Miami football LB and safety depth with Gurvan Hall and Bradley Jennings transfers

The depth for the Miami football team will be challenged for the last three games of the 2021 regular season and a potential bowl game with the announced departures of linebacker Bradley Jennings Jr. and safety Gurvan Hall as announced by head coach Manny Diaz during his weekly press conference on Monday.

Hall played in seven games this season with four starts accumulating 31 tackles to rank seventh on Miami and adding one tackle for loss. In 43 games over four seasons with Miami Hall made 18 starts. Hall finishes his Miami career with 148 tackles, six TFLs, two sacks, one interception and six pass breakups.

Jennings played in eight games for Miami this season with 14 tackles. Jennings started all 11 games in 2020 finishing with 39 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, three sacks and one pass breakup. In his five seasons in the Miami football program, Jennings will finish with 68 tackles, nine TFLs, three sacks, one PBU and one fumble recovery.

When Miami starting linebacker Keontra Smith missed time earlier this year with an injury, Waynmon Steed passed Jennings on the depth chart to start. All four of the Miami safeties on the depth chart for Florida State on Saturday are freshmen. Isaiah Dunson and Avantae Williams are backing up Kinchens and Williams.

Hall lost his starting spot to true freshman James Williams. After starting safety Bubba Bolden was lost for the season last month, true freshmen Kamren Kinchens joined Smith as a starter. Dunson and Williams both signed with Miami in 2020. Dunson was converted from cornerback after Bolden was lost for the season.

Williams missed the entire 2020 season with an injury and the first six games of 2021 because of a suspension. Williams had his first interception on Saturday against Georgia Tech. Second-year freshman Brian Balom who has missed the entire 2021 season with an injury could figure in the rotation at safety in 2022.

Smith and Steed are listed as the co-starters on the depth chart for Miami at Florida State on Saturday. Corey Flagg will be backed up at MLB by true freshman Tyler Johnson and former walk-on Ryan Ragone. Ragone has three tackles in 2021, Johnson has not yet reached the stat sheet. Miami has continually suffered attrition in 2021.

Through injuries and transfers, the Hurricanes have lost over 10 players off the depth chart for the season opener against Alabama. Miami has continually relied on freshmen this season. The losses of Hall and Jennings off the roster will continue that trend. Miami signed the 11th best class in 2021 and 17th in 2020.