The Rundown Take
Five Keys to a Contender: Devin's Solo Blueprint for Turning Miami Back Into "The U"
No panel, no problem — Devin went live solo this week, thanking the Kane Nation family for riding with the show through a hiatus week and a coming upgrade, then dove straight into recruiting notes and his personal five-point checklist for what has to happen on the field for Miami to be a real contender this fall.
Key Takeaways
- Grad transfer OT Jared Williams (6'7", 305, from Houston) joins the offensive line battle behind Zion Nelson and DJ Scaife.
- Four-star WR commit Jacoby George (5'11", 161, Plantation, FL) locks in — Devin calls it a return to recruiting South Florida's own backyard.
- Watch-list names to keep home: ATH Romello Brinson (Northwestern, also drawing Georgia interest) and safety Cam Kitchens, the 19th-ranked safety in Florida.
- Devin's five keys to contending: fix the scoring offense, generate explosive passing plays, sustain drives and cut down sacks, win man coverage on the outside, and get a real pass-rush duo off the D-line.
- Sidebar debate: Devin's all-time NBA center top three is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon, with Dikembe Mutombo as the alternate.
The Recruiting Board
Devin ran down the week's additions before opening the phone lines: the Jared Williams grad transfer adds beef to an offensive line that has to be better than last year's, and Jacoby George's commitment continues what Devin framed as a return to Miami's old recruiting roots — mining talent out of South Dade and the tri-county area instead of chasing it nationally. On the board to watch: Romello Brinson, a hometown athlete Miami is fighting Georgia for, and safety Cam Kitchens, both out of Northwestern.
Five Things That Have to Happen
Devin's checklist started with the offense: can D'Eriq King and offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee turn a unit that finished 121st nationally in sacks allowed (51 total) into a scoring machine, with aggressive, less predictable play-calling? From there — explosive plays down the field from Brevin Jordan, Jeremiah Payton and Mike Harley; sustained drives that give the defense a rest; receivers who can finally beat man coverage after struggling to get off the line in 2019; and a defensive front that leans on Quincy Roche and Jon Garvin to form the pass-rush duo it lacked once Garvin got comfortable last season.
Staying Hungry Up Front
On defense, Devin pointed to Gregory Rousseau as the swing piece — will he stay as dominant and hungry as his breakout year, or take a step back now that he's got tape out there? He also wants more disguise and intensity on blitz calls, arguing last year's pressures were too predictable.
"We got to get back to that old style of playing... we got to get back to being intense, we got to make people fear us."
With no confirmed start date for the season, Devin closed the football talk by saying the roster is doing what it can — working out on campus and waiting on word.