junior.

"It's a great school. I didn't think it was like that. Everyone is so family oriented. Coach Shannon was talking to my mom about how he went to Norland and she went to [Hialeah-Miami Lakes] and how their schools were rivals. I talked to Jacory [Harris] for awhile and Demarcus Van Dyke -- who is a real funny dude. It's such a small school. I thought it would be a bigger school. I didn't think it would be like that. There's such great academic support too. It opened my eyes."

Morris would like to choose a school before high school football practice opens Monday, Aug. 10 and plans on deciding in "a week or two." He said he will visit UCF this Friday and still has plans to visit Purdue during the season even after he commits. He started the spring with three offers (FIU, Purdue and Central Michigan) and now has 11 total. Virginia is his other finalist.

Originally, Michigan was Morris' dream school. His father, a high school wrestler and football player, grew up in Ann Arbor. But the Wolverines, who had been courting him since he was a junior, spurned their relationship with Morris.

Now, it could be just the Gators who stand in UM's way. This past weekend, Morris participated in the Friday Night Lights camps in Gainesville and impressed Gators coaches. He said quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler told him there's a chance UF could send him an offer come Sept. 1.

"I like the Gators," Morris said. "I know coach [Loeffler] from his days up at Michigan when I went up there in my eighth grade year."

When asked if the Gators would trump Miami if they offered, Morris said: "I don't know. The way Miami welcomed me today, it was a good feeling. Florida is a great school too. But I'd have to take a visit and feel the same way I felt about Miami."

WHO EARNS ALL-ACC HONORS AT THE END OF THE YEAR? The Miami Hurricanes accomplished something Wednesday they weren't able to do last year. They put somebody on the All-ACC First Team. Two players, actually. Kicker Matt Bosher and left tackle Jason Fox earned the honors.

But my question is this: Which Canes will be representing The U when the season is over? Last year, nobody did. Bosher, who earned second team honors, was the only Hurricane to find his name among the season-ending honors.

Of course, being worthy and being selected are two totally different concepts. Just a little history for you -- making all-ACC isn't easy, at least for the Canes. Only eight players have ever earned first team honors: safety Kenny Phillips (2007), tight end Greg Olsen ('06), defensive end Calais Campbell ('06), cornerback Kelly Jennings ('05), running back Tyrone Moss ('05), offensive tackle Eric Winston ('05), defensive back Antrel Rolle ('04) and Devin Hester ('05, '04).

I think the Canes end up with four this year: Bosher, Fox, receiver LaRon Byrd and linebacker Sean Spence.

UF CAMP BOOT HELPED CANES Unless you've been hiding under a rock since Saturday, you know all about what happened to 2010 Hurricanes recruit Tavadis Glenn at the aforementioned Friday Night Lights Camp this past weekend. 

The 6-6, 280-pound future Canes offensive lineman got booted for flashing The []_[] during the camp. I caught up with his high school coach, Jacksonville Raines' Deran Wiley tonight and he told me Glenn is ready to move on. 

"What really happened was one of the kids he was going up against that was a UF recruit started talking a little trash. Tavadis just fired back like any other kid having fun and competing would," Wiley said. "If anything, I think it cleared up however he felt about Florida. Louis [Nix] too."

Wiley said Florida coaches called an apologized about the incident earlier this week. 

Sizing up the 2010 class with Charles Fishbein

It's only July, seven months until National Signing Day. But in the world of recruiting -- where things evolve 24/7 -- we've basically reached the halfway point of the 2010 blitz.

Most high school seniors have already taken their unofficial summer visits or are about to sneak a few last ones in before hitting the weight room hard and preparing for their own football seasons. Those that haven't already 'committed' to a school (42 in the Rivals Top 100 have) are narrowing things down considerably. Basically, the 2010 picture has come into focus and now its simply a matter of closing things out.

As I wrote in today's Herald, the Hurricanes have already netted 10 non-binding commitments entering July (UM is looking to sign between 22-23). After calling and speaking with either each recruit or their coach, it looks like the majority (about seven) are not going to pull a Bryce Brown. 

With that said, I called in Charles Fishbein of Elite Scouting Services to give us some perspective on where the Canes stand in July with seven months to go before anything is official. Fishbein works with several colleges to find recruits throughout the state and has a very good grasp on the Southeast. Here is what Fish had to say about how the Canes are doing so far...

"I'm interested in seeing what some of the local kids want to do, but for the most part they're doing a good job," Fishbein said. "They've gone after the positions they have to improve -- offensive and defensive line. Now, its just a matter of them holding onto the guys they have and adding the ones you expect them to land. 

"They've got to win in Dade and Broward because right now every top Palm Beach kid is going to Florida or Florida State. To me, they've got to come up with guys like [Hialeah defensive lineman] Corey Lemonier, [Miramar receiver] Ivan McCartney and [St. Thomas Aquinas center] Brandon Linder. If they get those guys, they'll have another Top 20 class. If those three kids don't sign with Miami, you have to have some concerns with Miami and whether they get from 7, 8, 9 wins to a championship caliber team."

Fishbein gave me his thoughts on several topics regarding the current commitments.

> Best player: Defensive tackle Todd Chandler. "To me he's produced the most on the field and off it. The one thing I've noticed from watching him at camps is what a tremendous leader he is. He pushes the other players around him to be better. He's like Jacory [Harris] and Sean Spence were in high school. He's the leader of the pack and makes his teammates better. Miami needs to make sure they keep him."

> Underrated: Offensive lineman Jonathan Feliciano. "Being from Western, he doesn't play at a school that gets a lot of attention or produces a ton of talent. But when I look at him, I see a lot of similarities between him and Joaquin Gonzalez. He plays with the same mean streak. He's one of the kids who has all the traits you look for. Miami was fortunate to get in on him early and that the kid wants to stick with them."

> Overrated: Defensive tackle Louis Nix. "If you go off his sophomore film, he looks great. But last year I went to see him in person and he was overweight and lazy. That shows you something about the kids character that when he played so well early on, he got lazy and stopped pushing himself. He has the potential to be a great player. But he has to put the work in to be that next level guy. It's a mental battle that whatever coach gets him has to win. That's something the kid has to overcome."

> Potential NFL player: Cornerback Jeremy Davis. "I don't see a definite lock in this group, but that's hard to do before their senior year. I think Davis has the best ingredients, being that his brother Phillip Buchanon is in the league. He's probably the most explosive kid they've got. You can't take that speed for granted. But he's another one that has to have the right mindset and push himself harder than he does."

Can the Canes get back to Omaha?

Mid May has traditionally been the time of year on the South Florida sports calendar when the UM baseball team suddenly begins to draw interest from folks that didn't really care about them except during those early season FSU or Florida series.

Right about now is when coach Jim Morris and his team begin popping up on nightly sports telecasts, and the fairweather fans who no longer have the Heat or Panthers to watch in the playoffs -- or are tired of the up-and-down struggles of the Marlins -- begin wondering how their team is doing in the old "ping league." Even UM football diehards who are glued to Canesport's football recruiting wire will lift their heads up from their computers for five minutes to ask: How many weeks until Omaha?

It's what Morris and his team has gotten us South Floridians accustomed to. They've spoiled us really. What we expect is for the most reliable team in the sports market -- the one that always has that hefty national ranking, the slew of big home run bats, and that combo of left-handers who bring the heat -- to be ready to deliver excitement for about three weeks, to have us on edge and suddenly yearning for that sound (PING!)

Sorry to break it to you casual observers, but the forecast for the pinging Canes doesn't look good. Unless the Canes turn it around big time and in a hurry, the milkshake guy at The Light has served his last Omaha Express. And fans who were hoping to watch Scott Lawson do his stanky leg dance are going to have to hope TV cameras catch it.

Earlier this week, I caught up with the Canes before they left Wednesday in must-win mode for their final regular season ACC series at Wake Forest. Miami, ranked 24th by Baseball America, has gone 8-10 over the past month. The Canes have had plenty of icky losses. North Florida beat them. Bethune-Cookman took two of three from them last weekend at The Light no less.

Players know the only way they'll get to play at home again is if they get hot and stun everyone at next week's ACC Tournament in Durham. So can they do it? And more importantly, can they get back to Omaha? Ask closer Kyle Bellamy that question and he might spit venom at you.

“Of course we can get hot,” said Bellamy who with a 3-1 record, 1.15 ERA and 14 saves has been the only consistent arm on the staff Miami has had all season. “We were No. 2 in the nation for awhile. We’re definitely capable. We just have to get that mentality back we had when we swept the Gators in Gainesville and we took 2 of 3 from FSU. I think we just need to get that chip back on our shoulder – the one we had when were trying to prove to everyone we were a pretty good team."

The problem for Miami is that it's going to take more than an attitude adjustment. It's going to take a major overhaul. Only three hitters -- Scott Lawson (.348), Chris Hermann (.314) and Jason Hagerty (.313) -- are batting better than .300. While ace Chris Hernandez has gotten his act together (he's now 6-3 with a 4.24 ERA after a horrendous start), No. 2 starter David Gutierrez is still looking for his first win since March 7th.

Morris had loftier expectations when the season began despite the fact he lost three first round picks and a boatload of talented players from a team that went 53-11 and entered the College World Series last year expecting to win a fifth national title. But despite the recent setbacks Morris hasn't lost hope. Heck, if Fresno State did it last year why can't the Canes?

“We’ve proven we can beat some of the best teams in college baseball and we’ve proven if we don’t go out and play well we’re not going to win,” Morris said. “We’ve put our backs against the wall no question about that. But I know we can respond. I think we’ve swung the bats really good against some good teams, and any team in the Top 25 has a chance to get hot this time of year. Fresno State was 82nd last year and they won it. We have a lot of young players who can grow up quickly over the next few weeks."

As it stands, even if Miami were to win next week's ACC Tournament, the likelyhood remains they could be on the road in the regionals because the NCAA isn't likely to grant more than two in-state teams the right to host. Both the Gators and Seminoles are ranked higher than UM at the moment and both have had much better regular seasons to this point. As it stands, Baseball America projects Miami will be making the trip to Gainesville.

That doesn't bode well for UM. When the Canes have reached Omaha in the past, they've usually done it playing at home. Of their 23 trips to the CWS, only four were achieved by winning a regional on the road (2006, 1996, 1989, 1984, 1974). Morris said this team in his eyes compares a lot to his 2002 team, which won a regional in Gainesville, but then loss a heart breaker to South Carolina in the Super Regional a week later.

“It’s very important for us to host regionals,” Bellamy said. “There was a lot of inspiration we got our own fans last year in those tight games. Sometimes traveling and being in the airplanes and the hotels can wear on you. Hosting Regionals would definitely be a huge lift. Hopefully, it’s not too late and we can turn it on.”

JUST A FEW QUICK NOTES...
> After spending the past month on Marlins detail, I will be going on the road with the baseball team to Durham next week. So, if you want to talk baseball while I'm there, shoot me some questions on the blog or email. I'll probably be live blogging the games.

> This week with the Marlins on the road and Clark Spencer on the beat, I got a chance to make my rounds to a few local high schools to catch up on the recruiting front. For those of you interested, I posted three videos -- including an interview with Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements.

While I'm still very skeptical UM will be able to get any of the Tornadoes' top recruits, you should know the Canes at least have a new constant presence on campus. Tim Harris Jr., the son of former coach Ice Harris and a star in track at UM, has begun his high school coaching career this spring at Booker T. He's coaching the quarterbacks. That alone should help Miami stay in contention for Clements, receiver Quinton Dunbar, and defensive end Lyden Trail, who recently picked up an offer from USC.

> As for Miami Springs highly-touted receiver Willis Wright, Miami has definitely offered Wright and is intered in him. But they aren't nearly as interested as Florida State, which has already had five coaches come down to meet with the 6-3, 200-pound receiver in the past year. Miami Springs coach Alex Pacheco told me Monday Wesley McGriff visited the school last year, but no one from UM has been out there yet this spring. Wright got his formal offer from UM in the mail. Physically, Wright is one of the most impressive receivers I've ever seen in Miami-Dade. I'd throw him in the same category as Aldarius Johnson, Dwayne Bowe and Andre Johnson.

> For those of you still on edge over Frank Haith's chase of John Wall, Miami is definitely in the race for the nation's top available recruit. The people I spoke to this week on Wall's behalf told me UM is in his top three and under serious consideration. Wall, by the way, is apparently considering stretching his decision making process past the May 20th deadline.

> In case you missed it, our live weekly Q&As on MiamiHerald.com have been shut down until the start of football season. I'm now doing Marlins Q&As on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. If you want to shoot me questions, feel free to email them to me or place them on the blog. I'm thinking of starting up a Monday Mailbag session if I get some good questions from you.

Lamar Miller is scary fast

Lamar Miller hasn't had a conversation with a University of Miami coach since he attended the spring game last month. It's not because Miller is mad at the Canes, or the Canes are mad at Miller. They're still definitely in love. It's because Miller has eyes on something else -- winning the state title in the 100 meters.

Thursday afternoon, I caught up with the Killian High running back at the District 16-4A track and field meet down at Southridge High School. He looked a little different from the last time I saw on National Signing Day when he wore a black suit and an orange and green Canes tie. This Miller was 10 pounds lighter, right around 208 he says, and wearing a pair of black track and field tights to go with a determined attitude. "I really want to win a state championship," he told me before the race. "I don't like losing at anything."

Miller proceeded to win his next race moments later by doing what he often does on the football field -- blowing past his competitors. At the horse track, he would have won by at least two lengths. It wasn't his best time (10.79 seconds), but it got him one step closer to where he wants to be in two weeks -- the FHSAA state track and field championships in Winter Park.

Miller finished 11th in the state last year and currently has the 25th fastest time (10.73) this season in the state according to flrunners.com. Normally, non-track officianados would think that's not that impressive. But when you look at who is in front of Miller this year (it's probably one of the fastest years in state history) and how his career best compares (10.56, which he ran as a junior) to other Hurricanes and football greats, you come to appreciate the great open field speed Miller possesses for someone who stands 6-feet and weighs close to 210 pounds.

Remember how in awe we were of the speed slender Canes receiver Travis Benjamin showed us this past season? His fastest 100-meter time at Glades Central was 10.72 seconds. Remember little, speedy Sinorce Moss and how he would blow past guys in the secondary? His career best in the 100 meters at Carol City was 10.96. Devin Hester -- the guy with the 100 speed rating in John Madden's video game -- his fastest at Riviera Beach Suncoast was 10.87 seconds. Miller (timed at 4.32 in the 40-yard dash as a junior) has not only run faster than those speedy Canes in the 100 meters, but Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (10.61) too. The fastest any Hurricane has run in 100-yard dash? Little-used former cornerback Terrell Walden (10.65).

