Why UM and most of ACC are going dark on spring game. And UM defense, kicking nuggets
UM’s ABC-televised opener against Notre Dame on the Sunday night of Labor Day weekend likely will attract more eyeballs nationally than most any Hurricanes game in many years.
Conversely, Saturday’s 4 p.m. spring game likely will attract the fewest eyeballs for a UM spring game in many years. And that’s by design.
For the first time, UM is conducting the spring game in a way that will assure a limited number of people see it – by holding it on campus (as the school did last season) and by declining ESPN’s offer to televise or stream the game (unlike its approach last year).
After holding the game at Traz-Powell Stadium and at Lockhart Stadium over the years, UM has taken a liking to playing the game on campus at intimate Cobb Stadium, where recruits can attend and walk around the campus.
But the Canes have room to accommodate only 5,500 people at Saturday’s game, compared with more than 15,000 at Lockhart. All 5,500 tickets, which were free, have been distributed, and there are no tickets remaining, per UM.
An untelevised spring game for UM is rare but does give Miami a potential competitive advantage, in that 2025 opponents won’t have access to video of the game.
Since the COVID pandemic, ESPN has given Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference schools the option either to air a live spring game on the corresponding conference’s linear or digital platform or provide a piece of original spring football content to replace it, if the school is interested in producing that show.
Only two ACC schools (Virginia and Georgia Tech) opted to have their spring games televised this year, a decision likely fueled by the competitive advantage dynamic.
Instead, UM’s publicity department said it took option No. 2 and “our creative staff is shooting and producing an original program for ACC Network giving fans a behind-the-scenes look at Miami spring football. Once an air date is determined we will announce it.”
As for Saturday’s game, Mario Cristobal said “it will be similar to what we always do – offense vs. defense, point system, but we will play live football and the second half we’ll do thud tempo.”
He said UM has a “ton of work to do” on reducing pre-snap penalties.
Saturday’s game will provide a key final piece of information regarding several defensive questions. Among them:
▪ Does anyone make a strong case for the starting linebacker job opposite Wesley Bissainthe or does UM need to find one in the portal?
Several contenders – Raul Aguirre, Chase Smith, Jaylin Alderman and Bobby Pruitt - have all had good moments this spring.
So who’s making a case to start alongside Bissainthe?
“A lot of different guys have done really good things in different areas,” new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman answered Thursday. “Chase has definitely made some big strides coming off an injury playing multiple positions. Pruitt in space, the things he does, continuing to grow as an inside linebacker. Jaylin you can tell has a lot of experience.
“He has a comfortableness to him, making the checks, understanding the fits, how to play inside the box, how he defeats blocks. Popo [Aguirre] – you watch how well he plays with his hands, how violent he is; he’s a leader. Overall the group in general continues to get better every single day.”
Aguirre graded out well in 171 snaps as Francisco Mauigoa’s backup last season and permitted only 29 yards in receptions in 10 passes thrown against him in 2024.
If Aguirre or Alderman (who was a decent starter for Louisville in 2023) wins the starting middle linebacker job, that would allow Bissainthe to remain at outside linebacker instead of playing inside linebacker, where Hetherman has given him some snaps this spring.
Smith, who has had an injury-plagued career at UM, also has made a case to be a starter with good work in recent weeks.
If a high-level middle linebacker becomes available in the second portal window that opens next week, UM could make a move. The incumbent contenders have a final chance to stake their claim on Saturday.
▪ Is anyone on the roster ready to become an above-average starting safety alongside newcomer Zechariah Poyser?
Zaquan Patterson, the former four-star Class of 2024 recruit, seems the most likely, but he missed a large chunk of spring due to injury.
“He has [had] a lot of growth,” UM safeties coach Will Harris said. “[April 1 was] his first day back, so we’ll watch the tape and go from there.”
Also competing: second-year player Dylan Day (who has flashed, by all accounts), and Markeith Williams, who has played well at times in games and has a “bright future,” according to Harris.
UM cornerback Jadais Richard could play safety when he returns from last November’s knee injury. Freshman safety Bryce Fitzgerald, the only incoming freshman who wasn’t enrolled for spring ball, will get a chance to compete. But another safety could be added in the portal.
Because UM has at least seven experienced FBS-quality cornerbacks (Xavier Lucas, OJ Frederique, Ethan O’Connor, Charles Brantley, Emmanuel Karnley, Damari Brown and Richard), could any be moved to safety, considering Hetherman said he wants his best 11 on the field?
He didn’t rule it out.
“It’s `What is this situation, who are we playing, where are their best players, where is their speed,’ have to find out what are the best matchups this week [during the season],” he said. “We are going to put some guys in different situations. It’s a positionless defense – is that guy a linebacker or defensive end?
“We’re always trying to put guys in different roles so we can get bigger, we can get faster depending on what opponent we are playing, what the offense’s personnel or their style. Every week that can be different. So yeah, at times you’ll see four corners on the field, sometimes see them in different spots. Are they at corner or not at corner? Sometimes you’ll see multiple linebackers on the field; you may see a fifth D lineman. Every situation calls for something a little bit different. `How do we want to attack the offense?’”
Kicker question
We should get more clues on Saturday about whether there a worthy replacement for Andres Borregalas on the roster?
Second-year kicker Abram Murray entered as the front runner to kick field goals, with former FAU walk-on Carter Davis positioned to handle kickoffs.
Saturday’s will be Davis’ first public opportunity to try to beat out Murray for the field goal job.
Davis missed five of seven field goals for FAU last season and is 4 for 11 in his career, though he did hit a 51-yarder and is 23 for 23 on extra points in his career. He has a strong leg; 46 of his 61 college kickoffs have resulted in touchbacks.
Murray hit his only field goal attempt last season (38 yards vs. Florida A&M) and made all four extra points. On3.com rated him the nation’s No. 3 kicking prospect in the 2024 class out of a Shreveport, La. high school.
Here’s what UM offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said about the quarterbacks and competitive positions on Thursday.
This story was originally published April 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM.
