Miami Hurricanes defense has extensive experience starting

The Miami Hurricanes enter the 2022 season with 13 players that have started at least 10 games in their collegiate careers according to Christopher Stock of Inside the U. Cornerback D.J. Ivey and UAB transfer defensive tackle Antonio Moultrie lead all of the Miami defensive players with 21 career starts.

UCLA transfer Linebacker Caleb Johnson has 17. With new co-defensive coordinators Kevin Steele and Charlie Strong install a new defensive system the experience should help the Miami Hurricanes. Ivey and Moultrie are challening will be a part of the rotation at their positions. Johnson is expected to be a starter.

Edge rusher Mitchell Agude who is another UCLA transfer started 15 of 19 games with the Bruins the last two seasons. The defensive line is the most inexperienced group on the Miami defense in terms of career starts other than Moultrie. Third-year sophomore Corey Flagg joins Johnson with double figure starts at 10, all in 2021.

Miami has an experienced secondary entering 2022. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson has 14 career starts. Al Blades Jr. who moved from CB to safety during the 2022 offseason has 14 career starts all split evenly between 2019 and 2020. Te’Cory Couch is another CB with double figure starts with 10.

Linebacker Waynmon Steed who is expected to be in the rotation with Flagg and Johnson has 10 career starts with eight in 2021. Gilbert Frierson is expected to share time at the star position with Keontra Smith has 15 career starts with 11 of those in 2020. The experienced Miami defensive players will help set the culture.

Miami has a lot of young talent led by defensive tackle Leonard Taylor and safeties Kamren Kinchens, Avantae Williams and James Williams. The last three will likely receive most of the playing time at safety in 2022. Miami should be helped by the mix of a lot of experience and young talent.

Kinchens, Avantae Williams and james Williams started a combined 13 games last season. Miami will have a much more experience defense than last season. Expect Miami to be vastly improved defensively led by Steele and Strong. Miami begins the season on Saturday versus Bethune-Cookman.