The point is there aren't many guys who have come to UM with that type of long-range speed. Even Sam Shields, who was timed at a UM record 4.2 seconds earlier this week in the 40-yard dash, turned in his fastest 100-meter time of 10.82 seconds at Sarasota Booker.

One glance over state record books shows you it's not easy for football players who take a beating in the fall to make the speedy transition to track in the spring. Many usually pass on it to give their legs a rest, while others have competed in the sport or used the training to make themselves faster. But the guys who win the big races are usually those who aren't getting slammed into by linebackers and 300-pound defensive lineman. Miller, obviously, isn't one of those. His focus was to lead Miami-Dade County in rushing and his team deep into the playoffs (which he did). But like the five guys I mentioned before, he has that extra special gear and the ability to pull away from the pack, which makes it exciting to think what he could do with the ball in his hands in the open field this fall.

For comparison, current Florida Gator Jeffrey Demps owns the state record with a 10.37 100-meter dash time. He nearly broke under 10 seconds at the U.S. Olympic Trials is by far the fastest high school football player the state has ever produced. Miller will likely be trying to beat a pair of future Gators when he gets past next week's regionals at Traz Powell Stadium. Among the speedy runners in front of him expected to make the final eight-man field -- receiver Andre Debose (10.63) from Sanford Seminole and 2010 cornerback Demar Dorsey (10.55) from Lauderdale Lakes Boyd Anderson. Another big name expected to participate in the race, future Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson (10.44) from Deerfield Beach. All will be trying to chase down one of the country's future Olympians in Dentarius Locke (10.35), who is headed to Tennessee on a track scholarship.

With freshman running back Mike James already in camp and making noise on the depth chart and veterans Graig Cooper and Javarris James back, there likely aren't going to be enough balls to go around in 2009 for Miller to get much of an opportunity to show what he can do in the backfield. But in the kicking game, he could prove to be extremely valuable. In his three varsity seasons at Killian, he returned nine kickoffs back for touchdowns. "Kick returns, I'm very comfortable with those," Miller said. "I've been doing that my whole career. Punt returns? I got to work on those. But I like getting the ball, seeing an opening and hitting it full speed."

Miller plans on doing just that when he gets to UM in the summer, which he says he should do because he's "already gone through the clearinghouse with an ACT score of 20" and because his GPA will get a boost from 2.57 to somewhere around 2.7 to 2.8 when he graduates at the end of May. "I got 2 A's, 3 B's and 1 C on my last report card," Miller said. "My GPA should move up even more on my next one."

But first, before prom and before he starts taking classes at UM shortly after, there's a state title to contend for on Saturday May 9th. "I feel very confident I'm going to win," Miller said. "I have great competition. I know that. But that just drives me even more. I'm working hard on dropping that time, getting aster. I'm going to do it. You'll see."

Intruders breaching UM's local recruiting wall

Cover your eyes Canes fans, or just turn away. What you are about to read might burn your eyes and cause your blood pressure to rise. Consider this your final warning.

Outsiders are beginning to make serious recruiting inroads into South Florida. Did you hear me? There's been a breach in the Great Wall of Canes. The green and orange protective layer that used to shield the hearts of players born in the area codes of the 954 and 305 is beginning to disappear like the ozone. And if the University of Miami isn't careful, the hole could get bigger. The intrduers could end up becoming permanent residents.

No, I'm not hitting the Hurtt Alert button because the Gators picked up their first commitment from a Miami-Dade player since 2005 in Ransom Everglades linebacker Gideon Ajagbe earlier this week. I'm sounding the Shannon Siren because I'm starting to hear a change in the voices of the kids from just around the corner. I'm starting to get the feeling the Miami magnet -- the one that always seemed to yank kids in South Florida naturally toward Canes nation -- is losing its pull.

Thursday, The Miami Herald hosted a media day for local 2010 recruits. We filmed interviews, took pictures and I got a chance to sit down and talk with many players (and their coaches) who are part of what is expected to be a loaded local signing class this coming February. One by one, I heard the same answers from the recruits I've heard for years. Hialeah defensive end Corey Lemonier, running back Jakhari Gore, Booker T. Washington offensive lineman Jose Jose and Miramar receiver Ivan McCartney all told me they grew up huge fans of the Canes. But what was different listening to these recruits was that there was no longer that overriding sense that their childhood love for UM is going make the Canes the team to beat in the end. What I sensed was a greater awareness from our local players, that there are more choices out there and just because you are from Miami doesn't mean you have to play for the Canes. It sounded to me like many of them have been listening to the other guys.

And the fact local players are beginning to realize that, should scare the heck out of the University of Miami. It may only be the second week of April -- 10 months before anything becomes official on the next National Signing Day. But there are serious signs the old Miami mystique is evaporating. The truth is outsiders have been working hard to make advances for years, and they aren't just knocking on the door anymore. They're busting through it and really are getting into the mind of local players once considered untouchable.

How else can you explain how a player like Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements (the top RB on UM's board) has Georgia as his leader despite the fact his former high school coach works at UM and three of his former teammates are in Coral Gables? How else can you explain why receiver Quinton Dunbar, who committed to UM last month, decided recently he made a mistake and was reopening his recruiting? What started out with the University of South Florida stealing Monsignor Pace's Kayvon Webster on National Signing Day last February is beginning to smell a lot to me like just the start of a fire.

Don't take my word for it. Listen to the kids themselves. The first school out of Lemonier's mouth Thursday was Florida. He said the Gators speak to him more than any other team. Same for about 20 other kids. With two national titles in the last three years, the Gators have the attention of both Dade and Broward -- something they couldn't achieve before. Even FIU is gaining steam. Miami Springs receiver Willis Wright and 2011 recruit Rakeem Cato both told me, "Mario Cristobal is the truth. He recruits you the way you are supposed to be recruited. We can believe him when he says we can go to FIU and be stars there."

Believe me, I'm not relaying this message so guys like Canesrule and FIUFanatic come over to the blog,(which they will) beating their chest and telling the Greens and SarasotaCanes of the world I told you so (which they will). I'm just saying as a guy who has stood on the recruiting fence for 13 years in South Florida, the enemy is moving in and the battles aren't going to be so easy to win anymore. Consider it a warning.

> For those of you interested in watching some of the interviews we conducted, look for the Recruiting Report in our video section to pop up over the next couple of weeks.

BLOG NOTICE: I know many of you have been wondering why I haven't been posting many blogs lately and why I didn't participate in this Tuesday's Q&A. Here's the answer: The Herald moved me late last week onto the Marlins/Baseball beat. It's the result of the loss of four other sports writers following budget cuts last month. 

For now, during the offseason, I'll focus more on the Marlins and local recruiting. I'm going to try and stay on the Canes beat as much as I can between those assignments. But I've got to tell you expect a slow down in production until news happens or football resumes in August. As it stands, other than Canes baseball, it's going to be pretty quiet around UM for the next few month outside of recruits making early commitments. One thing I'd like to do, though, is welcome topical questions through my email as news happens. I'm still going to be talking to sources at UM every now and again to provide you with fresh stuff. But during the down period, I'll welcome topics you guys would like for me to address. It will at the very least keep the blog going.

A chat with Kirby Hocutt & more

Two weeks ago when the University of Miami was on the road in the NIT at Providence, I got a chance to catchup with athletic director Kirby Hocutt and pick his mind on a few hot button issues. I figured the highlights of our discussion might be the best way for me to start sharing a boatload of notes I've collected in the past week since the end of the spring football.

> UM football coach Randy Shannon has two years left on his current contract. Entering his third season after going a combined 12-13, Hocutt said he has yet to broach the subject of a contract extension with Shannon and didn't share a timetable either when negotiations might begin. But he didn't sound like an athletic director whose begun looking yet for Plan B either. 

"We haven't talked yet," Hocutt said. "But that's no indication of our support for Randy. He's done an excellent job. There's an excitement around the program as well as optimism for next year. Miami football is on the right track. Randy has a plan and we're going to continue to support him and he's going to be the leader of the program for a long time. I'm confident of that."

> One thing that Shannon did that pleased Hocutt was the way he handled the recruitment of running back Bryce Brown, who went from longtime UM commitment to signing with Tennessee two weeks ago after Shannon decided not to renew his scholarship offer.

"He made the right decision in my opinion and I respect him for handling it the way he did. We're going to be fine moving forward," Hocutt said. "[Recruiting] has changed. Is it concerning? Yes it is. You would hope you can work directly with the parents and the young people involved. You hope the third party influence is not as involved as it is today, especially in the sport of basketball. This honestly was the first time I saw a third party involved in a football situation to the degree it was. And it's something I think we need to start talking about at the conference level and maybe moreso on a national level."

> One of the things Hocutt said he has become more involved in since taking over has been the future scheduling of opponents. He wants to get UM involved in big-time games including playing Notre Dame again and getting Florida on the schedule. Right now, Kansas State is looking to get off UM's schedule for 2011 and 2012. Hocutt said he and Shannon have agreed that as long as UM finds a comparable opponent for the series they would let the Wildcats out of their agreement. According to Hocutt, ESPN is trying to find a replacement to create a marquee TV matchup. Hocutt would not mention any names, but said it would be another Big 12 opponent. I've heard rumblings the possible home and home series could come against either Texas, Texas Tech or Missouri.

"We're going to make sure the opponent makes sense for Miami and what we're trying to accomplish," Hocutt said. "We'll see what opportunities present themselves and move down the road."

Speaking of down the road and opportunities, Hocutt seemed more confident there could be a future meeting with Miami and Notre Dame than with the Canes and Gators, who are currently scheduled to meet for the last time in football at Dolphins Stadium in 2013.

"If there is any way whatsoever to get [a series with Notre Dame] done, we'll get it done," Hocutt said. "I don't want to lead people on or sound too optimistic, but there has been an initial phone call and another conversation through a mutual relationship [TV]. There's definitely interest on both sides. If it's something we can get done in the future it sounds like we're both committed to it."

> When it comes to Frank Haith, consider Hocutt a huge fan of UM's 43-year old coach and a coach Hocutt would probably willing to fight for financially should Haith receive an offer to leave the program. Haith, who last week told reporters and his team he has no interest in leaving UM, has once again had his name resurface this week in filling a possible job opening. FOXSports.com reported Wednesday Georgia has Haith next on its list of candidates after Oklahoma's John Capel. Ten months ago, Hocutt and Dee extended Haith's contract at UM through 2014. Hocutt, who said he speaks to Haith on a weekly basis even during the offseason, said nobody has formally asked UM to speak with Haith.

"Frank and I spend a lot of time talking and its all focused around the future of Miami basketball, what we can continue to do to elevate this program," Hocutt said. "We have a great relationship. He knows we don't want anybody in this country to be our head basketball coach except Frank Haith. You hope you are in position as an athletic director and athletic department thatr people are coming after your coaches, your staff members. That's what you want. That means you got the right person in place and you are doing good things. I think it's a complement to UM that Frank's name is mentioned out there so much."

MORE NOTES, QUOTES & THOUGHTS...

This week I spent two days covering the McDonald's All-American festivities and got a chance to not only speak to a few big-time players, but pick the brains of high school basketball recruiting gurus on a variety of topics.

> UM's quest to land John Wall, the nation's No. 1 available point guard, should probably be considered what has been for a long time -- shaky at best. With John Calipari leaving Memphis for Kentucky this week, many gurus believe it won't necessarily stop Wall from following him. As I was told by SI's Andy Staples last night, Kentucky is probably the most ideal situation because they are desparate for a point guard. Wall has told several publications he plans to take an official visit to UM on April 24. But like Dwayne Collins told me last night when I bumped into him in the BankUnited Center parking lot at around midnight, "if I was him or anybody else living up in that cold, I'd want to take a trip to Miami, too. But that don't mean he's coming here."

> Speaking of Dwayne Collins, although there have been reports that the 6-8, 240-pound forward is considering leaving UM after this season to enter the NBA Draft, I'd consider the likelyhood of Collins leaving about the same as Wall coming to Miami. "Really, I'm just waiting on Coach Haith to tell me what he thinks," Collins said. "If he thinks I should go, I'll go. If he doesn't, I'll be back." NBADraftexpress.com ranks Collins 37th among the nation's Top Juniors. That's not close to being a first round pick.

> Jack McClinton's NBA Draft stock, meanwhile, remains up in the air -- especially after a knee injury slowed him toward the end of the year. McClinton will get a chance to make an impression on NBA Scouts again, however, when he participates in the Three-Point shootout of the State Farm College All-Star festivities Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. at the site of the Final Four in Detroit.

> Florida-bound and local guard Kenny Boynton Jr. had a pretty good night (10 points) in Wednesday night's McDonald's All-American Game at the BankUnited Center. I asked Boynton Tuesday if there ever really was a bone in his body that considered playing at Miami, in front of his friends and family.

"There definitely was," Boynton said. "They did recruit me. Coach Jorge Fernandez recruited me real well. Coach Haith recruited me also. But I didn’t think he put more into it like Duke and Florida. I think coach Haith didn’t show me he really wanted me. He came to see me a few times. But he never called a lot. I think it would have been a good situation [coming to Miami]. It’s close to home, Miami is on the rise. I think I could have helped. But it’s a good situation where I'm going too. I like Florida a lot."

> Coming off their second series loss in 23 series in the ACC, UM's baseball team will open a three-game homestand against Florida State this weekend at Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. The biggest news, though, is UM has decided to move No. 2 starter David Gutierrez into the Friday night starter role in place of the struggling Chris Hernandez Gutierrez is 2-2 with a 1.51 ERA. Hernandez is 2-2 with a 5.88 ERA.

By the way, the Canes will honor the 1999 National Championship team before Saturday night's game at 7 p.m. Get there early if you want to catch it.

McClinton practicing at full speed again

ATLANTA -- The Miami Hurricanes didn't have a healthy Jack McClinton for their final three games of the regular season and it showed. McClinton, the ACC's third leading scorer this season at 19.7 points per game, shot an astonishing 9 of 37 from the field including a sub-par 6 of 18 from three point range.

The old Jack McClinton may finally be ready to lace them up Thursday at noon when the Canes (18-11) take on the Hokies (17-13) in a game vitally important to UM's NCAA Tournament chances. I didn't get a chance to talk to the team when they went through their walk through early Thursday morning at the Georgia Dome (my flight got in just after they were finishing up), but word from other reporters is McClinton looked awfully sharp. 

UM coach Frank Haith said Tuesday McClinton has been practicing at full speed since Monday. "[Monday] was the first day where he was full-go," Haith said. "We’re trying to get his knee right and I think he hasn’t been playing as well because of it. Yesterday he really let it go and hopefully he can build on that in practice today and have a great game Thursday."

