CaneSport Roundtable: What is the biggest issue facing the secondary … and who will lead the team in interceptions and with how many?
If there’s a weak area on this Miami Hurricanes team, v. 2024, the general perception entering the season is that it’s in the back end of the defense.
The expectation is that the offense will thrive behind bigtime portal addition QB Cam Ward and RB Damien Martinez, with a WR room that has back Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George and adds Houston’s top wideout, Sam Brown, plus an improved tight ends room and a line that has four starters with experience. Up front on defense Freshman All-American end Rueben Bain is joined by Tennessee transfer starter Tyler Baron, and on the interior NC State starter CJ Clark and Michigan State starter Simeon Barrow are the likely starters (plus Akheem Mesidor is working back to health and could play end or tackle after standing out in 2022, and Marshall pass rusher Elijah Alston will also factor in). At linebacker the team has returning starters Francisco Mauigoa and Wesley Bissainthe, and Miami also picked up Louisville starter Jaylin Alderman for good measure.
CANESPORT ROUNDTABLE SERIES: Is the season-opener at Florida a must-win game for Mario and Miami? …. Will the Miami Hurricanes defense finish 2024 ranked higher nationally than it did in 2023? … Who starts in the secondary, and is it an area that can get the job done? … Will Cam Ward break Miami’s passing records? … Who will be the No. 2 QB behind Cam Ward, and will that be an indication of the starting QB in 2025? … Does Damien Martinez surpass 1,000 yards and get past 1,500 to push Willis McGahee and Duke Johnson for school record? … Three true freshmen that will make the biggest impact for the 2024 Miami Hurricanes … Will Miami average scoring 39 or more points per game for the first time since 2002? … Why the top three Miami receivers that emerge matters, and our predictions
Which brings us to the secondary.
Questions linger with four starters gone, including Kam Kinchens and his five of the team’s overall 12 interceptions last year. CB Daryl Porter, Jr. is the lone returning full-time starter, and CB Damari Brown started the final four games as a freshman and is likely to start at corner or nickel. Miami added CB D’yoni Hill from Marshall to compete to start, and Washington transfer Mishael Powell is a difference-maker who could start at nickel or safety. The safety room is inexperienced and doesn’t have much depth, with the top two in the spring Markeith Williams (93 reps played through two years per Pro F,ootball Focus) and Jaden Harris (148 reps in two years).
Which brings us to today’s CaneSport Roundtable discussion. We pose the question “Will the Miami secondary hold its own this year, and who will lead the team in interceptions and with how many?”
Our answers:
GARY FERMAN
The Miami secondary will hold its own this year – some of the time. We can look at the secondary and put a bow on it. Cornerback. Daryl Porter, Damari Brown, Jadais Richard. They’ve got this. Mishael Powell started at safety for a team that played for the national title last season. Jaden Harris is ready to take over the other safety spot. But let’s be honest. Other than maybe Powell, none of these guys has accomplished anything yet on a college football field. Starting experience is fine. But what was the level of play within those starting reps? Maybe Porter goes from being a guy on the field to an interception machine this season. But he didn’t have a single pick last season. Brown has had some injury issues which have slowed his progress and he also has a very limited resume. Richard has shown potential. I like his upside a lot. But he also is extremely unproven. Harris does not have much of a resume either. So peel back the onion and this is unquestionably the most exposed set of positions on the roster. There is enough ability that there will be some good moments. There is enough lack of pedigree that when things break down it will often be on the backside of the defense. The job here? Take one play at a time and have a short memory. Just be good enough. Is that “holding its own,” the question being asked here? Yes, I would say that is a reasonable definition for this season, for this group, of holding its own.
MATT SHODELL
No returning Miami player in the secondary had a single interception last year, and the Canes ranked No. 55 in the nation in passing yards allowed in 2023 and were No. 33 in team passing efficiency defense. So I see making game-changing plays like grabbing INTs as the biggest issue on the back end. And yes, I also think this group will give up its share of yards and see some high scoring games in Miami’s future. Given the losses here, it’s just hard to say this can be a better unit than what we saw a year ago. Mishael Powell did have three interceptions last year at Washington, so he seems the most likely on paper to be the team leader in that category. But I actually think this is going to be a breakout season for Daryl Porter, Jr. Even though he had no picks in 500 reps played (288 coverage reps) last year, I really like how he was always around the receiver. The next step for him is anticipating better and breaking on the ball to create INTs. The only interception of his career was at West Virginia in 2021, but I think he’s ready to really show out … I’m predicting him with a team-high four INTs followed by three from Powell. A lot also will hinge on a front line that has to get after the QB quickly. Because I don’t think these DBs will hold up for long one-on-one down the field (which is something Lance Guidry often calls on his corners and even safeties and linebackers to do), and pressure can force errant throws. The defensive backs room just doesn’t have much proven depth, but all other areas of the team seem pretty strong on paper. So if the DBs can make some plays here and there that might be enough for a 10+ win season.
IZUBEE CHARLES
I think the biggest issue the Miami Hurricanes secondary will face is finding out who will step up and be the leader of the group. Over the past two years, that guy has been Kam Kinchens and he is no longer with the program after being selected in the third round of this year’s NFL Draft. I know a lot of people are concerned with other things but my main worry is who will be that guy who steps up and takes command when things aren’t going as planned or who makes that big play when needed. I think that will be Mishael Powell who I also believe he’ll lead the team in interceptions this upcoming fall. He’s a veteran and proven leader who I think will play a pivotal role in the Hurricanes’ success on the defensive side of the ball.
STEPHEN WAGNER
Miami’s lack of depth at safety is a blaring concern for me. Miami added some guys this offseason like four-star signee Zaquan Patterson, who I’m particularly high on, but is still a position group that has tons of question marks. As Matt said, Miami isn’t returning any secondary players that had interceptions last season, and Guidry’s defense prides itself on its ability to create pressure and force turnovers. Maybe Jaden Harris or Markeith Williams or Mishael Powell can make enough plays and stay healthy enough to be relied upon over the course of a season, but if any of the players don’t play up to par or find themselves injured, the Hurricanes could have their hands tied.
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