Matt Shodell • CaneSport.com
Recruiting is always about filling future needs with the best possible prospects.
And to that end UM is already on the hunt for PK Bubba Baxa’s replacement – the kicker will be a sophomore this season.
Today UM offered Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade-Madonna High School kicker Andres Borregales
a scholarship.The Class of 2021 recruit has other offers from FIU, where older brother Jose kicks, and Southern Miss.
“I was pretty surprised when Miami offered,” Borregales said. “I was in class and then my coach sent me a text saying that I was offered by Miami.
“I had to stay quiet in class, so I’m trying to hold everything in. My hands are shaking because UM is my dream school. That’s what got me.”
It got his family too.
“When I told my mom she started crying, and my brother, he was going crazy,” Borregales said.
Why was this a special offer?
“I’ve always been a Miami fan since I was little,” Borregales said. “Miami’s my leader right now, but right now I’m not really focused on committing anywhere, am just focused on spring practice and trying to get better.”
Borregales grew up playing soccer and football – he took up both sports at age 5. And UM will evaluate him in person tomorrow when coach Eric Hickson stops by the high school.
How did the offer come about?
Well, in part, it was thanks to a rave review from renowned kicking coach Brandon Kornblue.
Borregales starred at the Kornblue Showcase at St. Thomas Aquinas over the weekend, making eight of nine attempts from outside 50 yards including making kicks from 63 and 65 yards.
“He is now our No. 1 ranked guy for underclassmen (which includes the Class of 2020), not just his class,” Kornblue told CaneSport. “We’ve known him for a long time, coached his brother, and over the last year or so he’s established himself as a Division I guy. And what I told one of Miami coaches who texted me the other days, he wanted to know if he has the potential to be elite. I said `No, he’s elite right now, and the potential is even greater.”
Kornblue added “I think this is a really good move for Miami, a really smart offer. It’s early, not many kickers his age get offered this early, but he is deserving of it.”
CaneSport’s take
It makes sense for UM to land a top kicker in either 2021 or 2022, and with a guy of this caliber in the back yard you want to get on him early. So kudos to Miami for getting this offer out early. And a bonus is Borregales also can punt – he’s worked hard on it and performed well. “He won the punting competition for his grade, so he’s got potential as a punter, too,” Kornblue said.