The Canes have won their last three ACC Tournament openers and will face a Hokies team that has lost six of its last seven. But just because it looks like McClinton is finally healthy and Virginia Tech is sliding should we take it to mean UM is a shoe-in to be playing No. 1 North Carolina on Friday. The Hokies' last three losses came to three of the top four teams in the conference. UM, which has won 3 of its last 4, picked up two of its wins against teams behind them in the standings. Oh by the way, the Hokies have won two in a row against UM, too, including an 88-83 win in OT in January.

"We did a really good job last time in terms of execution offensively," Haith said. "But we did not defend as well and we have to defend a lot better. With that said, I thought [A.D.] Vasallo and [Malcolm] Delaney were outstanding in that ballgame. They both shot the ball extremely well and we have to do a good job on both of those guys and the big three – [Jeff] Allen, Delaney and Vasallo. They all had great performances against us."

> HAITH: 2009 NOT A DISAPPOINTMENT Despite being picked to finish fourth in the preseason and starting the season ranked 16th in the polls, Haith reiterated Tuesday that even if UM does not get an invite to the NCAA Tournament on Selection Sunday, he still would not consider this season a disappointment.

"I think this team has done well," Haith said ."I still go back to five years ago when I took the job and now you look at where it’s at now – we’re in the talk every year. Obviously I want us to win and get to the NCAA Tournament. I think that’s our goal every year, but in terms of a disappointment, I think some of our fans may feel something like that. I don’t feel like that. We have great seniors that will graduate and have won some big games. We’ve put ourselves in position to have a shot at the NCAA Tournament. Some years we may get there and some years we may not. Four games have come down to the last possession. This team could be totally different if the ball bounces our way. It’s not like we have lost games by 20 or 30 points every night. We’ve been in every game and I think that shows there is progress in this program."

Just one sports writer's opinion, but the two games I'll point to should Miami miss the tournament are the road losses at Maryland, and the let down at Georgia Tech last week. Both of those games, UM didn't show the type of desire and fight it needed to. Despite being more talented, they were inexcusably flat emotionally. It's hard to point the finger at Haith for that. With a team full of seniors and veterans, it's on the players to show up and play better than that.

> NO LAWSON?: Not that I'm looking ahead, but if UM gets past the Hokies Thursday, the Canes could see a North Carolina team without ACC Player of the Year Ty Lawson. The Tar Heels point guard injured his toe in the win against Duke is a bit questionable for this week's tournament. Lawson was huge in UNC's win over UM on Feb. 15. Of course, Lawson does have an extra day to rest that toe before Friday. UNC did not practice on the Georgia Dome floor Wednesday.

> CANES TO SCRIMMAGE THURSDAY: I won't be there because I'll be up here covering the ACC Tournament, but Randy Shannon's football team will be scrimmaging for the second time this spring on Thursday night at Traz Powell Stadium in Miami. It's supposed to get started at 6:30 p.m. Our Susan Miller Degnan will be there along with Barry Jackson. They'll send me some notes for the blog when it ends. The football team will be off after Thursday until March 23rd.

If you go, be sure to enjoy watching running back Mike James (No. 22), Miami's talented receivers (you'll be really impressed by Kendall Thomkins) and safety Vaughn Telemaque (No. 7). If your looking for improvement, keep your eyes on the backup quarterback battle between Tyler Cook and Cannon Smith, how some of the new offensive lineman (Matt Pipho, Ben Jones, Harland Gunn) are handling a talented deep defensive line core, and if UM's young linebackers are winning any of the one-on-one battles with a talented stable of running backs.

> RIVALS TOP 100 RELEASED: I finally got around this afternoon to taking a gander at Rivals first Top 100 player rankings for football in the 2010 class. Rivals will end up juggling this list 1,000 times before National Signing Day. But I was a bit surprised at some of the names I saw on the list and didn't. Northwestern defensive tackle Todd Chandler, Miami-Dade's No. 1 recruit, wasn't on there. Miami Palmetto defensive end Delvin Jones (in the 20s in The Miami Herald preseason rankings) is in there. Not trying to rip Rivals, who does a good job following the right kids for the most part. But I'll take our Larry Blustein over any of those guys. There's only so much you can gain from watching a combine. Larry and I knew Sean Spence would be a star at UM. Rivals never had Spence in its Top 100. 

> ON A PERSONAL NOTE: I normally don't share too much about myself here, I wanted to pass along the happy news that Tuesday night my wife and I closed on our first house. I'm definitely thrilled to finally have a real place to call my own. As happy as I am about that, I can't be more upset or heartbroken about the news we learned today about several colleagues who lost their jobs. The Miami Herald cut more than 200 jobs Wednesday in an effort to keep surviving in the struggling newspaper business. Thankfully, I still have a job. But I'm praying for the families of the people here no longer don't. It's a sad day at The Miami Herald.

Canes holding onto slim NCAA hopes

It's not impossible to go dancing with a sub .500 conference record in the Atlantic Coast Conference. It just doesn't happen very often.

Coming off what most believe was a crippling loss to its NCAA Tournament hopes Wednesday at last-place Georgia Tech, the University of Miami still has at least some hope -- albeit faint -- of receiving an invite to March Madness if doesn't earn the automatic bid by winning next week's conference tournament. One look at the ACC history book shows us some examples.

N.C. State, for instance, went dancing just in 2005 despite finishing 7-9 in conference play and with a 17-12 overall record. The Wolfpack, like UM, didn't beat Duke or North Carolina in the regular season and didn't have many impressive wins at all. But they won twice at the ACC Tournament -- including over a highly-ranked Wake Forest team -- and then got their invite. State then made it all the way to the Sweet 16 with superstar Julius Hodge. The Wolfpack, like UM, had began the regular season ranked in the teens before falling off.

There are more examples, but you have to go back to the 1990s to find them. The most staggering example belonged to Florida State when in 1998, they went dancing despite a 6-10 conference record. They actually won a first round game as a 13th seed before losing in the Round of 32. That same year, Clemson made it with a 7-9 mark. Others include: Virginia '97 (7-9), Clemson '96 (7-9), Wake Forest '92 (7-9), Georgia Tech '91 (6-8) and Maryland '88 (6-8).

Of course, the Canes have to take care of business beginning Saturday at noon against the aforementioned Wolfpack, who are coming in with a similar 6-9 ACC record and have already beaten UM once earlier this season.

A FEW MORE LATE NOTES...

> Jack McClinton was named to the 2009 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic Men’s Basketball Team for the third-straight season Friday. UM and Duke lead all ACC teams with seven All-ACC Academic Men’s Basketball Team selections over the last four years. McClinton was among a group of eight to earn the recognition this season, requiring a student-athlete to earn a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintain a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career. 

Earlier this week, McClinton was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-District 2 First Team alongside FSU's Toney Douglas, North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson and Wake Forest's Jeff Teague. So, basically, the coaches believe he should be All-ACC First Team. 

> Courtesy of my friend Brian "The Beast" London over at WQAM, UM coach Randy Shannon said on Hurricanes Hotline reiterated last night the Canes are done with recruiting. So, for those of you still faintly hoping the Canes might still take running back Bryce Brown, that's the coach's latest response to the indirect question.

Dunbar just the start at Booker T?

Unless you forgot to pay your monthly subscription to InsideTheCanesportTimes or were out enjoying two days off on South Beach like I was this past weekend (leading my best friend's bachelor party), you probably know by now the Canes picked up their third football "commitment" of the 2010 class Sunday in Miami Booker T. Washington receiver Quinton Dunbar.

Monday night, I caught up with Dunbar and Booker T. receivers coach Andre Brown (who handles most of the recruiting talk between colleges and the Tornadoes). Dunbar, a 6-3, 177-pound All-Dade First Team selection last season, is obviously a nice get for the Canes and a tremendous talent. But the bigger story is he might just be the first of a handful of talented Booker T. players in the 2010 class who decide to make their way down the road to UM from Overtown next February. 

"The first thing I thought when I got back this weekend and heard Quinton had committed was 'Alright, whose next?," said Brown, who coached current Canes Davon Johnson and Thearon Collier at receiver at Booker T. "It's obvious having Ice over there [former Booker T. coach Tim Harris] helps Miami a lot. They're very aware what we've got coming out in our next class."

What Booker T. has next season is arguably the best class in Miami-Dade County, which by all accounts is absolutely loaded with talent. Dunbar is rated the 13th best player in the county according to our Larry Blustein's Pre-Spring Top 30 list. Other Booker T. players included on the list: talented running back Eduardo Clements (7th), defensive end Lynden Trail (18th), receiver Ted Meline (20th) and offensive lineman Jose Jose (24th). Brown said UM has already offered all of them, except Meline. 

Clements, the MVP of the Class 4A state championship game in 2007, is the prized recruit. At 5-11, 175-pounds there isn't a more complete running back in South Florida in my opinion. I've been told UM considers him its No. 1 running back target for 2010 and another reason coach Randy Shannon doesn't feel so bad about losing out on Bryce Brown. "He's just as good a pass catcher, if not better than Bryce and has played against tougher competition his entire life," one recruiter told me. "Miami wants him badly."

The Canes were the first school to offer Clements and according to Brown, who is Clements brother-in-law, it means a lot. But the roadblock for UM appears to be Florida State, whom Clements grew up rooting for. According to Brown, the Seminoles decided to finally drop Clements an offer Monday. "He's a Florida State guy at heart," Brown said. "The situation is going to be real tough. We've had a lot of family gatherings to talk about everything, but we're allowing him to make up his own decision."

As for Dunbar, consider him about as sound and committed a Canes recruit as there can be. He grew up rooting for UM and living down the street from the Orange Bowl. He wears No. 5 because his favorite player, Andre Johnson, wore it (he said Shannon already promised it to him after Javarris James leaves). His second cousin is UM cornerback Chavez Grant. And, his best friend is Collier. Brown said he expects Dunbar, who has a 3.0, to be a full qualifier.

"The thing that makes Quinton special is that he has just a great knack for getting to the football," Brown said. "When that ball is in the air, he gets into attack mode. He might not run a 4.3, but he has great game speed. We're going to work a lot on catching the ball and knowing what to do in open space. He can get better at route running too. But it's utilizing head fakes, those hips so he can be more like Larry Fitzgerald after the catch."

THIS AND THAT

> Got to give some props to the UM baseball team for their series sweep of Florida this past weekend, especially the 16-2 pounding the Canes delivered on Sunday. It marked the first time under Jim Morris UM swept the Gators in Gainesville, and it helped move UM up in the polls. The Canes are now ranked as high as eighth in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches' poll (there are too many college baseball polls). David Gutierrez, by the way, earned ACC Pitcher of the Week honors for his seven scoreless innings in Saturday's 2-1 win.

> Among my many phone calls Monday, I caught up with one of the weekend's heroes in left fielder Jonathan Weislow. I don't want to give away too much about Weislow, but there might not be a player whose gone through more excruciating injuries than this guy. It's a good story I'll share with you later this week as UM kicks off a 12-game homestand against Rhode Island on Tuesday at 6.

> It turns out Jack McClinton will not have his jersey number retired this weekend after all. Coach Frank Haith said during his weekly ACC teleconference with media on Monday morning that UM wants to be bring Jack back next season and honor him during another game. It's a smart move. Saturday's noon tip-off against N.C. State is going to be emotional enough. Not only will it be senior day, but if UM beats Georgia Tech Wednesday then the Canes will have the opportunity of getting back to 8-8 in the ACC (likely what they need to reach the NCAA tournament). The last thing you want is an extra distraction at a time like this.

> ESPN's Joe Lunardi has the Canes still in his bracketology report. Right now, Lunardi (who hit on all 65 invitees last season) has UM seeded 12th and facing UCLA in the first round. I think the highest seed UM will get if it wins out this week and wins at least one ACC Tournament game is 10th. But I'd like to ask Lunardi, who is supposed to have a teleconference with the media Wednesday, what he thinks the best case scenario for Haith and the Canes is if they accomplish that or better to get in.

> Since some of you have been asking, I finally got around to uploading several audio bites from spring practice, baseball and basketball from the last two weeks. Just visit the usual place to find them.

The lesson Bryce Brown taught us

Wednesday afternoon, instead of being out at the University of Miami for the second practice of the spring, I was inside The Miami Herald filming our newest installment of The Recruiting Report (a new webcast set to be released in two weeks). During our show, I got a chance to sit down and talk with the No. 1 recruit in Miami-Dade County for 2010, Miami Northwestern defensive tackle Todd Chandler.

By first impressions, Todd was one of the most polite and personable kids I've interviewed recently in the 13 years I've been following recruiting and covering high school football in South Florida. Everything out of Todd's mouth began with 'No Sir' and 'Yes Sir.' He was funny, engaging and had a lot of interesting things to say about himself. For starters, he fought obesity an early age (weighing 167 pounds when he was only 7 years old). He's also the nephew of former Cane Earl Little. But the most interesting stuff to come out of Chandler's mouth during our interview -- on and off camera -- was the reason why he decided to commit to the University of Miami before his junior season was even over. At first, everything Chandler said sounded great, the type of response you want to hear from a high school recruit.

"It just feels like family," Chandler said of UM. "I know Jacory [Harris], Marcus [Forston], all those guys. We all won a championship together. Plus, it's home."

And then, the word BUT got into our conversation. "But, I've been really beginning to feel the love from other schools," Chandler said. "Oklahoma, Florida State, they're really coming hard after me. I'm going to have to give those guys a look."

Before the conversation went any further, I'll admit I lost my cool. 'But aren't you committed to Miami?,' I asked. 'Did you say you were done with recruiting?', I continued. 'Or,' I stammered, 'Is this going to be another Bryce Brown situation?'

Chandler quickly backpedaled. "No way, Sir," Chandler responded. "With all due respect to Bryce and his decision making process, I'll never handle it like that. I'm committed to Miami. When I make up my mind, it will be over. I'm not going to create a circus like that."

Chandler isn't the first kid I've interviewed whose been committed but still isn't done with his head-scratching process. Bryce Brown wasn't the first either (Canes fans remember the Patrick Johnson show in 2007). Still, the phenomenon of being "committed while looking elsewhere" is relatively new to the recruiting world. Sure, kids have made dramatic last minute switches before. There were stunners on National Signing Day long before Bryce Brown ever became the nation's No. 1 recruit and running back. 

But there is no denying the way the recruiting game is being played nowadays is much different than it was just a few years ago. A month before national signing day 2009, nearly 90 percent of Top 150 players in the country were committed -- and still taking other visits. It seemed like there were really just a few players who might make things interesting. Then, when it came time to sign the paperwork, stunning stories began to take place across the country as longtime commitments jumped ship, and others like Brown decided to hold off on signing. I was at Monsignor Pace for one of those stunning moments when defensive back Kayvon Webster (a longtime UM commitment) didn't even call Hurricanes coaches to let them know he was going with USF. He just bolted, did them dirty.

