Sizing up Miami Hurricanes’ defense and five key questions heading into spring practice
With Miami Hurricanes spring practice opening on Monday, a look at five key looming questions/issues on defense:
▪ Who emerges as the No. 2 cornerback behind Tyrique Stevenson?
Stevenson, who’s coming off shoulder surgery, is the best cornerback on the roster; he allowed just a 69.1 passer rating in his coverage area last season.
But six corners have a chance to seize the second and third jobs: West Virginia transfer Daryl Porter Jr., Al Blades Jr. (limited to four targets last season because of injuries), Te’Cory Couch (seemingly regressed last season and allowed a 104.6 passer rating in his coverage area and a team-high 412 yards in receptions), DJ Ivey (continued an uneven career and yielded a 123.2 passer rating in his coverage area), second-year player Marcus Clarke (permitted a 124.2 passer rating and four touchdowns in 19 targets) and freshmen Khamauri Rogers (rated by Rivals as the 16th-best cornerback and 163rd best player in this class).
Porter could be a slight favorite, but there isn’t much difference in Porter’s career body for work and that of Blades and Couch. Last season, Porter allowed a 99.2 NFL passer rating in his coverage area, permitting 34 completions in 53 targets for 416 yards, three touchdowns and one interception, per Pro Football Focus. He had 46 tackles and five passes defended.
Two other freshmen — Jaden Harris and Chris Graves — can’t be ruled out for rotation spots.
▪ Does UM consider moving James Williams to strong-side linebacker?
His size (6-5, 224) and physicality suggest he could handle the position, and UM would be covered at safety with Kamren Kinchens (an excellent 70.1 passer rating in his coverage area, with two interceptions), Avantae Williams (the best safety in the 2020 recruiting class), Brian Balom (missed 2021 due to injury but considered a starting-caliber player), Isaiah Dunson (moved over the cornerback last season), Keshawn Washington (has had some good moments), Jalen Harrell and incoming freshman Markeith Williams.
The case to move Williams to linebacker: He instantly would become one of UM’s most talented linebackers (along with Wesley Bissainthe) at a position of need. Moving him also would allow UM to play three of its best defenders — James Williams, Avantae Williams and Kinchens at the same time. New coordinator Kevin Steele has said he wants to play his best 11.
The case to keep Williams where he is: He has the potential to be an all-ACC safety, perhaps even an All -American at the position. And he said in the past that he wants to play safety.
Williams led the team in passer rating against at 50.7 (13 for 18 completed against him but for just 121 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions). But he also had six penalties.
▪ With UM set to play a 4-3 defense, who’s battling for the three starting linebacker jobs?
Corey Flagg Jr. enters as the favorite for the middle linebacker job but stands at risk if the Canes can find a transfer who’s better. UM has said it’s exploring upgrades at linebacker.
The other two spots — weak-side and stong-side — will be contested among Bissainthe (Rivals’ No. 12 linebacker in the 2022 class figures to play a lot immediately), Keontra Smith, Waymon Steed, Chase Smith, Sam Brooks Jr., former starting striker Gilbert Frierson, Avery Huff, Tirek Austin-Cave and second-year players Deshawn Troutman and Tyler Johnson.
Even though Flagg, Steed and Keontra Smith have the most career snaps at linebacker, sticking with those three as starters wouldn’t necessarily be the best path.
Of 679 linebackers who played enough snaps to qualify for PFF’s FBS rankings, Steed was 531st overall, Flagg 579th and Smith 621st. Passer ratings were bloated against Flagg (130) and Keontra Smith (103.2).
In Flagg’s defense, he led UM in tackles with 60, produced three sacks and had some good moments. Steed had eight starts and 55 tackles, second best on the team.
Chase Smith (76 passer rating against in eight targets) is an interesting option. He was a striker in Manny Diaz’s defense but the previous UM staff believed he had the ability to play weak-side linebacker. Aside from Bissainthe, he’s as skilled as anyone in this group. Because of an injury, he will be limited this spring, Smith told Canesport.
