DB Bryce Fitzgerald commits to Miami

DMoney

Aug 17, 2024 2 min read

The Canes landed one of the best athletes in Florida with the commitment of DB Bryce Fitzgerald. The 6'1, 175-pounder picked off 10 passes last year for a state champion Columbus team, while also scoring multiple TDs as a receiver, returner, and defender.

Fitzgerald is considered an elite athlete locally and ran one of the faster combine times in the South with a 4.48 forty. He chose Miami over FSU and LSU and is considered the #120 overall player in the country.

In addition to his football exploits, Fitzgerald is also a skilled basketball player. He put up 11.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.5 steals as a sophomore on Belen Jesuit's state title team, and will return to the hardwood as a senior on a loaded Columbus squad featuring the top-rated Boozer twins.

Fitzgerald is the 22nd commitment in Miami's class, joining QB Luke Nickel, RB Girard Pringle, TE Brock Schott, TE Luka Gilbert, OT Jaden Wilkerson, OT Demetrius Campbell, OG Max Buchanan, OG TK Muex, OC SJ Alofaituli, DE Herbert Scroggins, DT Donta Simpson, DT Mykah Newton, LB Gavin Nix, LB Ezekiel Marcelin, LB Elijah Melendez, CB Chris Ewald, S Hylton "Drake" Stubbs, CB Jaboree Antoine, DB Amari Wallace, and DB Tim Merritt

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DeanCane

Sep 17, 2024

Dwinstitles said:
No I agree Chris Johnson is fast asf but when u watch him in college guys are closer to him than HS. Thats all I am saying is that college speed is different where as in HS your highlight tape can be insane do to HS players being slower than college. Thats all I am saying

To your point... HS doesn't have as many fast guys on the field. College the whole team is fast

Dwinstitles

Sep 17, 2024

CT Cane 44 said:
Jesus the speed isn’t the issue with this kid. But there is an area of concern.

Can’t switch speeds and his cone drill probably ain’t that good. Has to be something to do with change of direction

Dwinstitles

Sep 17, 2024

DeanCane said:
To your point... HS doesn't have as many fast guys on the field. College the whole team is fast

Yea everything is tighter (pause) the spacing everything. And you got guys covering you hitting you on the line and are stronger than you etc. way different then HS

grover

Sep 17, 2024

Coach Macho said:
Not gonna happen. He has zero eagerness to tackle.

He did have a really nice INT versus STA though.

@Coach Macho do you think Guidry and Chevis can teach him to be a tackler? JW didn't like to tackle either, was my biggest concern about him coming out of HS. But he finally moved closer to the line last season as is knocking guys back in the League now.

Coach Macho

Sep 18, 2024

grover said:
@Coach Macho do you think Guidry and Chevis can teach him to be a tackler? JW didn't like to tackle either, was my biggest concern about him coming out of HS. But he finally moved closer to the line last season as is knocking guys back in the League

The techniques can be taught but the truth is, tackling is 80% "want to".

When the ball is in the air, there may be nobody better in South Florida.
But when it's a running play, Columbus might as well be playing with 10 defenders.

With the way today's game is played on offense, there's more and more pressure for Safeties to be a part of the running defense. And Guidry's scheme asks his Safeties to come to the party. Look at the year Jaden Harris is having. This guy has been making plays in the box all season.

There's a lot less pressure on CB's to show up in the run game, so maybe the kid will translate there if he doesn't change.

Last edited: Sep 19, 2024

Calinative

Sep 18, 2024

Coach Macho said:
The techniques can be taught but the truth is, tackling is 80% "want to".

When the ball is in the air, there may be nobody better in South Florida.
But when it's a running play, Columbus might as well be playing with 10 defenders.

With the way today's game is played on offense, there's more and more pressure for Safeties to be a part of the running defense. And Guidry's scheme asks his Safeties to come to the party. Look at the year Jaden Harris is having. This guy has been making plays in the box all season.

There's a lot less pressure on CB's so show up in the run game, so maybe the kid will translate there if he doesn't change.

The role we have Meesh playing so far isn't exactly heavily involved in the run game compared to Jaden Harris either though, We are keeping him in a much more traditional single high FS role. Dude has 1 solo tackle on the year lol. Granted we haven't really played anyone yet, and we will see how the rest of the season plays out and if anything changes... But to me this could be a perfect role for Fitzgerald if he does stay at safety.

However If he has the speed, I don't see why not playing him at CB. Guess that'll mostly depend on how well we actually finish for recruiting there. If we miss on Hanks and Pickett, I'd have him at CB.

Canesfan1899

Sep 18, 2024

Coach Macho said:
The techniques can be taught but the truth is, tackling is 80% "want to".

When the ball is in the air, there may be nobody better in South Florida.
But when it's a running play, Columbus might as well be playing with 10 defenders.

With the way today's game is played on offense, there's more and more pressure for Safeties to be a part of the running defense. And Guidry's scheme asks his Safeties to come to the party. Look at the year Jaden Harris is having. This guy has been making plays in the box all season.

There's a lot less pressure on CB's so show up in the run game, so maybe the kid will translate there if he doesn't change.

Just can’t afford to have guys that aren’t willing to make a tackle in the college game. Contact and hitting is an attitude. Can have all the talent in the world but if you are a defender and aren’t willing to support run defense you’re not playing.

gogeta4

Sep 18, 2024

Calinative said:
The role we have Meesh playing so far isn't exactly heavily involved in the run game compared to Jaden Harris either though, We are keeping him in a much more traditional single high FS role. Dude has 1 solo tackle on the year lol. Granted we haven't really played anyone yet, and we will see how the rest of the season plays out and if anything changes... But to me this could be a perfect role for Fitzgerald if he does stay at safety.

