The Miami Hurricanes reeled in what ESPN called the top-rated class back in 2008, chock full of big time wide receivers, linebackers and defensive linemen. A year ago this time, Signing Day was a roller coaster ride and was exciting. Commits were piling up as the day went on and there seemed to be twists and turns around every corner.
2009 is proving to be effective instead of exciting. Void-filling and solid, instead of up, down and all around.
An ounce of drama remains, regarding top-ranked running back Bryce Brown. While the verbal to Miami is still in tact, Team Brown has made it clear there will be no news on Signing Day, as they play the game and go through the process.
With Mark Whipple calling the offensive shots and big brother Arthur Brown already one year in the program, the Canes are still the team to beat… but it’s definitely taking something away from the excitement of Signing Day when your top prospect chooses to mull over a decision he made and confirmed almost a year ago this time.
Sheldon Richardson looked to be a guy who would give Miami a Signing Day boost, but the St. Louis prospect announced earlier that he’s sticking to his Missouri commitment. The Canes went hard at the five-star, but the DT/TE chose to stay home. Same for OT Marcus Hall, who stayed local and committed to Ohio State a few days back.
Miami doesn’t look like there will be any Signing Day surprises this year, which is obviously good and bad. For every Richardson or Hall who got away, those who verballed with the Canes days, weeks or months back, are sticking to their commitments. Sadly, in this ‘instant gratification’ Internet society, the process makes the fans numb.
The Canes inked nineteen commitments today and according to ESPN, reeled in the seventh-ranked class. Par for the course regarding the fan base, many in Hurricane Nation focused more on the ones who got away instead of those who came aboard.
Fans are suckers for hat trickery and last minute signing day hijinx. ESPN U provides half a day’s worth of coverage, in an effort to fill a need feed the hype machine. Last year, Miami was knee-deep in the Signing Day hoopla. A healthy dose of national champions from Northwestern and Booker T. Washington. Last minute commits televised live. It was a shot in the arm for a program hurting talent and depth-wise.
A year later, a different feel as Shannon and staffed filled needs, flew under the radar and started locking down commits last spring. Today “signing day” was a formality in the sense that early enrollees were already on board. Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s isn’t as exciting as a full day of chain-yanking, as kids draw out the process.
Adding four to five offensive linemen simply isn’t as sexy as bringing in half dozen top flight receivers. For some, losing a Kayvon Webster felt worse than gaining a Billy Sanders. Why, I don’t know.
Four to five new members added to to the secondary today, yet people lament a three-star who defected late for South Florida. Ray Ray Armstrong and Jamal Reid on board at safety and corner, but some folks prefer to sweat losing Webster?
Proof that some fans are lost causes, impossible to satisfy. Crying the blues on a doom-and-gloom message board has become more trendy than logic and optimism.
Sanders, an early Miami commit who defected for UCLA, recommitted to the Canes. The 6’4″ and 235 pound tight end helps fill a much-needed, big time void… yet some still focus on the ones that got away. Amazing.
For those who say Shannon couldn’t close. you’re off base. Closing is more than signing day – it’s the process down the stretch. Reeling in Rutgers commit Malcolm Bunche weeks back is closing. Same for Shayon Green, a Georgia prospect already committed to Purdue.
Landing Armstrong and Dyron Dye at the UnderArmour game is closing. Keeping Luther Robinson and Oliver Vernon on board, when both long-time commits started getting distracted as February approached; that’s closing.
Each late commit each as big as getting Sanders back day-of.
Miami is coming off 7-6 and hauled in the seventh-ranked class. A year ago, 5-7 and the top-ranked class. Shannon’ first year, less than two months on the job and he still backed into the top ten when he first proved he could close.
Six teams finished ahead of Miami this year. Four were in the BCS. The others, last year’s preseason number one and the past two national champions. After them, a program that went 19-19 the past three seasons. Fiesta Bowl loser Ohio State finished ninth. Orange Bowl winner Virginia Tech came in 18th. Rose Bowl loser Penn State didn’t even crack the top fifteen.
What other 7-6 teams are selling their program and rebuilding project the way Shannon and staff are? No one. Depth is being built at all the right positions. More freshman will have an immediate impact this fall. Last year’s superstar newbies are coming back proven sophomores.
Today wasn’t a flashy day for the University of Miami, but it was a much-needed, effective one. Those who aren’t excited by this class, check out last year’s depth chart and pencil in this most recent class. There’s reason to be excited.
A hearty welcome to this year’s freshman class.
Ray Ray Armstrong (ATH)
Malcoim Bunche (OL)
Dyron Dye (DE)
Shayon Green (DE)
A.J. Highsmith (ATH)
Mike James (RB)
Jermaine Johnson (OL)
Prince Kent (ATH)
Brandon McGee (DB)
Lamar Miller (RB)
Stephen Plein (TE)
Curtis Porter (DT)
Jamal Reid (ATH)
Luther Robinson (DT)
Billy Sanders (TE)
Oliver Vernon (DE)
Brandon Washington (OL)
Jared Wheeler (OL)
Cory White (TE)
Only name missing is Brown, on vacation, fasting away and heeding the advice of mentor Bryce Butler. Should that situation work itself out, with Brown sticking to his commitment, Shannon will have again outdone himself and pulled in a stellar class.
Even without Brown, there’s a lot of meat on the bone with these nineteen.