Breaking: Cristobal makes several additions to recruiting team in attempt to improve evaluation and development
Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mario Cristobal has shaken up his recruiting and personnel department, hiring several new faces with the idea of upgrading Miami’s personnel and evaluation areas.
Trip Carrico, who has been the Assistant Athletic Director for Player Personnel at Arkansas State, has been named the Executive Director of Player Personnel. He will report to Executive Director of Recruiting Steve Field.
Devonte Taylor, a former player at FIU and FSU, has been named the Assistant Director of Player Personnel. He arrives from Arizona State, where he was a recruiting strategist.
Jacob Lucas, a Miami graduate who has been working at the University of Alabama Birmingham, will be the Director of Scouting and Administration.
Nick Sparber, who has been an intern in the football office, has been elevated to a Recruiting Administrative Assistant.
Local High School ambassador Frank Tucker has been added as a recruiting relations coordinator.
Cristobal knows Carrico from his time at Alabama.
While an undergraduate at Alabama, Carrico spent three years on Nick Saban’s staff beginning in 2018. In his role as a recruiting specialist, he was charged with researching prospects, providing and preparing recruiting film for coaches to review and evaluate, and utilizing XOS, Radar Recruiting, ARMS and various other database sites for the securement of prospect information.
Two of Alabama’s three recruiting classes during Carrico’s time with the program ranked first in the nation, while the other in 2020 ranked second. The Crimson Tide posted an unblemished 13-0 record on their way to claiming the National Championship in 2020.
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The 2018 and 2019 seasons saw Alabama compile a combined 25-3 record. The 2018 team played in the CFP national championship game, while the 2019 squad capped off the year with a 35-16 win over Michigan in the Citrus Bowl to finish ranked No. 8 in the final AP Top 25 poll.
Carrico also worked at Arkansas, East Carolina and Virginia in recent years. He was the Director of Scouting at East Carolina during the 2022 season. The Pirates posted an 8-5 record and defeated Coastal Carolina 53-29 in the Birmingham Bowl. Responsible for assisting with the program’s recruiting strategy, ECU assembled a 2023 recruiting class ranked in the top-10 among Group of 5 programs.
Prior to his appointment at East Carolina, he spent the 2021 season as a regional scout for the Virginia program. Carrico was directly responsible for the evaluation of quarterbacks and athlete-designated prospects. Additionally, he served as an assistant NFL liaison to the director of scouting, handled the coordination of coaches travel and played a vital role in both official and unofficial visits among a myriad of other duties.
Dennis Smith, who has been a key point person in recruiting for Cristobal, will remain involved as well as working in other areas of the program under Cristobal.
