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"First Day Out" June 1 Cookout & June 2nd Underclassmen Cookout - Updated 4/26

The headliner of the group Wednesday was 2023 Plantation American Heritage five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss, who is considered the No. 1 ranked player at the position that cycle. Inniss got to Coral Gables earlier than most and had a chance to put on a full Miami uniform and take some photos in the Hurricanes football facility. He also had one-on-one conversations with Manny Diaz, Rhett Lashlee and Rob Likens. The Broward County native believes this trip absolutely helped the Hurricanes chances with him, citing the same family-type atmosphere that was relayed multiple times on Tuesday from that group.

- Inniss’ teammate, Top247 running back Mark Fletcher, said that the trip exceeded his expectations. Miami was already involved with the ‘back that is pushing 6-foot-3, 230-pounds these days, but being around the school and after multiple conversations with staffers, including Eric Hickson, the Hurricanes made a move. I don’t want to overstate the sentiment of family, but Fletcher, like Inniss, came away from things Wednesday talking about it in a big way.

- Miami only solidified their standing with Miami Central Top247 defensive lineman Rueben Bain on Wednesday. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder had a really good conversation with Jess Simpson about his film and off-the-field stuff that made an impression on the state champion. Bain also came away impressed with all of the upgrades Miami made to their facilities since the last time he was on campus as a freshman. Bain made it known he plans on making his way back to UM this summer.

- Miami Gulliver Prep Top247 wide receiver Jalen Brown was able to meet Lashlee and Likens for the first time. He had good conversations with both of those guys and he got the feeling that those guys really want him in Coral Gables.

- Fort Lauderdale Stranahan Top247 wide receiver Hykeem Williams was one of the last guys to leave the cookout Wednesday. He was standing around Lashlee, Likens, Jorge Baez and other UM staffers for some time talking. He was wearing a big smile while talking about the Hurricanes staff and how much he enjoyed spending time in Coral Gables Wednesday. Likens and Lashlee both showed the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder that they’re experienced coaches and good people.

- Some UM staffers were extremely impressed with the length and size of Plantation American Heritage Top247 safety Daemon ***an, who won best dressed at the cookout after coming in decked out in a retro Miami sweater and UM hat. Demarcus Van Dyke and Travaris Robinson both had conversations with the 6-foot-3, 160-pounder, who ‘definitely’ plans to be back on Miami’s campus this summer.

- Miami has turned things up recently with Fort Myers Dunbar Top247 cornerback Shawn Russ. Van Dyke and Manny Diaz both had conversations with the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder and he feels like the Canes have been showing a lot of love.

- Miami Florida Christian Top247 cornerback Antonio Robinson had conversations with Van Dyke and Robinson and they were telling him they want to bring Miami back to their glory days and they need him to do that.

- An out-of-state guy to make his way down to Coral Gables this week was Vivian (La.) North Caddo Top247 wide receiver Omarion Miller, who was able to go through a private workout along with a couple other pass catchers and quarterbacks in front of Miami’s staff early Wednesday afternoon. Miller really enjoyed South Florida, talking about how different the entire area is compared to what he’s used to back home. The wideout had a chance to talk with Likens and he came away feeling good about the Hurricanes receivers coach. Miller hopes to make his way down to South Florida again at some point.

- I was able to talk with Miami Killian Top247 linebacker Stanquan Clark and Miami Northwestern four-star wide receiver Andy Jean and both guys enjoyed themselves a lot. Clark and Jean both play with the Miami Immortals 7-on-7 team, so they spent time around Romello Brinson, Kahlil Brantley, Kamren Kinchens, Brashard Smith and some others that they have played with.

2COMMENTS
- Plantation American Heritage wide receiver Santana Flemingwas alongside Inniss today, so he was in the facility trying on the uniforms and getting that whole experience as well. One of the soon-to-be junior’s biggest takeaways was that he felt like a priority by Miami’s offensive staff, who he got to spend a good deal of time with Wednesday. Fleming was also impressed by the facility upgrades.

- Van Dyke and Robinson have been keeping close contact with Plantation American Heritage cornerback Damari Brown and the Miami legacy has been feeling the love from those guys. He was able to have conversations with Van Dyke on Wednesday.
 
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Jesus. After years (decades?) of cluster****ing our way through this recruiting game, including the start with Manny, it feels like I just broke through the water's surface and took a big breath of air while the car of previous efforts sinks below me into the bay.

