Two more Canes enter portal. Cristobal bullish on incoming class, explains what he wants

A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Thursday:

▪ Two more Miami Hurricanes began the process of entering the transfer portal Thursday, bringing to nine the number of confirmed players who are taking that step.

According to a source, wide receiver Keyshawn Smith is entering the portal, a move that was expected. And safety Al Blades Jr. also entered the portal, which wasn’t necessarily expected.

Smith had 41 catches for 589 yards in 19 games during three seasons at UM, including 13 receptions for 199 yards (a 15.3 average) and two touchdown this past season.

He was very good as a returner early this past season, returning 21 kickoffs for 641 yards (a 30.5 average) and a touchdown. But he did not play in Miami’s final three games.

Smith was a late addition to the 2020 class, after flipping his commitment from Washington State.

Blades played a lot at cornerback in 2019 and 2020, starting a combined 14 games and hauling in two interceptions each of those seasons. He was limited to two games in 2021 because of injuries and played 138 snaps this past season as a backup safety. He had 91 tackles, the four picks and 14 passes defended in his five seasons at Miami.

Rivals rated Blades the 59th-best player in the 2018 class. Blades, who attended Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, is the son of deceased former Miami Hurricanes star safety Al Blades Sr. and the nephew of former UM stars Bennie Blades and Brian Blades.

UM players who previously announced plans to enter the transfer portal include safety Avantae Williams, running back Thad Franklin Jr., defensive backs Jalen Harrell and Keshawn Washington, defensive tackle Allan Haye, safety Gilbert Frierson and defensive lineman Elijah Roberts.

Others are expected to depart, as UM creates room for a recruiting class that’s expected to top 20 players, as well as several veteran transfers.

▪ Mario Cristobal’s ongoing evaluation of his program extends beyond sizing up his players.

He’s also reviewing coaches; though he didn’t say this, don’t be surprised if there are staff changes.

And he’s assessing the Canes’ schemes and systems.

“These systems have been good in a lot of different places,” he said on his WQAM coach’s show this week. “Some of them didn’t work as well here. You have to be truthful with yourself and say we’ve got to tweak and do things differently to have success because every place is different…. After every year, you have to ask yourself: ‘Is there a way to do it better?’”

Whether that results in a move toward more of an up-tempo approach or tweaks to the power spread offense or changes to the 4-3 defense remains to be seen.

While schemes could change, the tenets that Cristobal firmly believes in — hard work, players going above and beyond what’s required — won’t change.

“Every single stop [of mine] minus the one stop in Tuscaloosa [as an assistant coach on Nick Saban’s staff] was a rebuild,” he told Joe Zagacki and Don Bailey Jr. “FIU, that was 0-12, Oregon was 4-8. They’re all rebuilds. The blueprint has stood the test of time.”

But on his final coaching show, he made clear he won’t deal with players who aren’t committed.

“We have to make sure every single person is on board,” Cristobal said. “If you start matching high achievers with low achievers or pretenders or guys that are not real, it won’t work.

“As a player, I couldn’t stand being besides those kind of guys. I like telling the team all the time I get along great with hard-working tough sons of guns that want to be awesome. We want to make sure we’re loaded with the right kind of talent and people.”

▪ Though he’s not permitted to discuss names, Cristobal loves how this recruiting class is coming together. UM’s 20-player class is rated eighth by 247 Sports.

“Right now, we’re doing it at a high level, and we expect it to get even better over the next couple of weeks,” he said when asked generally about this recruiting cycle.

“You assess where you need more experienced players, where you need more youth. We’re in position with a class loaded with some elite talent.”

▪ Cristobal couldn’t have been any more clear on his season wrap-up coach’s show: The talent must improve significantly.

“It starts with developing but it also starts with recruiting,” he said. “I’d like to go down to the locker and go on the field during stretch lines and see a team completely loaded with elite level talent. You want to walk into all these games with high caliber talent at all positions.

“Sitting down with [UM football general manager] Alonzo Highsmith, we were talking about ingredients of a team. Having freshmen that can come in and compete, the whole team should be wanting and willing to compete. Miami has to be littered with multiple players at multiple positions that understand the importance of competing and how that keeps everybody on edge. We have to create real legitimate competition at every position.”

▪ Through junior cornerback Tyrique Stevenson was honored during Senior Day before the Pittsburgh finale, he cautioned against assuming that he’s definitely leaving.

The Senior Bowl suggested, via Twitter, that he will be invited.

But Stevenson, in his blog for Canesport.com, said “it’s 50/50 I’ll be back… I feel my talents, hard work and dedication at least deserves top three rounds. So top three rounds it would be the smart thing to go pro, but it also depends on how me and coach Cristobal and coach [Jahmile] Addae break down everything.”

▪ Quick stuff: Asked if 2023 football ticket prices will remain the same in the wake of this past season, athletic director Dan Radakovich indicated there’s no decision yet....

After Joe Zagacki referenced Cristobal’s toughness (and resoluteness), Cristobal said: “It’s going to take a real son of a gun to do [this rebuild]. I knew coming over you were going to have to take some lumps.”