As the Miami Hurricanes prepare for the #17 North Carolina Tar Heels, head coach Manny Diaz is also working to put the finishing touches on UM’s 2021 recruiting class with the early signing period starting next week.
"From an accounting standpoint, we can only sign 24,” Diaz said. “We could sign 24, it simply depends on some last-minute decision-making. I’d say there’s a fair chance it happens. We’ll see.”
Earlier today, CB Al Blades announced he will miss the rest of the season due to heart complications from COVID-19, although he is expected to make a full recovery to play his senior season at UM in 2021.
“We’re just trying to support Al, you feel for him because of how much it means for him to be a Miami Hurricane, to be with our team,” Diaz said. “This is why people put the checks in place. It’s another reminder of the severity of coronavirus. Now we’re doing everything we can to support him, try to have him be part of our team even though he’s not going to be able to play these last few games.
“The stories are all so different in how it affects people, the symptoms. And the symptoms don’t even relate to the outcome Al had. There’s such a randomness to how it affects people. You feel awful for him, but the only thing that is encouraging from what medical people say is he should expect to make a full recovery and get back and finish a great career with Miami.”
With Blades out, freshmen corners Isaiah Dunson and Marcus Clarke will be seeing more snaps, and the two played well last weekend vs. Duke.
“It’s time for them to step up,” Diaz said. “I think of Trajan Bandy the November of his freshman year, even Al Blades his freshman year against LSU at nickel. It’s what you prepare these guys for. Dunson played nickel this past game. It was really important to see Marcus Clarke get in there not just on defense, but special teams and make plays in space. Marcus’ ball skills might be the best in our secondary. We’ll need those guys, especially with the challenge this weekend.
“We have all kinds of contingencies (at corner). We’ve already made those plans, guys that can fill in if needed.”
In a 2020 season filled with plenty of uncertainty from week-to-week, the ACC has ended up playing the most games of any conference and Diaz was asked his opinion on why that was.
"I think so much of the credit for the entire league and what they’ve done - I really think our president, Julio Frenk in that room with the other university presidents, his expertise and background gave other university presidents confidence that we could do this going forward and start as close to on time as really the first major Power 5 league to get rolling.”
"From an accounting standpoint, we can only sign 24,” Diaz said. “We could sign 24, it simply depends on some last-minute decision-making. I’d say there’s a fair chance it happens. We’ll see.”
Earlier today, CB Al Blades announced he will miss the rest of the season due to heart complications from COVID-19, although he is expected to make a full recovery to play his senior season at UM in 2021.
“We’re just trying to support Al, you feel for him because of how much it means for him to be a Miami Hurricane, to be with our team,” Diaz said. “This is why people put the checks in place. It’s another reminder of the severity of coronavirus. Now we’re doing everything we can to support him, try to have him be part of our team even though he’s not going to be able to play these last few games.
“The stories are all so different in how it affects people, the symptoms. And the symptoms don’t even relate to the outcome Al had. There’s such a randomness to how it affects people. You feel awful for him, but the only thing that is encouraging from what medical people say is he should expect to make a full recovery and get back and finish a great career with Miami.”
With Blades out, freshmen corners Isaiah Dunson and Marcus Clarke will be seeing more snaps, and the two played well last weekend vs. Duke.
“It’s time for them to step up,” Diaz said. “I think of Trajan Bandy the November of his freshman year, even Al Blades his freshman year against LSU at nickel. It’s what you prepare these guys for. Dunson played nickel this past game. It was really important to see Marcus Clarke get in there not just on defense, but special teams and make plays in space. Marcus’ ball skills might be the best in our secondary. We’ll need those guys, especially with the challenge this weekend.
“We have all kinds of contingencies (at corner). We’ve already made those plans, guys that can fill in if needed.”
In a 2020 season filled with plenty of uncertainty from week-to-week, the ACC has ended up playing the most games of any conference and Diaz was asked his opinion on why that was.
"I think so much of the credit for the entire league and what they’ve done - I really think our president, Julio Frenk in that room with the other university presidents, his expertise and background gave other university presidents confidence that we could do this going forward and start as close to on time as really the first major Power 5 league to get rolling.”
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