A key issue that must change with UM’s defense. How we got here and what’s needed now
As the Miami Hurricanes begin evaluating how their defense could have deteriorated so dramatically this season, it’s clear that coaching played a part. Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry played too much man-to-man with a defensive backfield that was not particularly equipped to handle it.
But this much is also clear: Evaluation on that side of the ball must become significantly better.
The Canes mostly have made good decisions in eyeballing and acquiring offensive players in recruiting and the transfer portal.
Defensively, the results have been far more uneven, and it must change with Cam Ward no longer there to bail them out most Saturdays.
Consider:
▪ Mario Cristobal’s first two signing classes included 20 players on defense, only 11 of whom remain on the roster.
And this past season, only two of those 20 were high-impact players who played the majority of snaps when healthy: defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. (who had a season that fell below expectations) and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe. A third, cornerback Damari Brown, might have been a high-impact starter if he hadn’t missed all but the opener and finale due to injury.
Three others of those 20 — linebacker Raul Aguirre, defensive end Malik Bryant and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten — generally played well when needed, but it’s too soon to know if any will become very good starters. All of them have a chance.
So that’s six of 20.
The others of those 20 who remain: two mediocre safeties (Jaden Harris, whom PFF ranked 155th of 174 FBS safeties who played at least 600 snaps, and backup Markeith Williams), defensive tackle Josh Horton (28 defensive snaps), a cornerback (Robert Stafford) who was trusted to play only 31 defensive snaps despite UM’s deficiencies at the position and a linebacker project (Bobby Washington) who played 23 defensive snaps.
▪ Through the years, UM has been particularly hurt by signing too many players who ended up not nearly as good as their recruiting rankings would suggest. (Miami is hardly unique in that regard.)
Twelve of those 20 defensive players signed by UM in Cristobal’s first two recruiting classes were rated by On3.com as top 200 players overall nationally in their recruiting class (not just defensively).
Of those 12, six left the program, and five of the six haven’t achieved anything notable elsewhere.
Those six top-200 prospects who left:
Fort Lauderdale Dillard’s Nyjalik Kelly (No. 93 overall in 2022 class). He had 5.5 sacks in 12 games for UCF this season after UM declined to give him substantially more NIL money…
Las Vegas Bishop Gorman’s Cyrus Moss (No. 105 in 2022 class). He had three tackles as a backup at Portland State this season…
Fort Myers cornerback Chris Graves (No. 155 in 2022 class). He had 11 tackles as a backup at Ole Miss this season…
Mississippi-based cornerback Khamauri Rogers (No. 165 in 2022 class). He was a backup at Mississippi State this season….
Bradenton IMG Academy’s Jayden Wayne (No. 85 in 2023 class). He had six tackles in 10 games as a backup in Washington, his home state…
California-based Collins Acheampong (No. 154 in 2023 class). He didn’t play a snap for UCLA this season and will again enter the transfer portal.
Of the three other defenders who transferred from Cristobal’s first two UM recruiting classes, one played well for his home state school (Virginia Tech’s Kaleb Spencer). The other two were low-impact FBS backups this season: Michigan State’s Marcellius Pulliam and Arizona’s Demetrius Freeney.
▪ Since Cristobal’s arrival, the Canes added 25 defensive players in the transfer portal and at least five were high-impact: defensive linemen Akheem Mesidor and Simeon Barrow Jr. (though neither played great down the stretch), linebacker Francisco Mauigoa (who was second-team All-ACC in 2023 but regressed this season), safety Mishael Powell (who had five interceptions but allowed 18 of the other 22 passes thrown against him to be caught, for 19.4 yards per reception) and cornerback Jaden Davis, now with the Arizona Cardinals.
Most of the 25 were decent but not great, including cornerback Darrell Porter Jr., who was much better in 2023 than 2024. Several were either below average (Jadais Richard, among others) or didn’t play much (Thomas Gore, Anthony Campbell, Isaiah Taylor).
▪ The Canes are now losing five key starters on defense (Mesidor, Barrow, Mauigoa, Porter Jr., Powell) and three other key rotation playoffs (Tyler Baron, Elijah Alston, CJ Clark).
Bain, who could move from defensive end to tackle, must be better after mustering just one tackle against Syracuse.
▪ So what’s the good news? Two reasons it’s not time to panic:
A). This season’s freshman defensive class looks more promising than what Cristobal’s first two defensive classes ended up being. OJ Frederique was one of the best first-year cornerbacks in the nation (the Syracuse game aside).
There are high-end prospects who might become good starters, including defensive linemen Justin Scott, Artavius Jones, Daylen Russell and Armondo Blount; edge players Booker Pickett, Elias Rudolph, Marquise Lightfoot and Cole McConathy; linebackers Adarius Hayes and Bobby Pruitt (who forced and recovered a fumble against Syracuse); and safeties Dylan Day (who came on strong late) and Zaquan Patterson.
B). UM has the NIL money to address defensive needs in the portal, with deficiencies everywhere. Frederique and Brown give UM two solid starting cornerbacks, and Dyoni Hill announced he’s staying at UM for the 2025 season. But at least two more corners must be added, because the Canes seemingly didn’t trust Stafford and because they cannot be sure what they have in Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas alumnus Ryan Mack, who didn’t play a defensive snap as a freshman.
Among the freshmen additions on defense this season, several might be able to help immediately, including edge players Hayden Lowe and Herbert Scroggins; inside linebackers Kellen Wiley and Ezekiel Marcelin; safeties Bryce Fitzgerald and Amari Wallace; and cornerbacks Chris Ewald and Jaboree Antoine.
But UM must be on point with its evaluation of defensive players in the portal. There is little margin for error when replacing a half dozen key contributors on a defense that permitted at least 28 points in six of eight conference games and couldn’t even slow Syracuse over the final three quarters of last weekend’s crushing 42-38 loss.
This story was originally published December 5, 2024 at 3:37 PM.
