**I posted what I know on the running back situation last night - http://www.canesinsight.com/threads/76238-RB-situation. Just a couple more quick notes on that… If you asked me right now who I thought would wind up in this class, I would say Jordan Cronkrite and Jordan Scarlett. As I have previously posted a number of times, Mark Walton has not reclassified to 2015 and I would still not bank on it happening. Although Williams is saying all the right things in interviews right now, the dialogue between him and Miami has not been all that frequent. Miami would love to hold onto him, but they realize it is an uphill battle.
**Speaking of Scarlett, I mentioned that Miami has felt quietly confident on him for some time. There are reports that he could pull the trigger as soon as this week and Miami is definitely hoping that he does it in the coming days. Whether he does it this week or not, I feel good about saying the Canes are firmly in the lead.
**There is no doubt that this is the best current stretch of recruiting that this staff has put together in their time here. The most exciting part about it for Canes fans? More “fireworks” could be on the way. Sam Bruce will be announcing tomorrow night on 560 WQAM. The show runs from 9-10 P.M. Bruce could potentially join Dionte Mullins in the 2016 WR class.
**Would that be the end of the recent run for the 2016 class? Probably not. 2016 American Heritage WR Dredrick Snelson will be announcing his decision this upcoming Saturday and signs point to him choosing Miami as well. Snelson is an absolute stud from what I’ve seen of him. A class of Bruce, Mullins, and Snelson this early would be disrespectful.
**Adding to that point on Snelson, it is no coincidence that Torrance Gibson has recently said the Miami has jumped back in the mix. The two teammates are very close and Snelson could be a major key to Miami really making things interesting.
**If Bruce does pull the trigger for Miami, not only would the Canes be getting one of the most explosive offensive weapons in the country regardless of class, but he is one of the most popular and well-respected recruits in the area. He could have the Duke Johnson effect on his class.
**Some fans have asked if a possible Jordan Cronkrite would have any negative bearing on JaQuan Johnson and Tim Irvin and the answer in short is “not really”. Johnson and Irvin are not as close to Cronkrite as some have expressed during the process. Are the three friends and has the possibility of them playing together come up in discussions? Yes, but the three are in no way a “package deal”. Now, Johnson and Irvin are a different story. I expect those two to end up at the same place. No matter what happens with Cronkrite, it will be a major fight to keep the defensive back duo at home.
**A couple team-related notes – It has been posted on here that Dwayne Hoilett was no longer listed on the team roster and I can confirm that he has left the team. He is still enrolled in classes at Miami for this summer term, but I am not sure if he has plans to transfer.
I tweeted this out last week, but Demetrius Jackson is up to 239 pounds after enrolling at 225 in mid-May. Coaches have been extremely pleased with his quick development. I know some may ask if this is “bad weight” and I really can’t answer that without seeing how he moves with it, but from what I have heard it is just natural growth. He was bound to make a huge leap once he got into the college weight room.
Twitter Mailbag
From now on, I will be answering questions from Twitter in each edition of The Work. Send them to me @PeterAriz.
1) From @CaneSwagger01 - possibility of landing Marquavious Lewis and Ledbetter to go along with Claude George?
Out of the two, Miami has a better shot to land Lewis. Ledbetter is a possibility, but he is a tough read.
2) From @cscramon - with all the latest news on Gray do you now think he will get in this year?
Academic situations are always nearly impossible to read, but there is still a glimmer of hope here. He still needs to complete an online course and Miami is crossing their fingers that the process is smooth and no clearinghouse issues come up. Unfortunately, the clearinghouse never seems to be Miami’s best friend and there is no way to say for certain whether or not he will be good to go. I have said for months that the chances were very slim, but I would classify it now as “trending up”. Keep in mind that the major issue is that he is missing credits. Work still needs to be done.
3) From @CArbos20 - Pete, do you feel as if Golden is finally figuring out how to get the elite south fla recruits? Has Baez and Ice help bridge gap?
To answer the first part of the question, South Florida kids are a different breed. I’m not sure any coach will ever fully “figure out” how to get them. I attribute the recent success to two things. The first would be that the staff no longer has to fight any negative recruiting tactics about impending NCAA sanctions. The second is just pure momentum. All it takes is one or two kids to really change the thinking about a school. That is why getting an elite QB committed early (Allison) along with more elite players surrounding him this early in the cycle could set up for a remarkable class.
For the second question, there is no doubt that having Ice Harris and Jorge Baez are positives. They are known in the local coaching community and most importantly known by the kids.
4) From @CarlBleich - who is a dark horse candidate from the class of 2014 that can make an impact this season?
I really think this could be Marques Gayot. Although not many people are counting on him to make a splash because of the depth at safety and the fact that he came in with Kiy Hester, he has made a very strong first impression in 7-on-7 work. Of course that could mean nothing, but he will be a hitter on Special Teams from the start and he looks like a third-year player at the position from a physical point of view.
5) From @_elcuero809 - do you think miami can hold on to the big commitments of class of 2016 they have gotten so far with NSD over a year away?
