Miami receives commitment from son of Hurricanes All-American and champion
Vinny Gonzalez has modest stats but his impact has been undeniable as he has the wins to show for it. In two years, he has thrown for 1,025 yards, 12 touchdowns, and registered a 64.6% completion percentage. The 2024-25 season was his only season starting full-time for Columbus. He played six games in 2023-24 and has played in 18 games for the program.
Joaquin Gonzalez played for the Hurricanes and was an All-American in 2000 and 2001 (he also went to Columbus high school). He was also a part of the BCS National Championship team in 2001, which is widely considered to be one of the greatest college football teams of all time. Gonzalez played four years in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns and Indianapolis Colts.
Miami has their QB’s of the future — or at least that is what they think — already on the roster. Luke Nickel is a 4-star commit in the Class of 2025 from Alpharetta, GA. who enrolled early this spring and got reps in the spring game. He played well in the spring game and was able to get first team reps since Carson Beck was out rehabbing from an injury. Emory Williams is also on the roster and got first team reps in the spring as well. He was a three-star recruit coming out of high school in 2023 and has played in seven games for the Hurricanes.
As far as other QB commits go, Miami is also in line for Dereon Coleman who is a four-star recruit in the class of 2026. Coleman earned an invitation to the Elite 11 Finals in April.
Miami transfer portal running backs have had mixed history of success
The history of success for Miami transfer running back can be traced to Cleveland Gary playing for the Hurricanes from 1986 through 1988, where he won a national championship in 1987 and was an All-American in 1988. Miami has had more mixed success recently with RBs through the transfer portal.
North Dakota State RB CharMar Brown, who won the 2024 Jerry Rice Award as the best freshman in the Football Bowl Subdivision, committed to Miami on Wednesday. Brown adds depth for Miami at RB in 2025. Miami has added five transfer RBs since the portal opened in October 2018.
Miami added Asa Martin from Auburn in 2019, Henry Parrish from Mississippi in 2022, Ajay Allen from Nebraska in 2023 and Damien Martinez from Oregon State in 2024. If Gary is included, he was unquestionably the most successful transfer RB to play for Miami.
Gary slowly earned his way to being the primary RB for Miami. After transferring from Georgia following the 1984 season, Gary sat out in 1985, as was the rule during that era. Gary had six carries for 13 yards and one reception for eight yards during his first season playing for Miami in 1986.
Gary had 39 carries for 157 yards and TDs and nine receptions for 131 yards and two more scores on the 1987 national championship team. During the 1988 season, Gary led Miami with 480 rushing yards, 655 receiving yards, 57 receptions and 11 touchdowns. Gary was an exceptional receiver with two 100-yard games in 1988.
Martin never played for Miami. After transferring from Auburn during the 2019 winter portal cycle, Martin transferred to Memphis in the spring. Martin finished his five-year collegiate career with 212 carries for 947 yards and 10 TDs and 73 receptions for 685 yards and four TDs.
Parrish led Miami with 230 carries for 1,241 yards and 10 TDs and receptions for 152 yards and another two scores during his two seasons with Miami. The two seasons prior and one after Miami, Parrish played at Mississippi.
Allen had 94 carries for 544 yards and seven TDs and six receptions for 32 yards in two seasons at Miami after transferring from Nebraska. Allen had 70 carries for 361 yards and five TDs in 2024. Mark Fletcher, freshman Jordan Lyle and Martinez cut into Allen’s carries in 2024. Allen had 24 carries for 183 yards and two TDs in 2024.
In the transfer portal era, Martinez has been the best RB addition for Miami with 159 carries for 1,002 yards and 0 TDs and 17 receptions for 204 yards. Martinez saved his best game for last with 14 carries for 179 yards and one TD in the Pinstripe Bowl versus Iowa State.
Brown comes to Miami after rushing for 1,181 yards and 15 TDs on 244 carries and six receptions for 57 yards in 2024 at North Dakota State. Expect Brown to be behind Fletcher and Lyle receiving carries in 2024. Miami adds more depth and will be able to keep their backfield fresh with the addition of Brown.
