There's a new leader for Mario Cristobal's defense, as the Miami Hurricanes are hiring Minnesota's defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman for the same position. Reporter Matt Zenitz was the first one to break the news. Hetherman has been an assistant coach for the past 19 seasons and just completed his first year as Minnesota’s defensive coordinator.
Minnesota finished ninth nationally in 2024, allowing 16.9 points per game, fourth permitting 285.7 total yards per game, 12th allowing 109.62 rushing yards per game and ninth with opponents gaining 285.7 passing yards per game. Minnesota was nearly a mirror image of Miami with their defense carrying them during an 8-5 season.
Hetherman was a quarterback at Fitchburg State from 2003 through 2005. Immediately after his playing career concluded, Hetherman was hired as the QBs coach at Fitchburg State. Hetherman earned his first Division-I coaching job as the outside linebackers coach at FCS Northeastern in 2010.
In his final season before moving up to the Football Bowl Subdivision, Hetherman earned the American Football Coaches Association's FCS Assistant Coach of the Year award as the defensive coordinator at James Madison. Hetherman was hired by Rutgers in 2020 where he remained as the linebackers coach through 2023.
This current expectation is that this is going to get done and that Miami will hire Minnesota’s Corey Hetherman as its new defensive coordinator, sources tell @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) January 11, 2025
Hetherman led the way this season as Minnesota ranked fifth nationally in total defense.… https://t.co/hE1iRUXWIf pic.twitter.com/7UKJ1KKEOq
Miami has hired Corey Hetherman to be the Canes' new defensive coordinator
Minnesota St. Paul Pioneer Press beat reporter Andy Greder reported "Minn. gave Hetherman a raise to more than $1 million annually, but it’s still not enough to compete with the Hurricanes’ bigger offer and buyout to get Hetherman." As a private school, Minnesota does not have to report salaries.
It is not clear if Hetherman will become the Miami LBs coach as well. All of the Miami defensive position coaches remained on staff after coordinator Lance Guidry was fired on Dec. 31. That includes LBs coach Derek Nicholson. Mario Cristobal has employed two coaches at the relatively same position in the past.
The Miami positions coaches should evolve if Hetherman wants to bring in his own guys. Miami cornerbacks coach Chevis Jackson is being targeted by Wake Forest, per Zenitz. Cristobal and Hetherman both are a part of Rutgers' head coach Greg Schiano's tree.