’Canes commit Chaney still ‘U all the way’
Belen standout excited to join ‘brotherhood’
MIAMI — Donald Chaney Jr.’s loyalty is evident in how he never backed away from playing for Miami Belen, even when he had his choice to play for any high school in South Florida.
A historically solid football program, Belen would often still be overmatched against many of MiamiDade County’s powerhouses. Take Chaney’s senior season, for example: He endured blowout losses against Columbus (41-7), Gulliver (45-16) and Central (38-14) in a 4-6 season.
Through all of it, he never wished he was playing for the other team.
“Not a chance,” said Chaney at a presentation of his All-American Bowl jersey at Belen on Friday.
“I’ve always had faith in my team, and I will always, forever, have faith in my team.”
It’s that attitude that has his recruiting commitment so strong to the Miami Hurricanes, to whom he has been committed since February. Even when UM started 3-4 and suffered a disappointing home loss to Georgia Tech on Oct. 19, Chaney never wavered.
“U all the way,” he said, flashing “The U” hand gesture. “I want to be around something special. I want to be around a brotherhood.”
Chaney, who feels similarities in that brotherhood at Miami to what he has experienced at Belen, still fields calls from other schools trying to lure him, but he politely declines.
“They try to get in contact,” said Chaney, who is a high-end, four-star recruit tabbed the nation’s fourthbest running back and No. 30 overall player in the 2020 class, according to 247 Sports.
“I let the schools say what they have to say. I’m always going to be a respectful young man. I will never dis anybody, but in the back of my head I know it’s UM all the way.”
Chaney, who plans to attend UM’s home finale against Louisville on Saturday, said he won’t visit other schools and will take his official Miami visit in December. He also said he plans to enroll early for the upcoming spring semester.
“He expects them to win a national title in the next two to three years,” said his father and Belen assistant coach, Donald Chaney Sr.
Donald Jr. is also talking to a couple of former Miami commits to try to get them back on board: fivestar 2021 safety James Williams of Western High School and 2020 Homestead South Dade four-star safety Jaiden Francois, who is Chaney’s cousin.
Deerfield Beach fourstar running back Jaylan Knighton, who decommitted from Florida State after the Hurricanes beat the Seminoles 27-10 on Saturday, is also hearing from Chaney.
“I’m hoping,” Chaney said. “We’d be the best running back duo in college football history. That’s what I believe.”
Chaney, who started playing his eighth-grade year, totaled 4,321 rushing yards and 58 touchdowns in his prep career. He is the first football player at Belen to be recognized as an All-American.
The All-American Bowl will be played at 1 p.m. on Jan. 4 in San Antonio’s Alamodome and will air on NBC.