Seeking to upgrade their defensive backfield, Miami was heavily recruiting Alabama defensive back Maurice Smith. Smith played under Georgia coach Kirby Smart at Alabama before Smart left for Georgia to replace current Miami coach Mark Richt.

Richt heading to Miami and Smart taking over for Richt at Georgia returns both coaches to where they played College Football.

SEC rules require an athlete to have two years of eligibility remaining and sit out a year to transfer to another SEC school. Alabama head coach Nick Saban had been trying to block the transfer based on the SEC rule.

The holdup in not allowing Smith his release from his scholarship was nothing more than posturing. Smith was third string at cornerback and star for Alabama last year according to Al.Com

The ‘Canes lost four key defensive backs from the 2015 team. Cornerbacks Artie Burns (who left early for the NFL) and Tracy Howard and safeties Dean Bush and Dallas Crawford. The ‘Canes had a solid pass defense in 2015. They finished fifth in pass efficiency defense and sixth in passing yards allowed in ACC. Miami finished fourth in the ACC last season with 15 interceptions. Burns had six of those.

Senior Corn Elder is the only player on the roster with experience starting at cornerback. Senior Rayshawn Jenkins has 21 career starts at safety and senior safety Jamal Carter has four. They are the projected safety tandem. The Seniors at least give the ‘Canes experience playing college football, if not starting.

Sophomore Sheldrick Redwine is projected to be the starter at corner opposite Elder. Graduate transfer Adrian Colbert from Texas will push Redwine to gain a starting role. He started four games at safety for the Longhorns.

Defensive coordinator Manny Diaz was quoted in the Palm Beach Post about his hopes for the secondary this year.

“. … All we care about in the secondary is sense of urgency, toughness and tackling. If you can bat a ball down better, if you can catch it when they throw it in your direction, bonus. But bad tackling secondaries make bad defenses.”

Miami opens the first month of the season without having to leave South Florida. They open the season at home against Bethune-Cookman, play at Florida Atlantic and finish their non-conference schedule hosting Nebraska and Cincinnati.

Cincinnati will test the Hurricanes largely unproven secondary. The Bearcats were sixth in the nation last season in passing yards per game. They averaged 359.9 yards per game. Oddly, they threw for only 29 touchdown passes. That was ten less than any of the teams in the top five.