Robert Craft
Return Of The Chomp?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida Gators are under new management for the fourth time in the last decade. That much turnover can be necessary and detrimental to a program.
There’s not much debate that Florida needed to move on from Will Muschamp in 2014. Or that Jim McElwain’s self-destruction and death threats didn’t warrant a change.
Dan Mullen’s recruiting incompetence was written off because the team was winning. He was the first head coach in UF history to win 10 games in each of his first two seasons. In the end, it became clear that the direction of the program under Mullen was going the wrong way — and just on the trail.
Billy Napier was hired to rebuild the Gators. He was tasked with reviving UF recruiting and getting talent back to Gainesville. He called college football a “talent-acquisition business” and began by building the biggest support staff UF ever seen. The Gators hauled several blue-chip recruits like Kamari Wilson, Shemar James, and Chris McClellan.
The team also has Anthony Richardson returning, who should give the Gators a chance anytime he’s on the field.
The Gators only leave the state of Florida three times in 2022. Their home schedule is fantastic. Utah, LSU and Kentucky are all great games to host in The Swamp.
With that being said, the opponents are strong. The Gators draw, somehow again, Texas A&M from the West. UF has played the Aggies three times since they joined the SEC and 2022 will be the fourth matchup. Meanwhile, Florida has played a former yearly rival in Auburn just once in that same time period.
The Gators also begin a home-and-home series with Utah. The Utes are the reigning Pac-12 Champions. Utah returns 60 letter winners and 17 total starters in 2022.
Billy Napier prescribes to a motto of “put the ball down and let’s play” but it would be easy to put the ball down against a small directional school rather than a loaded defending conference champion.
The Gators have also lost twice to Kentucky in the last four seasons. Mark Stoops has built that UK program for a decade. What was once an assured win, is now a presumed toss up.
Every year the SEC is tough. This year, will be a very difficult one for the Gators, thanks to their tough season opener and road trip to College Station.
Optimistic: 9-3, with three straight wins to end the year and all sorts of hype heading into 2023. Anthony Richardson proves to be the perfect dual-threat quarterback in Billy Napier’s system.
Tailback Lorenzo Lingard looks like the 5-star who signed with Miami out of high school, same for wideout Justin Shorter.
The Gators’ defense takes a big step forward without Todd Grantham calling the shots. Gervon Dexter emerges as the best defensive lineman in the conference.
Pessimistic: 5-7 and no postseason appearance in Year 1 for Napier. Florida opens the year 0-2, with home losses to Utah and Kentucky. After dismantling South Florida, the Gators lose at Tennessee for just the second time in 18 years.
They stumble at Tallahassee against Florida State to end the season. Richardson is up and down — or worse, gets hurt again and Jack Miller isn’t up to snuff. The lack of explosiveness at receiver is problematic all season.
The front-seven once again struggles to stop the run. Penalties, team character and chemistry remain lingering issues despite the coaching change.
Realistic: 7-5 with one signature upset against either Utah, Kentucky, Tennessee or Texas A&M.
The Gators certainly could go 0-2 to start the year, but I see a split. While the roster has depth issues (particularly at receiver, defensive line and linebacker), there’s a lot of quality talent in Gainesville.
The pass rush, led by Brenton Cox Jr., is fierce, and cornerback Jason Marshall is one of the better defensive backs in the SEC.
Richardson has flashes of brilliance and frustration, ultimately leading him to return to the team in 2023.
Arizona State transfer Ricky Pearsall has a solid season but is not the band aid solution to Florida’s receiver problems.
Key Points: Starting out against Utah isn’t a given at home, and finishing up at Florida State in Tallahassee will be tough.
In between there’s a road game at Tennessee, LSU – as always – is on the slate, and then there’s the killer two-week stretch against Georgia and at Texas A&M.
It’s Florida. It’s going to be a problem for the other teams in those tough games, too. It’ll work its way to eight wins in an improved year, but factor in three losses somewhere in the mix to go along with one 50/50 game.
Seven wins will be okay, eight will be fine, nine or more would be terrific, but …
It’s the Florida Gators. It’s time to start winning more.
War Path
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Florida State football program has suffered a severe fall from grace over the past few seasons. With that newfound mediocrity, comes an automatic lack of promise entering this season.
