Mario Cristobal talks class: “We’ll continue to grow through the second signing period and Portal"
Originally from miamihurricanes.com
It has been a priority for Miami head coach Mario Cristobal since he returned to his alma mater three years ago: find ways to bring top-notch talent to Miami and build the Hurricanes program from the ground up.
On Wednesday – the first day of the early signing period – Cristobal and the Hurricanes continued working toward that perennial goal, landing another top 15 recruiting class that, once again, is ranked highest in the ACC.
And, the coach noted, Miami’s work is far from finished.
“It is kind of continuing to grow and grow,” Cristobal said. “We’ll continue to grow through the second signing period, and of course, through the [transfer] portal period, strategically.”
Included in that group that signed Wednesday are three high school prospects rated to be among the top six nationally at their respective positions, including four-star defensive lineman Hayden Lowe (No. 3 edge rusher), five-star offensive lineman SJ Alofaituli (No. 5 offensive lineman) and four-star running back Gerard Pringle, Jr. (No. 6 running back).
Also in that group were seven standouts from across South Florida and a total of 13 prospects who hail from the Sunshine State.
But it wasn’t merely the talent of the 21 newest Hurricanes that impressed Cristobal and his staff during the recruiting process.
It was the way they recognized the progress the program is making and embraced the culture that has helped Miami put together its first 10-win season since 2017.
“We’re thrilled about these guys,” Cristobal said. “It’s a smaller class, and we’re okay with that. These are the ones that we felt were the right ones for us. We got most of the ones we wanted, missed on a couple, had an addition late, lost a couple guys the last day, but overall, a really good signing day for us.”
Two of the areas the Hurricanes looked to stack talent were both the offensive line and the secondary, with Miami signing four offensive linemen and four defensive backs.
Joining Alofaituli in that offensive line group were a trio of Florida-based prospects including lineman Max Buchanan of Seminole High School in Sanford, tackle Jaden Wilkerson of Orlando Edgewater High School and tackle Demetrius Campbell of Orlando Christian Prep.
“These guys all hit it off really well, which is important for us because that position and the secondary, those guys have to play as one,” said Cristobal, a two-time national champion himself during his time at Miami. “These guys, they’re 100 percent our kind of guys. They are all about the culture that we’ve established and they’re certainly going to be great players.”
In the secondary, the Hurricanes added four four-star prospects, including safety Bryce Fitzgerald of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School, cornerback Amari Wallace of Miami Central, cornerback Chris Ewald, Jr. of Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, and cornerback Jaboree Antoine of Westgate High in New Iberia, Louisiana.
“I think all those guys, they have relationships. They have ties and they’re hard workers,” Cristobal said. “They’re going to have to work really, really hard and they know it. And we talk about it, because we certainly need help in the secondary.”
Also joining the Hurricanes on Wednesday were four defensive linemen: Lowe, four-star edge rusher Herbert Scroggins III of Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia, three-star Donta Simpson, Jr. of Chaminade-Madonna and three-star edge Mykah Newton of Newberry High School in Gainesville.
Miami’s class also featured the addition of four-star quarterback prospect Luke Nickel, who verbally committed to Miami last summer and held firm through the entirety of the recruiting process.
Nickel was among the first prospects to submit their signed letters-of-intent on Wednesday and his leadership, Cristobal said, is part of what makes him an invaluable addition to this year’s class.
“Offensive player of the year in Georgia, goes to Elite 11 with a sprained ankle and absolutely lights it up. State champion competing for another state title now. Top 100 guy. Complete winner and a great identification by [offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shannon] Dawson because he didn’t have much attention,” Cristobal said. “We brought him over here to camp, a lot like [defensive back] OJ Frederique and he just lit it up. He has that moxie, that personality, that aura about him. Great leadership skills, hard worker, accurate, tough … When your quarterback hangs in there like that, that does a lot for the rest of the class.”
Also headed to Coral Gables are four-star tight end Brock Schott of Leo High School in Indiana, four-star wide receiver Josh Moore of West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines, four-star tight end Luka Gilbert of Lakota West High in Ohio, four-star linebacker Kellen Wiley of Armwood High School in Tampa, four-star wide receiver Malachi Toney of American Heritage in Plantation, four-star linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin, Jr. of Miami Central and three-star wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw of Central High in Alabama.
Cristobal noted he expects 19 of Miami’s signees to join the Hurricanes as early enrollees next month, something he says will help them as they look to acclimate not just to college life, but the rigors of college football, too.
“That allows your players to really start to not only refer to all the work you’ve done since January … We push for it, especially academically, because if you can get your diploma in three years flat, you’ve got some great options,” Cristobal said.
Now, with the first day of the early signing period behind them, the Hurricanes will turn their focus to continuing to bolster their roster through the transfer portal and February’s signing period.
And Cristobal, again, reiterated the Hurricanes will continue working to find the best talent they can and fill needs that need to be filled.
“I think it’s important that we trust a process that has [improved] the same team from five wins to seven wins to 10 wins in the regular season with a team that’s [been] competitive in every outing that we have had and a future that is bright because we have recruited well at the high school level,” Cristobal said. “We’re not a team that is strictly portal-driven. We have really good high school players at every position that are developing and are doing well. And as you study the landscape of recruiting and just roster management, the portal is more active than ever, has been more active than ever.
“So, you prepare to gain, you prepare to lose some, you prepare to move some on, you prepare to bring some in … But all in all, you make sure you’re doing right by these young men and their families and always doing right by the University of Miami and doing everything possible to continue elevating the program.”
