Paradise Camp 2017: Mark Richt performs annual backflip, top recruits expected to attend Saturday

Mark Richt has taken his annual Paradise plunge.

Growing up in Boca Raton, the future Hurricanes quarterback and head coach learned a fun party trick: how to execute a single backflip off the high-dive, falling backward and hitting the water feet-first. He perfected it during his college days, hanging out at the UM pool, and used to entertain his players and staff at Georgia by doing it during training camp.

Seeing their coach go head-first from 10 meters up — nearly 33 feet — at about 7 mph always got a big cheer.

[Related: Mark Richt was in a jeans commercial in 1982]

Last year, he started a new Miami tradition, flying high off that familiar platform and splashing down to set off the program’s new Paradise Camp recruiting event. Friday he did it again, in front of dozens of players and recruits at a pool party on campus:

Not everyone’s dive was as clean as his, though.

Some went with a forward flip:

And some went down the easy way:

Friday was devoted to underclassmen, but Paradise Camp continues Saturday with some of the best 11th- and 12th-grade talents in the Southeast. They will compete in drills and be coached by a host of former Hurricanes stars. Click here for a list.

Miami 2018 commits expected to attend, according to 247Sports, include:

Five-star running back Lorenzo Lingard
Four-star running back Cam’Ron Davis
Four-star receivers Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins
Four-star tight end Will Mallory
Four-star offensive linemen Cleveland Reed, John Campbell and Delone Scaife
Four-star defensive tackle Nesta Silvera and end Gregory Rousseau
Four-star defensive backs Josh Jobe, Al Blades Jr., Gurvan Hall and three-star D.J. Ivey 

Uncommitted recruits of note expected to attend, per 247, include wide receiver Tyquan Thornton, defensive end Kayode Oladele, cornerback Nigel Bethel and 2019 quarterback Zamar Wise. The Post reported two cornerbacks from Palm Beach County, Florida State commit Akeem Dent, a former UM pledge, and Kaiir Elam, will attend.