Can the Florida State Seminoles take advantage of a manageable schedule and return to some relevance as a result? Or, will they once again fall victim to bigger fish in the Atlantic Coast Conference? Let’s find out.
Vs. Duquesne (W)
Sure, the Florida State Seminoles have seen better days than the ones currently surrounding them, but they haven’t fallen so far that this matchup is a toss-up. Anything less than a 40-point win here would be a darn shame, even for a season opener.
Vs. LSU (L)
The LSU Tigers may have seen a downgrade in 2021, but they will be led into New Orleans by new head coach Brian Kelly. With that said, there is a very small chance that the Noles come out of this one with a win. Kelly should take this one by two or three scores, making an early impact in his still-young tenure at LSU.
@ Louisville (L)
Following a dog fight in New Orleans with LSU fails to make things any easier. The bye week placed between the games will help, but not really. The Noles will lose a close one here.
Vs. Boston College (W)
BC will be heading to Tallahassee while Florida State is desperate to make an impression. Expect a convincing Noles win from this one.
Vs. Wake Forest (L)
To put things delicately, the Demon Deacons were not nice to FSU last season. In a 35-14 loss that included a plethora of turnovers, the Seminoles were dealt what ended up being their worst loss of 2021. The Noles may not lose by 21 again, but a disheartening defeat is almost a guarantee, nonetheless.
@ North Carolina State (L)
Now FSU will travel to Raleigh, where they have not prevailed since 2016. If Wake Forest is going to down the Noles on the road, what NC State has in store for them at home the very next week feels almost unimaginable.
Vs. Clemson (L)
Boy, the punches just keep on coming. The Tigers are still expected to be a top-tier contender in the ACC for 2022. And especially with who all they will face leading up to this game, the Seminoles will fail to stay at Clemson’s level .
Vs. Georgia Tech (W)
Finally, we can see a rainbow through the storm. Most GT fans will probably end up praying for this one to end as soon as possible.
@ Miami (L)
Nothing about this matchup leaves the Seminoles with a positive outlook when entering it. Yes, they won the 2021 battle, but the Hurricanes have new head coach Mario Cristobal and they also look like the better team.
Due to the stigma of any big rivalry, the game will probably be closer than it should be. However, Miami should still be the victor by the time the game clock hits zero.
@ Syracuse (W)
This won’t be a blowout, but the Noles are a better team.
Vs. Louisiana (W)
The game should start out good, but FSU will most likely pull away in the second half.
Vs. Florida (L)
The Gators have also won the last three meetings with the Seminoles. The Gators will keep Florida State out of the bowl season again. The Gators are more talented and better coached. This game will not be close.
Conclusion:
The Florida State Seminoles will finish their 2022 regular season slate with a final record of 5-7. It will be their 3rd-straight season without a bowl appearance, and their 5th-straight season with a losing record.
The Real Question:
Will Mike Norvell keep his job if my predictions come true?
Category 5
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The University of Miami ended the 2021 season with 7 wins. They’re entering 2022 with new coaching staff.
So, as I look at this year’s schedule for the Hurricanes, it’s not hard to predict that this team can … and perhaps should be… a 10-win team.
The three tough games? Texas A&M, Clemson and Pittsburgh, putting those in order of toughness.
If you believe in the oddsmakers, Miami’s No. 3 in the conference at +700 to win the ACC behind Clemson -150 and Pitt + 450 (per WilliamHill.com).
With that said, here’s how I see this year shaping up:
* Bethune-Cookman, Sept. 3: Easy win. 1-0 record.
* Southern Miss, Sept 10: Easy win. 2-0 record.
* Texas A&M, Sept. 17: This is a team that beat Alabama last year but went on to lose four games but with a great defensive front and receiver room this is going to be a very tough road game for Miami. Texas A&M wins by 14, Miami leaves College Station with a 2-1 record.
* Middle Tennessee State, Sept. 24: Easy win, 3-1 record.
* North Carolina, Oct. 8: UNC loses its star quarterback, Sam Howell, and this is a team that has question marks on both sides of the ball off a disappointing 6-7 season. At home, I like the Canes to win by a touchdown or more. 4-1 record.