Frierson — whose 15 career starts are more than anyone in this group — allowed 23 completions in 27 targets last season but for just 6.6 yards per completion last season. He will be very much in the mix to start in his move from striker (which no longer exists in this defense) to linebacker.
Brooks, who can never seem to stay healthy, will be a factor if he can stay out of the training room.
Huff (48 career defensive snaps) and Austin-Cave (46 snaps) will get clean slates after not making a convincing enough case for playing time with the previous staff. Also getting fresh looks are the two 2021 additions: Troutman (Rivals’ No. 25 outside linebacker in that class) and Johnson (Rivals’ No. 34 weakside defensive end).
The hope is that Bissainthe can be an immediate starter and impact player as a freshman, just as Shaq Quarterman and Michael Pinckney were for Manny Diaz.
“He’s a game-changer at a position we really need guys to help us,” Mario Cristobal said.
▪ Who emerges as starting defensive tackles among Jared Harrison Hunte, Antonio Moultrie and Leonard Taylor?
All three will play a lot. It’s a toss-up who starts; that could change week to week.
And former Southern Cal defensive lineman Jacob Lichtenstein is expected to get work at both defensive end and tackle.
Taylor — a five-star recruit in 2021 — was very productive in 200 defensive snaps, finishing with 9½ tackles for loss.
Moultrie made 21 starts for UAB — playing both end at tackle — but Cristobal said he will play tackle, a position that needed replenishing after the departures of Nesta Silvera, who left for Arizona State and Jon Ford, who hopes to make the NFL.
Moultrie (62 tackles, two sacks last season) graded out a bit below average among defensive linemen last season, per PFF.
Harrison-Hunte (167) and Taylor (177) both graded out easily among the top half of 673 interior defenders rated by PFF, which graded Moultrie as an edge defender.
Beyond those four, Jordan Miller, Allan Haye and freshman Ahmad Moten are the only other scholarship tackles on the roster.
But three-star freshman offensive tackle Anez Cooper can play defensive tackle and likely will do so in certain situations, Cristobal said.
▪ Who replaces Zach McCloud and Deandre Johnson as UM’s starting defensive ends?
UM lost two of its best pass rushers in McCloud (5.5 sacks) and Johnson (4.5).
Jahfari Harvey (five starts last season, 26 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Lichtenstein (eight starts for USC last season; 28 tackles, four sacks) are likely rotation pieces, and the previous UM staff loved the upside of Chantz Williams (14 tackles, 1.5 sacks in nine games off the bench).
But early enrollees Nyjalik Kelly and Cyrus Moss — two highly skilled and heavily recruited defensive ends — could take snaps away from those three if they impress in the months ahead.
Kelly had 25 sacks over the past two years at Fort Lauderdale Dillard, including six in a game against Hallandale last October. “He’s as good a pass rusher as you will find in the country,” Cristobal said.
Moss, who began his high school career in Las Vegas as an oversized cornerback, switched to an edge defender role and had 63 tackles, 16 tackles for loss, six sacks and one forced fumble last season. Cristobal called Moss the best in the country at his position.
Rivals rated Kelly the No. 13 strong-side defensive end and No. 113 prospect in the 2022 class and rated Moss the No. 7 weak-side defensive end and the No. 103 player in the country.
Moss (220 pounds) and Kelly (240 pounds) will need to bulk up this spring; it’s helpful that they’re already on campus and immersed in Aaron Feld’s strength and conditioning program.
Also competing: Elijah Roberts (who can also play tackle) and 2021 additions Jabari Ishmael and Thomas Davis.
Don’t overlook any of those three; Ishmael was rated the No. 13 strong-side defensive end coming out of Miami’s Columbus High in 2021.
Keep an eye on the portal, too. UM, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington are finalists for UCLA defensive end/outside linebacker Mitchell Agude, who’s in the transfer portal after producing two sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and 65 tackles overall last season.
This story was originally published March 4, 2022 at 4:59 PM.