Somehow, NSD 2009 just felt very dirty to me too -- even more filthy than what I thought was the scummiest recruiting story I had been around. You know the one I'm talking about. The year was 2003. Me and more than a dozen reporters were sitting in a library at Carol City High, waiting for the then national recruiting story of the year then to make up his mind. We'd find out later a lot more about Willie Williams not long after that. But what I appreciate now (even after the circus that story turned into) was  the genuine level of suspense and honest build up of emotion of it. Nobody knew where Williams was going to UM before that day. Nobody knew because even Williams (somebody with a lengthy police record) treated his recruiting process and the colleges chasing him with more respect than most kids do nowadays (even with his laugh out loud commentary in his recruiting diaries). Why? Because he didn't lie to anyone about his feelings. He didn't commit to Larry Coker or Bobby Bowden or anyone else and then change his mind. He spoke the truth when he was asked about where he wanted to go to school, telling reporters all the time 'I don't know.' High school athletes nowadays ought to know (whether their mentors want them to say it or not) there is nothing wrong with saying 'I don't know where I want to go to school.' 

Now, just as I felt then when the Willie Williams diaries changed the game (it certainly did change the way colleges spend lavishly on recruits during their official visits), I feel this Bryce Brown saga has changed recruiting again. Maybe for the better (maybe the next high school superstar will stop short of committing when he knows he wants to take visits) or more likely for the worst (maybe it's the start of a permanent, new trend). At the very least, we know this: it's rendered commitments meaningless. Now, instead of being excited about a high school star's decision and the college choice they've made, fans are going to be wondering if any of it is true. We are going to judge them -- fairly or unfairly -- the moment "BUT I'M TAKING MY VISITS" comes out of their mouth.

Bryce Brown should not take all the blame for ruining recruiting and the word commitment. The media has done its part in further glorifying the "commitments" of high school players to prospective colleges. Rivals and Scout have certainly made a nice living off it. So has The Miami Herald, and every other struggling newspaper in the business. I've been a part of it, too. I've been just as guilty in trying to be the first reporter to tell you who the next high school superstar is to choose the Canes. Earlier this week, I dedicated an entire blog to a pair of high school players coach Frank Haith reeled in 'commitments' for in Miami's 2011 and 2012 classes.

But the truth is we've made this story much more than it needs to be. We've turned it into a yearlong odyssey. Blue-chip reporters from top-notch newspapers like the New York Times, magazines like Sports Illustrated and TV and radio stations have covered Bryce Brown nearly as much as the Alex Rodriguez steroid scandal. They've done it all because they want to be the first to tell you whether or not Bryce Brown's letter of intent was pulled by UM, or, if he may or may not make an official or unofficial visit to watch the Canes practice next week. Frankly, it's pathetic. 

Ultimately, nobody will ever really know until March 16th what Bryce Brown is going to do. What I can tell you is I'm done using the word 'commitment' loosely when it comes to recruiting. I now fully understand why coach Randy Shannon doesn't believe in it. No matter what a kid can tell you about his heart, his feelings, his dreams and where he would like his future to be, it means absolutely nothing until he signs that scholarship. I think we can all agree, Bryce Brown has taught us that. From now on, when I talk recruiting with any prospective high school star and he mentions the word commitment, I'll follow it up with the obligatory question if he mentions taking other visits. You know what it is... Is this going to be another Bryce Brown situation?

Brian Butler makes radio appearance

TALLAHASSEE -- Just a couple quick messages to pass along. Got a text message on my way up here earlier today from 790 The Ticket radio personality Jorge Sedano to pass along that he's supposed to have Brian Butler (Bryce Brown's mentor) on his show tomorrow at noon. UPDATED: I'm not sure if Sedano did finally get Butler on his show, but here is the link to an interview with Evan Cohen on 760 ESPN in Palm Beach.

> Friday night before the baseball season opener against Rutgers, UM will induct Baltimore Orioles first baseman Aubrey Huff into the Hall of Fame. Jim Morris, along with Pat Burrell, will present Huff with his Hall of Fame ring and jacket in an on-field ceremony before the game. Huff hit 21 home runs and drove in 95 RBI his final season at Miami in 1998. He hit .400 in his career (2nd all-time) and had a career .719 slugging percentage. For more information on a Parrott Jungle Banquet and the UM Sports Hall of Fame golf tournament on April 24th, go to UMSportsHallofFame.com.

Courstide blog: FSU 80, UM 67 (F)

TALLAHASSEE -- It took me awhile to finally settle in at the Donald L. Tucker Center (I had to fly into Jacksonville and drive) but I'm here for tonight's big Canes-Noles basketball tilt. We know Miami needs a win badly. I'll be here to provide you with a halftime update and postgame update.

> For you football fans, the Palm Beach post and Sun-Sentinel got a chance to talk to coach Randy Shannon "exclusively" today and collected some good nuggets before the start of spring next week. The most eye-opening news to come out is that Micheal Barrow is no longer the linebackers coach. Defensive coordinator John Lovett will now handle the linebackers and Barrow will be allowed to roam freely as a defensive assistant. The positive? Barrow is without question an excellent recruiter and this may allow him more time to go out on the recruiting scene.

> Sam Shields is indeed moving to cornerback as Canesport first reported last week. Shannon told the Sentinel he wanted more bodies there. My question is can Shields honestly help the team there or was this move simply made so he stops running out on the field at the wrong time on offense? I'm convinced the only place we are really going to see Shields on the field anymore is as a flier on punts and kickoffs.

> Well, the day has come and gone and Bryce Brown did not sign his National Letter of Intent. While UM has obviously told several reporters (including me) they will not renew the offer, I'm not going to buy it totally until I hear Bruce Brown, Brian Butler or someone from the Brown family say that's the case. The one thing I've learned covering this team is that things change quickly. And if Brown was told his scholarship offer was no longer available to him, he wouldn't be carrying on like normal. We would have had to have an update on potentialplayers.com, right? 

> Almost forgot: I've been told The Miami Herald will have its "exclusive" day with Shannon on Monday. Feel free to begin leaving me some questions you would like for us to ask if we indeed get the interview. 

FIRST HALF THOUGHTS/HIGHLIGHTS...

> Dwayne Collins apparently did enough in practice Wednesday to convince Frank Haith he deserved to play tonight instead of resting his sprained left ankle one more day. Haith is glad he did. Collins has come out strong with seven points, four rebounds and two assists. 

> The bigger news is that Jack McClinton finally has some help. James Dews leads the team with 8 points at halftime. Dews replaced Lance Hurdle in the starting lineup and is showing us why. He's done a good job defensively. Hurdle by the way has obviously gotten a boost from being benched. He had 6 points in 13 minutes and was effective.

END OF REGULATION

> Tough loss for the Canes. Jack McClinton gets held to 13 points. I'll have more for you tomorrow. I've got to drive to Jacksonville and fly home from there in the afternoon.

UM still a coach's dream

The University of Miami may not have the budget to pay coaches top dollar or a recent history of success one would imagine enticing enough to make outsiders believe this is a place the best football leaders in the country want to be.

But there is something about The U (no matter what it is lacking right now in a 19-19, three-year span of ordinary football) that still makes it an extraordinary place for coaches to want to be. I believe its because it's a place where all the right ingredients are in place to hit the game-winning home run and be the hero.

That's exactly what new defensive coordinator John Lovett meant when he used the phrases "very thrilled," "very fortunate," and "very lucky," to describe his feelings about getting the job. Lovett, 58, has been in a lot of other coaching huddles. Auburn. Clemson. Mississippi. And most recently, Butch Davis' up at North Carolina, a team most could argue is in a much better position than UM to succeed having won their last two meetings against the Canes.

But coming to UM? No way Lovett was going to pass that up, no matter how hard it was to walk into Davis' office and tell him he was leaving for another team in the ACC. The same could be said for offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. This is a guy who won a Super Bowl with Pittsburgh, was in line to move up the coaching ladder with a Philadelphia Eagles team that was in the NFC Championship game. But then, The U came calling. Didn't Bill Young say the same things a year ago before he returned home for the only job that was really better?

Lovett told us he's been eyeing the Canes a long time -- even before he stopped delivering furniture or driving a zamboni during hockey games at Mount Union College when he first got into coaching. 

"When I was a coach, one of the first places I visited was the place," Lovett said. "I visited Dave Campo, who had just taken a job here. I was at the University of Maine. He said come down here and talk some football. They had just beaten Oklahoma, won the national championship that year Because of that trip I also met Tommy Tuberville. Coach [Butch] Davis was working here at the time. I made a lot of good contacts. Every time you looked when I was a young coach, this was the U. They always had terrific players, were in the hunt for a national championship. It was a place that `Geez, it would be great to coach here someday.''

> Lovett has his chance now and he knows he'll have to act fast with less than two weeks before the start of spring football. He told us he still hasn't familiarized himself with the players and only recently started to watch film. The good news is he's going to make UM's transition to a fourth different coordinator in four seasons as easy as possible. Instead of learning a new language, Lovett said he'll try to keep the same terminology for most of the stuff he's implementing. "I'd rather one person learn it than 50 people learn it," he said. "To me that makes a lot of sense."

> His defense will also not stretch beyond the playing limits of his player's talents or smarts. "It'll be similar to what they've done here," Lovett said. "We'll base out of a four-man front, play some zone coverage, man coverage, some type of pressure. It's not like we'll come in and change the whole scheme, be blitzburg. It'll be in that format and style. Every place I go I try to find out what the guys we have can do and cater to them. If you don't have corners that can cover, defensive ends that can play inside, you have to adjust the personnel you have to make it fit, be successful."

> Credit special teams coach Joe Pannunzio for helping bring Lovett over. Lovett said the two are old friends and after Pannunzio asked him if he was interested, he passed it on to Shannon who did the rest. 

> While many of us think Randy Shannon might have a bigger hand with UM's defense in light of him telling us he might just do the job himself, Lovett expects to be running the show on his own. "Obviously everything we do I'll run by him, especially if it's something different," Lovett said. "I've worked for Tommy Tuberville, Butch Davis. Both those guys were defensive coaches. Neither really meddled in what I was doing. The big thing all of these guys want is they want to make sure what you're doing fits in their philosophy and that the kids are playing fast and hard."

PLAYER NOTES

In all, we got a chance to speak with four players Thursday: offensive tackle Jason Fox, linebacker Sean Spence, kicker Matt Bosher and defensive end Eric Moncur. We didn't learn a whole lot beyond the fact they're very excited about taking on what will be a very challenging start to the 2009 season. But there were some brief thoughts, notes to pass along.

> For starters, Canes fans need not worry about Sean Spence getting a big head after his big freshman season. The kid said his father, a Miami Northwestern assistant coach, still calls him every week to remind him where he came from and what he needs to work on. Spence said he's definitely taking on more of a leadership role with Glenn Cook gone, teaching fellow freshmen like Arthur Brown, Jordan Futch and Ramon Buchanon what he learned last year. Spence also told me he's gained six pounds of muscle from end of last season and is now weighing 213.

> Fox is stepping up his game, too. Fox said he can't believe he's already a senior (neither can I) and Spence said he's noticed Fox taking more of a leadership role in the weight room, getting on other players and holding them accountable. With several offensive linemen gone and several newcomers, Fox said he knows its going to be a challenge to fill some holes. When asked if he thought prep school recruits Brandon Washington and Jermaine Johnson might be able to help right away, he said it was up to them and their work ethic.

"I remember the first game I started at Florida State – it was an experience for me seeing the change in the speed of the game," Fox said. "If players don't see the field right away it's mostly learning the offense. The game is so complex. It takes as much time in the film room and studying the play book as anything else. It's harder than people realize. It can be extremely challenging to an incoming freshman who is not only trying to learn football, but get adjusted to college life. It's a whole out of body experience."

> As for Moncur, he said he was really worried he might not get a chance at a sixth-year of eligibility. ACC rules require players to wait until the end of the season to file for medical redshirts. Moncur's return next season should be a great influence on Adewale Ojomo, Allen Bailey, Marcus Forston and the rest of the talented linemen UM has. 

Linebacker Brandon Marti arrested

This isn't the type of news I like to write or pass along, but I have to because it's my job. 

Linebacker Brandon Marti, a member of UM's 2008 signing class, was arrested early Thursday morning on charges of battery and false imprisonment related to domestic violence. A police report has not been made available yet, so details are unknown. 

Marti, 18, didn't play last season and was suspended while playing on the practice squad according to UM spokesman Kerwin Lonzo. He told me Marti was told after this past season he was no longer a member of the team.

But I spoke to Marti's older brother moments ago who told me Marti was in a trial period with the team and had been working out with players this week. Either way, this definitely signals the end of his Canes career. Marti was an All-Dade linebacker at Miami Gulliver Prep.

Although I'm sure everyone is going to jump on this story and start saying Thug U all over again, Marti's arrest is the first for a Canes player since former quarterback Robert Marve punched in a car window on Halloween 2007. Only two current or former Canes that we know of have been arrested since Randy Shannon was named coach.

> PS, I'll have plenty more for you from today's press conference with new defensive coordinator John Lovett and interviews with players Jason Fox, Sean Spence and Matt Bosher. 

Hurtt recaps '09 recruiting, sets 2010 goals

Clint Hurtt just turned 30. He's got a daughter, a fiancee and a passion to stock the University of Miami football program again with talent as Randy Shannon's recruiting coordinator. Hurtt proved he's one of the best in the country at his job last week when he earned honors as a Rivals.com Top 25 Recruiter for the second year in a row. 

One could argue Hurtt has the easiest job in the country with the type of talent he can pluck in a rich backyard consisting of Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach Counties. And, that's pretty much what UM did to land ESPN's No. 1 recruiting class in 2008 (grabbing a boatload of talent from nearby mythical national champion Miami Northwestern and Class 4A state champion Booker T. Washington). But a look at UM's 2009 recruiting class (rated 11th by Rivals, 7th by ESPN and 19th by Scout.com) demonstrates how Hurtt can also do a fine job pursuing talent when the local area is having a down year. Of UM's 19 recruits in 2009, only six have roots in South Florida.

What Hurtt and his staff did mostly this past year was go out into the backyard of their in-state rivals (national champion Florida, USF and UCF) and pluck some of the state's best players. While Hurtt had his hand involved in all 19 recruits, he said he really either shared or handled the recruiting load by himself on eight recruits.

"The one thing I don't want people to get the wrong idea about is I did any of this by myself," Hurtt said Wednesday -- a week after putting together his third class at UM. "We have a great team of coaches who did a great job putting our class together."

Maybe so. But Hurtt deserves most of the high-fives. He and receivers coach Aubrey Hill combined to land UM's top recruit and his teammate -- safety Ray Ray Armstrong and defensive end Dyron Dye -- at Sanford Seminole. They also worked together on keeping defensive end Olivier Vernon from Miami American from straying to Alabama or Florida State. WIth the help of Micheal Barrow, Hurtt went into North Carolina to get defensive tackle Curtis Porter.

