NSD 2013: Signed, Sealed and Delivered

Well another exciting and action packed National Signing Day (NSD) has come and gone marking the starting point of another college football season.

The  seemingly endless list of bowl games and the one BCS title game finally ended in early January signaling the end of the 2012 season. But it is always the first Wednesday in February that marks the beginning of a new year filled with high hopes and higher expectations.

After spending all day on the Internet, reading over 900 comments from some of the 18,000 people who visited Canespace today and watching all of ESPN's coverage of the day's happenings, I do not have time to do a detailed analysis or critique of each player in this class that signed a NLI with UM.

But now that another NSD is in the books, I thought we would just take a quick look at today's catch for UM head coach Al Golden and his Miami Hurricanes.  

University of Miami NSD 2013 Class:

Stacy Coley, WR, Oakland Park Northeast High, 6-1, 173

Jermaine Grace, LB, Miramar High, 6-1, 210

Augustus Edwards, FB, Staten Island (N.Y.), 6-2, 230

Sunny Odogwu, OT, Hargrave Military (Va.), 6-8, 311

Beau Sandland, TE, Los Angeles Pierce College, 6-6, 255

Artie Burns, S, Miami Northwestern, 6-0, 183

Alquadin Muhammad, DE, Bosco Prep (N.J.), 6-3, 230

Kevin Olsen, QB, Wayne Hills, N.J., 6-3, 200

Jamal Carter, S, Miami Southridge, 6-1, 190

Standish Dobard, TE, New Orleans Edna Karr, 6-4, 255

Ufomba Kamalu, DT, Butler CC (Kan.), 6-5, 280

Alex Gall, OT, Cincinnati Moeller, 6-6, 280

Hunter Knighton, DT, Princeton Hun School, 6-5, 265

Alex Figueroa, DE, Fork Union (Va.), 6-3, 225

Ray Lewis III, RB, Lake Mary Prep, Fla., 5-9, 190

Devante Bond, Sierra College (Calif.), 6-3, 230

Now, 'Canes fans can spend their time celebrating or brooding over the NSD 2013 results and wait patiently for Spring practice to start sometime in March. Until then we start preparing another college football season and maybe even begin looking ahead to NSD 2014.

And maybe for a few big, mean and nasty defensive tackles to show up?

Comments

[orange 'n green in the vein]

Wow, missing on areas of need has turned this blog into a a game of who hates others skin color more? WTF?

So you can't want a coach who won more games on a percentage basis with a different melanin content in his skin than another because then you're a racist? WTF again?

Sumlin was in the mix when Golden was hired. Special K liked that book in orange and green instead of cream and purple from a guy who had never beat a lesser conference foe with a winning league record better though rather than hire a respected head coach who had tore it up in a lesser conference and coached the all time NCAA passing yardage leader. Whether skin tone had anything to do with that you'll have to ask that dumb@$$ personally though.

[CoCane]

Because of the ugly racist history of this society. Plus the current lingering racism, that isn't as bad as it once was but isn't non existant as we pretend. Most black people still don't trust white people. Especially rich ones

[CaneRock]

Last I checked you get hired on qualifications, but I guess in that other world you live in apparently thats not the case.

Posted by: Schweaty Balls | February 07, 2013 at 12:23 PM

"Qualifications"? Really? You ever heard of Jake Gaither,IMO, the greatest HC, and maybe the greatest offensive mind to come out of the South:

Jake Gaither had a simple coaching philosophy, one which has become the most-quoted recruiting theory in football. He wanted his players "mo-bile, a-gile and hos-tile". He found enough players of that caliber, and taught them well enough, that he will never be forgotten whenever the conversation settles upon the names of football's great coaches. Gaither was an All-Conference end at Knoxville College. He coached at the academy level, Henderson Institute and St. Paul's, 1927-36. He moved to Florida A&M as assistant coach in 1937 and was Florida A&M head coach 1945-69. His 25- year record was 203-36-4, a percentage of .844. His teams won their conference 18 times and were black college national champions six times. His name was Alonzo Gaither; everybody called him Jake. He had a bachelor's degree from Knoxville, 1927, and master's from Ohio State, 1937. In 1963 he wrote a book, "The Split Line T." Gaither was a member of the President's Council on Physical Fitness. In 1975 he was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame, received a Distinguished American Award from the Walter Camp Foundation, and received the A.A. Stagg Award from the American Football Coaches Association. The state of Florida produced a film "Coach and Teacher" portraying him as part of its "Great Floridian" series. In Tallahassee, a street, a park, a golf course, and a gymnasium were named for him. In a 10-year streak 1953-62, his teams went 87-7-1. He was a champion debater in college and a dynamic speaker afterward. Gaither was born April 11, 1903, in Dayton, Tennessee. He died February 18, 1994, at age 90.

