2025 Miami Hurricanes Place Preview: Cornerback

Some of the obvious weaknesses for the Miami Hurricanes in 2024 was undoubtedly the secondary because the go protection regularly put a historic offense in bother late in video games. Notably, the go protection ranked 57th nationally and was repeatedly burnt by inferior opponents. It was so unhealthy that the Canes workforce that arguably might have made a playoff run behind a high ranked offense didn’t even make the ACC Championship as a result of Miami misplaced in a 42-38 shootout within the season finale to Syracuse. The woes had been most evidently on show in that matchup the place the Orange scored at will, erasing a 21-0 early deficit, as Kyle McCord threw for 380 yards and three TDs.

Workers Modifications: Guidry/Jackson Out, Hetherman/Etheridge In

The problems from final yr weren’t merely a expertise hole as Miami featured some high quality athletes. As a substitute, the issues appeared to narrate to poor communication and horrendous teaching. The Canes first transfer of the offseason got here two days after their last recreation, the Pop-Tarts Bowl defeat, when defensive coordinator, Lance Guidry, was fired after two disappointing seasons. Indicators pointed to the departure of their cornerbacks coach as properly, Chevis Jackson, who left for Wake Forest.

Miami acted rapidly to revamp the workers as they added Corey Hetherman as DC, most lately within the Massive Ten at Minnesota and Rutgers, and added Zac Etheridge as CB coach, who has expertise at Houston and Auburn.

On-the-Area Modifications: Switch Portal Additions Aplenty

On the sector, the Canes solely notable loss is Daryl Porter, Jr., who was picked up by the Buffalo Payments as an undrafted free agent. They misplaced three corners to the switch portal in D’Yoni Hill, Robert Stafford, and Robby Washington, gamers who had been comparatively uninvolved in final yr’s play.

Simply as Miami acted with conviction in addressing their workers to repair final yr’s disarray, no place was prioritized extra on the recruiting path than cornerback. Miami added 4 high CBs within the switch portal and in addition add three to their incoming freshman class.

So far as the switch class, Miami introduced in quite a few top-ranked CBs to deal with the poor 2024 passing protection. Essentially the most notable pickup for numerous causes is CB, Xavier Lucas, who leaves Wisconsin. Lucas had problem leaving the Badgers attributable to alleged tampering, which is now the main focus of lawsuit by Wisconsin towards Miami. Nonetheless, Lucas, an American Heritage alum, returns residence. Lucas is the primary CB switch in response to 247Sports.

The Canes usher in one other Massive Ten CB in Charles Brantley who departs from Michigan State, in addition to a Washington State switch CB in Ethan O’Connor. Brantley and O’Connor had been common starters for his or her former applications and are ranked twelfth and tenth amongst CBs within the switch portal in response to 247Sports. They need to each be speedy contributors.

Miami added a participant who’s acquainted enjoying with Etheridge in spring portal addition, Keionte Scott. Scott transfers from Houston, however performed for Auburn final yr, the place he performed repeatedly.

Though the cornerbacks on paper are bolstered by the portal additions, Miami returns its most promising asset in rising sophomore, OJ Freqerique. Freqerique was essentially the most nice shock in an in any other case abysmal secondary, because the true freshman earned All-American honors from one publication (FWAA), true freshman All-American (247Sports), and 2024 All-ACC Honorable Point out honors. Frederique, out of St. Thomas Aquinas, was a pure chief as he added 30 tackles and 7 go breakups.

Along with Freqerique, Miami returns one other underclassmen in redshirt sophomore Damari Brown. Brown solely noticed motion in two video games final yr who was out attributable to an undisclosed harm suffered week one towards Florida and missed the majority of the season. Brown noticed loads of motion in his true freshman marketing campaign and may be capable to plug again in as he was again for a lot of spring apply. Like Lucas, Brown is an American Heritage alum.

Miami additionally returns senior Jadais Richard who additionally noticed his 2024 season reduce brief attributable to harm. Richard was a high contributor till he suffered an obvious leg harm towards Duke down the house stretch of the season.

The three four-star freshman that Miami provides, Jaboree Antoine, Chris Ewald Jr., and Amari Wallace, ought to largely be depth or reduction items, behind what has been a reloaded group full of veterans.

Thrown Proper into the Hearth: Notre Dame

The Canes can be examined proper out the gates of their season opener towards the Notre Dame Preventing Irish. The Irish function a extremely touted homegrown QB prospect in high-four star (forty fifth ranked nationwide prospect) redshirt freshman, CJ Carr. Notre Dame additionally function a dynamic passing assault led by close to nationwide championship hero, Jaden Greathouse (6 catches, 128 yards, two TDs), in addition to a South Florida native in Pinecrest’s Jordan Faison, a lacrosse celebrity, in addition to Will Pauling and Virginia switch, Malachi Fields.

The ND offense is well-rounded past the playmaking receivers, which is not going to make it simple to isolate their defenders onto the receiving corps. At this level, August 31 is correct across the nook and it is going to be the final word check out of the gates within the first time just about any of the secondary guys play collectively – in addition to the primary time Hetherman and Etheridge (and Cristobal) lead the Canes defensive unit collectively.

Regardless, the Canes CB unit seems new and improved. Effectively, I assume something can be an improve from final yr’s unit however this one objectively exudes confidence on paper as one that would compete.