However If he has the speed, I don't see why not playing him at CB. Guess that'll mostly depend on how well we actually finish for recruiting there. If we miss on Hanks and Pickett, I'd have him at CB.

This kid needs to be viewed as a cb. It would be a disservice to his game in our defense. He has cb ability..speed isnt a concern with him and his ball skills are crazy.

They need to go flip a real safety and keep chugging away at Pickett. The only thing i can say could change if they view Pickett as a safety prospect. But he himself i think sees himself as a corner.

So this is interesting how this will play out if every thing goes we may end up looking like an fsu db class with all these guys...but we need it anyway. lol

grover

Sep 18, 2024

gogeta4 said:
This kid needs to be viewed as a cb. It would be a disservice to his game in our defense. He has cb ability..speed isnt a concern with him and his ball skills are crazy.

They need to go flip a real safety and keep chugging away at Pickett. The only thing i can say could change if they view Pickett as a safety prospect. But he himself i think sees himself as a corner.

So this is interesting how this will play out if every thing goes we may end up looking like an fsu db class with all these guys...but we need it anyway. lol

Are you actively trying to Voodoo curse us? What did you post on Grassy back in 2003 that caused the last 20 years? Evil spirits begone!!!

Calinative

Sep 18, 2024

gogeta4 said:
This kid needs to be viewed as a cb. It would be a disservice to his game in our defense. He has cb ability..speed isnt a concern with him and his ball skills are crazy.

They need to go flip a real safety and keep chugging away at Pickett. The only thing i can say could change if they view Pickett as a safety prospect. But he himself i think sees himself as a corner.

So this is interesting how this will play out if every thing goes we may end up looking like an fsu db class with all these guys...but we need it anyway. lol

I mean I'd lean CB too. Just saying how Kam was viewed as a ballhawking FS but still pretty active in the run defense gameplan, doesn't seem to be how we are using Meesh right now. Like I think Fitzgerald could be a Malik Hooker (2016 Ohio St) type if he was kept at safety.

But I think we just bring in all these DBs - Hopefully Pickett, Hanks, Stubbs, Antoine, Amari Wallace, Chris Ewald, Tim Merritt, and Fitzgerald... then just let them compete and let the positions sort themselves out. Obviously Hanks, Antoine, and Ewald would be definite CBs and Stubbs a definite S. But Amari Wallace is going to miss a year almost certainly. But any 1-2 of him, Fitzgerald, Pickett, and honestly even Merritt could all end up a safety eventually.

Coach Macho

Sep 19, 2024

I'm not worried about Safety.
We got 2 young certified killers that are going to be locking down those 2 Safety spots for the next 3 years.

And possibly the best 2027 Safety in the country sitting here next to me.

We good.

J
Jaxson Villain

Sep 19, 2024

Coach Macho said:
I'm not worried about Safety.
We got 2 young certified killers that are going to be locking down those 2 Safety spots for the next 3 years.

And possibly the best 2027 Safety in the country sitting here next to me.

We good.

Who’s that?

JHallCanes

Sep 19, 2024

Coach Macho said:
I'm not worried about Safety.
We got 2 young certified killers that are going to be locking down those 2 Safety spots for the next 3 years.

And possibly the best 2027 Safety in the country sitting here next to me.

We good.

Who was the guy that posted he was sitting with Patrick Peterson and got everyone all riled up?

AUcane

Sep 19, 2024

Coach Macho said:
I'm not worried about Safety.
We got 2 young certified killers that are going to be locking down those 2 Safety spots for the next 3 years.

And possibly the best 2027 Safety in the country sitting here next to me.

We good.

Quan and…..???

Day?

J
Jaxson Villain

Sep 19, 2024

AUcane said:
Quan and…..???

Day?

Quan and Stubbs

C
CT Cane 44

Sep 19, 2024

Coach Macho said:
The techniques can be taught but the truth is, tackling is 80% "want to".

When the ball is in the air, there may be nobody better in South Florida.
But when it's a running play, Columbus might as well be playing with 10 defenders.

With the way today's game is played on offense, there's more and more pressure for Safeties to be a part of the running defense. And Guidry's scheme asks his Safeties to come to the party. Look at the year Jaden Harris is having. This guy has been making plays in the box all season.

There's a lot less pressure on CB's to show up in the run game, so maybe the kid will translate there if he doesn't change.

Appreciate this but can the kid at least grab leg? I’m surprised with all Miami can recruit that they would take a kid who doesn’t wanna hit with what safeties are required in this scheme. Is their plan to play him at corner?

Coach Macho

Sep 19, 2024

Jaxson Villain said:
Who’s that?

Jaylyn Jones

Coach Macho

Sep 19, 2024

CT Cane 44 said:
Appreciate this but can the kid at least grab leg? I’m surprised with all Miami can recruit that they would take a kid who doesn’t wanna hit with what safeties are required in this scheme. Is their plan to play him at corner?

He's one of the best athletes down here. You have to recruit him. Get him on campus and figure out his deficiencies later.

3
305407cane

Sep 19, 2024

CT Cane 44 said:
Appreciate this but can the kid at least grab leg? I’m surprised with all Miami can recruit that they would take a kid who doesn’t wanna hit with what safeties are required in this scheme. Is their plan to play him at corner?

Holy ****