* Virginia Tech, Oct. 15: It’s never a gimme playing on the road against the Hokies, but on paper Miami is a much better and more complete team. So, I think this will be a win by a touchdown or more. 5-1 record.
* Duke, Oct. 22: The Blue Devils are probably going to be the worst team in the ACC. 6-1 record.
* Virginia, Oct. 29: This team always seems to give the Canes problems, with Brennan Armstrong back at QB, this might be a high scoring game. On the road this is a game you worry about, but if Miami is as good as I think, then this middle-of-the-road ACC team shouldn’t be a problem. It might be a close game, but I believe Miami will pull it out for a 7-1 record.
* Florida State, Nov. 5: The Canes lost a heartbreaker in Tallahassee a year ago, but this year they get FSU at home. Is FSU as talented a team as UM? No, not really. UM wins this heated rivalry and moves to 8-1.
* Georgia Tech, Nov. 12: The Yellow Jackets are not a good team. Easy win and 9-1.
* Clemson, Nov. 19: It was a down year for Clemson in 2021, and the team still won 10 games, so that tells you the hill Miami has to climb. The Tigers have question marks on offense, a really inconsistent area last season, but should have one of the nation’s top defenses. This will be a tough game for Miami to pull out on the road. While I’m not saying UM can’t win this, in all likelihood it’s a loss simply looking at it on paper. So, Miami is looking at a 9-2 record at this point of the season.
* Pittsburgh, Nov. 26: The Panthers were a surprise last year, winning the Coastal and finishing with an 11-3 record (Pitt’s lone Coastal loss was to the Canes). Miami has this game at home, and it could wind up determining which of these two teams goes to the ACC title game. To me, this is a 50-50 game. So, I see Miami finishing the regular season at a 10-2 record and rematch with Clemson in the ACC Championship.
If it all comes together, I can see Miami perhaps only losing one or two games – Texas A&M and/or Clemson.
In Year 1 there are bound to be some hiccups, but Canes fans can be hopeful with a manageable schedule to test the new generation of coaching in Coral Gables.
Buyer’s Remorse?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Through two seasons (one impacted by the pandemic) things have been disappointing for Mike Norvell at Florida State University.
In his third season as the head man in Tallahassee, Norvell is already setting high expectations. “We have great expectations,” said Mike Norvell. “The daily expectation with the season expectation is for us to go out there and do our best to improve daily, to go out there and not only be competitive, but to push to new limits of where we are and also where we’re going.”
“To see this team come together and to play as one. Those are the things that we’ve seen in laying that foundation this last year and to be able to see the growth, to see the confidence that our players have. I’m going to put no limits to what these guys can accomplish.”
To fix issues on the roster, Mike Norvell has leaned heavily on the transfer portal. He’s hoping that those players will be able to fill gaps.
The rest of the team is filled out by players Norvell recruited and developed. It’s a group that Norvell has a lot of confidence in.
“I’ve got an unbelievable amount of confidence in them,” Mike Norvell continued. “But ultimately, for us, it’s about us showing up every single day and going to perform and to execute at that level with an incredible level of consistency throughout that process. We have great expectations as a program.”
Through his first two seasons, Mike Norvell is 8-13. Florida State fired his predecessor, Willie Taggart part-way through his second season for going 9-12. The pressure is on Norvell and his players to win at Florida State, and win now.
“When you are at Florida State, that’s part of it. You don’t choose to come play at Florida State, you don’t choose to coach at Florida State unless you embrace that opportunity and embrace those expectations to go out there and play at an extremely high level on a day-in and day-out basis.”
Last year, Florida State played Miami and Florida as they were going through internal turmoil. They managed to beat the Hurricanes at home while losing to the Gators on the road.
Based on these spreads, Las Vegas clearly expects Miami to be the toughest challenge for FSU in 2022.
LSU, despite the game being played in New Orleans, has tons of question marks to answer. FSU has not played the Tigers since 1991.
At Florida, new head coach Billy Napier has tried to lower expectations in year one, pointing out challenges in rebuilding.
Whether or not FSU can win these key games will determine if their season is successful and disappointing.
QB1 Room
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s about that time in Athens, Ga. You can smell it in the air. We’re weeks away from the Georgia Bulldogs padding up for preseason camp.
For the first time in 41 years, Kirby Smart and company will be starting the 2022 NCAAF season as the defending national champions.
