CANES recruiting class of 2014

Instead of who we didn't get, here's the list of who we got, with Videos of each:

Joseph Yearby - RB (Miami Central)



KC McDermott - OT (PBC)


Chad Thomas - DE (BTW)


Brad Kaaya - QB (West Hills [CA] Chaminade)


Trevor Darling - OT (Miami Central)


Trent Harris - DE (Winter Park)


Anthony Moten - DT (STA)


Kiy Hester - S (Wayne [NJ] DePaul Catholic)


Darrion Owens - LB (Orange Park Oakleaf)


Darrell Langham - WR (Lantana Santaluces)


Braxton Berrios - WR (Raleigh [NC] Leesville Road)


Travone Gray - WR (Carol City)


Nick Linder - OT (STA)

Tyre Brady - WR (Homestead South Dade)


Calvin Heurtelou - DT (Scottsdale CC)


Christopher Herndon - TE (Norcross [GA])


Demetrius Jackson - DE (BTW)


Michael Wyche - DT (East Los Angeles [CA] CC)


David Njoku - ATH (Cedar Grove [NJ])


Ryan Mayes - S (MNW)


Marques Gayot - S (Lake Worth Park Vista)


Mike Smith - DE (MNW)


Malik Rosier - QB (Mobile [AL] Faith Academy)


Terry McCray - LB (Pompano Beach Ely)


Juwon Young - LB (Albany [GA])


Courtel Jenkins - DT (Wayne [NJ] DePaul Catholic)

National Signing Day schedule Updates

Wednesday, Feb. 5 (National Signing Day)

Morning

J.C. Jackson has committed to Florida this morning.


Damian Prince has announced on ESPNU that he has committed to Maryland. 

Travonte Valentine has committed to LSU. 

Struck out on both JC and Valentine. Losing Valentine was HUGE because it was in a need position too: DT. In the end, we just couldn't overcome the rumors of Al threatening to leave for Penn State and him having the meetings the same Saturday as the Army caused Valentine to decommit that day. It wasn't enough in the end and Valentine is off to Baton Rouge as a result. 

Afternoon 

Myles Autry committed on ESPNU to Georgia Tech. 

Latest recruiting news 2/1/14

We did get David Njoku out of NJ last night. Its a nice pickup for us here. He'll bring a lot to the table and we're going to put him at TE. 

It seems that QB Malik Rozier from Mobile (AL) Faith Christian visited us two weeks ago officially and will be a Hurricane come NSD on Wednesday. That was insurance in case Kaaya bolted, which he didn't, though he was very close to bolting to Boise. We have four QBs on the roster (Williams, Olsen, Kaaya, and Rozier). 

At the WR spot, having Brandon Berrios from NC really helps. Him enrolling early and on campus, is a boost to us here. This is a kid that will have an immediate impact for us here. The same can be said for Darrell Langham, who's the tallest WR we have right now. 

It looks like barring any last minute snafu, we will also sign Tyre Brady from Homestead South Dade. There's a possibility according to David Lake of ITU, that Trayone Gray might not qualify. If his grades are good, he'll be here. 

We did lose Lockley to Marshall. However, we also have Chris Herndon from Norcross (GA) in the fold with Njoku's addition last night. We're good there. 

On the OL, having both McDermott and Darling on campus already really helps here. With the addition of Gibbons and Nick Linder, they will have their 'ships soon. Its a formality on Wednesday, when they will be officially CANES. 

On the DL, We have Chad in the fold, as my source told me a few weeks ago would happen, though Bama and FSU made runs at him late, in the end, we'll likely hold them off. New development in the Travonte Valentine front. It seems, according to Lake, that Anthony Moten is making a very strong push to get Valentine here. Make no mistake, getting Valentine is a MUST and you can see we're pulling out all the stops necessary to get him. The question is will it be enough come Wednesday Morning? All hands on deck inside the Football offices at the Hecht/Schwartz Center. 

According to Jamie Newberg, Demetrius Jackson will take an official to Texas, if he hasn't already. At the end of the day though, look for Jackson to be a CANE. 

It's going to be more important to get Valentine in this class because just yesterday, Michael Wyche de-committed because of an ACC rule, per Barry Jackson in the Herald. Losing Wyche hurts, but losing Valentine would be devastating, in addition to Wyche.

At LB, we have Young and Owens on campus already. Its a lock to have Mike Smith from MNW on Wednesday and he will play right away. We had to hold off Louisville and Arkansas for him. As for McCray out of Pompano Beach Ely, Bama and LSU are players for him as well. McCray hasn't tipped his hand as of yet, but look for him to be a CANE come Wednesday. 

In the Secondary, it was a coup to get the best player in NJ in Kiy Hester. According to Dieter Kurtenbach, it seems that Marques Gayot will be a CANE come Wednesday as well. That's big right there because it adds more depth to the secondary. 

