The 2024 season is on the horizon and Hurricanes fans are hoping to see a big breakthrough in the third year of the Mario Cristobal era.
As Miami continues to add talent through high school and recruiting in the transfer portal, UM appears poised to be a major contender in the ACC this season.
This summer, we’ll take a look at a different position group each week to see who’s gone, who’s arrived, and who’s expected to make big impacts this year.
Last week we previewed the The Hurricanes’ new defensive line. Now we move on to the other part of the Front 7: the UM linebackers.
Who left
Four Hurricanes linebackers departed in the offseason: two for the pro ranks and two through the transfer portal. Two of those linebackers received a significant amount of snaps last season.
KJ Cloyd, who spent one season in Miami after transferring from Louisville, had the most playing time of those who left. The veteran linebacker played 393 snaps last year and started six games.
Cloyd was a solid addition to the room, racking up 44 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. Pro Football Focus gave Cloyd a defensive grade of 67.6. He did especially well against the run, earning a grade of 76.4. Cloyd signed with the Minnesota Vikings after going undrafted.
Corey Flagg Jr. played as much as Cloyd, recording 392 snaps. The Houston native played four seasons at UM and started two of the 12 games he played in last year. Flagg recorded 48 tackles, with seven for loss. Flagg had a defensive rating of 69.3, standing out in the running game with a rating of 82.9. Flagg opted to transfer to Missouri after the season.
Keontra Smith, a five-year Hurricane, didn’t play much last season, taking 87 defensive snaps in eight games, most of which started in the Pinstripe Bowl against Rutgers. Smith, a former student of Chaminade-Madonna, participated in New England’s rookie minicamp in May but he didn’t sign it.
The Hurricanes also lost a freshman to the transfer portal: Marcellius Pulliam. Pulliam played mostly on special teams, playing just 11 of his 104 snaps on defense. He transferred to Michigan State.
Who returns
Miami returns several key linebackers this season, including one of the best veteran linebackers in the conference.
Senior middle linebacker Francisco Mauigoa, the oldest brother of the promising second year offensive attack Francis Mauigoaanchors the group after a stellar 2023 campaign. Mauigoa led the Hurricanes in tackles (82), tackles for loss (18) and tied for the team lead in sacks (7.5) in his first year at UM after transferring from Washington state.
Mauigoa, who had a 71.6 defensive rating last year, was selected to the All-ACC second team last year and is ready for another big season even after spring practice while recovering from an injury .
“He’s an extension of the coaching staff and what we’re doing,” linebackers coach Derek Nicholson said in the spring. “I’m joking with him, calling him ‘Coach Kiko’ because of how involved he is with the guys in the classroom and then doing it here on the field. He is constantly communicating, coaching, giving little tips and reminding us what we should do on each play. … It was important for him to come back.”
The Hurricanes also return junior Wesley Bissainthe, who played the second-most snaps of their linebackers last year. Bissainthe has 44 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks in 2023.
“He got bigger, he got stronger,” Nicholson said. “He is more explosive. He has a clear understanding of not only what he’s doing, but also what the 11 pieces of the puzzle are doing defensively. And he understands what the offense is trying to throw at him. Wesley took a leap.”
Miami brings back several young linebackers who had limited opportunities last year but could see more time on the field in 2024. Raul “Popo” Aguirre Jr., a four-star signee in the 2023 class, is one who stood out during the practical spring.
Aguirre, who played 38 defensive snaps last season, spent time with the starters during the spring, and defensive coordinator Lance Guidry said he thinks Aguirre made the biggest leap early in spring practice.
“Popo did a great job,” Nicholson said. “He continued to take steps, leaps and bounds from where he was at the end of the year. He continues to understand, he has a great defense concept. He communicates well. He’s confident in what he’s doing.”
Additionally, Miami brings back redshirt freshman Bobby Washington Jr., who played 14 defensive snaps last year, and redshirt junior Chase Smith, who played in three games last season after missing an extended period due to injury.
Who arrived
To replace the four linebackers lost this offseason, the Hurricanes added two traditional linebackers in their 2024 recruiting class and one through the transfer portal.
In the portal, UM returned to Louisville and signed a Cardinals linebacker for the second year in a row. They added Jaylin Alderman, a 6-foot-2, 230-pound starter for the Cardinals.
Alderman had 58 tackles, seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks last season. He achieved a defensive rating of 65.6, with his best grades coming in pass coverage (70.8 rating).
The Hurricanes signed two high school linebackers: four-star prospect Adarius Hayes and three-star prospect Cam “Bobby” Pruitt. They also signed four-star prospect Booker Pickett Jr., who could play a hybrid defensive line/linebacker position.
Hayes was an early signing day for Florida. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound freshman was ranked as the No. 8 linebacker and No. 123 player in the class in the 247Sports composite rankings.
Pruitt was a longtime UM member who remained with the Hurricanes despite late interest from his home state Crimson Tide. Listed at 6-2 and 200 pounds, Pruitt was ranked as the No. 45 safety (although he will play linebacker at Miami) and the No. 489 player in the class.
“They did a really good job,” Nicholson said. “Adarius in full pads, had all his stuff on, was out there… and he was hitting hard. That was really good to see. You can see him confidently trotting around, which is what you like to see in a young player. Cameron “Bobby” Pruitt just shined. Every day, it seems like he’s doing some kind of flash play. He did a great job learning and having a clear understanding of the defense. … One thing you just notice is his speed, his overall athleticism and his feel for the game, knowing the football field in different locations.
