Corey Hetherman Introduces Positionless Philosophy To Miami Hurricanes Defense

The Miami Hurricanes football team brought in new defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to reshape a defense that struggled last season. One of the most important aspects of coaching a defense is situational football and adapting your scheme to what's happening on the field. Hetherman broke down how he plans to attack situational decisions, handle matchups, and play a positionless defense this season following the team's final spring practice.

Hetherman On Situational Defense And Matchups:

“In different situational football, you’ll see a lot of different guys in a lot of different spots. And just in general, you watch practice today, we’ve got some guys on the line of scrimmage, some guys off the line of scrimmage; some guys in on the slot, some guys out at corner; some guys are playing deep-half, some guys are playing post, where maybe, traditionally, that’s not where they’re used to playing. And to us, it’s all ‘Okay, what’s the situation? Who are we playing? Where’s their best players? Where’s the speed? Okay, now we’ve got to find out what the matchups are this week’ and that’s where, week to week, game to game, period to period in practice, we’re going to put some guys in different situations.

Hetherman On Positionless Defense:

“For us, it’s really positionless defense. Is that guy a linebacker? Is that guy a d-end? Is that guy a safety? Or is he a linebacker? Always trying to put guys in different roles so we can get bigger, we can get faster, we can get – depending on what opponent we’re playing, what the offense’s personnel is or who their style is. So, every week that could be different. Yeah, at times you’ll see four corners on the field and sometimes, you’ll see them in different spots. Are they at corner or are they not at corner? Sometimes, you’ll see multiple linebackers on the field. You may see a fifth d-linemen. Every situation calls for something a little bit different and every call, it’s ‘Okay, what’s our personnel, what’s our strengths right now? How do we want to attack the offense?’ Because, same thing: it’s always going to be about us before it’s going to be about what Coach Dawson’s doing on offense right now or what our first opponent’s going to do in that scheme. It’s always going to be [about] where are our strengths? How do we put our guys in the best situations to make the play? And if that means three or four safeties are on the field, we’ll have four safeties on the field. Every situation can be different.”

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