But Hurtt's best work -- aside from helping Joe Pannunzio convince tight end Billy Sanders to come back to UM on the eve of NSD -- was what he did in Gator Country by himself. He kept defensive tackle Luther Robinson from Fort Pierce Westwood from leaving UM for a late Gators push, he grabbed running back Mike James early from Polk County, and made sure he was first in line for cornerback Jamal Reid at his tiny high school in Lafayette, Fla.

Hurtt shared a lot of stories with me about UM's 2009 class, but it's Reid's recruitment he seems most proud of. Because, according to Hurtt, if the program was still recruiting the way it did a few years ago, the Canes probably would have been late getting in on Reid. Instead, they knew all about him before anyone else.

"One of the first things I told Randy we had to do when he made me the [recruiting] coordinator was we have to go into every high school in the state, every school no matter how big or how small," Hurtt said.

"You know as well as I do when you are wearing The U in some parts of this state, you get a funny look. This kid is 80 miles from Tallahassee and 45 from Gainesville. When I started making my way around everybody in this little town was telling me I got to go see Jamal Reid. Mind you this is the spring of his 10th grade year, the kid is coming off two 1,000-yard receiving seasons, 13 combined INTs. The first thing I do is make sure we're the first ones to fax that scholarship offer Sept. 1st. It made all the difference in the end when everybody else wanted him once he was an [Under-Armour] All-American."

> Going into every school in the state and making evaluations much earlier than previous UM staff's did aren't the only changes Hurtt has made as recruiting coordinator. In an effort to make sure the staff no longer wastes its time on high-level, out-of-state recruits UM has long odds of getting, Hurtt said he's implemented a rule.

"I call it the one-hour rule," Hurtt said. "If the kid lives more than an hour from a major airport, we really aren't going to bother because it's probably not worth it. Most parents aren't going to drive very far to then got on two flights to come see their kids play when they've got a bunch of other schools closer to them. That doesn't mean we won't go after a special kid who we might have a connection with. In recruiting nowadays, it's just so important to eliminate mistakes in a signing class. You can't make mistakes or it will set you back big time. You got to go after the best players, but the guys who fit your system, fit the character you want. You need to give those guys the attention instead of spreading yourself thin."

> Hurtt praised all of UM 2009 recruits, but we did talk specifics about a few players. For starters, he's very excited about getting Shayon Green, a 6-2, 230-pound defensive end/linebacker from Tift County, Ga. Hurtt said getting Green helps UM immensley, especially after the Canes signed eight linebackers a year ago, but lost out on the two (Zach Kane and Antonio Harper) who figured to play middle linebacker. Hurtt said Green was brought in to fill those losses and said he feels Green will make an impact down the road. "He's extremely explosive, plays hard and has a high IQ," Hurtt said. "That's what you want in a middle linebacker. He's going to be great on special teams this year."

> Hurtt is very excited about the defensive players Miami brought in, especially the guys in the secondary. He said Prince Kent and Ray Ray Armstrong -- both Under-Armour All-Americans -- have the size Miami has been looking for a safety. And he promises that is what both will play. He said both Reid and Brandon McGee, who have great hips and long arms, will be impact cornerbacks.

> As for the offensive recruits, the first name out of Hurtt's mouth was tackle Jermaine Johnson, who sat out last season (his second out of high school). "We got five offensive linemen and were very happy with that," Hurtt said. "We're definitely happy we got Jermaine. He's a kid who is ready."

> One thing Hurtt is very excited about is the 2010 class in South Florida, one most recruiting experts believe will be the richest area in the country this fall. "Dade, Broward, Palm Beach is always loaded," Hurtt said. "But this coming year, it's absolutely loaded. Arguably you can say its going to be better than '08. Why? Because despite all the athletes we produce around here, South Florida always has a shortcoming on offensive linemen. There are a ton of instate linemen. Not just good linemen, special linemen."

> Hurtt said UM will have between 22-23 scholarships to use for next year. Like he did a year ago, he laid out the slots for me: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 3 TE, 4 OL, 3 DL, 3 LB, 3-4 DBs and possibly a kicker.

So far, the Canes have commitments from two 2010 recruits -- both are defensive tackles. Jacksonville Raines' Louis Nix, a Rivals five-star recruit, and Miami Northwestern's Todd Chandler, Miami-Dade's No. 2 recruit. By NCAA rule, Hurtt isn't allowed to discuss any of the players UM is going after, but he told me the Canes have already offered scholarships to between 30-35 players locally.

> I don't have a complete list of who those players are, but I've been able to confirm through conversations with high schools coaches, players and my friend Larry Blustein who many of those kids already are. The hotspot? Defending national champion St. Thomas Aquinas. The Canes have already offered four Raiders scholarships -- center Brandon Linder (Broward's top recruit), running back Giovanni Bernard, kicker Mike Palardy and safety Brian Robinson. There are plenty more players UM is chasing in Broward, but so far it looks like Boyd Anderson defensive back Demar Dorsey is the only other 954 player with a Canes scholarship offer to date.

In Dade, Miami has high interest or offers already out for: CB Lamarcus Joyner (Columbus), WR Michael Lee Harris (Northwestern), RB Eduardo Clements (Booker T. Washington), K Oscar Diaz (Booker T. Washington), DL Corey Lemonier (Hialeah), DL Calvin Smith (Hialeah), OL Torrian Wilson (Northwestern), RB Jakhari Gore (Columbus) and QB Jeffrey Godfrey (Miami Central).

In Palm Beach, UM is after Pahokee receiver Joshua Jones, tight end Zach Allen, Royal Palm Beach's receiver Chris Dunkley, Palm Beach Central center Shane McDermott, Dwyer tight end Gerald Christian and running back Matt Elam, and Delray Atlantic athlete James Lewis.

"The guys we have offers out to so far are the can't miss guys," Hurtt said. "But we're still very much watching film and following guys closely."

Here's my official toast to the next 11 months and three weeks before the next National Signing Day.

Signing Day Wrap-Up

DURHAM, N.C. -- It's been more than 48 hours since Randy Shannon and recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt wrapped the 2009 Signing Class. And now that I've had time to get through my basketball assignments, I can reflect on what I learned, what I like and what I don't like about the 19 players UM inked (as well as the ones that got away).

> What the original goal was: Much to my surprise (after I went back and looked through the Eye On The U archives) Hurtt told me on National Signing Day last year the program was looking to sign between 19-21 recruits. Hurtt's exact breakdown? 1 QB, 2 RBs, 1 WR, 3-4 TEs, 4-5 OLs, 2 DEs, 2 DTs, 1 LB, 3 CBs, 1 S.

> What ended up happening: With the exception of falling a few tight ends short of the goal (blame the Robert Marve fiasco for UM not getting Orson Charles), Miami basically nailed exactly what Hurtt targeted a year ago. Yes, UM swung and missed on some big times. But in my opinion they set a goal to fill needs and accomplished it.

****************

Quarterback: With Robert Marve and Jacory Harris expected to be a part of the future for a long time, UM never made this position a priority. That's why you never saw the Canes really make an effort to go after Miramar's Eugene Smith (West Virginia). So, when A.J. Highsmith (6-0, 190) committed back in February, the Canes were content with taking a player who could potentially switch positions. Now, because of Marve's departure, Highsmith will come in as a quarterback. And he's not a bad one. Highsmith led his team to the Texas state championship. As a senior at Hightower High, he thrw for 2,192 yards, 28 touchdowns and four interceptions. I wouldn't be surprised if he never switches positions after all.

Overall grade: B+. By not scrambling at the last minute to take another QB after Marve left, UM kept itself in position to sign another top-tier quarterback this year and not have him be scared off by the depth chart.

Looking ahead: Central's Jeffrey Godfrey is obviously the local talent Miami could chase after and I expect the Hurricanes will (his former high school coach is Randy Shannon's right hand man, Corey Bell). But I suspect his size (6-feet, 190-pounds) could play a role. If Miami has a chance to get a taller quarterback with similar skills or better, they will.

****************

Running backs: With Javarris James and Graig Cooper close to seeing their careers end as Canes, Miami targeted two talented backs from the get-go -- the nation's top back Bryce Brown and Killian's Lamar Miller. That was supposed to be it. But when fears of possible academic problems for Miller were raised, Miami went out and got themselves something better than an insurance policy, 5-11, 220-pound running back Mike James from Davenport, Fla. Now, Miller and James are the two running backs who are signed and it's Brown (who committed way back in February) who is iffy.

Overall grade: A. Even if Brown decides not to come, I think Miami has scored huge with Miller and James. So, should Bryce decide he doesn't like UM's offense, the offensive line, the weather in January or the color of the tulips in June, don't worry, the Hurricanes will be just fine. Miller (5-11, 205) isn't another Bobby Washington, Charlie Jones or Tyrone Moss. He's a passionate kid who takes care of his body and runs hard every time he touches the football. And he proved it against not only a tough Dade County this year, but against the great Northwestern teams of the past few years. Ask Sean Spence about the blur he and his teammates couldn't catch when Miller was a sophomore and junior. In the end, he may not turn out to be another Willis McGahee or Frank Gore, but Miller will certainly be better than the other local guys who have come through here and were average at best.

As for James, I don't know a whole lot about him because I never watched him play in person. But from what I've heard from guys like Larry Blustein and Charles Fishbein is he's a better between the tackles runner than Miller, who is more of a hit the corner and see-you later guy. What I like about Mike and the conversations I've had with him over the phone is that he's an intelligent guy who is thoroughly excited to be playing at UM. Too bad Bryce isn't that way.

Looking ahead: There is certainly a wealth of talent available locally at this position. In Dade, you have Central's Brandon Gainer, Booker T.'s Eduardo Clements, Columbus' Jakhari Gore and Northwestern's Corvin Lamb. In Broward, you got Taravella's Devon Wright, St. Thomas' Giovanni Bernard and James White. Still worried about Bryce Brown not coming? My guess is UM will take between 2 or 3 RBs depending on whether or Brown comes.

**********

Receivers: Considering the number of receivers Miami signed in its last class, the Hurricanes were simply swinging for the fences with the 2009 class. They took two real cuts -- going after Bastrop, Louisiana's Reuben Randle and Sanford Seminole's Andre Debose.

Overall grade: B. How do you get a grade when you don't sign a receiver? You get graded on everything all the time. And the Canes get a good grade here for being smart. Even though they didn't get Randle or Debose, they didn't waste a scholarship on some other receivers just to say they did. That being said, while Jamal Reid will probably be used as a cornerback, don't rule out the possibility he becomes the one receiver Miami has in this class. And if that's the case, I think Reid will be really, really good. Of what I saw of him this season, I really liked.

Looking ahead: The Hurricanes are going to need to go out and sign at least two in this class if they're smart because there is a real possibility Aldarius Johnson and LaRon Byrd could be heading to the NFL after the 2010 season. Locally, there are some good products to choose from -- Booker T. Washington has two in Ted Meline (6-2, 170) and Quinton Dunbar (6-3, 177). But my favorites are Northwestern's Michael Lee Harris (6-1, 175), Central's Joshua Reese (5-10, 170) and Miramar's Ivan McCartney (6-2, 175). If I had to pick two, I'd take McCartney and Harris.

**********

Tight ends: Of all the positions UM recruited, this is the one area I think Shannon and his assistants could have done much better. While it's obviously hard to recruit tight ends in South Florida, UM had the opportunity to go after St. Thomas' Gabe Holmes (signed with Purdue) and didn't. Instead, they put all their eggs into two baskets -- Tampa Plant's Orson Charles (Georgia) and Billy Sanders. Then, they got desperate and went all out after Sheldon Richardson (Missouri). Miami ended up getting Sanders back in the end, but it would have been disastrous had they not. Stephen Plein (6-6, 250) is listed as a tight end, but I doubt he ever catches a ball.

Overall grade: D. Sanders could turn out to be a good tight end. But I don't envision him being a superstar. When I spoke to his mother she told me part of the reason he was turned off by UCLA was because they talked to him about playing defensive end. If the Bruins are thinking that how good could Sanders, who played in Idaho, really be? The good news is he has some good genes. His father Bill played in the NFL with the New York Jets.

Looking ahead: With two seniors slated to leave after next season in Dedrick Epps and Richard Gordon, Miami obviously is going to have to make this position a priority. Locally, Miami has a chance to go after Monsignor Pace's Charles' Fashaw (6-5, 210) or Palm Beach Dwyer's Gerald Christian (6-3, 230). But the emphasis is probably going to have to be put on places like Texas, Georgia and California.

**********

Offensive line: For a school that hardly ever reels in high-caliber offensive linemen, I have to give the Canes credit for at least being in the game late for several of the nation's best. From my conversation with coaches, they really believed they had a great shot at getting not only Marcus Hall (who signed with Ohio State) but also Peter White (Maryland). Both would have been the home runs Miami was looking for. Instead, the Canes kept Brandon Washington (2008 signee) and flat out snook in Jermaine Johsnon (6-6, 304), who by the way is two years removed from high school and very good. Both should instantly find their way into coach Jeff Stoutland's rotation, if not the starting lineup by season's end.

As for the others, Malcolm Bunche (6-5, 315) is a player I really like. The fact he is not some big, flabby kid, but a real muscle, moving athlete tells me the Canes got themselves a heck of a player. He's going to need time to adjust to the speed as his coach told me, but I think it Bunche is the type of kid you will be able to count on as a two-year starter. Next up are Plantation American Heritage's Jared Wheeler (6-6, 305) and Fleming Island's Cory White (6-5, 250). Wheeler is a good player, who has the ability to play anywhere on the line right now. But he's going to take time and I envision him being sort of an A.J. Trump type talent, who will flourish late in his career. The same figures to happen for White, who started at left tackle all season in high school. White some thought he might be at tight end, Canes coaches fully expect White to put on weight.

Overall grade: B. The Canes had a chance to really finally land the big-name out of state lineman they needed. But they missed. In the end, though, they fixed their immediate problems.

Looking ahead: There isn't a player Miami needs to land more in its 2010 class than St. Thomas Aquinas' Brandon Linder. This kid has been the best offensive linemen in the state since he was sophomore. Miami offered him on the first day they could -- along with Florida and Notre Dame. He will be Broward's No. 1 recruit this year and quite possibly the best overall player in South Florida. After Linder, look for Miami to lock up Northwestern left tackle Torrian Wilson (6-3, 315). The kid is a quality prospect. If Miami gets those two, everything else will be gravy. Booker T. Washington's Jose Jose (6-0, 340) and Monsignor Pace's John Ragoo (6-6, 340) are nice fall back plans for now. I also like Cypress Bay's Joe McNamara (6-2, 275). I consider him this year's Stephen Jacques (USF).

