Nice story on Aristide and his father from Manny Navarro (The Athletic)
Some highlights:
Identified by 247Sports last year as one of 30 best up-and-coming young coaches under 30, Aristide led the recruiting charge for Texas A&M to sign four-star defensive end Donell Harris out of Miami Gulliver Prep in 2020 and then four-star running back Amari Daniels and four-star receiver Yulkeith Brown out of Miami Central in the last recruiting cycle. Harris was previously a Miami commitment.
“Ishmael did a really good job with Amari,” said Central coach Roland Smith, a former Hurricane who worked under Aristide’s father when he was the football coach at Miami Northwestern and had standouts such as Jacory Harris, Sean Spence and Marcus Forston who went on to play for UM. “He was the primary guy on Amari and Yulkeith and basically beat out Manny’s people for Amari. They wanted Yulkeith early, but once they signed another kid they boff him. We went out to Texas A&M (before the pandemic) and Ishmael took me to see Jimbo (Fisher).
“Ishmael is going to be awesome at Miami. He’s a good communicator, straight up with the kids. He’s got his daddy’s bloodline in him. He’s a go-getter. He’s going to do well for the Canes.”
Ishmael Aristide (via Twitter)
“For Miami, they’re going to meet a guy in Ishmael that’s intense now. He’s a fiery guy. The good thing about it is he can relate to those guys. He looks like he’s playing football. He’s in great shape. He’s a physical specimen. He looks phenomenal.”
He’s also single, his father said, and ready to fully commit to football.
“Right now, he probably has a promise ring to the football program at UM,” Aristide’s father said. “He’s going to be married to that. He’s what the young people call a grind guy. They will see him Monday through Sunday.”
As for the standouts at Central this season, Miami is all over four-star linebacker Wesley Bissainthe (6-1, 195). Smith said cornerback Demarcus Van Dyke is leading the recruiting effort for the Hurricanes now after Williams’ departure.
“DVD made me aware he’s going to have my school,” Smith said. “I’m quite sure Manny is going to be on him, too. He first offered Wesley as a sophomore. They’ve got a good shot. Wesley is going to be a good one. He’s going to be 230, 225 pounds at the next level. He’s got the frame, can run. He’s going to be special. But they’re going to have to recruit him.”