Latest recruiting news 1/30/14

Per Caneinsider this morning: Valentine has officially cancelled the OV for tomorrow, This confirms what Ryan Bartow said yesterday. So on Wednesday, its expected that Valentine will commit to LSU. As I said yesterday, this is a HUGE LOSS and Al's rep as a closer just took a big time hit with it.

To me, its yet another example of why still having D'Onofrio on this staff is killing us in recruiting. This really hurts because its in a NEED AREA: DL. Heads need to roll inside the football offices of the Hecht/Schwartz Center(s) for this one. 

A loss like this of a stud DT is going to take another 3-5 years to recover from. Anyone that thinks losing Valentine is no big deal needs to have their heads examined. This is a stud, a gamechanger in South Florida that's about to get away. Valentine going elsewhere sends a message to this staff, but D specifically: "I don't want to play in your defensive scheme." Bottom line, this loss hurts big time. DTs like Valentine don't come around every day. That's a once every 5-10 year type of player. 

We had the heavy hitters, but in the end, it seems that it wasn't enough. When Al flirted with Penn State, Valentine de-committed and the damage was done.

On another front, I was just told a few minutes ago by another reliable source that Brad Kaaya was likely gone. However, his source was incorrect. Kaaya put the rumors to bed with this tweet a few minutes ago: "I will be signing the National Letter of Intent issued to me by the University of Miami on National Signing Day February 5th" . It seems that while Boise State made a late push for him, his tweet puts that possibility of him bolting to Boise to bed for good.

However, Kaaya's teammate, Brayden Lenius has cancelled his trip to Coral Gables tomorrow and will be going up to Seattle instead to visit UW. That trip was set up by Kaaya as he didn't want to leave him at the altar sorta speak.

We will not lose Kaaya after all. 

My take on Travonte Valentine cancelling OV to Miami on Friday

NSD is 6 days away. However, according to Ryan Bartow this afternoon, Travonte Valentine has cancelled his OV to Coral Gables on Friday. Its expected now that when he makes that announcement on NSD, it will be LSU that he goes to.

We sent the heavy hitters on this one (Al, D, Jethro, Hurlie, Williams). The tide really turned when Valentine de-committed at the US Army game because of Golden having one foot out the door to Happy Valley and he met that Saturday with PSU officials in Miami. On that Sunday, when Golden gave Penn State a 4 p.m. deadline, PSU brass balked, and once Munchak was fired by Tennessee, everything changed dramatically, and in the end, PSU said no. Hence, the statement from Al that night that he was staying. However, the damage was already done with Valentine. 

On that Monday, in the interview with Joe Rose, he wasn't going to discuss PSU at all. When he defended D, to me and I've been a big supporter of Al through all this, it told me that kids weren't going to come here and play in D's failed scheme. 

How it relates to Valentine, Al and Hurlie went up to Palm Bay to meet with Valentine's mom yesterday or this morning. D and Jethro, according to Bartow, were at the Champagnat Hoops game last night meeting with Valentine's coach Mark Tunsil. 

Here's what it all tells me, once Al had one foot out the door, Valentine decided to walk and open up his recruitment. This is also a message to Al from the kids in the area, who are very smart, they don't want to play for D and with Valentine likely going to LSU, and the hat (Miles) is coming in tonight to meet with Valentine's mom, to likely seal the deal, is a major indictment on Al, D'Onofrio and the entire staff and why D needs to go yesterday. Al keeping D, to me, is scaring away top defensive recruits who have made it clear (See Bethel), they don't want to play for D and his system. 

This is a MAJOR loss, and those that say it isn't, is just fooling themselves. This was a player we could NOT afford to let get away and in a need area too. The fact that he's likely going to get away to me, speaks volumes about the ineptitude of this staff and Al's rep being a closer taking a big time hit here. The kids are starting to see through Al's sell job. This loss is clearly on Al because a) he had one foot out the door to Penn State, and B) having D still around. Also, this loss is also on Hurlie because this was his responsibility. 

Al and the staff better have someone in mind on the interior of the DL between now and 2/5, because losing Valentine is a MAJOR LOSS. To me, this sets us back at least 3-5 years. Valentine is that type of player that comes around once every 5-10 years. 

Latest recruiting news 1/23/14

Here's the latest recruiting news from The U:

An article from Bleacher Report, per Peter Ariz of CanesInsight.com on our chances to land top recruits still on our radar.

