Van Dyke ready to use recruiting background to his full advantage
Former Miami Hurricanes cornerback DeMarcus Van Dyke is a rising up-and-comer in the coaching ranks after his promotion this offseason to cornerbacks coach after spending the last two years in the support staff role of assistant director of recruiting.
As Van Dyke, 32, who was a third-round pick of the Oakland Raiders in the 2011 NFL draft, is elevated to a role that will have a larger stake in player development and game planning, Van Dyke will continue to emphasize the recruiting aspect to the job that has made him successful to this point.
“I love it. I embrace the recruiting part of coaching,” Van Dyke, who has also exhibited an ability to adjust during the coronavirus pandemic and recruiting dead period, told 560-AM on Thursday. “It’s just a different year because we didn’t have any [in-person] contact with the kids, so everything was by Zoom.
“Every time I got on that Zoom call, I made sure it was like I was inside their living rooms, just being personable with their parents, the kid, just pretty much creating dialogue and relating with the kid. I kind of lean on my son a lot because he’s kind of hip to what’s going on in that age bracket — music, video games, things like that — just to make me sound cool when I talk to them.”
What’s Van Dyke’s secret to
winning over the parents? He remembers the way his mother made sure coaches that recruited him as a four-star prospect out of Miami Monsignor Pace High were genuine when they met with the family.
“My mom, she was one of those moms that she kind of spilled out the coaches when they came in the living room and what was important to her was being authentic,” Van Dyke said. “If you weren’t being authentic with her, she’ll call it out, and that’s one thing I try to be. Just talk to the parents, be myself, be upfront with them.”
It’ll help Van Dyke that alongside of him coaching the secondary will be new defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson. Robinson joined the Miami staff after his stint as South Carolina defensive coordinator, and, as a Miami native, has ample experience recruiting South Florida.
“I’ll pretty much lean on him because he’s been in the game 10, 15 years, and he’s been labeled as one of the best recruiters in the nation — and coach,” Van Dyke said, adding the two will split up in recruiting the crop of talented defensive backs in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.
Van Dyke is excited to welcome former Miami Southridge standout Tyrique Stevenson back home after he spent his first two seasons at Georgia.
“He’s going to bring a different element to that room,” Van Dyke said. “He played in some big-time ball in the SEC. He’s an excellent player. Yesterday — we have like an 11-foot banner in that weight room — and he pretty much just jumped up and touched it with slides on. He’s a tremendous athlete, very good player. I’m excited about him.”
Van Dyke also offered his assessment of Miami’s top three returning cornerbacks.
“I actually came in with DJ [Ivey] and [Al] Blades [Jr.] when they were freshmen. I came in that same year, and I’ve seen those guys get better every year,” Van Dyke said. “DJ is a guy that he has long arms, good technique. He’s a great kid. He’s a technician. He’ll have a great year this year.
“Al Blades is a guy that he’s a great player also, long guy. He’ll play at the line of scrimmage, very aggressive.”
“And Te’Cory [Couch], he’s a guy that they gave him the nickname the chihuahua, but he’s like a pit bull. He’s very quick, good ball skills. He pretty much studies film all day.”
Van Dyke was on the verge of following former UM safeties coach turned Utah State defensive coordinator Ephraim Banda this offseason before he got the promotion.
“I was close,” he said. “I was actually about to book my ticket to go out to Logan. Just a few days later, coach [Manny] Diaz gave me a call and offered me the job.”