It has been a priority for Miami head coach Mario Cristobal since he returned to his alma mater three years ago: find ways to bring top-notch talent to Miami and build the Hurricanes program from the ground up.
On Wednesday – the first day of the early signing period – Cristobal and the Hurricanes continued working toward that perennial goal, landing another top 15 recruiting class that, once again, is ranked highest in the ACC.
And, the coach noted, Miami’s work is far from finished.
“It is kind of continuing to grow and grow,” Cristobal said. “We’ll continue to grow through the second signing period, and of course, through the [transfer] portal period, strategically.”
Included in that group that signed Wednesday are three high school prospects rated to be among the top six nationally at their respective positions, including four-star defensive lineman Hayden Lowe (No. 3 edge rusher), five-star offensive lineman SJ Alofaituli (No. 5 offensive lineman) and four-star running back Gerard Pringle, Jr. (No. 6 running back).
Also in that group were seven standouts from across South Florida and a total of 13 prospects who hail from the Sunshine State.
But it wasn’t merely the talent of the 21 newest Hurricanes that impressed Cristobal and his staff during the recruiting process.
It was the way they recognized the progress the program is making and embraced the culture that has helped Miami put together its first 10-win season since 2017.
“We’re thrilled about these guys,” Cristobal said. “It’s a smaller class, and we’re okay with that. These are the ones that we felt were the right ones for us. We got most of the ones we wanted, missed on a couple, had an addition late, lost a couple guys the last day, but overall, a really good signing day for us.”
Two of the areas the Hurricanes looked to stack talent were both the offensive line and the secondary, with Miami signing four offensive linemen and four defensive backs.
Joining Alofaituli in that offensive line group were a trio of Florida-based prospects including lineman Max Buchanan of Seminole High School in Sanford, tackle Jaden Wilkerson of Orlando Edgewater High School and tackle Demetrius Campbell of Orlando Christian Prep.
“These guys all hit it off really well, which is important for us because that position and the secondary, those guys have to play as one,” said Cristobal, a two-time national champion himself during his time at Miami. “These guys, they’re 100 percent our kind of guys. They are all about the culture that we’ve established and they’re certainly going to be great players.”
In the secondary, the Hurricanes added four four-star prospects, including safety Bryce Fitzgerald of Miami’s Christopher Columbus High School, cornerback Amari Wallace of Miami Central, cornerback Chris Ewald, Jr. of Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna College Prep, and cornerback Jaboree Antoine of Westgate High in New Iberia, Louisiana.
“I think all those guys, they have relationships. They have ties and they’re hard workers,” Cristobal said. “They’re going to have to work really, really hard and they know it. And we talk about it, because we certainly need help in the secondary.”
Also joining the Hurricanes on Wednesday were four defensive linemen: Lowe, four-star edge rusher Herbert Scroggins III of Benedictine Military School in Savannah, Georgia, three-star Donta Simpson, Jr. of Chaminade-Madonna and three-star edge Mykah Newton of Newberry High School in Gainesville.
Miami’s class also featured the addition of four-star quarterback prospect Luke Nickel, who verbally committed to Miami last summer and held firm through the entirety of the recruiting process.
Nickel was among the first prospects to submit their signed letters-of-intent on Wednesday and his leadership, Cristobal said, is part of what makes him an invaluable addition to this year’s class.
“Offensive player of the year in Georgia, goes to Elite 11 with a sprained ankle and absolutely lights it up. State champion competing for another state title now. Top 100 guy. Complete winner and a great identification by [offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Shannon] Dawson because he didn’t have much attention,” Cristobal said. “We brought him over here to camp, a lot like [defensive back] OJ Frederique and he just lit it up. He has that moxie, that personality, that aura about him. Great leadership skills, hard worker, accurate, tough … When your quarterback hangs in there like that, that does a lot for the rest of the class.”
Also headed to Coral Gables are four-star tight end Brock Schott of Leo High School in Indiana, four-star wide receiver Josh Moore of West Broward High School in Pembroke Pines, four-star tight end Luka Gilbert of Lakota West High in Ohio, four-star linebacker Kellen Wiley of Armwood High School in Tampa, four-star wide receiver Malachi Toney of American Heritage in Plantation, four-star linebacker Ezekiel Marcelin, Jr. of Miami Central and three-star wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw of Central High in Alabama.
Cristobal noted he expects 19 of Miami’s signees to join the Hurricanes as early enrollees next month, something he says will help them as they look to acclimate not just to college life, but the rigors of college football, too.
“That allows your players to really start to not only refer to all the work you’ve done since January … We push for it, especially academically, because if you can get your diploma in three years flat, you’ve got some great options,” Cristobal said.
Now, with the first day of the early signing period behind them, the Hurricanes will turn their focus to continuing to bolster their roster through the transfer portal and February’s signing period.
And Cristobal, again, reiterated the Hurricanes will continue working to find the best talent they can and fill needs that need to be filled.
“I think it’s important that we trust a process that has [improved] the same team from five wins to seven wins to 10 wins in the regular season with a team that’s [been] competitive in every outing that we have had and a future that is bright because we have recruited well at the high school level,” Cristobal said. “We’re not a team that is strictly portal-driven. We have really good high school players at every position that are developing and are doing well. And as you study the landscape of recruiting and just roster management, the portal is more active than ever, has been more active than ever.
“So, you prepare to gain, you prepare to lose some, you prepare to move some on, you prepare to bring some in … But all in all, you make sure you’re doing right by these young men and their families and always doing right by the University of Miami and doing everything possible to continue elevating the program.”
