Recruiting Q&A: Meet Hurricanes commit Anthony Solomon

Anthony Solomon isn’t your typical high school football player.

Yes, he’s a four-star linebacker prospect expected to help lead the St. Thomas Aquinas defense this season, but, he’s also a passionate art student who enjoys working with clay and making and directing his own movies for film classes. He spends time tinkering with his dad tinkering with cars. And he loves music.

His interests off the field are as varied as they come and he spends his offseasons training in MMA and parkour gymnastics.

Football is a huge part of his life — but, it’s not the only part of his life.

That said, he’s pretty good there and before Solomon committed to Miami, he considered offers from the likes of Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Michigan. Ultimately, though, the chance to stay close to home and play in front of family and friends was an opportunity he couldn’t ignore.

“It’s not too far from my house and all the little ones you see running around here are my little cousins,” Solomon said during a chat this summer at St. Thomas. “I have two more little cousins that look up to me and I wanted to stay close.”

Here, a look at another one of Miami’s top commits as he prepares to get his senior season started on Saturday night against DeMatha Catholic:

You’ve talked so passionately about your family and their importance to you, especially your siblings and cousins. Why is it so important to you to be an example to your them?

AS: “My family is held to a higher standard than most people would assume. Being the nephew of Coach Harriott and the son of a former mayor of Montego Bay in Jamaica is really big shoes to fill. And most people don’t know that. But I’m always held to a higher standard than most kids. I don’t have the time to fool around or get in trouble too much. That’s how I grew up.”

What’s it like to play for your uncle at a place like St. Thomas Aquinas?

AS: “There have been a lot of ups and downs, if I’m honest with you. There have been times I’d break down and I wouldn’t know if I’d really want to be here or not. But that’s just part of the program. He pushed me harder than a lot of people would think and he held me to a higher standard. It might not show too much, but he would always call me, tell me what I’m doing wrong and how I can improve. And he’s always praised me when I’ve done right.”

So how close are you and your uncle?

AS: “Really close. He’s been a really good father figure in my life and he’s been training me since I was a baby, since I was born. I’ve got to show out this year.”

What do you think you’ll bring to the table for Miami when you get there?

AS: “I believe I’ll bring a different breed of leadership. I like to lead by example and I also like to talk. I’m not the one to lash out and destroy somebody’s ego. I’d rather sit them down, one-on-one and figure out what’s happening with them and why they’re doing what they’re doing and how they can improve. Physically, I believe I’m a fast linebacker. I’m really good in coverage and I get along with almost everyone I meet. That shouldn’t be a problem.”

How much does it mean to you that Mark Richt and his staff have never shied away from playing freshmen?

AS: “It means a lot, actually. I took that into consideration when I was choosing a school. The fact that they played three freshmen linebackers [Shaq Quarterman, Mike Pinckney and Zach McCloud] when they first got there really made me think I have a really good shot of playing there. And even if I don’t play my freshman year, I’m being coached by really good coaches and I get to see the best do what they do if those guys decide to stay.”

Favorite Hurricane, past or present

AS: “Ever? Ray Lewis. I went to his first Ray Lewis camp and his second one and each time, I feel bubbles in my stomach. Meeting him every time is like meeting him the first time. He’s always very genuine, he’s a very nice person and he sat down and spoke to every single person there and asked them about their lives. That’s something that’s never happened to me before. For him to do that, it made me realize that he went to UM and he’s one of the greatest to come from UM, so I have to follow that and fill my role.”

What’s been your favorite high school football memory, so far?

AS: “My favorite high school football memory was my freshman year, the first time I ever got on the varsity field at St. Thomas. I think it was the third round of the playoffs. And the first time I got on the field, I had no idea what I was doing. I was fresh, running around like a chicken with my head cut off. But I got in my position, I opened up the wrong way, but I caught an interception and ran it back 40 yards. So, that kind of worked out. It was hard to do, but, it worked out. That’s been my favorite memory so far.”

What’s your biggest motivation?

AS: “My biggest motivation is to be better than my uncles, how they were when they were in high school and how they were when they were in college. My uncle, Coach Harriott, was an All-American in high school. And he was an All-American in college. My goal, honestly, is to beat out his records and what he accomplished.”

Aside from football, what would you say you do best?

AS: “I do MMA and parkour and free running, which is like gymnastics, but like on concrete, kind of. I first started [MMA] when I was in third grade. My gym teacher was an MMA instructor and I ended up doing 100 pushups and he saw it. … I did it competitively for a couple of years and then high school came around, so I started to slow down just a little bit and I just kind of did it once or twice a week to keep up with my form and all that. Now, I don’t do tournaments anymore, but I still work on my movement and I still work on how to balance someone else’s body when you’re in contact with them.

“And parkour and free running, that’s actually quite dangerous. It’s more like stunt-double stuff, when you see people jump from building to building. Where I go, it’s an indoor gym and you learn from professional instructors who go around the country and do tournaments. I’ve learned almost any flip there was, I can climb up 14-foot walls, like American Ninja Warrior-type stuff.”

Okay that all sounds cool – but, yeah, dangerous. How do football coaches react when you tell them that stuff?

AS: “I can tell sometimes they’re a little worried (laughs). But I do all of that stuff for fun now. I don’t do it competitively, anymore. There was a time where that was my full focus. Now it’s just for fun. If I want to do a cool little flip, I can.”

Have you thought about what you’d like to major in at Miami or what you want to do after football?

AS: “I have, but it honestly changes once a month. My dad’s a car nut, so, I like working with cars. But, also, my cousin is a music producer, so I’ve been helping make music for a long time. So that’s also something I’ve thought about.”

Which Hurricane are you most looking forward to playing with?

AS: “Mike Harley. I’ve got to get him back for doing me dirty when we were here. I remember when I was younger and he was the veteran, he didn’t care who he was going against, he’d always go full speed. The first time in practice, I got in my little stance and looked at him and it was like, ‘Boom!’ He was out there, out of nowhere, catching the ball. It was like lightning.”

What are you looking forward to about playing at Miami?

AS: “I’m looking forward to meeting new people really. At Miami, there are people from all around the world. My main interest is in meeting new people and seeing how they operate. I can’t wait to get to work on the field, either. Learning plays, I just can’t wait to get to work. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time. I have to handle this year and get strong.”

Favorite class in school?

AS: “Either art or film study. In art, I really learned about my passion for sculpting and painting. I wasn’t too good at painting, but working with clay was one of my strongsuits. And in film, we got to make our own movies. I directed my own movie and acted in my own movie. That’s another passion of mine. I’m taking an acting class.”

You’re a linebacker, which means you’ll be playing for a chance to wear it one day, so, what was your first thought when you saw the Turnover Chain last season?

AS: “That’s dope. That’s the first thing I said. I was with my mom and I said, ‘That is dope. That is so cool.’”

What are you looking forward to most about playing in the Miami defense?

AS: “The way they play football, the size difference compared to other people, their linebackers match me and my size pretty well. They came in not being the biggest linebackers, but they’ve played really well. I feel like I can do the same thing. And playing for Manny Diaz, not many people get to play for a coach that good, really. I just have a really good relationship with him and Coach Richt and I believe I can step up and be a leader at Miami, not just a player.”

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