How ironic would it be if Dono’s replacement at Houston ends up being the new DC?
Another rumor is Bryan McClendon is heading to UGA.
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A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Tuesday:
Football players must enroll by Wednesday in order to be eligible to participate in spring practice, and several of UM’s top prospects already are on campus.
The Canes typically don’t announce their early arrivals before the January deadline to enroll for the first spring semester. So the full list won’t be known until Wednesday at the earliest.
But four-star defensive lineman Nyjalik Kelly tweeted this week “officially a Cane” and four-star cornerback Khamauri Rogers retweeted a DeMarcus Van Dyke video showing Rogers’ arrival.
Four-star tight end Jaleel Skinner moved into his UM dorm this week, per colleague David Wilson.
Four-star quarterback Jacurri Brown also is enrolled.
So that’s at least four from the 10-member freshman class, with others also hoping to enroll by Wednesday.
Four-star linebacker Wesley Bissainthe has told reporters he expects to enroll this week.
Four-star defensive end Cyrus Moss also has been hoping to enroll this week.
We hear Houston defensive coordinator Doug Belk is among candidates under consideration for the same job at Miami.
Belk was the Cougars’ co-defensive coordinator and safeties coach in 2019 and 2020 and was the team’s sole defensive coordinator last season. He also had the associate head coach title the past two seasons.
Houston was sixth in total defense among 130 FBS schools last season, allowing 301 yards per game.
Belk was a graduate assistant at Alabama in 2014 through 2016, intersecting with Mario Cristobal’s tenure there. He played at Carson Newman and previously was a defensive backs coach at Valdosta State and West Virginia.
Multiple other candidates also have been receiving consideration, including Seattle Seahawks defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.
247 Sports reported last week that Dolphins linebackers coach Anthony Campanile is a possibility for the UM defensive coordinator job.
Cristobal also has been searching for an offensive coordinator after earlier discussions with Toledo coach Jason Candle and Arkansas offensive coordinator Kendal Briles, who are both reportedly staying put.
If UM is indeed dumping Manny Diaz’s turnover chain, the news leaked in an unusual way:
Offensive tackle Francis Mauigia, a four-star Class of 2023 prospect from IMG Academy, told Rivals’ Adam Gorney that he spoke with UM offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and Gorney quoted Maugia as saying the following:
“A saying by coach Mirabal: ‘We got rid of the turnover chains and stuff like that. We’re here to play football.’”
UM hasn’t confirmed the fate of the chain since that Rivals piece was published earlier this week. Cristobal said at his introductory news conference that he hadn’t given it thought and he hasn’t addressed the issue publicly since then.
UM and Auburn are finalists for three-star Jacksonville-based edge rusher Jack Pyburn, who plays to announce Feb. 1.
The former Minnesota non-binding commitment had 32 tackles for loss and 14 sacks last season.
If Pyburn commits to UM, that would give the Canes an exceptional trifecta of pass rushers in this class, joining Moss and Kelly.
Per Canesport, four-star Miami Monsignor Pace defensive end Shemar Stewart would not be comfortable picking UM among his finalists (Canes, Georgia, Texas A&M) unless a defensive coordinator is in place by signing day Feb. 2.
Miami has made a late push for Stewart, who has been to campus multiple times. Texas A&M had been considered the favorite in recent months, and Georgia is still very much in play.
R Mason Thomas, a three star Class of 2022 defensive end/outside linebacker from Fort Lauderdale Cardinal Gibbons, remains an Iowa State commitment but is considering UM, per Canesport’s Matt Shodell.
Oklahoma, Kentucky, LSU and Iowa State remain in the mix too.
