What Miami Hurricanes players’ pass coverage numbers and defensive grades tell us

8-10 minutes 7/27/2023
Part 3 of our five-part series on the Miami Hurricanes’ personnel, as we approach the start of fall camp on Tuesday:
▪ The enduring visual nightmare from UM’s 5-7 debacle last year, at least for me, was UM’s defensive backs being beaten repeatedly for long gains.
By the time the season was over, UM had allowed 8.37 yards per pass attempt. Only Colorado, Vanderbilt and Arkansas were worse among Power 5 teams.
So UM went on a cornerback-acquisition binge this offseason, adding five players in the portal (one of them, Terry Roberts, left for Michigan State after less than four months on campus) and signing several high school players.
This much is clear: Both the Canes defensive backfield (excluding All-American safety Kamren Kinchens) and the linebacker group must be better in pass coverage.
The Canes have taken steps in that direction with the addition of UCF cornerback Davonte Brown and Oklahoma cornerback Jaden Davis. And new linebacker Francisco Mauigoa graded out above average in that area last season at Washington State. Brown and Mauigoa very likely will be starters, and Davis has a good chance to be one, too.
Tyrique Stevenson, now with the Chicago Bears, had a strong 78.4 passer rating in his coverage area last season. So he will be missed.
The good news is that Brown had similar numbers at UCF. He allowed a 71.5 passer rating in his coverage area (very good from a defensive standpoint), with just 20 completions in 44 attempts for 273 yards, an interception and two touchdowns permitted.
That 44 percent completion percentage against is outstanding. And Brown had a good spring and a pass breakup in the end zone in the spring game.
What’s more, Davis was very solid at Oklahoma last season, allowing just a 79.3 passer rating in his coverage area (13 completions in 26 targets for 142 yards, a 10.9 average and one touchdown) in 202 plays in coverage.
Whether a Brown-Davis starting cornerback tandem will be better than last year’s Stevenson-DJ Ivey combo remains to be seen.
▪ In the case of Vanderbilt transfer Jadais Richard, UM’s faith is based more on potential than production. He had poor numbers as a freshman: He was targeted 13 times and allowed nine receptions for 211 yards (23.4 yards per catch) and two touchdowns.
But the Canes like Richard’s size (6-2), speed (above average), length and versatility; he can play on the boundary or in the slot. They believe he can be developed into a quality cornerback.
▪ Among Miami’s returning defensive backs who played a lot, Kinchens and Te’Cory Couch were best against the pass.
Kinchens’ six interceptions tied for the most in the country. He had an 85.7 rating in his coverage area, a good number that would have been even better if he had not allowed two touchdown passes and an 18.4 yard per reception average on the 12 catches that PFF said he permitted. As good as Kinchens was creating turnovers, he had a few too many big busts in coverage.
Couch, who’s better suited for the slot than the boundary, allowed 36 completions in 56 targets, for 9.5 yards per catch last season, but his passer rating against was solid (81.1) because he didn’t allow any touchdowns. Richard appears to be Couch’s biggest competition in the slot.
Returning cornerback Daryl Porter Jr., the West Virginia transfer, couldn’t beat out Ivey last season and permitted 10 of 16 passes to be caught for 110 yards, but his passer rating against also was solid (82.8) because he didn’t give up any TDs. But it was a small sample size. He had a solid spring and will compete with Davis, Richard, Couch and others for playing time.
Ivey’s college eligibility has expired; he had a 100.7 passer rating against last season. The Cincinnati Bengals drafted him in the seventh round in April.
Metrics aren’t available for junior college addition Demetrius Freeney, UM’s most recent addition at cornerback.
▪ UM’s pass coverage must be better at safety, too, aside from Kinchens.
Former five-star safety James Williams permitted a 105.6 passer rating in his coverage area, with five touchdowns allowed in the 22 completions against him. He simply must improve in coverage to maximize his potential.
Recruiting analyst Larry Blustein said earlier this offseason that a case could be made to move Williams “to the box” in a linebacker-type role.
“I’m not saying he can’t play safety. But wouldn’t you want him closer to the action? He’s 6-5, quick, strong, agile. You put 35 pounds on him [and it would be interesting]. In some games, he played closer to the line of scrimmage.”
The sense here is that new coordinator Lance Guidry will use Williams in a variety of ways. Williams missed much of the offseason program due to a shoulder procedure.
▪ Pass coverage remained a problem for UM’s linebackers.
Passer ratings against last season were 129.2 against Waynmon Steed (who has departed), 107.1 against Corey Flagg Jr. (18 for 24 caught for 245 yards), 112.5 against Keontra Smith and 99.8 versus Wesley Bissainthe (13 of 18 for 82 yards).
Flagg and Smith seem likely to be backups this season, though Flagg has a chance to beat out Bissainthe for the linebacker job next to Mauigoa.
Linebacker Chase Smith, who could get chances in coverage, was targeted only one last season, and that pass was completed for six yards. He’s working his way back from a serious knee injury sustained in practice last year.
Mauigoa, the transfer addition, should help in pass coverage and several other areas. He permitted an 82.8 passer rating in his coverage area, with 23 completions in 35 targets for 238 yards (a 10.3 average), with one touchdown allowed but one interception.
Jaden Harris (not to be confused with Oklahoma transfer Jaden Davis) allowed two of the four passes thrown against him to be caught for 75 yards and a touchdown last season; he played safety this spring and got positive public reviews from defensive backs coach Jahmile Addae. Young cornerbacks Chris Graves and Malik Curtis have left the program.
Backup safeties Markeith Williams and Brian Balom weren’t targeted in coverage last season. Williams enters camp as the front runner for the No. 3 safety job.
▪ Here were PFF’s 10 highest-graded Hurricanes on defense, in order, in 2022: Kinchens (first among all Canes and first among all safeties rated by PFF), Leonard Taylor, Akheem Mesidor, Antonio Moultrie (eligibility expired), Stevenson, Jahfari Harvey, Ivey, James Williams, Elijah Roberts (transferred to SMU) and Darrell Jackson (transferred to FSU).
The good news: The top three on that list — Kinchens, Taylor and Mesidor — are all returning. So are Harvey and James Williams.
The bad news: UM lost its top cover cornerback in Stevenson and its second best defensive tackle in Jackson, who transferred to FSU to be closer to his ailing mother.
▪ Here were PFF’s five lowest-graded Hurricanes on defense in 2022: Avantae Williams (who was rated worst; he played 131 defensive snaps and transferred to Maryland), defensive tackle Ahmad Moten (small sample size with 31 snaps and he improved this spring), cornerback Curtis (played just 23 snaps and now gone), pseudo safety/linebacker Gilbert Frierson (104 snaps and transferred to Louisville) and Harris (played just 18 snaps).
▪ Here’s some good news: Among 458 qualifying defensive tackles, PFF rated Leonard Taylor 11th and newcomer Branson Deen 98th. Dean, the Purdue transfer, could end up starting next to Taylor.