Florida State, Miami try to flip narrative

Florida State and Miami were hoping signing day could help put the negativity of 2018 to rest and provide a push toward better times.

Coming off a 5-7 record in their first season under coach Willie Taggart, the Seminoles landed a top 20 class but struck out on a muchneeded quarterback Wednesday. Miami, coming off a 7-6 season and coach Mark Richt’s surprising retirement, managed to finally provide some good news for Hurricanes fans as new coach Manny Diaz bolstered his recruiting class with some high-profile transfers.

Florida State didn’t make too big of a splash but held onto its commitments, including DE Quashon Fuller from Fort Myers, Fla. Nick Cross, a four-star defensive back from Maryland, put off his signing but didn’t flip to another school. The Seminoles bolstered an offensive line that desperately needed depth with three more signees on the offensive front. Taggart’s class of 22 players has five offensive linemen and added a transfer from Northern Illinois.

Diaz has re-energized a program that was looking bleak when Richt stepped down in January. On signing day, the big adds from the high school ranks for Miami were CB Christian Williams and QB Payton Matocha. Miami’s recruiting class is likely to land in the upper 20s in the 247 Sports composite rankings, but transfers have a chance to make an immediate impact.

Former Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell needs a waiver to become eligible this season, and the Hurricanes also announced the additions of defensive back Bubba Bolden from Southern California, defensive lineman Chigozie Nnuroka from UCLA and defensive end Trevon Hill from Virginia Tech. Miami also signed maybe the most interesting punter in the 2019 class, heavily tattooed Australian Louis Hedley.