UM safety Williams dismissed from the team. And more Canes personnel news
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Monday, heading into Saturday’s Hard Rock Stadium matchup against USF, which is also 2-0 (4:30 p.m., CW Network, Channel 33 locally):
▪ Markeith Williams, who lost his playing time to both transfers and younger safeties in recent weeks, was dismissed from the team last week, a source said. The reason is not known.
He’s now in the transfer portal, per on3.com.
Williams had 31 tackles and two passes defended in 25 games over three seasons at UM. Last year, he played 192 snaps on defense (17th most on the team) and 154 snaps on special teams (sixth most on the team).
He did not receive any snaps in the opener against Notre Dame and was removed from the roster last week.
Transfers Zechariah Poyser (92) and Jakobe Thomas (83) have played the most defensive snaps among UM’s safeties so far this season. Freshman Bryce Fitzgerald has played 29 snaps, with Dylan Day logging 11 and Isaiah Taylor 13.
Williams, out of Evans High in Orlando, was a part of UM’s 2022 recruiting class. ESPN rated him the 226th best player in that class, while ESPN ranked him the 18th best safety.
▪ Saturday’s 45-3 route of Bethune Cookman might end up providing the biggest opportunity all season for the UM freshmen who aren’t yet positioned to receive significant snap counts. (In other words, everyone except receivers Malachi Toney and Josh Moore and safety Fitzgerald.)
And the returns were positive, albeit against FCS competition.
Tight end Brock Schott (two catches for 24 yards) was rated Miami’s best player on offense by Pro Football Focus, albeit in just eight snaps. Fellow freshman tight end Luka Gilbert, an imposing physical specimen at 6-7, caught one pass for 20 yards and showed he can become a weapon in the slot or elsewhere.
Running back Gerard Pringle Jr. displayed his speed on a 30-yard touchdown run and had one other carry for six yards in his seven offensive snaps.
“He’s super explosive, has great eyes,” Mario Cristobal told WQAM’s Joe Rose. “He can see it, feel it, sets up his run really well. He’s really good in protection and catches the ball well too. We expect him to be a great, great player.”
Meanwhile, Moore played 29 snaps on offense, Toney 27 and freshman receiver Daylyn Upshaw 14.
Four-star center SJ Alofaituli logged 24 snaps at left guard and allowed one sack on 14 pass blocking chances. Guard Max Buchanan played 24 snaps and didn’t allow a single pressure on his 24 pass blocking snaps. (Veteran Ryan Rodriguez playing backup center and also didn’t allow a pressure.)
“Max Buchanan showed in the game what he can do; SJ showed,” Cristobal said.
Among front seven freshmen defenders, Cristobal told Rose that defensive tackle Donta Simpson (20 snaps), edge player Herbert Scroggins (15 snaps) and linebacker Kellen Wiley (nine snaps) played well. Defensive lineman Mykah Newton played three snaps on defense.
Cristobal also said that five-star freshman edge player Hayden Lowe is out for the year but will be ready for the spring. He was the jewel of a recruiting class that was ranked 14th by 247 Sports.
In the defensive backfield, freshman Fitzgerald played 20 snaps and had an interception in the end zone, after playing nine snaps against Notre Dame.
“He is a difference-maker,” Cristobal said. “It’s no surprise he’s caught on so quickly. He’ll be a factor down the road here.”
Freshman cornerback Ja’boree Antoine played 15 snaps and freshman Chris Ewald Jr. 12.
▪ Through two weeks, Pro Football Focus rates Rueben Bain second among all FBS edge players (behind Tulsa’s J’Dan Burnett); Francis Mauigoa sixth among offensive tackles; Mark Fletcher 26th among running backs; Keionte Scott 26th among safeties (even though he’s primarily a nickel corner for UM); CJ Daniels 28th and Malachi Toney 40th among all FBS receivers; James Brockermeyer 30th among centers and Samson Okunlola 40th among guards.
▪ Daniels is tied with 24 others for second in the country with three receiving touchdowns. Texas State’s Beau Sparks leads the nation with five.
“The guy is very talented,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said of Daniels. “He’s got good body control; he’s got good ball skills. I just felt with him, that we would put him in a position to highlight what he does really well.
“I didn’t know he had the leadership skills he had. I didn’t know he was the type of person who can change a whole room, with his charisma and the way he carries himself. That was icing on the cake a little bit. That’s bigger than any play he’s made.”
▪ Cristobal said Saturday was a “teaching moment” for linebacker Wesley Bissainthe, who was ejected for targeting on the third play of the game.
“We want to play a physical brand of football; I don’t think anyone can convince anyone that Wesley was trying to [hurt] anyone,” Cristobal said. “It stinks because he works his tail off. Lesson learned and we move on from there.”
▪ Among UM players who have played at least 10 snaps on defense, PFF ranks second-year edge player Marquise Lightfoot second-best this season, behind only Bain.
“He is really coming on,” Cristobal said of Lightfoot. “Great pass rusher, great in coverage. He’s 6-5 ½, on his way to 6-6. He’s one of our fastest defenders. He times up there with the fastest linebackers.”
This story was originally published September 8, 2025 at 4:12 PM.
