The Miami Hurricanes have secured a verbal commitment from Michael Irvin, Jr. The three-star prospect stands at 6-3 and 220 pounds, and played tight end at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Irvin is a versatile prospect and is expected to play multiple positions on offense and be a solid utility player for Miami. He is the 27th-ranked tight end and the 85th-ranked player in Florida. Other teams in the running for Irvin, Jr. were Georgia, Michigan, and Syracuse.
Irvin Jr. is the son of famous Hurricane, and Dallas Cowboy, wide receiver Michael Irvin. It was obvious throughout the recruiting process that the son would likely follow in his father’s footsteps. They attended the same high school, and now will also attend the same university.
For the team, this is a solid signing. Irvin will be a versatile weapon who can help contribute to a Miami team that lacks offensive consistency. While Irvin has a year of high school left, he can potentially contribute next season, as quarterback Brad Kaaya will be in his junior year. No one is expecting Irvin to be as great as his father, but he has high expectations based on his name alone.
For the Miami fan base, this signing is interesting on the surface. He is the son of a legend. What this commitment really does, however, is remind us of the mediocre level of this team for the last decade. The name Michael Irvin is a reminder of the original 80’s teams that caused so much controversy and played with such swagger and dominance. There was then a down period, but the resurgence of the early 2000’s was one of the most dominant periods in the history of college football. While Miami had two short periods of landscape-changing football, the time in between has been average at best.
Even if success does come to Miami, it is immediately followed by controversy. This is a product of their location, and the environment around them. When a college football team is dominant, they become superstars. The restrictions placed on these student-athletes makes it impossible to be perfectly compliant in a city like Miami. In the 80’s, it was Luther Campbell. In the 2000’s, it was Nevin Shapiro. There is always someone who will be there to ruin the Miami Football program.
Instead of the sudden dominance of the past, Al Golden is building this team slowly. He is putting the pieces together and having solid recruiting classes. It won’t be long-term, because when the on-field success comes, the off-field distraction is right there with it. As soon as Golden has gotten this team into the top 10 and back to powerhouse status, the fame and celebrity will destroy it. Miami can’t have long periods of success like Alabama can, simply because of the environment they are in. While the signing of Michael Irvin Jr. is solid, and he has a chance to be a good player, it is just a depressing reminder for Miami of the success that comes in a dominating and entertaining way, but is rare and never lasts.