The Rundown Take
No Alonzo, No Alarm? U Talk Breaks Down Miami's Staff Snub and the Transfer Portal Plan
Solo show, no shortage of news: Devin took the mic alone for U Talk LIVE-15 to unpack a offseason twist nobody saw coming — Miami Hurricanes legend Alonzo Highsmith reportedly turning down, or being turned away from, a spot on Manny Diaz's staff. From there it was straight into the new spread-offense hire, a growing wishlist of transfer portal targets, and a caller debate about what it actually takes to keep Miami's own kids home.
Key Takeaways
- Alonzo Highsmith will NOT be joining the Hurricanes staff — Devin says the holdup was reportedly a disagreement over how much control and input he'd have.
- Report going around: regardless of how 2020 shakes out, Manny Diaz is "back for 2021" — no matter win or lose.
- New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee arrives from SMU expected to install a spread system fans have wanted for years.
- Transfer portal board: OT Devin Cochran (Vanderbilt, 6'6" 290) and TJ Storment (Colorado State grad transfer) up front; QBs Jamie Newman (Wake Forest) and Anthony Brown (Boston College) as reinforcements at the position that struggled most in 2019.
- Incoming freshman quarterback Tyler Van Dyke (Connecticut, 6'6" 235) already generating buzz.
The Highsmith Question
Devin didn't hide his frustration: a Miami all-time great, ready to bring recruiting insight and instant credibility to the building, and the deal fell through anyway. His read on it was blunt — somebody in the building felt threatened by how much say Highsmith wanted. Whatever the reason, Devin argued it's a missed opportunity for a program that needs every possible edge getting local talent to stay home.
Plugging the Holes Through the Portal
With only two offensive linemen signed heading into the early period, Devin made the case for aggressive portal use up front, at quarterback, and at linebacker. He wasn't ready to bury Tate Martell after one uneven look in the Independence Bowl loss to Louisiana Tech, but he made clear the staff needs to bring in real competition — hence the interest in Newman and Brown. On defense, he singled out returning pieces like Scott Patchan, Mike Harley and Marc-Antoine "Mark" Pope as guys who've flashed but need to finally take the leap.
Difference-Makers and Dedication
Riffing on Highsmith's own comments about what separates true five-star talent, Devin named DJ Dallas, KJ Osborn and Shaq Quarterman as the only true alpha dogs on last year's roster, with Jimmy Murphy earning a shoutout for playing with heart despite limited snaps. Caller Beanie Barrett out of Georgia backed it up with a dedication-over-dollars message for incoming recruits, and the two went back and forth on whether today's players are chasing rings or chasing clout.
"This year is a big year — we cannot have another season like we had. That's an absolute no-go."
Closing thought: new year, new you — Devin's asking the same of Miami's roster in year two under Diaz.