CORAL GABLES — Jack Allison was the first recruit Mark Richt watched when he took over. “I really enjoyed watching his tape,” he said.
Studying his highly regarded quarterback recruit was easy work for Richt, the former Hurricanes quarterback and current head coach. The job got tougher from there.
Taking over the program Dec. 4 – and with a little more than three weeks of NCAA-allotted face time with recruits – Richt had to become familiar with UM’s existing list of commits, determine areas of need and try to recruit the best available talent. Oh, and hire a full staff of coaches to help him.
The results? UM wound up with a class rated as high as No. 18 nationally by ESPN and as low as No. 37 by Scout. It took a few lumps, losing the services of a highly regarded cornerback and a speedy wide receiver, both of whom wound up signing with Tennessee. However, the Hurricanes gained four commitments and wound up signing 13 players – including a major talent at a position of great need – to go along with five players who enrolled last month.
“I’m tired, but it’s a good tired,” Richt said Wednesday afternoon. “I can’t think of one high school I went into that wasn’t almost overwhelming[ly positive] in what they felt was going to happen at Miami. They felt everything they need is right here.”
Richt, who played at Boca Raton High, found a great deal of success in Palm Beach County. He signed the top-rated player in the area, for starters. Wellington High wide receiver Ahmmon Richards chose UM over Alabama and Auburn. UM, which saw linebacker Zach McCloud (Santaluces) enroll last month, held onto running back Travis Homer (Oxbridge Academy).
Richards is particularly important to UM, since the Hurricanes lose two of their top three pass-catchers from last year and return just five receivers on scholarship. He should see immediate playing time, catching passes from junior-to-be Brad Kaaya along with shifty slot receiver Sam Bruce, of Fort Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas. Richt called Richards a “very smooth athlete” and Bruce “very explosive.”
Richt praised sure-handed Dionte Mullins, of Miami-Gulliver Prep, as having the “raw ability” UM was looking for. Mullins, who did not play as a senior because of academic issues, turned heads when he made a spectacular one-handed touchdown catch in the Under Armour All-America Game.
UM landed three players whose relatives starred at UM: St. Thomas Aquinas tight end Michael Irvin II (son of the Pro Football Hall of Famer), Vero Beach defensive end Patrick Bethel (son of Randy) and Orlando-area safety Jeff James, Edgerrin’s nephew.
“Never hurts to have children of championship athletes,” Richt said.
Like Bethel and McCloud, linebackers Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney enrolled last month and will participate in spring practices. Jack Allison, expected to be the successor to Kaaya, will join them.
“We’re all really hungry,” McCloud said. “I went on other visits to other schools, met other coaches. The environment at those schools wasn’t like here. This is home. This is the place to be.”
Their decisions took some of the sting out of losing Tyler Byrd, a top-100 player nationally according to ESPN. He defected to Tennessee late Tuesday. Wednesday morning, receiver Latrell Williams joined him in Knoxville, where former UM tight ends coach Larry Scott now holds the same position.
There was little drama at Gulliver, where Mullins, defensive end Joseph Jackson and safety Cedrick Wright sent their letters of intent to UM before 9 a.m. All three said they made up their minds to play for Miami as high school juniors.
“It feels good to be going to one of the best colleges,” said Mullins, whose coach, Earl Sims, acknowledged that he needs to bring up his grades in order to qualify for UM. “I bring a lot of swag, a lot of talent, along with the other recruits. It should be fun. We have a bright future.”
Like Wright and Mullins, Jackson said he felt that way when Richt was hired.
“He’s going to change things for the better,” Jackson said.
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