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  6. article_body => "<p>The name of Alonzo Highsmith has been percolating around Miami football...&nbsp;but also Oregon?<\/p>\n<p>Who is he? And why is Oregon popping up?<\/p>\n<p>Highsmith is the current Vice President of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns. He played college ball at the University of Miami where he reached legendary status and was later drafted third overall in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. The running back would develop into one of the greatest fullbacks in league history. Following his playing career, he took a front-office role with the Green Bay Packers in 2012. Later in 2018, he joined the Browns for his current position. However, the Browns just mutually parted ways with general manager John Dorsey a day after firing head coach Freddie Kitchens, so there may be more shake-ups in Cleveland coming.<\/p>\n<p>Highsmith may be a man on the open job market and he may be trying to get out ahead of it.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>One of those potential jobs for Highsmith involves returning to his alma mater. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.miamiherald.com\/sports\/spt-columns-blogs\/barry-jackson\/article238970658.html\">According to the Miami Herald<\/a>, boosters of the Miami Hurricane football program met with Miami Athletic Director Blake James to talk about the future of the program. They wanted to hire Alonzo Highsmith to be a general manager of Miami football, but Blake doesn't deem it necessary and doesn't want to look over his shoulder. Blake would rather hire him in a \"chief of staff\" role.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canesinsight.com\/articles\/details-on-friday-meeting-between-blake-james-and-large-donors.6792\/\">CanesInsight<\/a> later reported that Highsmith lacks interest in the \"chief of staff\" position and is \"instead in discussions with Mario Cristobal\" to join Oregon football, in some capacity.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>NBC Sports Northwest has not independently confirmed this report.<\/p>\n<p>While Cristobal and Highsmith did not play together at the U, it's likely their paths have crossed as they're both alumni. Which position Highsmith would allegedly be \"in discussions\"&nbsp;for remains to be seen. The Ducks have an open offensive coordinator position, but Highsmith has no previous coaching experience, so that's unlikely.<\/p>\n<p>If he were to join the program, at all, it is&nbsp;more probable that he'd join Oregon in an advisory position.<\/p>\n<p>To add a layer of confusion,&nbsp;South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly reported that Highsmith will not be joining Miami to pursue an NFL general manager position.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Alonzo Highsmith, the Browns Vice President of Player Personnel, wont be joining the University of Miami in an official position, according to a source. His focus is on becoming an NFL General Manager.<\/p>&mdash; Omar Kelly (@OmarKelly) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/OmarKelly\/status\/1212031792322088960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 31, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n \n<p>However, Monday afternoon, more Highsmith-to-Miami buzz appeared, but no substantiated&nbsp;reporting has happened yet.<\/p>\n<p>There's smoke, but is there fire? Who knows.&nbsp;We'll learn what's truly going on sooner than later.<\/p>\n"
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Oregon Ducks

Oregon Ducks

The name of Alonzo Highsmith has been percolating around Miami football... but also Oregon?

Who is he? And why is Oregon popping up?

Highsmith is the current Vice President of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns. He played college ball at the University of Miami where he reached legendary status and was later drafted third overall in the 1987 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. The running back would develop into one of the greatest fullbacks in league history. Following his playing career, he took a front-office role with the Green Bay Packers in 2012. Later in 2018, he joined the Browns for his current position. However, the Browns just mutually parted ways with general manager John Dorsey a day after firing head coach Freddie Kitchens, so there may be more shake-ups in Cleveland coming.

Highsmith may be a man on the open job market and he may be trying to get out ahead of it. 

One of those potential jobs for Highsmith involves returning to his alma mater. According to the Miami Herald, boosters of the Miami Hurricane football program met with Miami Athletic Director Blake James to talk about the future of the program. They wanted to hire Alonzo Highsmith to be a general manager of Miami football, but Blake doesn't deem it necessary and doesn't want to look over his shoulder. Blake would rather hire him in a "chief of staff" role.

CanesInsight later reported that Highsmith lacks interest in the "chief of staff" position and is "instead in discussions with Mario Cristobal" to join Oregon football, in some capacity. 

 

NBC Sports Northwest has not independently confirmed this report.

While Cristobal and Highsmith did not play together at the U, it's likely their paths have crossed as they're both alumni. Which position Highsmith would allegedly be "in discussions" for remains to be seen. The Ducks have an open offensive coordinator position, but Highsmith has no previous coaching experience, so that's unlikely.

If he were to join the program, at all, it is more probable that he'd join Oregon in an advisory position.

To add a layer of confusion, South Florida Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly reported that Highsmith will not be joining Miami to pursue an NFL general manager position.

However, Monday afternoon, more Highsmith-to-Miami buzz appeared, but no substantiated reporting has happened yet.

There's smoke, but is there fire? Who knows. We'll learn what's truly going on sooner than later.