From: dbrown@newssun.med.miami.edu (Daniel Brown)
Subject: MIAMI RECRUITING
Organization: University of Miami, School Of Medicine
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 1993 15:45:12 GMT

Taken from the Sunday, January 24, 1993 _Miami_Herald_
None of the opinions or words are mine, except typos and an occasional
geographic clarification for non-locals (in brackets).  See also
MIAMI PAST RECRUITING, MIAMI CURRENT RECRUITS, MOST COVETED PLAYERS



_UM_RECRUITING_BONANZA?_

Erickson's 4th Class Shaping up


By Ken Rodriguez (Herald Sports Writer)


To play for No. 1, a coach must have players.  Blue-chippers.  Guys with
extraordinary talent.  At the University of Miami, Coach Dennis Erickson
has had enough blue-chip talent to win two national championships and
three major bowls in four years.

He has coached 11 All-Americans, a Heisman Trophy winner, an Outland 
Trophy winner, seven first-round picks in the NFL draft.  Lucky guy, 
cynics say.  Jimmy Johnson, coach of the Super-Bowl bound Dallas Cowboys,
recruited 10 of Erickson's All-Americans.  The 11th, kicker Carlos
Huerta, walked on.

What can Erickson do with his own recruits?  Tune in this fall.  For the
first time since arriving in 1989, Erickson will line up his own players,
though they will be bolstered by 14 fifth-year seniors recruited by
Johnson, seven of them starters.

"The talent is not going to drop off," says Max Emfinger, a Houston-based
recruiting analyst.  "Some of the players they've taken we didn't rate
very highly but turned out to be excellent.  I think a lot of guys come
to Miami, take off their shirts and reveal a big 'S' underneath."

Early returns on this year's recruiting haul are promising.  UM received
at least four oral commitments, two of them from player's considered among
the nation's best at their positions: offensive tackle Carlos Callejas,
6-4 and 275 pounds from Miami High, and guard Kerlin Blaise (6-5, 300)
from Orland Evans.

"Things are going well," said UM recruiting coordinator Pete Garcia, who is
prohibited under NCAA rules from talking about specific recruits.  "Wide
receiver is a big need.  We lose [three] starters.  Some of the guys we 
recruit are going to play early.  Linebacker is the other need.  We lose
four seniors, three of them starters."

Some of the nation's best linebackers are leaning toward UM: Darryl
Bush (6-3, 220) of Altamonte Springs [FL], Kenard Lang (6-4, 230)
of Orlando and Lyron Cobbins (6-2, 225) of Wyandotte, Kan.

The Huriccanes are alos in the chase for Homestead High's James Burgess 
(6-2, 222), the No. 1 linebacker prospect in the state, and Memphis 
linebacker Jason Walters (6-4, 224), the No. 8 prospect in Tennessee.

Other blue-chippers leaning toward UM include Fort Myers defensive back
Jammi German (6-2, 175), USA Today's Defensive Player of the Year;
Bettendorf, Iowa, running back Tavian Banks, a Superprep All-American;
Ardmore, Okla., receiver Taj Johnson (6-3, 190), a Southwest blue-
chipper; and Palmetto High running back Trent Jones, an All-Dade [County]
selection who will switch to receiver.

Signing day is Feb. 3.

Erickson's recruiting philosophy is based on two tents: speed and
athleticism.  If a player can run and excel at more than one sport, he's
a prospect.

"We like to watch them play basketball and run track," says UM defensive
coordinator Tommy Tuberville.

Using the criteria of speed and athleticism, the Hurricanes have 
recruited well under Erickson.  An overview of his first three classes:
[see following post]

Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.college