{"id":166062,"date":"2022-12-23T09:44:13","date_gmt":"2022-12-23T09:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/mario-cristobal-addresses-needs-following-signing-day\/"},"modified":"2022-12-23T09:44:13","modified_gmt":"2022-12-23T09:44:13","slug":"mario-cristobal-addresses-needs-following-signing-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harchi90.com\/mario-cristobal-addresses-needs-following-signing-day\/","title":{"rendered":"Mario Cristobal addresses needs following Signing Day"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. \u2013<\/strong> The Miami Hurricanes have addressed a number of needs with its fourth-ranked national recruiting class, which is tops in the ACC.<\/p>\n

With 25 players who signed on Wednesday and four transfers also on board, Mario Cristobal<\/b> and staff will be looking add more pieces to the puzzle in hopes of improving off of this past season’s 5-7 mark.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are continuing to pursue outside receivers,\u201d Cristobal said. \u201cWe still need a couple of guys just to have a balanced roster and just to have normal numbers. We are low on numbers there and we are also are pursuing defensive tackles\u2014those are the two areas that we haven’t fully addressed in this recruiting class.\u201d<\/p>\n

The early signing period began on Wednesday and goes through Friday while the transfer portal window remains open until Jan. 18. The regular signing period begins on Feb. one.<\/p>\n

With a number of departures already combined with the incoming players and likely more movement with both still to come, it can be difficult to navigate the NCAA limit to 85 scholarships.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don’t even look at that right now, I’m being honest,\u201d Cristobal said. \u201cRight now we have to make sure we continue to working our way to the very best 85 scholarship players and the very best 35 preferred walkon players as well. They’ve got to check boxes and that’s a never ending process. Roster assessment and roster enhancement, talent acquisition and player development are never ending. The numbers are fine. I know you have to get to a certain number at the end. There’s plenty of room and plenty of time so it’s all systems go. We need to acquire more elite talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Another addition Miami would like to add to the roster is five-star cornerback Cormani McClain<\/b>, the nation’s second-best overall prospect who verbally committed to Miami in late October, but did not sign Wednesday. Coaches are permitted from speaking publicly about unsigned players, but indirectly asked about his confidence in adding McClain.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are optimistic and hopeful about every single person that we have recruited due to relationships and just a long time being invested into these guys from a personal and professional standpoint,\u201d Cristobal said.<\/p>\n

Although Cristobal would like to add more receivers and defensive tackles to the mix, he is pleased with the ones they did sign in four-star Nathaniel Joseph<\/b> (No. 21 wide receiver) and four-star Robby Washington<\/b> (No. 27 wide receiver) at wideout.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe two guys we got, we think they’re dynamic playmakers and when you set your recruiting board, they were at the top of the board,\u201d Cristobal said. \u201cThey were must-get guys, local guys, made of all of the right stuff, did all of the right things. We got to see them at our 7-on-7s, we got to see them at camp and they are exceptional because they are elite route-runners that can turn a 5-yard hitch into an 80-yard touchdown. Sometimes its nice to send out the PAT field goal units instead of 2nd-and-5, these guys can do that. They are very motivated, they love Miami.\u201d<\/p>\n

three-star Joshua Horton<\/b> (No. 55 defensive tackle) was the lone interior defensive lineman the Hurricanes inked.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s exactly what 3-techniques should look like,\u201d Cristobal said. \u201cHe’s over 6-4 and 285-290 pounds. You probably saw footage of him on Twitter dunking over his friends, that did not work out so well for his friends, but this guy is a jumbo athlete that’s explosive, a natural pass-rusher, a natural run-stopper, comes out of his hips This is the best part about him, coach Williams who we got to know really well at Langston Hughes, a tremendous coach, culture, culture, culture. He gets there and the first year they won two games. This is what attracted to him to Miami. And then his four-year track there culminated with him winning the state title. You need that and you want that on your team with guys who are willing to do what it takes to do it right and have seen the tough times, have seen the building and have gone through some of the tough times so I think he embodies all of that stuff and more.\u201d<\/p>\n

Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at <\/span><\/em>stock@insidetheu.com <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>and on Twitter <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>@InsideTheU<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n