Been a long **** time coming for us to at least be able to represent ourselves accordingly to the local talent. Win 10/11 and let **** start really happening.
 
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For the non-alums (and the alums who never come back to UM), do yourself a favor and take a walk around the campus one of these days, particularly the area where this cookout was held (Lakeside Village).

The UM coaches did a BRILLIANT job of picking the new dorm area to hold this event. During the 2020 season, I took my nieces (high school age) to see the campus and they were blown away by the new dorm next to Eaton. I too was amazed at how much has changed, and you can't get a better sense of that than when you stand in between Eaton Residential College (built in the 1950s) and the Lakeside Village. It is truly stunning.

While I have fond memories of Eaton and thought it was the best place to live on campus (at the time), the Lakeside Village is amazing, huge, and perfectly situated. For the student-athletes, they have short (and relatively equal length) walks to the football facilities and the classroom buildings. They have a great view of the lake and the new bridge to the University Center. The Lakeside Village is (mostly) elevated, and the ground-level area is a mixture of sand volleyball courts, covered picnic tables, artwork, and seating areas.

UM has been upgrading the football facilities for a few years, but I think this is the first time that large groups of recruits have had a chance to see the Lakeside Village on either an official or unofficial visit. I know the board has mentioned this a few times in the past, but I definitely can see that this is going to have a huge impact on recruiting going forward. Good lord, for 40 years, we've shown recruits "the apartment area" (in the old days) or Towers/Eaton/Mahoney-Pearson. Now they are right back in the same area where the football players lived in the 1980s, but in a brand new palatial building. I hope that the football players still get issued all those old 305-284-XXXX phone numbers, so that the football alums can call these kids before games and get them pumped up.

Go Canes!
 
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. - Miami got the first crack at 2023 Plantation American Heritage five-star wide receiver Brandon Inniss on Wednesday when they hosted their underclassmen cookout.

The nation’s No. 1 ranked wide receiver was walking around UM’s campus a couple hours earlier than most other recruits, and that gave him plenty of time to take in the entire experience of what Miami is.

“I felt really good about it. That was the first time I’ve been able to see a college since March 2020, so it was just getting out and seeing Miami was a great feeling. I seen things I hadn’t seen before. The dorms were really nice,” Inniss told InsideTheU following the event.

Family was a major theme at Miami over the past 48 hours. The Hurricanes did a good job showing that it’s about much more than football in Coral Gables and recruits were able to see that.

“Just the vibe that was there itself. It was football, but it was just more like relaxing, more like a cookout - just relaxing. I hadn’t seen [Rob Likens] or [Rhett Lashlee] in person yet, so just to get to know them. They’re really good guys, stuff like that,” Inniss said.

The soon-to-be junior got a chance to have conversations with Likens, Lashlee and Manny Diaz.

On Likens: “Coach Likens is a very energetic guy. That’s what I like in a receivers coach. I was talking to him about all the things we’ve talked on the phone about and it was amazing because that was the first time I seen him and the first time he’s seen me.”

On Lashlee: “He was talking to me and my mom trying to figure out a little bit more about me. Where I was born, my favorite teams growing up, stuff like that. It was really just a get-to-know-you type of night.”

On Diaz: “He’s a really good guy. He really cares about his players. I can tell from the way he talks to me. We talked about COVID and how it took a toll in recruiting for the 2021 class and how I have to take advantage of my recruiting because it’s going to get better for me and to just have fun with it and enjoy it for real.”

Earlier in the day, Inniss got a chance to try on Miami’s jerseys and take a few pictures alongside his teammate Santana Fleming and Miami Central quarterback Keyone Jenkins.

“Putting on that all orange, it just felt energetic like I was about to play a game. I was ready. It just felt really good,” Inniss said.

Inniss will check out a few more schools this summer, but Miami got a strong first impression is that set the tone for the rest of the summer.

“It definitely, definitely helped Miami as a big part of my recruitment because looking the coaches in the eye and really seeing what they see in me and sitting down having that one-on-one conversations with Coach Likens, Coach Lashlee and Coach Diaz and even the defensive staff too. They want me there to go up against me in every day in practice. It was really good for Miami for me to get out there,” the wideout said.

The All-American Bowl commit plans on being at Georgia and Georgia Tech, Oklahoma and Alabama this month for unofficial visits.

