Miami Hurricanes
QB Jalen Hurts spurns Miami- will transfer to Oklahoma
The quarterback transfer carousel continued to spin on Wednesday afternoon and, you get the feeling that the Miami Hurricanes knew they were out of the sweepstakes for Alabama quarterback Jalen Hurts.
That’s becasue Hurts, a graduate transfer, made it official that he will be leaving Tuscaloosa for the Oklahoma Sooners and the Big XII to play in 2019:
As we wrote earlier in the week, Oklahoma has availability at the signal-caller position because Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray declared early for the NFL Draft by the Monday deadline.
Hurts had only been flirting with OU, but also the University of Maryland, where Alabama’s offensive coordinator Mike Locksley went and took the head coaching job. And, he was also being courted by Miami and new coach Manny Diaz.
Diaz hired Alabama’s quarterback coach Dan Enos, as his offensive coordinator last week. Hurts met with Diaz and Enos extensively on Sunday in Coral Gables. However, he obviously opted to go play for Lincoln Riley in an Oklahoma system that has produced the last two Heisman Trophy winners.
That includes 2017 Award winner and number one overall pick of the Cleveland Browns Baker Mayfield.
As we wrote earlier on Wednesday, Miami was proactive in the transfer game and is taking QB Tate Martell from Ohio State. Martell is leaving after having barely played his two years in Columbus. He is a former five-star High School star and record-breaking quarterback from famed Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. However, Martell will have to sit out the 2019 season, as he unlike Hurts, has not graduated. Therefore, he will have to abide by the NCAA transfer rules and have two years of eligibility still remaining.
Hurts is the former starting quarterback for 2016-17 at Alabama, where he led the tie to a national championship runner-up finish in 2016. However, he was then famously benched in the second half of the 2017 National Championship game with Georgia. Freshman Tua Tagovailoa took over and led Alabama to the overtime win.
Tide coach Nick Saban chose to go with Tagovailoak as his 2018 starter in September and Hurts only played sparingly throughout the regular season. He did come in to play in the second half of the SEC Title Game rematch with Georgia and led the Tide to the victory and the College Football Playoff.
However, once healthy a month later, Tagovailoa took back over for Alabama’s Orange Bowl win over Murray and Oklahoma, but then Clemson defeated Bama for the National Championship the next week.
It was obvious at the end of the season that Hurts was going to not only graduate, but look to try to play somewhere else in 2019.
And, that somewhere else is with the Oklahoma Sooners, not the Miami Hurricanes.
Former Miami Hurricanes head coach Al Golden is apparently about to have his day in court, while trying to recoup what he says is multi-millions of dollars that the University still owes him from firing him 5 years ago.
Miami Herald writer and columnist Barry Jackson had more on Monday evening that there apparently will not be a settlement by the school with the man that coached them for parts of five seasons in the 2010s.
UM schedule change, another new hire, Golden trial, why Ray Lewis says hiring Ed Reed is a ‘genius move,’ and Kosar weighs in. And more: https://t.co/MvTx7WxJND
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) February 4, 2020
Golden is seeking in excess of $3 million for what he says is compensation per his contract that he was owed when Miami terminated him in October of 2015 after a humiliating 58 – 0 lost to Clemson. The University says that Golden has been paid what the contract required.
As Jackson reported, there have already been depositions on both sides, including with Miami athletic director Blake James. And both James and Golden will be testifying in the civil suit about what went wrong and how it has not been rectified for almost three years, since the dispute started.
Golden came to Miami after having turned around the Temple football program, but only went 32 – 25 in his four plus seasons. He contends in a chain of emails that were obtained by the media recently, that the University mislead him about the Nevin Shapiro payment scandal and the punishments that Miami was going to receive for scholarship losses and a bowl ban.
He further contends that he asked for tough opponents like Wisconsin and Michigan State to be pushed back on the Canes schedule early in his tenure, while they were in the middle of the sanctions. However, that James would not relent, thereby, making it much tougher for Miami to compete and win.
The University has had no comment on the possible suit going to trial. Golden’s lawyer told the media recently that they are anxious to have their day in front of a judge and jury.
Golden has been a position coach in the NFL with the Detroit Lions the last two years. Meanwhile, Miami is still trying to find their footing with coach Manny Diaz coming off a dismal 6-7 season where they lost their last three games. That included a humiliating 14-0 shutout loss to Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.
The Miami Hurricanes are hoping to reestablish their winning ways, and coach Manny Diaz is starting 2020 by reaching back to a prominent member of their recent past to help them.
Diaz and the school announced Thursday afternoon that former All-American, National Champion and College and NFL Hall of Fame safety, Ed Reed, will be coming aboard as a newly-created “Chief of Staff” position for Hurricanes football:
Visits and vacations are nice, but there is no place like home.
Welcome back, @TwentyER. https://t.co/U3cR88OhP4
— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) January 30, 2020
As the school’s release said, Reed “will be responsible in advisory role of all aspects of the football program including strategic planning, quality control, operations, player evaluation and player Development among other duties.
“We are thrilled to welcome Ed back to Coral Gables,” Diaz said. “He is not only one of the most decorated players in Miami football history but also a devoted Cane who cares deeply about this program. All of our players, coaches and staff will be fortunate to tap into his experience, knowledge and passion on a regular basis.”
This hire comes on the heels of Miami apparently botching the hiring in a similar role of former star RB from the 80’s Alonzo Highsmith earlier this month. Highsmith negotiated with Diaz and AD Blake James about looking to come back to Coral Gables after having been in a similar role with the Cleveland Browns in the NFL this past year. Alas, they could not agree. Highsmith has since been fired after the Browns fired GM John Dorsey and shook up their front office.
As for the “Chief of Staff” position, numerous college programs, including Clemson Alabama and Georgia have a similar positions to aid and assist the head coach with the day-to-day administration of program.
You cannot find a more decorated Cane willing to help, as Reed was arguably the best safety in college football in the 2000s. Miami posted a 23 – 1 record over his final two seasons (’00-’01) and he was part of the 2001 BCS Championship team that finished 11-1 and destroyed Nebraska in the Rose Bowl.
Reed with a consensus First-team All-American in 2000 and 2001 and set the Hurricanes record for interceptions with 21 before leaving Coral Gables.
Reed was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018 for his accomplishments.
Reed was later a first-round pick of the Baltimore Ravens in 2002, playing at 11 sasons with them before playing his final year with the Texans and the Jets. He is a former NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was an All-Pro six times. Reed was just inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame year ago.
Read was not quoted in the release by the Hurricanes on Thursday afternoon.
However, he did participate earlier during Super Bowl week in Miami with former Hurricanes legendary coach Jimmy Johnson in a special program from Fox Sports with other famous Hurricane alumni like Michael Irvin.
"This is a moment in time that needed to be done and it couldn't have been done in a greater place." #TheReUnion, hosted by @FOXSports, made for great stories and honest discussion about the brotherhood formed only at The U. https://t.co/6bdlY8IQkV
— Canes Football (@CanesFootball) January 30, 2020
The program called “The ReUnion” dealt with Miami trying to regain the winning ways and dominance of the 80s and 90s.
Miami stumbled to a 6-6 finish and then was embarrassed to end Diaz’s first season with a 14-0 shutout loss to Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl.