“I think we're getting better every single day.

August 22, 2026 - Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman met with the press this week and shared his perspective on his defense as they prepare to open the 2026 season.

On Miami’s 2026 defense:

“I think we're getting better every single day. I think little steps, but I think we're playing faster. I think our guys are communicating a lot better, and I think we're playing together as a unit. And every day, We're growing closer together. You can see guys really trusting each other and playing fast for one another every day.”

On practice balance between violence and being smart:

“We just got to practice smart. Everything we do, whether it's just helmets, it's shells, it's full pads, everything's full speed. And it really allows you to get better when it's just helmets because it teaches you to play with technique, it tells you to play with hands, it tells you how to play with feet, your technique, your fundamentals, and how to get better at that. It takes the head out of it, takes launching and lunging on things. Our guys understand, once we put the pads on, when I'm squared up, I'm the thought, I'm playing full speed, just nothing goes to the ground. Anytime I'm coming in at an angle, I'm gonna be smart. I'm gonna protect the team. It's gonna be a wrap and roll, so I'm gonna not lunge. I'm gonna attack the hip. Everything at the line of scrimmage, everything we're doing is full speed. We're just not moving around. And our guys are getting better at understanding that tempo of how to play and how to compete at that level every single day.”

On the defense’s leadership:

“Every team is different. Every set of leaders is different. We have a different group of leaders right now, and we're still developing, exactly who some of the leaders are on our side of football, and everyone's a little bit different. Some guys just go out and play as hard as they possibly can and lead by example, and there's other guys that are— must speak up a little bit more. We're developing that right now through camp, and that's where, as a coaching staff, we're pushing our guys to handle some adversity, get on some guys in certain situations, so they learn, A, to play one play at a time. Every play is a life and history of its own. And then B, is how we respond to it and how do we grow together and how do we pick each other up and how do you support those 11 guys on the field when we're on the road in a hostile environment. And our guys are getting better and better at picking each other up, leaning on each other and coming together and growing together as a team. We're still in camp right now. We're still in that process, and guys are still filling those roles and filling in.”

On replacing two elite edge rushers:

“I think our coaches have done a really good job with developing our players. Having the guys that we had last year just being leaders and being role models of showing by example, our guys get to see that every day, and we play a lot of players. So we have guys that have really good experience, and we have guys that are continuing to learn and get better. The fundamentals, the technique that they're buying into. All those guys did through their career, and they became very good players, and I'm excited about the group that we have. Our guys are trusting the technique. They're playing with fundamentals. They're learning where they fit is and where they can take shots and when they have to set edges and where they have to be really physical at the point of attack. And, those are the things that we address as a coaching staff every day, and our guys are getting better at it every single day.

“That's why we're coaches. We got to figure out how to get the best players on the field and have them play fast. And that's where we're always evolving. We're never going to be the same team. We're always going to adjust. We're always going to be a little bit different. We'll have different fronts. We'll have different techniques. We'll have different calls that maybe fit this year better, whoever the 11 guys are on the field. And that's where as the season goes on, guys get banged up or as different things happen in the season, we always got to be able to adjust. And that's one of the things that's awesome in camp, is going against our offense every day and how talented they are. You got to make those adjustments. Okay, who's in the game right now? What group do we have? Who's up front? Who's in certain spots? And, let's get our guys and put them in the best position to have success out on the football field. And that's what we're always working through every single day. I'm excited about the group of guys that we have. We have guys that love football. We have guys that come in and compete every single day, and they're getting better at their craft and they're getting better at their techniques, fundamentals. And, I think we played faster today than we did yesterday, and the goal ultimately is tomorrow we'll be even better than that. Just go 1-0 every day.

On Damon Wilson:

“He's been really good, buying in, running to the football, playing physical, playing with the technique that we coach, getting better every single day, and we're really excited to watch him this year.”

On Omar Thornton:

“He loves football. That's the number one thing. He reminds me of all the guys we've had. He fits perfect in what we do. He loves football. He loves coming out here every day as an opportunity to go win a one-on-one. Every day is an opportunity to get better, and he just plays fast. Every year we have to evolve for how to get the best eleven on the field, and he's a guy that competes every single day. He continues to push us and get us better every single day.”

On his linebacker group:

“I’m excited about the group. I think just in the offseason, what the strength and conditioning staff did, what the nutrition staff did, what sports science did with our guys, I think we’re a bigger, faster group. I think we can do a lot of different things, whether it’s in coverage or it’s blitzing or fitting the runs at a really high level. We have guys that have different skill sets and I’m excited to play different guys. We’re going to throw guys out in different groups and different waves as we go through the season. But I feel like right now, and we’re not at that point in camp yet where it’s settled, but I think guys are continuing to compete every single day. Guys are continuing to get better every single day. And I feel really comfortable throwing a good group of those guys out on the field right now against an opponent.”

GO CANES!