*************

Defensive line: Considering Miami was able to get talents like Marcus Forston, Micanor Regis and Jeremy Lewis, the fact Miami didn't grab one of the nation's best at defensive tackle doesn't both me one bit. As it stands with Luther Robinson (6-3, 280), and Curtis Porter, a clone of Antonio Dixon at 6-2, 334, what the Canes got was more than enough. Defensive end was the bigger need and I thought Miami did as good a job as they could there, yanking Dyron Dye down and holding onto the best defensive player in South Florida this year in Olivier Vernon. If Vernon can get healthy, he will be another great pass rusher alongside Marcus Robinson.

Overall grade: A. Miami tried to get Richardson, Gary Brown (Florida), William Campbell (Michigan), Arby Jones (Georgia) and Nick Kasa (Colorado). They just weren't going to win the battle playing on the road. Although, it will be upsetting if South Dade's Ed Stinson (Alabama) turns out to be a stud. Miami never really went after him.

Looking ahead: You can tell who the best recruiters are in the business when you've already got kids locked in for the next signing class before the current one is finished. Both of UM's 2010 commitments are defensive tackles. And both are studs. Louis Nix (Jacksonville Raines) and Todd Chandler (Miami Northwestern) are going to be Top 100 players nationally and both are already committed to the Canes. Tip your cap to Mr. Hurtt. The next player UM needs to lock down is Hialeah defensive end Corey Lemonier (6-4, 240). Get him and keep him and you are set for 2010. FYI, should Nix skip out on the Canes, look for Ricky Joseph (6-2, 300) at Miami Northwestern or Delvin Jones (6-6, 235) from Miami Palmetto to jump into the picture.

**************

Linebackers: After tight end, I'd consider linebacker the next biggest disappointment in terms of recruiting in the '09 Class. Yes, Miami signed seven linebackers last season. But two will never play here -- Zach Kane and Antonio Harper -- and another, Brandon Marti, needs to overcome some off the field issues. While UM should be in good shape with Sean Spence, Jordan Futch, Ramon Buchanon and Arthur Brown for the next few years, they would have been smart to get at least two linebackers in this class. They tried to get Jacksonville's Sam Barrington, but he passed and went to South Florida. They did, however, get 6-2, 235-pound Shayon Green from Tift, Ga. Green could sprout into the big middle linebacker Miami needs down the road. But right now he looks a lot like another Spencer Adkins to me.

Overall grade: C. There were two really good local players Miami didn't really go after hard enough -- Gulliver Prep's Frankie Telfort (USC) and St. Thomas' Conner O'Neil (Wisconsin). Either one of those two guys should have been part of this class. Hopefully, the Canes won't regret it down the road.

Looking ahead: Coach Randy Shannon said in his press conference linebacker is going to be one of his priorities next season. I'm not sure the guy he wants is in his backyard. Gulliver Prep's Ralph Williams (6-1, 215), Hallandale's Rashad Gaitor (6-2, 205) and St. Thomas' Bincent Mauro (6-2, 210) are nice options, but not game breakers.

***************

Defensive backs: Here's where Miami signed their most talented playmakers -- and in the area where it needed it sorely. No, the Canes didn't go out and get the natural corner, but who is these days? Most kids in high school do not play in very complex coverage schemes. 

What UM got were talented, smart, heady kids. Nobody impresses me more in the group than Ray Ray Armstrong (6-4, 215). Here's a kid who has superstar written all over him. When I close my eyes and picture Ray Ray two images come to mind: The guy that took off from about the five yard line in the state championship game against Northwestern, leaped over two defenders and landed in the end zone. And when I visited him and he found out I was from a Miami newspaper before the Class 6A state champion game. Armstrong got angry because he thought I was there to scout for the Bulls and refused to talk to me. Got to love that if you bleed green and orange. He's that crazy and that competitive. Armstrong isn't the only special talent. Jamal Reid (6-1, 175), Brandon McGee (5-11, 180) and Prince Kent (6-3, 195) are all physically gifted to.

Overall grade: A. It was obviously disappointing to lose Kayvon Webster to USF on Signing Day. But it's not the end of the world. Webster was probably right. He'll have a better chance to play with the Bulls. He's a very good player, but probably just on par with the four Miami did get.

Looking ahead: With a few more seniors heading out the door after this coming season, UM once again has to bring in at least 2 to 3 more defensive backs. If that's the case, the Canes might just want to setup shop at St. Thomas where Cody Riggs (5-10, 165) and Brian Robinson (6-0, 195) are two of the best around. Or, they could try and do all they can to keep Southwest's Lamarcus Joyner (5-8, 160) from heading up the road to Tallahassee (he's an FSU fan). Personally, if they don't get Joyner, I'd settle for Gideon Ajagbe (6-2, 200) from Ransom Everglades or Devin Drane (5-11, 175) from Plantation. Both of those guys are very good. 

Hurricanes National Signing Day blog

Good morning Canes fans. Today is National Signing Day. Or, as UM recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt once told me, Report Card day for him and the University of Miami coaching staff. It's the day all the hard work they've put in chasing after high school seniors becomes official or unofficial.

As many of you know, the Hurricanes had a collection of 20 commitments before the final 48 hours before NSD began Monday morning. After last night, they still do. Several recruits out-of-state recruits who visited UM the past two weekends have already decided they are passing on the Canes. 

Last night, Jacksonville Parker linebacker Sam Barrington became the latest when he stunned friends and family by choosing the USF Bulls over the Canes and Illinois. Others did the same before Barrington. Cleveland offensive lineman Marcus Hall chose Ohio State. And more could end up doing the same. We just don't know yet.

Throughout the day, The Miami Herald will have reporters and correspondents following recruiting. I'll be on the road at Miami Killian for Lamar Miller's announcement at 10 a.m., Miami Pace for cornerback Kayvon Webster at noon and coach Randy Shannon's press conference at UM at 2 p.m. But reporters will be checking in with me to provide updates on other potential Canes and we will post stories online as soon as we get them. I will try to update the blog as much as I can while I'm on the road.

Here is a schedule of key recruits for you to follow with a few notes...

> OL Peter White, St. John's College Prep, Washington, D.C.: White is expected to announce his decision at around 8:45 a.m. There were rumblings late Tuesday night he had already told coaches at Maryland he was headed there. White visited UM last weekend and was also considering Tennessee. We'll have reporter there to send a story. UPDATED at 9:01 a.m.: White has chosen Maryland. Check for a story shortly.

> OL Andrew Tiller, Nassau Community College: The big 6-6, 330 pound tackle prospect is supposed to make a decision from his home around 9 a.m. I've got his phone number and will try to find out what happens shortly after he decides. UPDATED 12:01 p.m.: Rivals.com reports Tiller has chosen Syracuse.

> DL Luther Robinson, Fort Pierce Westwood: His coach Waides Ashmon told me to expect an announcement at 9:30 a.m. Robinson made a few visits to Florida and UCF, but is said to be expected to sign with the Canes. We'll find out soon enough. I'll call Ashmon for an update and interview if possible afterward. UPDATED at 9:58 a.m.: Robinson sticks with the Canes. I'll have an interview later today. 

> CB Kayvon Webster, Monsignor Pace: I'll be at Pace at noon when Webster makes his announcement. There have been reporters Webster is still not 100 percent convinced on UM and is still considering USF. I'm not buying. I think Webster picks UM in the end. UPDATED at 12:31 p.m.: Webster spurns the Canes and shock the world by picking USF. He told me he made his decision about an hour before coming in. He said early playing time was the biggest factor. I believe the fact two of his Pace teammates are a bigger reason -- WR Sterling Griffin and WR Derrick Hopkins. 

> TE/DT Sheldon Richardson, St. Louis Gateway High: Reporter Nate Latsch, a freelancer for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, will be there to provide us with a story from what could be Miami's biggest steal of this class. Richardson, a Missouri commitment, visited UM this past weekend. He's expected to make his decision at around 12:30 p.m. our time. UPDATED at 12:37 p.m.: Richardson has decided to stay home and stick with Missouri. 

> OL Quinton Washington, St. Stephen's Timberland, S.C.: All signs have pointed to the fact Washington, a UM visitor this past weekend, is not headed here. It's either going to be Michigan or South Carolina. But you never know if this becomes a stunner when the official announcement is made at 3 p.m.

I said earlier, continue to check back throughout the day for updates, notes, photos and quotes from players, coaches, recruits and recruiting analysts.

Recruiting picture starting to clear up

The recruiting visits are finished. The final phone calls and pushes have been made. Now, all that's left to do is wait. The Miami Hurricanes have 20 committed players heading into Wednesday, the first official day high school football players can sign national letters of intent.

They could end up adding a few more before then. But we know of at least two players Miami was chasing after who won't be among those. Earlier today and as expected, Cleveland Glennville High All-American offensive lineman Marcus Hall announced he had chosen the hometown Ohio State Buckeyes over the Canes. And, Powder Springs, Ga. McEachern High tight end Terrell Mitchell (who never officially got a Miami offer or made a UM visit) made a commitment to Kentucky.

The good news for Miami: It looks like the Canes are very much in the hunt for a few other top-notch recruits including St. Louis' Sheldon Richardson, a blue-chip tight end/defensive tackle prospect. Richardson is set to announce his decision around 1 p.m. (noon CST) Wednesday. I caught up with St. Louis Post-Dispatch correspondent Nate Latsch who told me he thinks the Canes have a great shot at yanking Richardson away from Missouri. Latsch will provide the news for us with a story shortly after Richardson's announcement.

Richardson figures to be one of a handful suspenseful National Signing Day stories to follow if you are a Canes fan. Two will involve Canes commitments Kayvon Webster, a cornerback from Monsignor Pace and defensive tackle Luther Robinson from Fort Pierce Westwood. The others will involve non-committed recruits. They are: Washington D.C-area offensive lineman Peter White and Nassau Community College offensive tackle Andrew Tiller.

> Regarding Webster, I spoke to Monsignor Pace athletic director Joe Zaccheo who told me he expects Webster to "stick with his Canes commitment" when he announces his decision at noon Wednesday. I'll be there to see if that happens or if Webster jumps ship to the University of South Florida, where a few of his high school teammates are headed.

> Robinson, meanwhile, will decide between the Canes, Gators and Golden Knights at a 9:30 a.m. press conference at his school. His high school coach Waides Ashmon told me Monday Robinson came back from his Canes visit this weekend very happy. "The UM trip was scheduled last for a reason," Ashmon said. "He wanted to compare his feelings and I think he got to do that. I know he enjoyed his visit to Miami very much."

> White, who visited Miami this past weekend, is expected to announce his decision Wednesday morning. I've been trying to reach White's coach for an update and will post something once I get it. White is expected to decide between Miami, Maryland and Tennessee. We will have a correspondent there to tell us what happens when he makes his announcement Wednesday morning.

> Tiller, who also visited Miami this past weekend, told Canesport he will make his choice between Miami, Rutgers and Syracuse (where his former JUCO coach is now a secondary coach) at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. I think Tiller, a New York area kid, is headed to Syracuse.

> Jacksonville Parker linebacker Sam Barrington will make his choice between UM, Illinois and South Florida at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday. His coach John Scible told me last week Barrington was planning to make his announcement at a downtown Jacksonville night club and that looks like it still will be the case. I think Barrington will pick Miami.

> I'm still waiting back on a phone call from the coach of South Carolina offensive lineman Quinton Washington for an update. Art Chase told me last week Washington would reach a decision before Wednesday and call the colleges he wasn't going to choose to let them know first. School officials at Timberland High said the school's signing day ceremony is supposed to happen at around 3 p.m. -- after classes are over. I was told by South Carolina preps writer Washington is a Gamecock lock last week. One website reported today UM is not even in it anymore.

LAST BUT NOT LEAST... Check out our new online show The Recruiting Report. It's only our first effort and it's nothing extra special. But it's a start. Hopefully we'll be able to continue this show on a weekly basis starting in the fall and bring in special guests and recruits for interviews.

Canes taking final swings before Signing Day

Time is ticking and with National Signing Day approaching quickly, Randy Shannon and the Miami Hurricanes are taking their final shots at adding some of the nation's best players to their 2009 Signing Class.

UM will host its final recruiting weekend starting Friday, and a group of about 10 visitors are expected. Six are already considered UM commitments: RB Lamar Miller (Miami Killian), CB Jamal Reid (Mayo Lafayette), DE Dyron Dye (Sanford Seminole), DT Luther Robinson (Fort Pierce Westwood), DB Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford Seminole) and DB Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.). The four uncommitted recruits are OL Andrew Tiller (Nassau Community College), OL Quinton Washington (St. Stephen's, S.C.), OL Peter White (Washington, D.C.) and tight end Sheldon Richardson (St. Louis, Mo.). The reality is some players are coming for a fun weekend in sunny South Florida, and some are here for serious business.

I spent all day Thursday trying to catch up with the recruits themselves, their coaches and reporters who cover them to see how serious a chance Miami has at landing their signature on signing day. I did the same with the kids who have been on the fence (visiting other schools) or already visited UM, but have continued the recruiting process. Here's a checklist that hopefully will prepare you for what is going to happen over the next few days.

THE TARGETS
UM has flirted with a lot of kids throughout the recruiting process and plenty of big names have been thrown out there as players the Canes may have a shot at. With five days left before things start becoming official, the following players are the only non-committed players I think Miami has a shot at.

> LB Sam Barrington, 6-2, 220, Jacksonville Parker: Took his final recruiting trip to UM on Jan. 23 and told his coach Jim Scible, whom I spoke to Thursday night, that he really enjoyed his trip. Miami coaches are done with their visits to Barrington and now must wait to see if they've done enough to win him over against Illinois and South Florida. Scible said Illini coach Ron Zook was in Jacksonville yesterday and watched Barrington coach a girls' Powder Puff game at his school. "It's funny the things adult men do to get their players," Scible said. Barrington is expected to announce his decision on Tuesday night during a party at a Jacksonville night club (No, I won't be there). UM's chances: Very good. Before I hung up with Scible, he told me he was going to be expecting a call from me next week. Maybe, he gave it away?

> OL Marcus Hall, 6-5, 295, Cleveland (Oh.) Glennville: Hall visited Miami on Jan. 23 and told nearly every national recruiting website it was going to be his last trip. Turns out, according to Glennville offensive coordinator Matt Chinchar, Hall isn't done yet. He's visiting Tennessee this weekend. The U.S. Army All-American definitely enjoyed his trip to South Florida and has told everyone close to him he's really considering the Canes. But he was also seriously considering Michigan not that long agom too. And now, his new flavor of the week is Tennessee. UM's chances: Slim. You would like to think you could take a kid for his word, but in this case I get the sense Hall is playing some games and telling people (reporters and friends) what they want to hear. The truth is, the only person he really wants to make happy is his mother. And mom wants him at nearby Ohio State.