Inniss is considered the No. 7 overall player is the top-ranked wideout in the Class of 2023, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite.
 
TheOriginalCane said:
For the non-alums (and the alums who never come back to UM), do yourself a favor and take a walk around the campus one of these days, particularly the area where this cookout was held (Lakeside Village).

The UM coaches did a BRILLIANT job of picking the new dorm area to hold this event. During the 2020 season, I took my nieces (high school age) to see the campus and they were blown away by the new dorm next to Eaton. I too was amazed at how much has changed, and you can't get a better sense of that than when you stand in between Eaton Residential College (built in the 1950s) and the Lakeside Village. It is truly stunning.

While I have fond memories of Eaton and thought it was the best place to live on campus (at the time), the Lakeside Village is amazing, huge, and perfectly situated. For the student-athletes, they have short (and relatively equal length) walks to the football facilities and the classroom buildings. They have a great view of the lake and the new bridge to the University Center. The Lakeside Village is (mostly) elevated, and the ground-level area is a mixture of sand volleyball courts, covered picnic tables, artwork, and seating areas.

UM has been upgrading the football facilities for a few years, but I think this is the first time that large groups of recruits have had a chance to see the Lakeside Village on either an official or unofficial visit. I know the board has mentioned this a few times in the past, but I definitely can see that this is going to have a huge impact on recruiting going forward. Good lord, for 40 years, we've shown recruits "the apartment area" (in the old days) or Towers/Eaton/Mahoney-Pearson. Now they are right back in the same area where the football players lived in the 1980s, but in a brand new palatial building. I hope that the football players still get issued all those old 305-284-XXXX phone numbers, so that the football alums can call these kids before games and get them pumped up.

Go Canes!
Click to expand...
I have not been on campus in about 15 years. I am going to check it out next time I’m in Miami.
 
TheOriginalCane said:
For the non-alums (and the alums who never come back to UM), do yourself a favor and take a walk around the campus one of these days, particularly the area where this cookout was held (Lakeside Village).

The UM coaches did a BRILLIANT job of picking the new dorm area to hold this event. During the 2020 season, I took my nieces (high school age) to see the campus and they were blown away by the new dorm next to Eaton. I too was amazed at how much has changed, and you can't get a better sense of that than when you stand in between Eaton Residential College (built in the 1950s) and the Lakeside Village. It is truly stunning.

While I have fond memories of Eaton and thought it was the best place to live on campus (at the time), the Lakeside Village is amazing, huge, and perfectly situated. For the student-athletes, they have short (and relatively equal length) walks to the football facilities and the classroom buildings. They have a great view of the lake and the new bridge to the University Center. The Lakeside Village is (mostly) elevated, and the ground-level area is a mixture of sand volleyball courts, covered picnic tables, artwork, and seating areas.

UM has been upgrading the football facilities for a few years, but I think this is the first time that large groups of recruits have had a chance to see the Lakeside Village on either an official or unofficial visit. I know the board has mentioned this a few times in the past, but I definitely can see that this is going to have a huge impact on recruiting going forward. Good lord, for 40 years, we've shown recruits "the apartment area" (in the old days) or Towers/Eaton/Mahoney-Pearson. Now they are right back in the same area where the football players lived in the 1980s, but in a brand new palatial building. I hope that the football players still get issued all those old 305-284-XXXX phone numbers, so that the football alums can call these kids before games and get them pumped up.

Go Canes!
Click to expand...
Yes they did! If they’ve ever been to a baseball game they would see where they put it too. It was like that particular spot was Taylor made for dorms. I haven’t been to a game in 2 years because of reasons but I saw it when they were building it and thought it was perfect back then.
 
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- Miami has turned things up recently with Fort Myers Dunbar Top247 cornerback Shawn Russ. Van Dyke and Manny Diaz both had conversations with the 6-foot-2, 185-pounder and he feels like the Canes have been showing a lot of love.

- Miami Florida Christian Top247 cornerback Antonio Robinson had conversations with Van Dyke and Robinson and they were telling him they want to bring Miami back to their glory days and they need him to do that.

No no no no no no no no no
 
Not to take away from the recruiting news, but to add to the campus convo, there will be even MORE dorm upgrades with renovations and new buildings in the coming years.

Soon the only old building will be Dooly 😂
 
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