The Rundown Take
Breaking News Live On Air: Alonzo Highsmith Named Miami GM, and He Calls Into U Talk Himself
A Friday night that started as a normal show turned into history in real time. Melvin "G5" Bratton, calling in from vacation in Aruba, broke down Alonzo Highsmith's hire as the Miami Hurricanes football program's new general manager — then Highsmith himself jumped on the line to talk to Devin and Larry Frank Jr. about the job.
Key Takeaways
- Bratton and Highsmith have been close since their shared 1983 recruiting class; Bratton says he helped get Highsmith his first NFL scouting job with the Green Bay Packers under GM Ron Wolf.
- Highsmith, a former number-three overall pick by the Houston Oilers, called in live to discuss his new role, his recruiting philosophy and his humility about the job.
- Bratton predicted Miami is "a year or two away" from real contention and floated the mindset of starting every game up 7-0 before kickoff.
- Highsmith wants to build a "F.A.T.S." — football attitude test — where players learn the history of every jersey number they wear, and plans to prioritize recruiting within a 300-mile radius of Miami.
- Both guests dismissed star rankings outright, with Highsmith saying a "five star" means nothing to him unless the player looks like an Adrian Peterson or Reggie Bush — and Bratton reminding everyone Ed Reed was a two-star.
From College Roommates to the GM's Office
Bratton walked through the origin story: he and Highsmith bonded as Miami recruits in 1983, and years later Bratton coached Highsmith through his first NFL personnel interview with the Packers, telling him exactly how scouts write up offensive and defensive linemen. Highsmith, for his part, credited Howard Schnellenberger's original pitch for pulling him to Miami over Michigan or Notre Dame in the first place, and said he's coming back "in a very humble manner," not as a savior.
Building a New Infrastructure — And Respecting the Old One
Highsmith laid out his plan to build accountability and a new mindset among current players while still connecting them to Miami's championship history — teaching each player who wore their jersey number before them. He said his recruiting focus starts in the state of Miami before expanding nationally, and that Miami's practices, not just talent, built the program's legendary reputation.
NIL, Fairness, and the Nick Saban Question
Bratton argued NIL needs structure — a rookie-year-style cap that scales with milestones and academic performance — and pointed to the gap between Deion Sanders' Jackson State budget and Nick Saban's Alabama salary as proof of how uneven the sport already is. The panel also debated whether the NCAA would ever investigate Alabama the way it targeted Miami off a rumor, agreeing it likely never will given the NCAA's history with each program's reputation.
"I don't think you can ever replicate the past, but what you can do is learn from the past — and build it better."