> OL Andrew Tiller, 6-6, 330, Nassau (N.Y.) Community College: Baby Huey has long had Miami in his top three along with Syracuse and Rutgers. Miami will get their shot at him this weekend and will have the South Florida Sunshine and plenty of playing opportunity to sell. But unless Miami does an unbelievable sales job, Tiller is going to be playing for Syracuse come the fall. His former JUCO coach, John Anselmo, was hired as the secondary coach by the Orange. UM's chances: Not good. Tiller can tell reporters whatever he wants, but don't you think his former coach is going to be under tremendous pressure to make sure Tiller is with the Orange next year? He'll say distance is a factor. But we'll know the truth.

> OL Peter White, 6-5, 325, Washington (DC) St. John's Prep School: Of the remaining offensive line recruits UM is chasing to try snatch, White is the player I think the Canes have the best shot at. The Under-Armour All-American has been to Maryland and Tennessee and is making the visit with his parents this weekend (a great sign). His coach Joe Patterson said UM coach Randy Shannon had a great in-home visit with White earlier this week and impressed his parents. UM's chances: Very good. Maryland and Tennessee are closer to home, but as Patterson pointed out, White is looking for a private school environment and an opportunity to play early. Miami offers both of those up big time. Look for a possible White commitment on Sunday or Monday. Patterson told me he won't wait until NSD.

> OL Quinton Washington, 6-4, 320, Timberland High, St. Stephen's S.C.: After being offered by Miami early on, coach Art Craig told me Thursday night the Canes disappeared on Washington. Part of the problem was Washington's primary recruiter was former offensive coordinator Patrick Nix. Clint Hurtt took over the recruitment in December and moved UM into Washington's top five (they weren't in it originally). "He's interested not necessarily because of what they did recruiting, but becasue of the allure of the school," Craig said. "You say University of Miami to a kid and their ears perk up." Washington doesn't do many interviews because he has a speech impediment, but his coach says part of it is because he is a no non-sense guy. After his trip to Miami this weekend, he'll decide between the Canes, Michigan and South Carolina and we'll probably find out where he's going by Monday at the latest. UM's chances: Slim. The fact Miami is getting his final visit helps, but after speaking with longtime South Carolina recruiting writer Billy Baker, I've been told Washington is a Gamecock lock. Coach Steve Spurrier has targeted five offensive lineman in this class (and Washington is the last piece). Plus, Craig works South Carolina football camps in the offseason. Something tells me Mr. Spurrier is going be upset if Quinton goes elsewhere.

> TE/DT Sheldon Richardson, 6-4, 280, 4.7, St. Louis Gateway: Richardson has been committed to Missouri for a very long time and told local reporters thought he was done with his recruiting back in December. But UM coaches have continued to put the pressure on Richardson to give the Canes  the school he grew up dreaming of playing for) a chance. He is supposed to be doing that this weekend with an official visit. I tried calling Richardson several times tonight to confirm it was still on, but could not reach him. Richardson is definitely intrigued at the possibility of playing tight end (which looks even better now with Dedrick Epps out). 
UM's chances: Decent. I was told UM definitely feels like they've got a great shot at stealing one of the nation's top players late in the game, but there is no way it will happen without a visit. Ultimately, Miami is not only going to have to impress Richardson, but his family, too. His mother wants him close to home. The final hurdle ultimately could be academics. I was told by a St. Louis reporter Thursday Richardson might not have his test scores or grades and might end up in prep school anyway. Either way, expect NSD drama on Wednesday if he makes the trip to UM.

> TE Terrell Mitchell, 6-5, 230, McEachern High, Powder Springs, Ga.: I told you all last week Mitchell was going to be Plan B. It still looks that way. He is not scheduled to visit this weekend and could hold off on his NSD decision. His coach Kyle Hockman told me last week Mitchell had some academics to take care of. Unless he does, I can't see how he signs with the Canes: UM's chances: Good, but... Georgia dumped Mitchell and Arkansas and Missisippi State seem to be the only horses in the race. Still, academics appear to be a major problem. I can't see Miami taking him.  

> OTHERS TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Miami hosted two other offensive linemen back in December -- Bobby Massie (6-6, 330) and Daniel Campbell (6-5, 320) from Hargrave Military Academy in Virginia. I've tried numerous times reaching their coach Robert Prunty and have come up empty. But word I've received from others is Massie is likely going to the SEC (Alabama or Mississippi State) and Campbell has disappeared off the face of the earth since his UM visit. From my conversations with UM insiders, it's doubtful any of them come to UM.

> SCRATCH THEM FROM THE LIST: Receiver Andre Debose (sticking with UF, but visiting FSU this weekend), cornerback Greg Reid (consider UM nothing more than a flirtation, my people tell me he's headed to Florida State), linebacker Tana Patrick (no longer considering UM), linebacker Greg King (needs a test score and is likely headed to the SEC anyway) and tight end Billy Sanders (guess he's not going to take that last minute trip to UM after all).

COMMITTED GUYS TO KEEP AN EYE ON
> CB Kayvon Webster, 5-11, 181, Monsignor Pace: If you listened to WQAM on Thursday night you probably think there is no way Webster is going to Miami, especially the way he talked about South Florida and West Virginia (who have continued to recruit him). But when I spoke to Webster over the phone moments later he sounded totally different, like someone who was enjoying getting people nervous. He said he expects to come in and play cornerback at Miami and plans to have a fun weekend with Randy Phillips while other recruits visit the Canes. I expect Webster to choose the Canes when he makes his announcement at Pace at noon on Wednesday.

> DT Luther Robinson, 6-3, 280, Fort Pierce Westwood: Robinson took a couple of trips to Florida and UCF over the past couple of weeks and has his final trip lined up for the Canes this weekend. If he wasn't taking it, there might be reason to be nervous. But Robinson sounded to me like someone who just looking and I suspect some of this might have been to create a little excitement on NSD. I'd be very surprised if he didn't ink with the Canes Wednesday.

> CB Jamal Reid, 6-1, 175, Mayo Lafayette: Reid took a midweek trip to Mississippi State to visit with former Gators assistant Dan Mullen. They are definitely trying to sell Reid on the fact he could play both ways, something he could probably pull off there. When I spoke to Reid last week about what he would play at UM he talked about playing anywhere on the field. I know getting a shot at receiver, which he played mostly in high school, intrigues him. Miami coaches might need to promise him that this weekend to avoid a signing day surprise.

> RB Bryce Brown, 6-0, 215, Wichita East (Kan.): No, the nation's No. 1 recruit won't be signing anywhere Wednesday. But I still believe he will end up being a Hurricane in the end. Offensive coordinator Mark Whipple paid him a visit this week and Brown is taking things slow. There are rumblings he could take a visit to Auburn in the next couple weeks. If he does, it will just be more drama to follow. Frankly, I'm convinced that is all this is. Look for Susan Miller Degnan's feature on Bryce in the paper in the coming days for more details.

Beyond the commitment: OL Malcolm Bunche

When it comes to recruiting, most of the information that ever really gets out about the high school player being brought into a signing class are the basic nuts and bolts. Position. Height. Weight. 40-time. Star count. Ranking. Along the way, we get some sort of an evaluation and hear footnotes. Questions might be raised about academics. We'll hear about his visits and if there is a chance he might not stay committed. And, finally, someone will try and tell us how long it might take before this recruit will be able to make an impact.

A lot more obviously goes into recruiting than that. Before coach Randy Shannon walks into a family's living room to deliver his home run sales pitch, his assistants do their research. When Clint Hurtt or Micheal Barrow stand on the sidelines at practices or at games, they are looking for more than just effort and big plays. They want to know about his character. They want to know: How does this recruit interact with his teammates? Is he a leader, a good follower or is he a selfish player? What are his eating and preparation habits? Does he work hard in the classroom and the weightroom? Is he a knucklehead? Can I trust him? Is he smart or are we going to have to babysit him?

The Miami Hurricanes picked up the 20th commitment of their 2009 class Monday night from Newark, Del. offensive lineman Malcolm Bunche. He became the fifth offensive lineman to pick UM, an important need for the Canes in this class. Look anywhere online, and you can find out Bunche is 6-5, 315 pounds, plays offensive tackle and is rated a 3-star recruit by both Rivals and Scout. Monday night, I went in search of a little more beyond the commitment. Unlike most of the players in South Florida whom I do get a chance to watch with my own eyes, I've never seen Bunche play. So, I'm not going to speak to his abilities. But I will share what I learned after talking to Malcolm, his mother Melinda Henry, and his coach Butch Simpson.

> Malcolm Bunche is more than a football player and All-State selection from Delaware. He's a 17-year old kid (he just turned 17 in October) with some pretty good athletic genes, who plays basketball and most recently took second place in the shot put at the Delaware State Track and Field championships. His family takes health and personal fitness extremely seriously.

His father Curtis Bunche was a defensive end and eighth round pick out of Albany State (Ga.) to the Philadelphia Eagles in the 1979 draft. He spent a few seasons in the NFL before playing in the USFL with Chicago Blitz and then in the CFL. He's been an assistant coach Newark for two years. Malcolm's older sister Cetera was a long distance cross country and track runner at Hampton University, who eventually became an assistant coach Jacksonville University. His mother, Melinda Henry, is now a personal trainer and recently began competing in power lifting events at age 50. Henry won four gold medals at the Florida State championships in December (most in the bench press) and will compete here in Miami in the national championships Valentine's Day weekend.

Malcolm, who lives and trains with his father in Newark, has developed the same workout traits as his family. At 320 pounds, he has 16 percent body fat (FYI, Antonio Dixon came to UM at over 30 percent). Simpson said he warms up with 225 pounds (what players bench at NFL combines) and reps it 19 times without a breaking a sweat. Bunche said he benches 400 pounds, squats a little under 500 and power cleans 220 (Check back to my Andreu Swasey blog if you want to compare). Simpson said Bunche is always on time at 3 p.m. in the weight room Monday through Friday and takes weekends off.

As for his nutrition, Bunche said he takes his eating seriously and said he will only go out for fast food once a month when he wants to treat himself. "With my dad, we're always eating steak, fish, salmon, tilapia, chicken, mixing in power bars and muscle milk," Bunche said. "We also drink this really bad vegetable juice to flush out the system. I've always been taught if you take care of your body, your body will take care of you."

> Before his visit and before his gut told him commit to UM Monday, Bunche committed to Rutgers last summer. He said Hurricanes coaches -- especially offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland -- did a good job convincing him to take UM seriously. When he made his visit to UM this past weekend he came with more than just mom and dad. His sister and his uncle were along for the ride too. The Bunches said what caught them instantly was the family atmosphere.

"I didn't know Malcolm had met Coach Stoutland before, but what caught my eye was how he was interacting with him, pushing him around, tugging at him, like we do," Henry said. "It was really a great bonding experience. Malcolm hit it off right away with all of the other recruits. So much so, he made sure to call his quarterback [A.J. Highsmith] first he was committing. It's funny, even the mom's got close. I was even sharing a cheesecake with A.J.'s mom and I had just met her."

The trip had plenty of highlights for Malcolm and his family, including some nice dinners with other recruits. His first night, Malcolm said he had the Chicken Cordon bleu. The second night he had lobster tails and steak. He said he was so impressed by tour guide Orlando Franklin, he returned home and told his girlfriend he's thinking of shaving his head for a mohawk cut, too. But as good a time as the family had, what made the visit special according to Malcolm was the half hour of one-on-one time he spent with Shannon. "He was sincere in everything he said," Bunche said.

Henry said Shannon had already gotten to her when she came in for the unofficial visit with Malcolm last sumemr and said she was blown away when Shannon stepped up to his dry erase board and began diagraming his offensive line and exactly where he thought Bunche could fit in (right tackle) and showed him how he could come in and immediately help. As for Ms. Henry? She's ecstatic her son is going to be a Cane. So much so, she's already joined the First Coast Canes Club in Jacksonville. "All I know is I'm getting a new Saturn," Henry said. "and it's going to look so hot in Orange."

> Simpson, who has coached his fair share of talented players including former Canes defensive tackle Orien Harris, said he believes Bunche will eventually find his way to left tackle because of his quick feet and his strong upper body. Bunche's physique reminds Simpson of Orien's older brother of Kwame Harris, a former first round pick of San Francisco 49ers.

"The best thing about Malcolm is he's still a baby and his best days are ahead of him," Simpson said. "He's not just a big high school kid who is going to have to learn how to make adjustments. He can play. When coaches come in here and see him walking around in a tank top and shorts, they say to me coach this guy could be a fourth-year junior. He's going to need a little time to get adjusted to the speed. But he's got great passing blocking skills. I know he'll learn quickly."

> Bunche already has learned something quickly -- developing friendships and bonds with other recruits. Not only has he reached out to other recruits, but he said he plans on calling a few on the fence. No. 1 on the list? Running back Bryce Brown. "I've got Bryce's number, but I haven't had a chance to hit him up yet," Bunche said. When I call him up I'm planning on telling him I want to block for him, help him get his 3,000 yards and win the Heisman trophy. I know want him to know we all want him here."

> Want to know how committed Canes coaches are to recruits? Micheal Barrow attended Bunche's All-State dinner party knowing full well Bunche had already committed. According to Simpson, "He simply went to show Malcolm his support."

Good news coming in Bunches

There's been a long stretch recently where every bit of Canes news coming out of Coral Gables has been causing fans to feel like reaching for Rolaids or Pepto Bismo. What started in about the second quarter of the Georgia Tech game, intensified with the firing for Patrick Nix, the troubled transfer of starting quarterback Robert Marve and reached its peak with last week's news that defensive coordinator Bill Young was leaving for Oklahoma State.

It looks like the stomach ache might be coming to an end. Monday afternoon, UM finalized its courtship with new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple. Then, in the evening, the Canes got more good news when they picked up an important recruiting commitment from a big-time player, 6-6, 322-pound offensive tackle Malcolm Bunche. Here's the best news: it may only be the beginning of a good Canes run.

With National Signing Day around the corner, the Hurricanes now look like they are on pace to sign another Top 10 class -- one that will likely still include the nation's No. 1 recruit after today's news. When East Wichita running back Bryce Brown recently reaffirmed his commitment to Miami, he mentioned he would be looking for two things -- good news on the coordinator front and good news among potential offensive line recruits. UM got both Monday.

> I'll have a more in-depth blog for you late tonight on Bunche. I spoke at length with his mother and his high school coach and have some good stuff to share. I also plan on being at Whipple's press conference tomorrow to give you the scoop from there.

Canes pick up 19th commitment

BANKUNITED CENTER -- I'm here at the BUC for today's showdown with the Hokies. I've come to realize the courtside blogs don't get much attention. So, I've decided to abandon them until we get into some bigger games later in the year (I'll try to keep up with Beyond The Boxscore blogs for you hoop fans for now).

