'Communication' Continues to be Miami's Defensive Focal Point Entering Dog Days of Camp
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — One thing is clear about the Miami Hurricanes defense this season: communication is the biggest focal point entering this season.
After defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman flipped the team's defense, allowing 25.3 PPG in 2024, bringing it down to 14.8 PPG, the Hurricanes' additions in the transfer portal and from the high school ranks are still translating.
Miami's defensive core, starting with its secondary, returns most of the talent that reached the National Championship game last season.
They know the importance of understanding staying together, as highlighted by second-year Cane Zechariah Poyser.
"I just see the chemistry getting better and better," Posyer said. "With a lot of new guys, the chemistry has to be there. I just feel like, as each practice goes on we see the progression in each of the guys and our chemistry and how we work off each other. I think it's going very well, and we are getting better every day."
Miami's defense has some concerns with replacing two first-round picks and key veterans, but others know that with some focus, it can still be as effective as a team.
Furthermore, growing team leader linebacker Mohamed Toure also knows that this team can only go as far as they communicate.
“We’re communicating a lot better," Toure said after Monday's practice. "And I feel like that was one of the big things we needed to work on, communication because we brought in a lot of new guys. But I feel like we’ve been communicating a lot very well, talking through things as we play. We’re playing fast, we’re talking through things, setting things up, sorting things out.”
Miami's key this season is forcing more turnover-worthy plays instead of sitting back and letting the defensive line do the work.
It's the one area they fell short, even though they had Bryce Fitzgerald lead the ACC in interceptions. The issue is that there could have been more from their corners, especially in the College Football Playoff.
Now, Toure knows that this team has to work harder than before, while also keeping it a simple task.
“We’ve just got to continue to work hard, continue to push," Toure said. "We’ve got to continue to just take it one day at a time, continue to just lock in and focus. Focus.”
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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