[Ohio_Cane]

86, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED!

THANK U!

[CaneRock]

More Jake Gaither:

In Jake Gaither's (career record = 204-36-4) career - he AVERAGED 55 points per game, and his opponents averaged 3. He used to pass out copies of his offense to EVERYONE! (EVEN HIS OPPONENTS!) because he said: "no offense is sound if it doesn't work vs. teams that KNOW!!! the details about it"!

[Lou of M]

I back my General Golden like I backed Randy when he was coaching like garbage. The diffrence is Golden coaches a lot better than Randy will ever. I trust Goldens recruiting process. Randy hosted camps for near $400 while Goldens are $60. Who do you think gets more local kids to attend?

[Schweaty Balls]

Sweaty balls, you are normally sensible on most stuff, whether I agree with you or not, but you've crossed he line here

Shannon may have failed as a head coach, but he was never a racist, or said or did anything racist, and it's wrong of you to go there, give me some real examples of his racism, because I followed him closely, and I never saw it.

Unless you're one of those people that think being a proud black man that tries to set an example for young black men is being racist.

Posted by: Canesfan_1 | February 07, 2013 at 12:25 PM

Look, all I am saying here is that Shannon played and recruited a certain type of player. Someone labeled it as favoring MNW or BTW kids, I call it something else. If you favor someone for anything over someone who may be more qualified, in a job or in this case playing football, that is not right in any way, shape or form. You can bury your head in the sand and say he was trying to get poor Miami kids to be successful and this and that, but I don't care about that when it comes to Miami football and any person would say the same thing. What I care about is bringing in the best players possible to win, period, and I do not believe Shannon did that. He felt he had an obligation to the Community of Miami and not necessarily to University of Miami. When you have a guy who may recruit a local Miami kid who may not have had the best life over a better player from Ohio, California or somewhere else I get pissed b/c that not only hurts the team, it hurts the program. And truh be told, that kind of thinking got Shannon fired, among a whole host of others.

I am not a racist, far from it, but I believe Shannon had other agendas other than winning football games at the University of Miami.

[TJL]

.

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/umiami/2013/02/mike-james-and-brandon-mcgee-invited-to-nfl-combine-in-indianapolis.html

[TJL]

Chris Freet - Anyone want more POSITIVE #Canes news? Big story coming at 1 pm.

The news is they found Mandingos phone

[Ohio_Cane]

Terry Richardson to the Jaguars - http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/07/reports-miami-loses-another-coach-to-nfl/

[raizecane]

Collins is suppose to send his LOI to Arkansas at 1:00. Is that the big news???

[Ohio_Cane]

Raize, no.

[CaneRock]

I am not a racist, far from it, but I believe Shannon had other agendas other than winning football games at the University of Miami.

Posted by: Schweaty Balls | February 07, 2013 at 12:47 PM

That ain't no belief, that's a COSPIRACY THEORY! LMAO! Like my boy Marlo Stansfield from The Wire said..."You only want it one way"...THE EASY WAY! L...M...A...OFFFFF!

[CaneRock]

The news is they found Mandingos phone

Posted by: TJL | February 07, 2013 at 12:51 PM

They already found it, it's givin' it back that's the problem. LMAO!

[orange 'n green in the vein]

"Who do you think gets more local kids to attend?

Posted by: Lou of M | February 07, 2013 at 12:47 PM"

Camps or attend school to play football there? Because apparently telling top local players they have to show up to your camp for an offer to be extended just sends them somewhere else if you look at the results this year.

[AfriCane]

I am not a racist, far from it, but I believe Shannon had other agendas other than winning football games at the University of Miami.

Posted by: Schweaty Balls | February 07, 2013 at 12:47 PM

No u r not a racist. U r a self contradicting, inarticulate moron and blundering idiotic 'has been.'

[Ohio_Cane]

Chris Freet - BIG STORY: Shane Larkin just became 1st @CanesHoops player in history to be named Cousy Award finalist: http://gocan.es/X9HMuH

[UMike]

Collins mom knows his coach has something up his sleeve and had an agenda.

[Canesteeler]

Rumor is Cristobal to the Browns. AG it is time to bring Don Solinger back to the U.

[Ohio_Cane]

Ok, folks... Let's drop this convo and move on to a new one, huh?

Starting to get personal, and it's pointless at that.

Let's let it go.

[Canesteeler]

Why even discuss race?

[HVC]

Randy is not racist. Just doesn't always express himself well. Let's stop that label and leave it for people who deserve it. There also were a lot people who criticized Randy for being an Uncle Tom behind closed doors in the community which he also isn't.

