Te’Cory Couch sees a deep and talented Miami Hurricanes CB room with competition bringing out the best in everyone

Miami Hurricanes DB Te’Cory Couch is a multi-year starter who has worked this fall at boundary corner and the same nickel/STAR spot he’s mainly worked at as a starter the last couple of years.

And while Couch has started in the past, he’s been pushed this fall at STAR/nickel by Oklahoma transfer arrival Jaden Davis, who could easily wind up starting over him.

Regardless, Couch will get his reps as a valuable guy in the rotation. He’s shown in the past he can be a playmaker, so the more depth the better for this entire cornerback room.

“The previous 2 or 3 years was mainly nickel for me (vs. also working at boundary earlier this fall),” Couch said. “(Nickel under new coordinator Lance Guidry) isn’t too different. You have to run and tackle, it’s all the same.”

Couch is the lone returning Miami starter at the CB level, with boundary corners Tyrique Stevenson and DJ Ivey gone. The team brought in a transfers to compete to start and provide depth – the aforementioned Davis, Davonte Brown from UCF, Ja’Dais Richard from Vanderbilt and JUCO arrival Demetrius Freeney.

So the depth has been helped by the portal and junior college level.

“We compete with each other, not against each other,” Couch said. “We’re helping each other. Everyone wants everybody to have success. There’s no jealousy about who is starting.”

Couch’s background?

He arrived at Miami in the Class of 2019 as a four-star prospect and Under Armour All-American. He chose the Canes over offers from the likes of LSU, Oklahoma, Michigan, Oregon and Tennessee. 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 this year but only a 50.7 tackle grade.

A final takeaway from Couch?

“It brings the competition to a higher level knowing you have everybody that’s good in a DB room,” he says.

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