There are certainly a lot of questions to answer, and competitions to be had.
Losing a record 15 players to the NFL Draft creates uncertainty at some key positions.
However, several starters on offense, as well as a couple of key leaders on the defensive side of the football, will help ease any concerns.
I’ll take the time to provide a preview of the quarterback group in red and black.
Stetson Bennett returns after leading Georgia to the National Championship in 2021.
Starting 12 of 15 games including each of the last 11, Bennett threw for 2,862 yards and 29 touchdowns on 185-of-287 passing.
There were times where he didn’t look great – turn on the tape from Florida (10-of-19, 161 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) or the SEC Championship Game against Alabama (29-of-48, 340 yards, three touchdowns, two interceptions).
However, there were also times that he was spectacular. Bennett tied the program record for touchdowns in a single game with five scores in the first half alone against UAB.
The Blackshear, Ga. native threw three touchdowns over Kentucky in a top-15 SEC Game of the Week. He didn’t throw a single interception in that game or their game against Auburn.
Two touchdowns against Missouri and four against Georgia Tech with 255 yards in both contests helped the Bulldogs finish the regular season undefeated.
Then, of course, there were the Playoffs when Bennett earned Offensive MVP of the Orange Bowl against Michigan and the CFP Championship Game against Alabama, combining for 537 yards, five touchdowns and no interceptions.
So, like lots of quarterbacks, Bennett has lots of good that comes with the occasional bad. You just have to be able to help him out and put him in good situations.
Because Bennett isn’t perfect and because he wasn’t the highest-rated recruit, some question Kirby Smart’s decision to stick with him.
Carson Beck seems to have solidified himself as the backup. Beck, a four-star and the No. 16 quarterback in the Class of 2020, threw for 274 yards during Georgia’s G-Day spring scrimmage.
Beck was awarded Mr. Football in the state of Florida for 2018 after leading Mandarin High School to a Class 8A state championship.
Brock Vandagriff also offers a talented option off the bench. A former five-star and the No. 4-ranked quarterback in the Class of 2021 from right down the road in Bogart, Ga.,
Vandagriff has the ability to make plays with both his arms and his legs. Georgia fans have been calling for a player like that for quite some time.
Finally, Gunner Stockton is the fresh face in the quarterback room. He’s just a freshman, don’t expect to see him often.
He’ll be busy learning the playbook and running the scout team.
Bennett elected to return for another year with the Bulldogs, which is a large reason why I rank the Dawg’s quarterback room the very best in the SEC.
The Rules
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It’s very new for amateur athletes to be able to make money off their NIL. Because the process of NIL becoming legal started as a movement at the state level to change the law, which led to the NCAA relenting but not setting perimeters on NIL, the actual NIL legislation varies by state.
Understanding those differences in NIL legislation is important. That way, you understand the rules that apply to a given program, and can better understand why some schools take different approaches.
Each state has its own NIL legislation. Because of this, different players and institutions are playing under different rules. Here’s what you need to know about NIL legislation in each SEC state:
Louisiana: In Louisiana, you can make money from NIL, though it can’t be used in recruitment. Notably, the Louisiana bill notes that institutions can’t work through boosters to compensate players as a third party.
Alabama: Alabama does not currently have NIL legislation. On February 3, 2022, Governor Ivey signed Alabama House Bill 76. This repealed the state’s NIL bill, which had been in place since July 1, 2021. It was repealed because as the NCAA adopted new rules, the initial bill was seen as too restrictive.
Arkansas: In Arkansas, it is noted that students may not use the image of their institution and it is not allowed for prospective students. However, it does create larger blanket protections for student-athletes down to their own nicknames.
Florida: In Florida, all NIL deals must be done with a third party and schools may not enact a policy to prevent this from happening. It also specifies that financial aid does not qualify as NIL compensation. It also requires student-athletes to take financial literacy courses and prevents them from disclosing contract details.
Georgia: In Georgia, your NIL opportunities can not conflict with obligations to your team. For their part, institutions can not discourage NIL involvement. Notably, student-athletes in Georgia may be forced to pool their NIL earnings. Up to 75% of their earnings can be pooled in escrow for later use. Financial literacy courses are a requirement of the bill as well.
