Miami Hurricanes 50-1 Countdown: Ranking the top 50 post-spring players … No. 22 Te’Cory Couch
No. 50 Miami DT Thomas Gore … No. 49 Malik Curtis … No. 48 Kaleb Spencer … No. 47 Ahmad Moten … No. 46 Jaden Harris … No. 45 Logan Sagapolu … No. 44 Markeith Williams … No. 43 Frank Ladson … No. 42 Chris Graves … No. 41 Keontra Smith … No. 40 Robby Washington … No. 39 Emory Williams … No. 38 Jacurri Brown … No. 37 Brashard Smith … No. 36 Terry Roberts … No. 35 Samson Okunlola … No. 34 Dylan Joyce … No. 33 Jared Harrison-Hunte … No. 32 Jaleel Skinner … No. 31 Corey Flagg … No. 30 Ray Ray Joseph … No. 29 Don Chaney … No. 28 Anez Cooper … No. 27 Branson Deen … No. 26 Zion Nelson … No. 25 Isaiah Horton … No. 24 Rueben Bain … No. 23 Daryl Porter, Jr.
CaneSport is breaking down the top 50 post-spring players on the roster, a list that doesn’t include any post-spring roster additions. Today we break down No. 22, Te’Cory Couch
NO. 22 MIAMI STAR/CB TE’CORY COUCH
Why he’s No. 22
In Lance Guidry’s new defense Te’Cory Couch is referred to as a STAR or nickel, and it will be a similar role to what he did in Kevin Steele’s D … with perhaps a bit more blitzing. Couch will be charged with helping cover slot receivers while also being a consistent tackler at the line. Couch is a returning starter, and his role seems fairly secure, although recent transfer portal addition Ja’Dais Richard could also work in as a bigger nickel. This spring Jaden Harris was the primary backup to Couch. As for Couch’s background? He arrived at Miami in the Class of 2019 as a four-star prospect and Under Armour All-American. By his sophomore year he was a starter – he started the final four games that season and ended with 37 tackles, an interception and 1.5 sacks. The following year, 2021, he started six games and had 37 tackles, 1.5 for losses, with a team-high five PBUs. Then this past season he started at nickel/STAR and for a third straight year ended with 37 tackles, this time with six pass breakups (one off the team lead of seven by Tyrique Stevenson). Couch had the highest Pro Football Focus grade of his career this past season at 66.5 (his prior high was 63.5 in 2020 and he was at 51.3 percent in 2021). Note that 70 is considered a good grade. Couch also had a cover grade of 65.3 in 2022 (his prior cover grades were 55.8 in 2019, 61.3 in 2020 and 53.1 in 2021). Couch added a solid 74.1 run defense grade last year but only a 50.7 tackle grade.
What he needs to do to move up this list
Show he’s a bigtime playmaker. To this point in his career Couch has been good, not great. Those game-changing interceptions and other plays that can alter the course of a game just haven’t been there. So there is another level he can reach, and maybe the more aggressive Guidry D can get him there. We do see Couch starting at nickel once again, but the big question is if this can finally be the season where he really starts to make some big-time plays. Last year he was targeted 56 times and gave up 36 completions (per PFF) for 342 yards. Over his career he’s allowed a 64.6 completion percentage and 11.7 yards per catch with just the one interception. Can he be a different player as a 5th year senior? That’s the question, and he will have to show something different to move up this list.
Realistic season objective
Couch is a three-year starter and the most experienced cornerback on the roster. He isn’t the biggest guy around at 5-10 and 170 pounds, but he plays bigger than his size and has shown in the past he can be disruptive as a blitzer. So perhaps Guidry will put Couch in more situations where he can make plays in the offensive backfield. Couch also has only one career interception, so that’s a number that needs to at least triple this season if he’s going to be viewed as a playmaker. While he’s usually in decent position to make plays he just hasn’t shown that burst to the ball/playmaking ability that can really turn a game around and give the D a major boost. Couch will have to continue to show progress in fall drills and we can see a 40+ tackle, 3 INT season in store for him. With perhaps a couple of sacks thrown in as well.
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