The Miami football roster is left with starters Kamren Kinchens and James Williams and backup Markeith Williams at safety after Brian Balom announced his entry into the transfer portal on Thursday. Balom had 11 tackles in 21 games with one starter over the 2020 and 2022 seasons. Balom missed the entire 2021 season.
Jalen Harrell, Keshawn Washington and Jalen Harrell preceded Balom into the transfer portal. Balom signed with Miami in the class of 2020 as the 757th-ranked player, 60th safety and 100th prospect in Florida out of Hollywood Miramar. Balom recorded his only 2022 tackle in the season opener versus Bethune-Cookman.
As a true freshman Balom was a productive rotational safety with 10 tackles. Balom had the best game of his career with five tackles at Clemson in 2020. Antione Jackson is the only 2023 Miami commit who is listed as a safety. Several of the projections for Jackson have him moving to cornerback in college.
Miami has been working hard trying to flip Penn State commit Conrad Hussey of St. Thomas Aquinas. The Hurricanes are going to have to add safeties through the transfer portal or depth will be an extreme problem at the position next season. Kinchens and Williams are entrenched as starters entering the 2023 season.
Brian Balom becomes the 15th Miami Hurricane to enter his name in the transfer portal. He played a total of 10 snaps on defense over two games in 2022.
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) December 8, 2022
Miami has had a mass exodus of defensive backs. Per Manny Navarro of The Athletic, all six DBs Miami signed in 2020 have now left the program. Balom is the 15th Miami football player to enter the transfer portal. Seven of the 15 Miami transfers are DBs. Miami is likely to have 35 to 40 new players on the 2023 roster.
Kinchens was named All-American by a few media outlets and a first-team All-American. Williams was solid as he finished second on Miami in tackles behind Kinchens. The Miami football program offered Florida safety Donovan McMillon on Thursday. McMillon announced his entry into the transfer portal on December 2.