Kentucky: The Kentucky bill distinguishes the difference between NIL and financial aid, which includes things like room and board. It then protects an athlete’s ability to profit from NIL in Kentucky. It also takes time to note that NIL can’t be used for the purposes of recruitment. There are also several things that you can’t receive compensation for, like sports gambling and adult entertainment.
Mississippi: Mississippi does not allow athletes to appear with their team’s logo or uniform unless they have received written permission to do so. There are bans on players receiving compensation as a recruiting tactic, as well as NIL deals within certain industries, like gambling.
Missouri: The Missouri NIL bill is a small portion of a larger bill dealing with the cost of attending college. It prohibits institutions from earning NIL-related compensation.
South Carolina: South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced his vetoes for the state’s General Appropriations Act, or in other words the state budget, for the 2022-23 fiscal year. The state’s General Assembly previously ratified the suspension of the state law that applies to NIL compensation for college athletes (Act 35 of 2021) and Gov. McMaster didn’t veto it. The suspension stands. For at the least the next fiscal year, only the NCAA’s interim NIL policy will apply to the state.
Tennessee: The Tennessee bill calls for fair market value in NIL deals. These deals also can’t be made to go to a specific institution and they must be provided by a third party. Importantly, booster groups can’t contribute on the basis that a player attends a specific institution. There are also certain industries, like tobacco, which players can’t have NIL deals with.
How Good Is Florida Gators Anthony Richardson?
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Anthony Richardson has a cannon for an arm! The Florida Gators quarterback showed it off Friday at the Manning Passing Academy.
Richardson is one of several elite college quarterbacks serving as a counselor for this year’s camp at Nicholls State University in Louisiana from June 23-26.
Friday featured the “Air It Out” competition between the quarterbacks, and AR-15 stole the show. On his rep, Richardson did a three-step drop and then let it fly. From the 30-yard line, he effortlessly launched a deep ball that jumped off his hands and traveled over 70 yards in the air, drawing “oohs” and “ahhs” from the crowd.
“That was a long throw,” Manning said in reaction to Richardson’s bomb.
This weekend gives Richardson an opportunity to give back and learn from three legends, with NFL standouts Archie Manning, Peyton Manning and Eli all participating in their namesake event.
“Talking to the Manning’s, I just want to soak up everything I can,” Richardson said. “Be a better person, be a better quarterback, you know, just get as much knowledge as I can. And working with the younger guys, I just try to connect with them because I was once in their shoes. So just helping them and giving them advice on what to expect when things come up.”
Anthony Richardson showed why he’s considered as one of the more physically-gifted quarterbacks in college football. The rising redshirt sophomore wowed onlookers with his deep passes, effortlessly flicking the football around 70 yards downfield.
Richardson has huge hands and probably threw the tightest spiral we saw. His athleticism is well documented (he turned a backflip after connecting on one throw) but he has big-time arm talent as well. Richardson has a bit of a looping throwing motion that can be offset some by the velocity on his throws.
The Gainesville native flashed some tantalizing playmaking ability in 2021. He’ll need to continue developing, but he could be primed for a breakout year; especially under new Florida head coach Billy Napier.
After serving as a backup for most of last season, Richardson is finally QB1 for the Gators following his stellar spring game. He threw for 207 yards and scored three total touchdowns.
More importantly, he looked comfortable in the new offense under first-year coach Billy Napier. Richardson studied former Louisiana QB Levi Lewis to get a feel for Napier’s system.
“Watching some of their games from last year, even hearing about Coach Napier and then considering him, I started watching some of the games just to see what was going to happen,” Richardson said this week. “And watching Levi play, that was their old quarterback, that put me in good hands because we have similar skill sets. I talked to coach Napier and coach Ryan O’Hara when they came in and they told me I was going to fit well in their offense. Then I went through spring, I think I do fit well in the offense, so we’ll see how that goes.”
Billy Napier will rely heavily on Richardson to lead his new program this fall. What he picks up in the passing game, especially at the event this weekend, will be crucial for the Gator’s success this fall.
Growing Gators
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Most of Gator Nation didn’t even know who Jaden Rashada was two months ago. Today, his recruitment has fans wondering whether this staff can close the deal.
I understand that sentiment stems from other prospects as well, but the Gators haven’t had enough top targets in the 2023 cycle yet.
