Recently hired defensive backs coach Travaris Robinson was quoted in the Miami Herald this week that the Miami Hurricanes will play more man coverage in 2021. Robinson told the Miami Herald that head coach Manny Diaz is in agreement on the type of coverage they both want the Hurricanes secondary to play.
In the last season Diaz called the Miami defense they led the nation in 2018 allowing 135.6 passing yards per game. The Miami pass defense remained stout in their first season under Blake Baker in 2019 finishing 18th nationally allowing 195.2 yards per game. Miami fell to 65th allowing 233.9 passing yards per game in 2020.
Diaz is more aggressive defensively than most coaches. The Miami Hurricanes played far more zone coverage and blitzed less often with Baker as the defensive coordinator the last two seasons than they did with Diaz in the position from 2016-18. Robinson stated he does not call a defense as aggressively as his new boss.
According to Barry Jackson in the Herald, Miami played man coverage 35.7 percent of the time in 2020, but 55.7 percent when Diaz called plays in 2018. With Diaz calling plays in 2018, Miami blitzed 43.5 percent. Under Baker in 2020, the Hurricanes used the blitz on just 35.5 percent of their defensive plays.
Robinson spent the last five seasons as the defensive coordinator at South Carolina. Diaz discussed with Robinson what he plans on doing resuming the defensive play-calling in 2021. Robinson and Diaz will work together to develop the Miami secondary. Robinson discussed how defensive play-calling affects the secondary.
"“Manny did such a great job of showing me who he really was and telling me about the staff and the plans and expectations…I want to win and win immediately and use my help in developing a secondary.We are going to pressure you, we are going to be aggressive, we are going to play some bump-and-run and win at the top of our routes…Coach Diaz is a little different style of playcaller than I was when I was calling plays. He is a little more aggressive.And he is going to be aggressive and we are going to pressure and create negative plays; that is what we are going to hang our hat on here at Miami. (playing man defense) forces the quarterback to have to make some bad throws.It makes them chuck the deep balls downfield, and the percentage of completing those balls isn’t very good when you have defensive backs with length and ball skills… We can recruit players that can play that technique. That is an ability thing.We can get the talented type of fellow that can get his hands on guys a little bit and run down the field.”"
Almost everyone is expected to return for Miami in the secondary. Senior safety Amari Carter has not announced his intentions. Carter is one of the players affected by the NCAA granting athletes an extra season of eligibility. The addition of former Georgia cornerback Tyrique Stevenson will help the Miami depth.
Miami returns five CBs in addition to Stevenson joining the Hurricanes. Robinson is an elite recruiter who should help the Miami Hurricanes secondary upgrade their talent and depth in the next few signing classes. Robinson will work with CBs coach DeMarcus Van Dyke who was recently promoted.