Re-establishing the presence in SoFla

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Peter Ariz

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It's obvious that one of the main themes in the 2014 recruiting class is the emphasis of South Florida kids in the class, which was completely expected considering how deep and strong the talent pool is this year. Looking closer at the situation, I discovered an interesting trend. This is a class where Miami has landed recruits from multiple schools they haven't had success at in some time. For example...

Booker T. Washington
The trio of Demetrius Jackson, Nigel Bethel II, and Chad Thomas is the first time Miami has landed a kid from the school since 2010 (Eduardo Clements). Quinton Dunbar was committed to the Canes early before flipping to UF. 4-star Lynden Trail also wound up at UF before transferring to Norfolk State. DT Elkino Watson chose USF over Miami in 2011, and last year's struggles at the school have been well-documented.

Carol City
Allen Hurns in 2010 was the first Carol City prospect to sign with Miami since Kenny Phillips in 2005. Trayone Gray now becomes the first Chief since Hurns to pick Miami. Carol City hasn't exactly been loaded over the past few years, but the Carol City area is always loaded. Carol City has been losing a lot of kids to Miramar over the past five years.

Pompano Blanche Ely
Blanche Ely has been an LSU pipeline over the last 5 years starting with Patrick Johnson (Peterson) in '08. Since then, 2012 WR Avery Johnson (Peterson's brother), and 4-star CB Rashard Robinson (2013) have ended up at LSU. This is a crazy stat, but if new Miami commitment Terry McCray ends up signing with the 'Canes, he would be the first Blanche Ely prospect to sign with the 'Canes since Tyrone Moss, Andrew Bain, Cyrim Wimbs, and Teraz McCray all chose Miami in 2003.

Dillard
Dillard is a school that has been loaded with talent in the past. In the last 10 years, five Dillard prospects have signed with Auburn or LSU, one with Stanford (Wayne Lyons - 2011), and one with Florida State (Beau Reliford - 2008). If Dennis Turner signs with Miami, he would be the first Dillard prospect to sign with Miami since 1997 (Leonard Myers)

Champagnat
Champagnat has only had a football program since 2010, but Travonte Valentine is the first prospect from the school to ever choose the 'Canes. Champagnat is absolutely loaded over the next few years and if their current staff stays in place, I expect them to become a school that churns out top prospects every year.

This trend goes deeper than the numbers because obviously these schools don't have Miami-caliber prospects every year so the staff won't just take them to fill a quota, but it is definitely interesting that all of this happens to coincide during the same recruiting class, one year after Coach Golden and staff were heavily criticized for "not recruiting South Florida". 15 of the 24 current commitments are from Dade, Broward, or Palm Beach.

**Couple more schools that fall under the trend are Hialeah and Santaluces. Although Alin Edouard won't likely end up in the class, he would be the first Hialeah Cane since Adewale Ojomo in '07. Miami has lost out on top DL prospects from the school in Corey Liuget (2008) and Corey Lemonier (2010). Santaluces is not really a school that produces a whole lot of D-1 talent, but Darrell Langham would be the first Miami signee from there since Vince Wilfork in 2000.
 
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great article!! I'm happy about our presence in south florida. no need to go to albany, georgia for kids when our backyard has everything we need!
 
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great article!! I'm happy about our presence in south florida. no need to go to albany, georgia for kids when our backyard has everything we need!

Another stupid post. Go where the best players are nationwide.

i disagree. i will take a 4* or even a very high 3* over a 5* outta of kansas. Competition means alot coming outta highschool. not saying i wouldnt take the 5* outta kansas but the competion in miami has been well documented
 
great article!! I'm happy about our presence in south florida. no need to go to albany, georgia for kids when our backyard has everything we need!

Another stupid post.
Go where the best players are nationwide.

Could not agree more, very narrow sited view of recruiting IMO


focus on south florida, supplement from southern states (GA, Tenn, Bama, N. & S. Carolina etc). and sprinkle in a couple of up north and western players.

Cant limit our focus area to players only from S. Florida. Although this is the best talent area in the country, talent does exist outside of it too.
 
We've made a strong presence at Miramar and re-opened the door to Plant as well.

It's chess not checkers.

And please let's not let certain posters ruin this thread. Just ignore it.
 
great article!! I'm happy about our presence in south florida. no need to go to albany, georgia for kids when our backyard has everything we need!

Another stupid post.
Go where the best players are nationwide.

Could not agree more, very narrow sited view of recruiting IMO


focus on south florida, supplement from southern states (GA, Tenn, Bama, N. & S. Carolina etc). and sprinkle in a couple of up north and western players.

Cant limit our focus area to players only from S. Florida. Although this is the best talent area in the country, talent does exist outside of it too.

Golden has been on record as saying our main focus is down here, and to sprinkle in the best from other areas as well.

Can assure u the coaching staff is not being narrow minded in any way with recruiting.

Our MAIN focus, not the ONLY focus, is too have our classes comprised heavily with kids from florida.
 
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It is kind of funny how people talk over and over and over about how they would take under the radar guys from SFLA over top ranked guys from OOS, but still ***** about it when we do take these guys before they ever see a snap.
 
Good **** Pete, thanks.

You could include Johnnie Dixon and Dwyer if/when he commits. He'd be the first since Rashad Buter in 2002 or 2003.
 
We have always taken talent from other places and that should continue. 50% to 60% SoFl kids would fit historic norms and be just fine. Remember that includes Howard's Stat of Miami which went to Tampa and Orlando. You take the NE, Midwest, and west kids that have come to THE U out of our history and we have one NC and only one probably. I want the best from here and everywhere else too. Al seems to be opening the doors wide to all of the State of Miami, not just the select few that some seem to imply should own THE U. I happened to have been born in Coral Gables, but not all are so lucky--get all the best I say.
 
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great article!! I'm happy about our presence in south florida. no need to go to albany, georgia for kids when our backyard has everything we need!

Another stupid post. Go where the best players are nationwide.

i disagree. i will take a 4* or even a very high 3* over a 5* outta of kansas. Competition means alot coming outta highschool. not saying i wouldnt take the 5* outta kansas but the competion in miami has been well documented

So you take Alin Edouard over a QB like Kyle Allen? You should go coach at FSU so Miami can destroy them every year...
 
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Golden and staff have taken a State of Florida approach and cherry pick the entire nation for additional talent. As Nick Saban says you have to dominate a 100 mile radius of your campus and supplement with kids from elsewhere. There will be kids that pop up from Clewiston, Pahokee, Imockalee, Belle Glades and many other small towns like the 2015 LB Cherry from Frostproof. A heavy SoFl mixed with SOF and OOS cats creats some serious competion and therefore a better team.
 
I don't want to have an emphasis in South Florida until we prove we can keep an emphasis in South Florida.
 
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