IIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTT’SSSSSSSSS MONDAY!!!!!!!!!!!! And you wonderful people know what that means. It’s time to talk about all things Miami Hurricanes . Less than one week now until we can say it’s a Miami Hurricanes game week.
So close. So, let’s grab those orange helmets, slip on those green cleats, put our hands in the dirt, and slam into those Miami Hurricanes-related pads of thoughts lined up throughout my mind. 1) The AP released their preseason All-American team on Monday, and one Cane saw his name on the list: K Andy Borregales, who made the second team.
I guess that shouldn’t be too surprising. Or not surprising at all. Miami has gotten a lot of love, but really, outside of guys like Xavier Restrepo, Cam Ward, Damien Martinez, and Rueben Bain, who else had a puncher’s chance of being on there after last year’s stinker of a season (yes, I know Ward and Martinez are transfers, but still)? I guess I could see Bain with his production last year and Ward with the hype that’s come to Coral Gables with him, but I don’t think anyone was slighted here.
Borregales was 22/26 on field goals last year and 44/45 on extra points, with a long field goal of 51 yards. How nice is it to have the kicking game covered once again? After the nonsense this program went through in the kicking game before Jose and Andy Borregales came to Coral Gables, it’s been a nice luxury to have, and Miami will surely need it this season. I will never take the kicking game for granted again.
2) Someone else who made a list is DL Justin Scott, and I list him here for a reason. Scott was named by On3 Sports as making their true freshman All-American team. Scott is someone who, according to Barry Jackson of the Herald , was mentioned by DC Lance Guidry as a player who could get early playing time out of a crop of young and talented defensive linemen.
It sounds like Scott has been making a name for himself at camp on the defensive side of the ball. 4) Also, according to Jackson, it sounds like there’s a legit battle going on between Wesley Bissainthe and Jaylin Alderman for the other starting linebacker spot alongside Kiko Mauigoa . I kind of had it made up in my mind that Bissainthe was going to end up in that spot easily based upon his recent play capped off with a strong spring game performance, but perhaps I was mistaken.
Hey, may the best man win. 5) Oh, and it looks like a pair of former Miami defenders in Darrell Jackson and Davonte Brown are listed as starters in FSU’s most recent depth chart. If that holds serve, then that would make the FSU-Miami game even more interesting come October 26.
6) Mario managed to have quite the weekend off the practice field and on the recruiting path, snagging a pair of commitments, including a huge local get. Christopher Columbus HS safety Bryce Fitzgerald picked the Canes over FSU and Florida on Saturday. Fitzgerald is a consensus four-star recruit and Rivals and On3 both have him as a top 10 safety in the country.
Add him with Jacksonville (Mandarin) safety Hylton Stubbs, and Miami has a couple of dynamic freshmen coming in next season on the back end of their defense. And that’s not a moment too soon. Miami’s 2024 class is now up to #10 in the country per On3 Sports, #9 in 247 Sports, and #5 in Rivals.
Mario can recruit. Time to put that to work on the game field. 7) Lastly, in some Pro Cane news, it sounds like Matt Lee is making waves with the Cincinnati Bengals .
Lee has performed well in the preseason and is making a strong case to see his name on the Bengals’ final 53-man roster. He will be missed this year in a big way in Coral Gables. Season predictions coming next week, but for now, go Canes! ( and enjoy Week 0 action this Saturday; we’re almost there, folks ).