There is no way to answer this for sure, but like I mentioned a few questions ago, the fact that this 2016 class is coming together so early is an extremely positive sign for them to eventually stay committed. Yes, it is a negative that NSD 2016 is so far away, but all that time also gives these kids time to interact and become tight. The fact that all of them are from Florida so far just means that they will be around campus a lot over the next year and a half.
**Speaking of Scarlett, I mentioned that Miami has felt quietly confident on him for some time. There are reports that he could pull the trigger as soon as this week and Miami is definitely hoping that he does it in the coming days. Whether he does it this week or not, I feel good about saying the Canes are firmly in the lead.
**There is no doubt that this is the best current stretch of recruiting that this staff has put together in their time here. The most exciting part about it for Canes fans? More “fireworks” could be on the way. Sam Bruce will be announcing tomorrow night on 560 WQAM. The show runs from 9-10 P.M. Bruce could potentially join Dionte Mullins in the 2016 WR class.
**Would that be the end of the recent run for the 2016 class? Probably not. 2016 American Heritage WR Dredrick Snelson will be announcing his decision this upcoming Saturday and signs point to him choosing Miami as well. Snelson is an absolute stud from what I’ve seen of him. A class of Bruce, Mullins, and Snelson this early would be disrespectful.
**Adding to that point on Snelson, it is no coincidence that Torrance Gibson has recently said the Miami has jumped back in the mix. The two teammates are very close and Snelson could be a major key to Miami really making things interesting.
**If Bruce does pull the trigger for Miami, not only would the Canes be getting one of the most explosive offensive weapons in the country regardless of class, but he is one of the most popular and well-respected recruits in the area. He could have the Duke Johnson effect on his class.
**Some fans have asked if a possible Jordan Cronkrite would have any negative bearing on JaQuan Johnson and Tim Irvin and the answer in short is “not really”. Johnson and Irvin are not as close to Cronkrite as some have expressed during the process. Are the three friends and has the possibility of them playing together come up in discussions? Yes, but the three are in no way a “package deal”. Now, Johnson and Irvin are a different story. I expect those two to end up at the same place. No matter what happens with Cronkrite, it will be a major fight to keep the defensive back duo at home.
**A couple team-related notes – It has been posted on here that Dwayne Hoilett was no longer listed on the team roster and I can confirm that he has left the team. He is still enrolled in classes at Miami for this summer term, but I am not sure if he has plans to transfer.
I tweeted this out last week, but Demetrius Jackson is up to 239 pounds after enrolling at 225 in mid-May. Coaches have been extremely pleased with his quick development. I know some may ask if this is “bad weight” and I really can’t answer that without seeing how he moves with it, but from what I have heard it is just natural growth. He was bound to make a huge leap once he got into the college weight room.
Twitter Mailbag
From now on, I will be answering questions from Twitter in each edition of The Work. Send them to me @PeterAriz.
1) From @CaneSwagger01 - possibility of landing Marquavious Lewis and Ledbetter to go along with Claude George?
Out of the two, Miami has a better shot to land Lewis. Ledbetter is a possibility, but he is a tough read.
2) From @cscramon - with all the latest news on Gray do you now think he will get in this year?
Academic situations are always nearly impossible to read, but there is still a glimmer of hope here. He still needs to complete an online course and Miami is crossing their fingers that the process is smooth and no clearinghouse issues come up. Unfortunately, the clearinghouse never seems to be Miami’s best friend and there is no way to say for certain whether or not he will be good to go. I have said for months that the chances were very slim, but I would classify it now as “trending up”. Keep in mind that the major issue is that he is missing credits. Work still needs to be done.
3) From @CArbos20 - Pete, do you feel as if Golden is finally figuring out how to get the elite south fla recruits? Has Baez and Ice help bridge gap?
To answer the first part of the question, South Florida kids are a different breed. I’m not sure any coach will ever fully “figure out” how to get them. I attribute the recent success to two things. The first would be that the staff no longer has to fight any negative recruiting tactics about impending NCAA sanctions. The second is just pure momentum. All it takes is one or two kids to really change the thinking about a school. That is why getting an elite QB committed early (Allison) along with more elite players surrounding him this early in the cycle could set up for a remarkable class.
For the second question, there is no doubt that having Ice Harris and Jorge Baez are positives. They are known in the local coaching community and most importantly known by the kids.
4) From @CarlBleich - who is a dark horse candidate from the class of 2014 that can make an impact this season?
I really think this could be Marques Gayot. Although not many people are counting on him to make a splash because of the depth at safety and the fact that he came in with Kiy Hester, he has made a very strong first impression in 7-on-7 work. Of course that could mean nothing, but he will be a hitter on Special Teams from the start and he looks like a third-year player at the position from a physical point of view.
5) From @_elcuero809 - do you think miami can hold on to the big commitments of class of 2016 they have gotten so far with NSD over a year away?
There is no way to answer this for sure, but like I mentioned a few questions ago, the fact that this 2016 class is coming together so early is an extremely positive sign for them to eventually stay committed. Yes, it is a negative that NSD 2016 is so far away, but all that time also gives these kids time to interact and become tight. The fact that all of them are from Florida so far just means that they will be around campus a lot over the next year and a half.