1. Travonte Valentine - DT Hialeah Champagnat - We're sending the heavy hitters on Defense here (D, Franklin, Williams, and Hurlie). Tomorrow will be an important day because that's when Valentine will be in Baton Rouge on an OV. If he comes back to Miami without saying he's going to LSU, our chances go up on NSD to land him. This, for The U, is the #1 priority to land this kid. Not landing this kid means this class is mediocre at best. Landing this kid, makes this class great. Valentine is a MUST GET here. Chances of getting him: 55%. 
2. Gavin Bryant - LB Jackson (AL) - A Tennessee commit here. We're going to get him to listen as Al and Company will pursue him, but at the end of the day, look for him to remain at Tennessee. Chances of him: Just about 0%. 
3. J.C. Jackson - ATH Immokalee - Right now, we are in the lead for him. However, look for this to be settled on NSD. Jackson's dad, Chris, told Luke Stampini, that the Gators and Muschamp made a visit. Something very interesting, FSU hasn't made a move yet, according to Mr. Jackson. He already visited us back on Dec 13, and was in Gainesville last week on an OV. Chances of landing him: 40%
4. Treon Harris - ATH BTW - As I said last week, Auburn is a player here as well as UF. Harris' Brother (Brandon - Former CANE), said to Safid Deen last week in the Herald that he's "open to listening to [the 'Canes], but they’re trying to make up a lot of ground in a short time." . Though he's currently committed to FSU, Auburn, I believe is going to make a very strong play for him, as I was told on by a source very close to BTW and Ice. Don't be shocked if he ends up at Auburn in the end. Chances of getting him: 15%
5. Brayden Lenius - WR West Hills (CA) Chaminade - He's visited Washington State already, and will visit the Twin Cities tomorrow for an OV there at Minnesota. We get the last shot with a visit from him next weekend. This is a teammate of Brad Kaaya, who has committed to us for a while now. This looks like a package deal here. If we get Kaaya, as expected, then Lenius will come here as well. Chance of getting him: 90%

Here's the link to the article from Bleacher Report. 

Latest recruiting tidbits 1/20/14

According to a source close to the BTW and Ice Harris Camp, here's some interesting information that will be very interesting to discuss: 

1. This source confirmed what I thought all along about the Kirkland Fiasco last year 72 hours before NSD. The Kirkland fiasco is was on Al Golden's head. What I was told was that Ice TOLD Al and our staff that we had Kirkland lock, stock, and barrel. However, Kirkland wanted to do the whole hat deal, and Al wasn't very happy about it ata all. From what I was told by this source, Al sent Barrow there after their championship parade, to give him an ultimatum, either commit right there and then and dump the whole ceremony, or we pull your 'ship. 
You know what happened after that. Denver was devastated!! and you could see Al's face on ESPNU that day when he was interviewed. You could see the beaten look on his face. 

2. I had always though we were the favorites for #6 Matthew Thomas. However, I was told by my source, that Ice said to Al that #6 was never coming. The Thomas camp was very stubborn and thought they could get him to change his mind and come to the U, but that was not to be at the end of the day. As for Skai Moore, he really wanted to come here, but we never offered him a 'ship and that was another mistake by Al and the staff.  

3. As for Ice's son, Treon. his committment to FSU, was all Jimbo, as he personally recruited him.  This was his baby. In Treon's workouts, Jimbo spent an entire Day with him getting to know him better and in the film room, office showing him how he would use them in their offense--as a QB (to me is unlikely considering there's Jameis Winston that will be starting for another 1-2 years up there). Jimbo personally assured the family, over and over how he can be effective in their offense--as a QB 

4. Here's something to watch here: It seems that Auburn is about to get in the game for Treon at QB and from what I'm told, he will visit the Plains very soon.  Gus (Malzahn) loves Treon and he loves Gus. Watch that one very closely in the final weeks leading up to NSD, though I read this morning that UF is also in the mix here for Harris. In Malzahn's offense, Harris could be a great one that people talk about after he leaves for the League.  

5. On Mark Walton. this kid loves our team, the school and wants to stay home. However, according to my source, unfortunately, he will NOT be able to re-classify. From what I'm told, Ice said that Mark is a good student, but there's still much he needs to do here, more on the mental end, than physical. This young man was given very bad advice that those inside the Walton camp. This kid will be an animal to deal with. He will be on the track team this offseason in order for him to get FASTER and once fall camp starts, this kid will be pounding the rock very often. 

On the issue of who the better recruiter is, this source said that it's clearly Randy. He likes Al a lot, but when it comes to in-homes, Randy was better "in the home" and also he was the one who was able to get momma, grandmother, daddy, uncle, aunt - whoever - on board. When it comes to Al, he's more about the media and PR. Al wins the media game, and can win over the Mom and Dad through the Media, as opposed to in the homes. 

As for the one of the two grand prizes in this class, Chad Thomas: Ice was very funny when asking about Chad. He said, to my source, you guys don't have to worry about Chad. in his words-- "He was at the UA Game throwing up The damn U every chance he could get. He told Al, you don't have to worry about Chad, he's in, you good." I was told by this same source yesterday not to worry about Bama, Texas, and FSU getting involved possibly. At the end of the day, I was told emphatically that at the end of the day, Chad will be a CANE.