With Rashada included, it’s too early to be judging their efforts for this ‘bump’ class. Recruits have to be ready, or scheduled to announce before they can close on them.
Billy Napier and his army showed that ability in his transition class, finishing with a top-20 ranking after signing top-100 prospects Shemar James and Kamari Wilson.
He also landed impact transfers O’Cyrus Torrence, Montrell Johnson, Jalen Kimber and Ricky Pearsall.
We are six months away from the early signing period for the 2023 class. Only two of the top 15 players in the Sunshine State have committed, Keon Keeley (Notre Dame) and Raylen Wilson (Michigan), along with just six of Florida’s top 30 players.
The Gators hosted 19 of those 30 recruits for unofficial and/or official visits this spring/summer and are currently the favorite for eight of them.
UF is also up to 31 official visitors so far this month, and only one prospect who was uncommitted prior to his trip has since pledged elsewhere (Jordan Hall to Michigan State).
Aside from Hall, the only other significant 2023 target Florida has missed on so far is five-star cornerback A.J. Harris, who recently committed to Georgia.
Harris stated that he attended a UGA camp in sixth grade, shook Kirby Smart’s hand and told Smart he was going to play for him one day. Realistically, it sounds like the Gators had their work cut out for them.
With Aaron Gates committed, plus a recruiting board with five-star Cormani McClain, top-200 Sharif Denson and 6-foot-3 cornerback RJ Johnson, Florida should be fine at their position. McClain is a must-get, but his recruitment will be a marathon.
Four-star running back Treyaun Webb, who officially visited UF earlier this month, makes his commitment on June 30.
Five-star receiver Jalen Brown and top-150 prospects Aidan Mizell, Eugene Wilson III and Will Norman all plan to decide before their senior seasons.
The Gators will need to close on those recruits, along with Rashada, in the coming weeks and months. If they land at least half of the targets above, their 2023 class will be in good shape heading into the fall.
Should most of them commit elsewhere, then there will be cause for concern. Either way, the end of summer is when we’ll have a realistic idea of where this class stands.
I’ll say this: Napier won’t miss any of his targets for lack of trying (or name, image and likeness). The Gator Guard has established UF as one of the foremost aggressive NIL collectives, and Napier’s investment and involvement in recruiting is the most we’ve seen from a Florida coach since Will Muschamp.
In terms of ranking the last four Florida coaches as “closers” and how aggressively they recruit, I would list them in this order based on my knowledge: 1) Will Muschamp 2) Billy Napier 3) Jim McElwain 4) Dan Mullen.
I looked back at how many signees from each of those classes joined before July.
Muschamp had the most with 10 commits, although one pledged to the previous staff.
McElwain and Mullen both had eight commits, but only six committed to Mullen.
Urban Meyer, who signed a top recruiting class in 2006, had just five members in it at the end of June.
I wrote when Billy Napier was hired that he would be judged on this recruiting class. Judgment Day is in February, not June.
Canes QB
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
First-year Miami football coach Mario Cristobal considers himself lucky to have inherited a loaded quarterback room.
Cristobal faces a daunting task of attempting to rebuild the Hurricanes program, but it is made a bit less intimidating with the knowledge of whom he will have under center at QB.
Miami returns last year’s starter Tyler Van Dyke. He assumed the role as a redshirt freshman after D’Eriq King went down with injury in Week 3.
Van Dyke went on to prove he belonged there, throwing for 2,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and just six interceptions to earn ACC Rookie of the Year. He enters 2022 as the unquestioned starter and a potential NFL Draft pick.
Mario Cristobal has enormous praise for Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.
Evidently, the new leader of the program believes his quarterback can ascend into a superstar. Cristobal compared Van Dyke to Los Angeles Chargers star quarterback, Justin Herbert — Cristobal’s quarterback at Oregon.
Cristobal also thinks highly of redshirt freshman Jake Garcia, who appeared in one game last year before suffering a season-ending ankle injury. Garcia is a former four-star recruit who ranked as the No. 52 overall player and No. 10 quarterback in the 2021 class.
“We’re very lucky that we have a very good quarterback room,” Cristobal said in a recent interview. “In fact, one of them is already a projected NFL player if he continues to develop and have a great season. But he’s not alone. You’ve got a guy who was hurt early last season in Jake Garcia. Him and Tyler have got to make the best one-two punch of any quarterback room in the country.”