To your point VA. I have a story about Sumlin. Think of the university that gave him his first head coaching job. He got his chance because of a kid who had an opportunity to watch Sumlin up close. Not as an athlete but picture a gatekeeper,student worker frequently around the team. The school that hired him was going with someone else. The AD had already made the decision, but the student at the time, knew a person of "influence" at the school who asked him for the truth on Sumlin in light of hiring considerations, and raved about how good Sumlin was. Picture youthful exuberance towards a cause, raved in the strongest terms possible. AD is told to interview Sumlin again, AD says we got a guy. Person of influence says not yet you don't. Sumlin gets hired. You never know who people at the bottom of the totem pole know. Connections still play a huge part in life. He may have gotten a chance somewhere else over time but it wouldn't have been his first HC gig. A lot of schools passed on him that year for "whatever" reason. Only one school was willing to take a chance on him.

True story.

[thirstybuzzardcane]

Look, all I am saying here is that Shannon played and recruited a certain type of player. Someone labeled it as favoring MNW or BTW kids, I call it something else. If you favor someone for anything over someone who may be more qualified, in a job or in this case playing football, that is not right in any way, shape or form. You can bury your head in the sand and say he was trying to get poor Miami kids to be successful and this and that, but I don't care about that when it comes to Miami football and any person would say the same thing. What I care about is bringing in the best players possible to win, period, and I do not believe Shannon did that. He felt he had an obligation to the Community of Miami and not necessarily to University of Miami. When you have a guy who may recruit a local Miami kid who may not have had the best life over a better player from Ohio, California or somewhere else I get pissed b/c that not only hurts the team, it hurts the program. And truh be told, that kind of thinking got Shannon fired, among a whole host of others.

I am not a racist, far from it, but I believe Shannon had other agendas other than winning football games at the University of Miami.

Posted by: Schweaty Balls | February 07, 2013 at 12:47 PM

Agree 100%

[UMike]

The mother of South Plantation High running back Alex Collins has hired an attorney with the Cochran firm to represent the family "while she contemplates on signing the NCAA's Letter of Intent" that will decide where her son plays football in college.

The firm, founded by O.J. Simpson lawyer Johnnie L. Cochran, made the announcement Thursday.

Andrea McDonald refused Wednesday to go along with her son's choice of the University of Arkansas, preferring that he attend the University of Miami.

[CaneRock]

True story.

Posted by: HVC | February 07, 2013 at 01:04 PM

...And a good story. I like FACTS!

[VA Cane]

Please we all have tendencies to see it our way our races way....we do not mean to but we forget how we feel about each other and fall back on old habits and feelings that may be learned behavior but are certainly outdated. I am guilty; I said things that were racial on here that were wrong, embarrased me and showed that I can be stupid and intolerant due to selfish feelings. We got to pull together folks, its going to work out. I care about each of you regardless of race. I do not want to know your race, I do know you are Canes therefore my family!!!

Hi Canesteeler bet you are loving your hockey!!! Hope your heart is good and family doing well!!!

[VfB_Cane]

In other news, NSD has come and gone ...

Some Cane fans came away with the impression that FSU and UF gor far more talent than we did. Really?

I did a little number crunching, based on three recruiting sites, and tried to eliminate the size factor for better comparison.

Rivals
Overall ranking: UF #4, FSU #9, UM #44
Ranking based on average grade:
UF 3.67 (#7),FSU 3.57 (#10), UM Avg. 3.40 (#12)

Scout:
Overall ranking: UF #8, FSU #16, UM #28
Ranking based on average grade:
UF 3.63 (#8), FSU 3.41 (#13), UM 3.29 (#18)

247:
Overall ranking: UF #4, FSU #8, UM #17
Ranking based on average grade:
UF 91.21 (#4), FSU 89.19 (#9), UM 88.80 (#12)

My take:
(1) Eliminating the size factor, UF's signing class was top 5-10, FSU top 10-15, UM top 15-20.
(2) Given that grading recruits is an inexact sciece at best, the difference between UM's class and what FSU got is negligible (basically, it's one 5* signing with us instead of going to Tallyville)
(3) UF is the last of the Florida schools to win a NC and is in the SEC. In today's recruiting world, this will work wonders for you (not necssarily on the field - we'll find out).
(4) No need to hit the panic button. While Golden&Co. didn't set the world on fire yesterday, the talent gap between FSU und us is small enough so that in can be made up by proper talent development. Neither FSU nor UM have excelled in that area for quite some time now.

[WWIN]

Thanks Chris freet that news was exactly what we were looking for!!!! Haven't had any news like that since Linder, SH77, and Porter announced they were staying. Awesome

[LB]

"Gorten - So Alex Collins' mom hired attorney 2 "represent the family's interests" after what went down yesterday, per release..."

This is insane.

