How is Hurricanes’ revamped secondary faring this spring? Here’s what their coaches are saying
The Miami Hurricanes’ secondary, a position that faltered mightily down the stretch during the 2024 season, underwent an overhaul this offseason.
Five transfers, four freshmen and two assistant coaches headline the changes to the position group to go along with a few key players from last season returning and eyeing a chance to improve.
“Right now, you’ve got a lot of new faces,” defensive backs coach and pass-game coordinator Zac Etheridge said. “It’s not just the coaches. You’ve got a new defensive staff, but you’ve got a room full of new guys as well, and everybody coming from different places. So the biggest thing we’ve been emphasizing is building a relationship and connecting. If we connect off the field, it eventually shows up on the field because we’ve got to play as one.”
On Tuesday, Etheridge and safeties coach Will Harris spoke to the media with Miami entering the final two weeks of its spring practice regiment. Here are the highlights of what the two said.
Primary goal: Forcing turnovers
One of the main priorities for the Hurricanes’ secondary is forcing turnovers. It’s a staple of defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman’s scheme and as such has been a focal point for Etheridge and Harris with their position group over the past month.
The Hurricanes’ defense last season ranked tied for 27th nationally with 14 interceptions and tied for 58th nationally with 18 total turnovers created. Hetherman’s defense last season at Minnesota, by comparison, had 17 interceptions (tied for seventh nationally) and 21 total turnovers (tied for 36th nationally).
“We made an emphasis that the ball is everything,” Etheridge said. “We’ve got to attack the ball.”
Added Harris: “I’m all about takeaways. That’s how you get paid. Wherever I’ve been, that’s the biggest thing I keep preaching is making takeaways and giving our offense more opportunities to score. That’s one thing that we harp on every single day.”
Early standout
Etheridge said sophomore Xavier Lucas, a former standout at Plantation American Heritage who transferred to Miami from Wisconsin over the offseason, has “probably been the most consistent” player among the defensive backs during spring practices.
“The biggest thing first is he’s really smart,” Etheridge said. “He eats up the film room. He want to be coached. He want to be developed. For a guy his size [at 6-2], he has good twitch. He’s been playing well, showing up in the run game, playing the ball down the field, making big plays. And obviously, he’s smart. He can make the checks at the corner position. You put him at safety and he knows what to do. I’ve just really been impressed with his attention to details, just coming out every day and just being consistent.”
Lucas is one of the handful of defensive backs who transferred to Miami this offseason, along with Charles Brantley (Michigan State), Emmanuel Karnley (Arizona), Ethan O’Connor (Washington State) and Zechariah Poyser (Jacksonville State).
Returnees getting healthy
Two key returning players from this Miami secondary that have dealt with injury — either during the 2024 season or early in spring — are rounding into form in Damari Brown and Zaquan Patterson.
Brown was poised to be a starter for the Hurricanes last season but played in just two games after sustaining an injury in Miami’s season opener against Florida. Brown, freshman All-American OJ Frederique and Jadais Richard will be the main returnees contending for playing time at cornerback in addition to Lucas, Brantley, Karnley and O’Connor.
“I’m glad to have him in Miami and have a chance to coach him and develop him,” Etheridge said of Brown. “He’s been banged up, but throughout the spring he’s gotten better. Our medical staff has done a great job just trying to get him back. And he’s been building confidence.”
Patterson, meanwhile, saw his role increase throughout his freshman season and finished the year with 19 tackles and three pass breakups. Harris said Patterson, who was sidelined at the start of spring with an undisclosed injury, practiced for the first time on Tuesday.
“The biggest thing with Zaquan is just learning and growing,” Harris said.
Patterson, Poyser, Markeith Williams and Dylan Day figure to compete for playing time at safety.
Coaches’ connection
While most talk will be how the players perform on the field, those guiding them are paramount to that success.
That requires Etheridge and Harris to be on connected in thought as they work in tandem to coach the secondary.
“It’s unique,” Harris said. “A lot of people want to say, ‘Oh [he’s a] safety coach and [he’s a] corner coach.’ Really, at the end of the day, he and I both coach both positions and had our own room as the whole. We really do a good job of switching it up. Sometimes, I’m with the corners, sometimes he’s with the safeties. It’s just he and I just being on the same page.”
Added Etheridge of Harris: “I’ll tell you what. I wouldn’t want to be with another guy. He’s a guy that sees it. We’re already speaking the same language. ... I love his intensity. I love the way he teaches and I definitely enjoy working with him.”
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