The talent in the Miami quarterback room doesn’t stop there. The Hurricanes signed four-star recruit Jacurri Brown, the No. 18 quarterback in the 2022 class. Brown is dual-threat and threw for more than 3,000 yards while rushing for over 2,000 the past two years at Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia. He was an early enrollee this spring, where Cristobal said he was impressed with how he managed to fit in.
“They brought in Jacurri Brown, who joins us as the most prolific passer and winner in Georgia high school history,” the Hurricanes coach said. “A phenomenal athlete and human being who joins these guys. Got here as an early enrollee, which is always fun. It’s like getting dropped off in some place where you have to learn to get to know everybody and know processes. The simplicity of attaining a Cane card is as difficult as you can imagine. But Jacurri has adapted really well and he’s ready to roll, so we feel great about that room.”
Miami is set to enter their first season under coach Mario Cristobal following a disappointing 7-5 season this past year.
As a former Championship Winning offensive lineman with the Canes in 89 and 91, Cristobal understands the importance of rebuilding this program. The Hurricanes have only one 10-win season in the past 18 years.
Cristobal still has a long way to go in his rebuilding of the program, but he at least has a solid foundation at the most important position in offense.
He will get his first opportunity to put that talent to use when Miami opens the 2022 season on Sept. 3 against Bethune-Cookman.
New Path
By: Robert Craft
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
McKenzie Milton has decided to officially hang up the cleats, announcing his retirement from football on Thursday.
The former UCF star returned from a catastrophic leg injury to play for Florida State in 2021, providing one great story last season.
But now that the 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone, Milton explained on Instagram that “my days of playing football have come to an end.”
Milton had a 27-6 record as a starter for UCF, after starting 4-6 his freshman season, he led the Knights to 23 consecutive wins. He contributed to two American Athletic Conference Championship teams, but that fateful injury in the regular season finale back in 2018 cost him the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
Milton graduated from UCF and transferred to Florida State, where he was able to get on the field for six games with four starts during the 2021 season.
After participating in a pro day at Florida State and UCF this spring and not getting drafted, Milton can celebrate his recovery and still know he gave the NFL his best run.
In his announcement on social media, Milton made reference to the “what if” questions that might include whether his NFL Draft outcome might have been different without the injury. But he says his outlook is focused on his growing family, as he and his wife are expecting a boy this summer.
“A lot of people will wonder what if he never got hurt, what if this what if that? I asked myself those same questions for a while too,” Milton wrote in his announcement on social media. “It wasn’t until November 23, 2021 (three year anniversary of my injury) where I saw my son for the first time on ultrasound and then understood why I went through what I went through. It took three years to put it all in perspective. I get goosebumps thinking about how divine it is that three years to the day I get hurt, is the same day I see my baby boy for the first time.”
While Milton was working out with NFL aspirations, he simultaneously got active in the name, image and likeness business.
Dreamfield was founded in the summer of 2021 by two then-active college quarterbacks, McKenzie Milton and D’Eriq King. At the time, both had transferred to Florida schools after great AAC careers. Both said they wanted to take advantage of the new opportunity that was NIL.
Through their Dreamfield platform, they did things like releasing NFTs or non-fungible tokens, which are blockchain-based assets that allow college athletes to easily monetize their NIL, build their brand, and authentically connect with their fans in new and unique ways.
They also brought in other student-athletes, who wanted to use the platform to help find NIL deals.
Today, they offer numerous resources for the athletes who they’ve partnered with, including help with taxes, compliance, and brand building. Meanwhile, they help brands identify the right athletes for them and track the success of their campaigns.
They also exist to help boosters in the NIL era, as they try to begin crowdfunding and things of that nature.
Dreamfield works to bring student-athletes and brands together for the purposes of NIL. They do so without pairing up directly. Instead, they team up with the athletes themselves.
Among those athletes who they have teamed up with are Florida quarterback Anthony Richardson, Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham and Washington quarterback Michael Penix.
Now, with these new brands, they will be able to help those brands partner with more student-athletes in deals moving forward.
We may have seen the last of Milton on the gridiron, but he made his impact in college athletics.
