Miami's staff will have a full year to work on the 2017 recruiting class but they're still at a disadvantage with quarterbacks looking to make an early decision.
They haven't had as much time to build meaningful relationships but they are coming on strong with Opelika (Ala.) High product Jake Bentley. He landed an offer back in August of 2014 but contact didn't resume until more recently.
"It was kind of just the offer and then they backed off, we didn't talk that much," Bentley said. "Then Coach Hartley and both Coach Richts really came on strong. They message me on Twitter and they said how interested they are. They want me to come visit and there's a good chance that happens during the spring."
Richt may be at a new job in Coral Gables but he's not a new face with Bentley (6-4, 215). After all, he did visit Athens on three separate occasions in 2015.
"My parents love Coach Richt and they know he's a great guy," Bentley said. "He's a Godly man who loves the kids that play for him. He's had great teams in the past and that's a big part of me being interested in Miami. I met him at Georgia and he's in a new place now but he's still the same person as before."
Bentley has been very active seeing colleges in-person since he entered high school. That's provided a clearer picture of who his early favorites are.
"These five are at the top right now but it's not final or anything," Bentley said. "I really like Georgia, South Carolina, Stanford, Miami, and N.C. State. I'm doing more visits coming up with South Carolina being next. I'm definitely going back out to Stanford and I'm planning to see Miami as well. I should be starting those soon so I can commit in the spring or the summer."
Auburn, Clemson, Duke, Illinois, Louisville, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest are Bentley's other BCS offers. Of his top five, he visited South Carolina four times and Stanford once.
Based on some of Bentley's offers, it's no surprise that education carries plenty of weight in his evaluation, although it's not the only factor either.
"The biggest thing for me is the academic side of the school and how good they are," Bentley said. "I'll be a student that plays football, not an athlete who shows up for class. I look at the coaches and if their program has a winning tradition. I would love to play early but only if I'm the best guy there. Obviously that's earned, not given to you or based on what class you're in."
Saying Bentley comes from a football family wouldn't do it justice. His father, Bobby, is the new running backs coach for the Gamecocks. His brother, Shuler, is a Division I starting quarterback at Old Dominion. His stepbrother, Chas Dodd, played quarterback at Rutgers from 2010-2013.
Being around the game so much gave Bentley a jump but now he's proving he's not simply related to the right people. As a junior, he connected on 165 out of 284 passes for 2834 yards with 28 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. He carried 63 times for 340 yards and 4 more scores.
"I think I can make every throw on the field, especially the deep ball, and I have a high football IQ," Bentley said. "I make quick decisions and I've only lost one game as a starter. That goes back to my eighth grade year so I consider myself a winner as well."
Bentley is a four star prospect according to the 247Sports Composite, ranking him 85th overall in the nation, 4th at his position, and 4th overall in the state of Alabama.