[VA Cane]

amazing HVC, nice touch of class my friend. He is something else...I really like the way he does things, coaches.....but I really like his persona and the way he carries himself. He is a confident man....he is proud and outgoing....he does not make excuses he find solutions....good coaching philosophy...to teach your players....great life philosophy to teach to all thosae around you. Thanks for that story HVC

[Ohio_Cane]

Apparently, his dad is there with him to sign his NLI.

Honestly, just glad the kid can end this mess finally.

[thirstybuzzardcane]

Schwartz center is getting close to being done

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhig2uRaQgE

[HVC]

Canerock. I don't know if you are saying the story is a lie, you may not be but it's the truth. You don't know me and I am not inclined to provide all of the connections in such a public forum to verify the events but sometimes it's how life works out.

It's no different than a personal recommendation from someone of influence who is trusted already inside a potential place of employment vouching for you vs some resume you send to a careerbuilder etc. But that is the real deal of what happened with Sumlin. He may not even know it because it would have been above his head but it's what happened.

As Carl Sagan and Gin Rummy said " Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence"

[Schweaty Balls]

Stacy Coley could be my new favorite player. The dude had a hat that said "swag" on it his signing. If thats not Cane type of guy I do not know what is.

[Ohio_Cane]

Schweaty, I'm still searching for that hat online to buy! LOVE THAT!

[HVC]

There is some cursing but it's a good point http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w5JqQLqqTc

[CaneRock]

Posted by: HVC | February 07, 2013 at 01:16 PM

I believe you.

[Schweaty Balls]

Schweaty, I'm still searching for that hat online to buy! LOVE THAT!

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | February 07, 2013 at 01:21 PM

Ohio, didn't I read somewhere that the coaches felt he was a Miami type of guy based upon his attitude and the way he carried himself.

[Hassan]

Good Analysis Vfb Cane, I concur your sentiments.

Chud will not get Mario to move to Ohio to be a position coach. Good Luck to T Rich, I have met him many occasions, he is a good RB coach but was not the most personable person to meet. I am close to a few players recruited by the U that told me in no uncertain terms that Coach D is "an A**hole, A liar, and a bad coach, and that is why none of my friends wants to come play for him"

This young man in particular is a 4 star recruit played at one of the most prominent schools in SFLA and personally knows many of the top players in sfla. He also knows several current Canes well. Take this for what it is worth, but this young man is a great kid and if HE can say this I can only imagine what other kids feel. Our Achilles heel on and off the field appear to be one and the same, our D Coordinator.

[HVC]

Yep CaneRock understood. It worked out for all the parties involved. Apparently the kid was jumping on top of the table in his advocacy.

[HVC]

But back to the Canes. There is only one known and that it's ALL on the Defense next year. Our season is all on them.

[Sarasota 'cane]

UM has a basketball team? Who knew?

Go 'canes!!

[laquinton]

bring back coach soldinger !!

welp looks like that may happen

[UMike]

Stacy Coley could be my new favorite player. The dude had a hat that said "swag" on it his signing. If thats not Cane type of guy I do not know what is.

Posted by: Schweaty Balls | February 07, 2013 at 01:20 PM

I also like how he said "I will be spending the next 3 years" lol

[Ohio_Cane]

Literally been searching all day for this SWAG hat and can NOT find it!

[Ohio_Cane]

Literally been searching all day for this SWAG hat and can NOT find it!

Posted by: Ohio_Cane | February 07, 2013 at 01:56 PM
----------------------------------------

Harry Rothwell - We have them on order at allCanes 8 wks

[CaneRock]

Coley probably had that hat customized.

[Ohio_Cane]

"pembroke lakes mall got them"

If only I could fly down to Pembroke to buy one...

[TheWordFromTheHerb]

Must be a pretty boring day if we are having a Randy Shannon flashback day. Dude was not head coach material. Black, white, red or yellow, it doesn't matter the skin color. As a coordinator he was goood. Dude hated to blitz and we yell at DENO to blitz constantly but there is and was a hugh difference in the front 7 Shannon had to work with, compared to DENO's group. When were winning we didn't constantly have top ranking classes, we just had more speed and better athletes, that is until the others started following suit and now they have one-upped us by having the speed, size and athletic talent. We had problems in the mid 2000's finding Qb's & Wr's and now we have an over abundance of both and now it's the Lb's & DT's that suffer and really the whole defensive side where the numbers are off plus quality to boot.
To bad we don't have Momma Collins recruiting for us, she's a bear for nerves.
Somebody was talking about Jabboney Harris & Robert Marve, in the Herb's most humble opinion, they both were the Anti-Cane, INT. Throwing Machines!
Next topic.

[TJL]

anyone hear the interview today on WQAM with Sileo and Miami Edison's Coach? The coach basically told Sileo he is full of it and the U is all over the inner city. The reason they are not getting the kids is because of Sanctions and the other schools are still screaming the U is getting the death penalty

http://wqam.com/interviews