Let's get to the football news. For those of you who missed it, Barry Jackson reached the Canes' leading cadidate to fill the offensive coordinator position, Mark Whipple. UM is waiting to see if Whipple will take the job. If not, the search will continue. I'm not going to speculate on any other names until Whipple officially declines.

As for immediate news, the first of two big recruiting weekends ended earlier this morning. Miami was able to pick up one new commitment from the group of eight visitors, linebacker/defensive end Shayon Green from Tift County, Ga. I caught up with Shayon when I got to the arena to ask him what happened over the weekend to make him switch his commitment from Purdue to the Canes.

"It was just a great visit. I saw it with my family and from the moment I got there I knew I wanted to be a Cane," Green said. "I had come here last year and stopped by and I liked it then. But after I talked with Coach Shannon, he made me realize this was the place I needed to be. I'm excited."

Green said he was hosted by linebacker Darryl Sharpton and said he spent a lot of time with Sean Spence during his visit. But he said the special relationship which helped UM sway him from Purdue and the other 15 offers he received during recruiting was his relationship with fellow Tifton County native Wesley McGriff, UM's secondary coach. The fact his grandparents lived in Homestead also helped.

Green said Miami coaches told him he'd likely start out at linebacker when he gets to UM in the summer. But he could play anywhere. At 6-3, 225 pounds with 4.67 speed, his high school coach played him at defensive tackle, defensive end and linebacker during his three seasons on the varsity level. As a senior playing mostly at linebacker, Green tallied 67 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, eight tackles for loss, one sack and one caused fumble. 

"He's got a pretty good knack of getting off really well on the snap," his coach Jay Walls told me before the visit on Thursday. "I think you'll see him play [weakside] linebacker or defensive end. He's going to get bigger too. He'll probably get close to 250 pounds. We've got a real good weight program here already. He power cleans over 300 pounds and benches over 300 pounds and squats about 600. He's a good one."

> The other non-commitments UM hosted this weekend included linebacker Sam Barrington and offensive lineman Malcolm Bunche and Marcus Hall. I'm going to try and reach them or their coaches sometime this week. I know Barrington is expected to announce his decision Feb. 3.

Another surprise visitor in store?

Recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt, running backs coach Tommie Robinson and strength coach Andreu Swasey pulled off a nice surprise earlier this week when they were able to convince Missouri commitment U.S. Army-All American Sheldon Richardson (who grew up dreaming of playing for Miami) to agree on taking a visit to the University of Miami on the final recruiting weekend before National Signing Day.

Now, it looks like Hurtt may be on the verge of pulling off some more magic by getting the Defensive MVP of the Under-Armour All-American Game, blue-chip cornerback Greg Reid to take a visit to UM that same weekend. That is, if Reid (5-9, 175) backs out of his scheduled visit to Georgia. The Valdosta Lowndes standout has been getting tugged Miami's way for awhile now, especially after learning in late November he's actually related to another Canes recruit -- cornerback Jamal Reid.

"We actually found out in late November that our granddaddies were brothers," said Jamal Reid, who played against Greg Reid in the Under-Armour Game. "Our families are originially from Jasper and we never knew it. Ever since then, we got each other's cell phone numbers and have been talking to each other. I'll call him every now and then to tell him he should be a Cane with me. I was supposed to be visiting Miami this weekend, but I changed it so we could come together on the 30th. Hopefully, he can come with me."

Greg Reid originally committed to the University of Florida nearly a year ago but recently upset Gators coach Urban Meyer on his official visit to Gainesville when he told him he wanted to continue taking visits. He is supposed to be taking his final two visits to Alabama and Georgia the next two weekends.

As for Jamal Reid, he says he's keeping his fingers crossed his cousin will give the Canes a shot. "He’s a good athlete. He’s got great skills," said Jamal, who said Canes coaches have told him they are bringing him in to play wherever he can help UM the best -- receiver or corner. "He said he wants to get playing time wherever he goes. I told him what better place than Miami. They'll play you there as a freshman. The best man sees the field. I think it would be awesome for us to line up against each other every day in practice."

> For those of you crossing your fingers about possibly seeing Andre Debose pull a similar surprise and joining Reid and his two Sanford Seminole teammates on the last recruiting weekend of the year, don't hold your breath. I've been told Debose has made it clear to UM he's sticking with the Gators.

> Earlier today, I came out with what I thought was the right list of visitors for this weekend based on conversations I had with high school coaches and in some cases the players themselves. Turns out, some of my dates were a little mixed up. I was told the correct list of visitors for this weekend are: QB A.J. Highsmith (Fort Bend, Tx.), OL Cory White (Fleming Island, Fla.), OL Malcolm Bunche (Newark, Del.), OL Marcus Hall (Cleveland, Oh.), OL Jared Wheeler (Plantation American Heritage), DE Shayon Green (Tift County, Ga.), LB Sam Barrington (Jacksonville Parker) and CB Kayvon Webster (Monsingor Pace).

The visitors for the weekend of Jan. 30 are expected to be OL Andrew Tiller (Nassau CC, NJ), OL Peter White (Washington D.C., St. John’s College Prep), TE Sheldon Richardson (St. Louis, Mo.), CB Jamal Reid (Mayo Lafeyette), DE Dyron Dye (Sanford Seminole), DB Ray Ray Armstrong (Sanford Seminole) and DB Prince Kent (Norcross, Ga.). Greg Reid will join them if he decides to switch his visit (we could find out as early as tonight). Another possible surprise visitor could include former commitment and tight end Billy Sanders, who switched his commitment to UCLA but I'm told is now having second thoughts and UM is under the impression he will visit that weekend.

> As for the Bryce Brown drama, I was told by a staffer tonight the Hurricanes fully expect Brown to sign with UM on national signing day. But he has expressed interest to the coaching staff about knowing who the offensive coordinator will be. Brown could take a visit to UM on the weekend of the 30th too.

> Earlier today, I reported linebacker Greg King and tight end Terrell Mitchell as possible targets and visitors over the next two weeks. Consider them backup plans at this point. King's coach told me himself after I posted my earlier blog this morniing that UM coaches had been cooling off King, who is likely going to pick someone else anyway. Mitchell's coach told me they just began recruiting him last week. Smells like a fall back plan to me.

> Also of note, I was told earlier today Miami is not hell-bent on using all 27 scholarships on NSD. They could hold a few. As of now, I've been told UM coaches figure on only having 15 scholarships available for 2010.

Big recruiting weekend on tap for Canes (updated)

It's going to be a big recruiting weekend for the University of Miami, an important one for the Hurricanes who are looking to impress some big-name recruits and fill some key needs. With a few late additions (and barring any last minute subtractions), it looks like Randy Shannon and his staff are going to host between 10 or 11 recruits. Six recruits are uncommitted and five have called themselves Canes' commitments for awhile. UM currently has 18 commitments. Shannon said his team could sign as many as 27 on National Signing Day Feb. 4.

The biggest new name added to the visitors' list and the news of the day? Tight end/defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who after getting a visit earlier this week from recruiting coordinator Clint Hurtt, has agreed to make the trip down to Miami according to Scout.com. Richardson (6-4, 292) played in the U.S. Army All-American game and is considered one of the nation's best athletes. I confirmed with a source inside UM that Richardson is definitely considering Miami, a program he grew up admiring. It would be a huge steal if Miami were able to get him to decommit from Missouri, a program he has been committed to since the summer. But it could just end up being a joy trip for Richardson (update: Canesport reported late this afternoon Richardson will now be visiting the weekend of Jan. 30 and not the 23rd like Scout.com had reported). But you got to give Hurtt, who told me Tuesday he was in St. Louis, credit for at least bringing Richardson to town.

While Richardson's visit is good news for the Canes, the bigger story this weekend will involve the three nationally-rated offensive linemen scheduled to be here, too. They are 6-6, 320-pound Malcolm Bunche (a Rutgers commitment) of Newark, Del., 6-5, 325-pound Peter White (considering Miami, Maryland and Tennessee) of St. John's College Prep in Washington, D.C., and 6-5, 295-pound Marcus Hall of Cleveland Glenville High (who is coached by Dolphins receiver Ted Ginn's father and will be tough to convince from leaving behind nearby Ohio State).

BUNCHE UPDATE, 6 p.m.: I got a phone call back from Bunche's high school coach this evening, who gave me a little insight into Malcolm and the relationship he has with Miami. Newark High coach Butch Simpson told me Bunche (who orally committed to Rutgers earlier this year before decommitting) has establish a great relationship with UM offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland throughout the recruiting process. In fact, Simpson has history not only with UM, but Stoutland, too. Newark is where former Canes defensive tackle Orien Harris played. Stoutland tried to recruit Harris to Michigan State and developed a good relationship with Simpson then. Simpson said Bunche, whose father played in the NFL and CFL, had a good visit with Randy Shannon on Tuesday and said he will probably wait about a week after his visit to make his final choice between the Canes, Rutgers and Maryland (both of whom visited Bunche Thursday at school).

The Hurricanes currently have four offensive line commitments. Two former prep school standouts are already on campus in former Miami Northwestern standout Brandon Washington (6-5, 320) and former St. Thomas Aquinas player Jermaine Johnson (6-6, 330). The other two, Plantation American Heritage's Jared Wheeler (6-6, 310) and Fleming Island's Cory White (6-5, 250) will also visit this weekend. Coach Randy Shannon is looking to ink between 6 or 7 linemen in this signing class. The Hurricanes are expected to host 6-6, 350-pound junior college prospect Andrew Tiller on the final recruiting weekend of the year Jan. 30.

I caught up with White's high school coach, Neal Chipoletti, this afternoon, who told me Miami wants White to be 270 pounds by the time he arrives in the summer or he could end up being moved to tight end. He played left tackle all season for Fleming Island.

As for the other non-committed visitors, Miami will host three players who are considered more under the radar talents: 6-2 1/2, 218-pound outside inebacker Sam Barrington of Jacksonville Parker High, 6-3, 225-pound defensive end Shayon Green of Tift County, Ga., and 6-3, 202-pound linebacker Greg King of Memphis' Melrose High (the same school which produced current UM running back Graig Cooper). FYI, of the three, King is the only iffy arrival at this point (his coach called me later Wednesday and said he could also end up visiting the 30th. Tight end Terrell Mitchell, a 6-6, 230-pound prospect, from Powder Springs', Ga. will now visit January 30th (I was previously told it was going to be this weekend).

I caught up with the coaches of Barrington and Green Thursday before lunch to get their insights into their players and their impending visits.

> Parker coach Jim Scrible, who has coached 45 Parade All-Americans in his near 40 years of coaching including former Florida running back Willie Green, said Barrington is as good as any he's ever coached. Barrington had more than 100 tackles on defense as a linebacker, but also ran for 1,250 yards with an 11-yard average as a running back.

"Sam Barrington is a spectacular person. That’s where it all needs to start," Scrible said. "He has tremendous ability to elevate people around him as a person. There’s a lot of cats running around, Rivals 5-star, this that and whatever. Sam is a spectacular leader. He’ll make the locker room better for being there. Now, as a football player, got all the physical tools. He’s a hitter, got a good motor. I’ve had many Parade All-Americans in 45 years and he ranks up there with him. He’s projected in my mind to have a great career."

This will be Barrington's final recruiting trip. He's already made visits to Illinois and South Florida. Scrible said Barrington has a connection with an Illinois assistant coach, who is a Jacksonville native, but says Miami is definitely in the picture even though the Hurricanes got in a bit late. "He wouldn't be wasting their time if he wasn't serious," Scrible said. "That's not Sam."

> Green has been orally committed to Purdue, but appears to be seriously considering the Canes. His high school coach Jay Walls said Green has to be interested in the Canes because he's turned down other teams and visits before. The reason he likes Miami? A bond with UM defensive backs coach Wesley McGriff, a Tifton native himself. Green has played all over the field in high school, lining up as an interior defensive lineman as a sophomore, a weakside linebacker as a junior and most recently as defensive end. He had 67 solo tackles, 48 assisted tackles, 8 TFL, 1 quarterback sack and caused 1 fumble as a senior.

"Everybody has recruited him as a will linebacker or maybe a rush end kind of guy on passing situations and bring him off the edge," said Walls, who has his own Canes' connection having coached former cornerback Kelly Jennings and senior Bruce Johnson when he was a high school coach in the Florida Panhandle. "He does have a pretty good knack of getting off really well off the snap. I think you’ll see him play will linebacker or defensive end. He’s going to get bigger too. He’ll probably get close to 250 by the time he's a freshman."

> Of the commitment who will be visiting -- Wheeler, White, cornerback Jamal Reid, quarterback A.J. Highsmith and cornerback Kayvon Webster -- the trip will be most important for Webster. He has been a "soft commitment" and entertained thoughts of possibly switching to the University of South Florida, where a few other high school teammates could end up. 

> As for Terrell Mitchell (who I had previously included in this weekend's list of visitors) McEachern coach Kyle Hockman told me he is now coming on January 30th. Mitchell is visiting Michigan this weekend. Coach Micheal Barrow has been the one courting Mitchell for Miami (here's what Mitchell told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about the Canes two days ago.)
 
“Miami didn’t start recruiting him until last weekend and they haven’t communicated with me a whole lot, but they know Terrell is talented,” Hockman said. “He’s an NFL player. He’s 6-6, 230, can run and catch and block. He’s a big time player. He had like eight touchdowns and 27 catches and blocked great for us all season. He’s got to get his test score up to be eligible up. He needs 60 more points. But we think he’ll get there. He’ll be visiting Michigan this weekend. He’s been to Kentucky, had offers from Arkansas and Georgia. Clemson and Kentucky are the only official visits. People are certainly interested.”

** Look for any other updates I might get (I'm waiting on a few phone calls) in this same blog or in our response section below.

Vernon sticking with Canes

Olivier Vernon isn't going anywhere. He's staying home with the Hurricanes. In a small get together in his high school principal's office, Vernon told friends and family moments ago he is going to stick with his commitment to the University of Miami, which he made back in August.

"It was kind of hard because all three teams can win a national championship," said Vernon a 4-star Rivals.com recruit and 6-4, 240-pound defensive end, who was mulling over UM, Alabama and Florida State until the past week. "But UM has been my dream school since I was young. I felt like I was destined to play for them."

Vernon, who graduated from American High Thursday, will begin classes at UM Jan. 20 and will room with freshman defensive tackle Curtis Porter in the spring. He will wear No. 17. Eventually, he will switch over and room with fellow incoming freshman Dyron Dye in the fall.

He's looking forward to rehabbing his injured left ankle, which he injured in the season opener against Coral Reef, with UM doctors and trainers. He said he's still experiencing some pain and could have some ligament damage. But he expects to be ready for spring ball in late February.

The Hurricanes are definitely getting a strong player. Vernon is benching 335 pounds and squating 455. "I've kept lifting, kept working in the weight room even though I haven't played," Vernon said. "I'll be ready."