'We Still Have To Run To The Football Better': Corey Hetherman Remains Critical For An Elite Defense
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — No. 3 Miami (5-0, 3-0 ACC) prepares for Florida State the only way they know how. They are physical, violent, and prepared to knock anyone's head off.
The same can be said about the Hurricanes' defense. Defensive coordinator Corey Heterman has liked what the No. 1 scoring defense in the country and top-10 overall group has done through five games. However, there are a few small things that need to get better.
The Hurricanes miss tackles all over the place, and their inability to finish plays holds them back as one of the most dominant in program history.
Hetherman knows this, harping on the importance of running to the ball and getting after it.
"The biggest thing is just the swarm," Hetherman said. "Like, we want to continue to get better in that area. I still think we got to run to the football better every single play. And there's, like, two weeks ago you watch Moten, Damon comes free, misses a sack, quarterback scrambles, and Justin Scott and Moten come out of the stacks and punches the ball out.
It's FSU-Miami week 🔥@MarkRicht reflects on some of his best (and worst) moments of the rivalry: pic.twitter.com/NwN2J831GO
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) October 13, 2026
"We get a huge takeaway. And, more of that stuff is what we want to keep seeing. And I think it's been good. We want to keep that being even better as we go. But, yeah, we're going to play all the way through the whistle every single play, but we got to be smart. I mean, you got to be detailed. You got to understand what the situations are, where the ball is, what your leverage is, where your angle is, where your support is, and continue to play fast.
Furthermore, FSU has one of the most mobile quarterbacks. Running after Robby Ashford will be a task in its own right, but a test of what they are going to see for the rest of the season.
"I mean, guys are running routes down the field, the O-line's running stretch," Hetherman said. "You know, they have different elements of where the play can go. He always had the option to pull it. I just think football's gone so much more in that direction now, and it's hard because you got to, everyone's accounted for. You need all 11 on defense having an assignment.
"You got to be really good with your assigned football. That's, even like last week until the practice we had, it was drills, I wish we didn't have a football. You got the inside threat, you got the outside threat, you got the dive player, you got the Q player, you got the bubble, whatever it is that they're doing."
The Hurricanes are getting after the quarterback and the ball. They are top ten in the country in sacks. The issue is that they could have more if they finished the play. Against FSU on ESPN at 7:00 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium, Miami looks to finish each play.
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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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