Is there REALLY trouble on the recruiting front?

I want to start by saying I’m a fan of Manny Navarro’s work. As far as University of Miami football coverage goes, this guy rolls up his sleeves and gets knee-deep in it. No local beat writer covers the Canes like Navarro. He’s has my respect.

Whereas this blog is editorial-style, with long distance thoughts from a long-time, opinionated Cane, Manny’s reporting helps fans keep better tabs on the day-to-day regarding all things The U. No one is pretending to be something they’re not.

Being that this site is all about giving opinions, let’s throw another out there for discussion — Manny’s Friday rant was off base, out of character and definitely jumped the gun. 

What is the point of a mid-April piece about ‘intruders’ breaching UM’s local recruiting wall – two months after Signing Day and ten months from the next one? Navarro claims that UM’s hold over local talent “is beginning to disappear like the ozone” and says that he’s hearing change in the voices of local players and their affinity for the Canes.

Ten months from now we’ll find out the fate of Corey Lemonier, Jakhari Gore, Jose Jose and Ivan McCartney. All grew up Miami fans and according to Navarro, all could wind up elsewhere because all lack some cult-like adoration for the hometown program.

Godforbid some high school seniors want to explore and see something outside their beloved 305 or 954 area code.

I don’t get the ‘sky is falling’ tone of Navarro’s piece. Not now. Not when things at Miami are looking better than they have in half a decade. The Canes finally have a playmaker and leader at quarterback. A slew of talented wideouts. A stable of running backs. Depth on the defensive line. Talent at linebacker. Potential in the secondary. A veteran offensive playcaller and a capable defensive position coach that will work with a defensive minded head coach.

With an exciting season around the corner, why in God’s name is Navarro sweating what some teenagers are saying regarding a decision they’ll make almost a year from now?

Ten months is a lifetime to a high school senior; especially a big time football recruit. Opinions change like the weather and these kids are all about following trends, being easily influenced and even more so, talking a big game. They’re kids. C’mon now, what did ANY of us really know when we were seventeen? Not a fraction as much as we thought.

Navarro asks why Booker T. Washington running back Eduardo Clements is favoring Georgia, despite the fact his former high school coach is now on UM’s staff and three of his former teammates are at The U.

The Knowshon Moreno train has left Athens and the Bulldogs have both Caleb King and Richard Samuel waiting in the wings, as well as a few lesser known backs. King and Samuel come highly-touted, but rather inexperienced.

In Miami, it’s the Graig Cooper and Javarris James show for at least one more year. Also waiting in the wings, Lee Chambers and newbies Mike James and Lamar Miller. Not to mention, out of nowhere safety-turned-running back Damien Berry, who tore up spring ball.

Two legit prospects at UGA versus a few proven entities and some new super freshman at UM? Might the depth chart have more to do with Clements’ waning interest than some conspiracy theory that Miami’s wall around South Florida is crumbling?

Same to be said for local receiver Quinton Dunbar, a recent Miami decommit from a few weeks back. Is this really an indictment on UM or simply another kid who reexamined the depth chart? Sounds more like Dunbar is trying to avoid an uncomfortable Bryce Brown-like moment and realizes an early commitment isn’t the best call if he’s truly looking elsewhere. 

Leonard Hankerson, Aldarius Johnson, Travis Benjamin, Thearon Collier, LaRon Byrd and Davon Johnson all made a mark in 2008 and now Kendal Thompkins and Tommie Streeter are on healthy for 2009. That’s eight receivers Dunbar is looking up at depth chart-wise if he signs with Miami in fall.

Definitely not the place if you’re not in the mood to compete or expect the promise of immediate starting time.

Former wideout Jermaine McKenzie — a four-star prospect a few years back — recently left the program because of an influx of talent at Miami and inability to crack the depth chart. Others feel the depth at receiver sent Andre Dubose to Florida, instead of to Miami with high school teammates Dyron Dye and Ray Ray Armstrong.

When hearing that, is it a big deal of Dunbar, a three-star, also seemed to flinch when sizing up the current crop of talent and reopened up his recruitment? Furthermore, what’s the point of committing early anyways? Word is hardly a bond when talking about athletes and their supposed “commitment” to a university. I don’t know of many committed relationships where one party is allowed to keep their options open, while being wooed by other prospects.

The recruiting game is a joke and this double-talk from the mouths of babes means absolutely nada.

There’s a lot of football to be played between now and February 2010. The entire schedule and bowl season, actually. I promise everyone that Lemonier, Gore, Jose and McCartney do their fair share of flip-flopping over the next ten months. Let’s see how hot Clements stays on Georgia if their two new backs light it up this fall and clog up the depth chart. Let’s also wait and see Clements’ reaction if the hometown Canes have a breakout season. Same with Dunbar. Will these guys really want to look elsewhere and miss out at a shot at playing for the hometown team?

According to Manny, Miami isn’t the sexy pick right now. Some kids are fawning over the style and dare I say ‘swagger’ of former Cane Mario Cristobal over at FIU — 1-11 two years ago and 5-7 last season.

Let’s see how things play out for the Golden Panthers this year and let’s measure the growth of both local programs after the season. February is a long way away and not only can a lot change between now and then, you can bet that it most certainly will.

Kids were loving on Greg Schiano and Rutgers after a big time run in 2006, but the tide quickly turned a year later and hasn’t been the same since. Perception becomes reality, but as we know with high school kids, perception changes on a dime.

Let’s discuss all these supposed chinks in the recruiting armor after year three of the Randy Shannon era, not before. The present is too bright to ‘worry’ about what some high school phenoms might or might not do. The current crop of Canes are the ones who need to win games and ensure future players get on board and keep the tradition alive.

Focus on the kids who are here, not the game players who are stringing you along for the ride. 

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