David H. Hale of ESPN ranked the Miami football team with the sixth-best secondary in the ACC entering the 2023 season. The Miami pass defense was extremely inconsistent during the 2022 season. Florida State, Middle Tennessee State and North Carolina all averaged at least 11 yards per pass attempt versus Miami in 2022.
Duke, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech all averaged 5.4 yards per pass attempt versus the Miami football team last season. The biggest issue for Miami was allowing long pass plays in 2022. Miami was last in the ACC in long pass plays over 40 yards last season and continuing in 10-yard intervals up through 90 yards.
Miami was 10th in the ACC in 2022 allowing 233.1 passing yards per game, last allowing 8.3 yards per attempt, ninth allowing opponents to complete 60.9 percent of its pass attempts and 13th with a 142.37 passer rating against. Those numbers are all expected to improve in 2023 under new defensive coordinator Lance Guidry.
Guidry led an elite Marshall defense in 2022. Marshall was first nationally in third-down defense, second in stop rate, third in pass efficiency defense, defensive efficiency and yards allowed per play and turnovers gained and rushing defense in 2022. Marshall finished 12th nationally allowing 6.2 yards per pass attempt.
Tentative DB rankings:
— 💫🅰️♈️🆔 (@ADavidHaleJoint) June 28, 2023
1 FSU
2 NC State
3 Pitt
4 Clemson
5 Louisville
6 Miami
7 VT
8 GT
9 Wake
10 Cuse
11 Virginia
12 Duke
13 BC
14 UNC
(Open to revision before I wrap all this up in a few weeks.)
Ten Miami defensive backs entered the transfer portal following the 2022 season. Miami also lost cornerbacks D.J. Ivey and Tyrique Stevenson. Ivey was selected in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft by the Chicago Bears and Ivey went in the seventh round to the Cincinnati Bengals.
Head coach Mario Cristobal and secondary coach Jahmile Addae answered the mass defensive back defections following the 2022 season with the additions of CBs Davonte Brown, Jaden Davis and Jaidus Richard as transfers. Miami has more length and experience at CB entering the 2023 season.
The return of safeties Kamren Kincens and James Williams provides hope for Miami in 2023. Kinchens was an All-American in 2021. Williams needs to live up to his rating as a five-star signee in 2022. Miami also signed four-star CBs Damari Brown (brother of Davante) and Robert Stafford in the 2023 class.
Miami also returns starter Te’Cory Couch who is slated as the slot CB. Fourth-year junior Darryl Porter Jr. is slated to have a bigger role than last year after transferring from West Virginia during the 2022 off-season. Miami needs Kinchens and Williams to stay healthy with Markeith Williams their only primary backup.