There were some positive moments, but the mistakes and missed tackles will be the thing we remember.
Miami’s defense was unit that most people were looking at to see if they could be a championship contending team. The Linebackers were a veteran unit with plenty of young depth pushing for playing time as well.
There were moments of greatness, but also things to forget from this unit in 2024. It wasn’t the black hole of performance death that the defensive backs were, but there is plenty to improve upon at this level of the defense.
Starters
MLB Francisco “Kiko” Mauigoa — 13 games, 13 starts, 2nd Team All-ACC, team-high 96 tackles, 11 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 interception, 5 PBUs, 5 QB hurries, 1 forced fumble
SAM Wesley Bissainthe — 13 games, 13 starts, 59 tackles, 5 TFLs, 2 sacks, 1 PBU, 1 QB hurry
This pair has been the nailed-on starters for the last 2 years. Both are quality players who impact games with their physicality and skill, but have gaps in their games as well.
For Mauigoa, he can be (and has been) taken advantage of in man coverage against faster offensive players. He was seen chasing after guys running inside slot fades many times this year. Additionally, he got out of his run fits in several instances, which opened up massive lanes for the opposition to run freely up the field.
Bissainthe has finally grown into the 3-down linebacker Miami dreamed of when they recruited him in 2022. His tackle numbers were a bit lower because Mauigoa is more of a factor in the run game than Bissainthe, but the junior made plenty of plays throughout the season.
While most of the blame will (rightfully) be placed on the defensive backs for the million explosive plays allowed by the defense, some of the blame goes on the LBs, too. I already spoke about Mauigoa’s struggles with certain types of players and schemes, and teams went to those repeatedly to their great success. Bissainthe is a much better pass defender, but still had his struggles. All in all, it good year statistically for the starters, but not as successful when you peak under the hood a little.
Grades:
Mauigoa: B-
Bissainthe: B
Contributors
Jaylin Alderman — 11 games, 3 starts, 24 tackles, 3.5 TFLs, 1 sack
Raul “Popo” Aguirre Jr. — 10 games, 27 tackles, 1.5 TFL, 1 fumble recovery-TD
Malik Bryant — 12 games, 17 tackles, 5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks, 3 QB hurries
Chase Smith — 13 games, 13 tackles, 1 TFL
A pretty solid group of contributing players at Linebacker this year. The headliner is Aguirre Jr, a physical and dynamic player who, if not for Mauigoa coming back for a 5th year, would have been starting alongside Bissainthe. He has al the physical tools in the world, and was the go-to 1st option off the bench.
Alderman, a transfer from Louisville, is the next rotation player. He was the choice to start several games alongside Mauigoa and Bissainthe when Miami was trying out different looks to help the defense perform better. He’s not as physical as Aguirre Jr., but Alderman was solid to spectacular in his role.
Bryant is another blue chip recruit who has a wealth of physical ability. He was brought in to help spy on mobile QBs at times throughout the season as he continues to transition from an EDGE rusher to Linebacker at the college level. Due to injuries (and lack of performance) up front, Bryant moved back to EDGE during the season. Still, he showed up big when his number was called. And, his INCREDIBLE play to snuff out a fake FG against Virginia Tech was one of the top defensive highlights of the season.
And, lastly, Smith is a veteran Miami legacy who has battled injuries throughout his career. He’s got great size and immense arm length, and was another player who flashed really welly in his limited snaps on defense. Smith was also a stalwart on special teams.
Grades:
Alderman: B
Aguirre Jr.: B+
Bryant: B
Smith: B-
Rest of the Room
Cameron “Bobby” Pruitt — 13 games, 11 tackles, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble
Adarius Hayes — 10 games, 4 tackles, 1 interception, 1 PBU
Bobby Washington — 11 games, 3 tackles
All of these players made their presence known on special teams mainly. Pruitt in particular was frequently seen making plays and standing out on special teams, and also earned his way into rotation snaps through the year. Was some of that the failings of others in front of him? Yes. But, he still showed flashes of his immense talent, and could easily work his way into a bigger role in 2025, possibly even as a starter.
Washington is another standout special teams player with tons of speed who can work his way into the rotation in the future. He, like Pruitt, has the combination of size and speed that Miami has lacked in previous years.
Hayes is the physical prototype of a big-time middle linebacker. Tall, muscular and athletic, Hayes would fit in on any SEC team’s defense in the middle. He has all the tools needed to become a leader on Miami’s defense, and with Mauigoa moving on to the NFL, the spot is there for the taking.
Grades:
Pruitt: A
Hayes: B+
Washington: B+
There is plenty of talent in the linebacker room, with even more added in the 2025 recruiting class. It’s incumbent upon new DC Corey Hetherman to develop and unlock it, but there’s a solid foundation to work from if nothing else.