Things have gone mostly well for the Miami Hurricanes through 7 games this season. Things have been particularly better on the defensive side of the ball. While there have been some stretches of subpar
play – FSU fourth quarter, Louisville first quarter, etc. – the unit has been starkly different from the group we saw for much of the 2024 season, and that’s obviously a good thing.
While defensive ends Rueben Bain, Jr. and Akheem Mesidor have deservedly soaked up a lot of attention for their high level of play, another standout finally got some recognition on Tuesday. Senior defensive back Keionte Scott was named a Jim Thorpe Award semifinalist, which is given after the end of the regular season to the nation’s top defensive back.
Scott came to Miami after the 2024 season from Auburn and has helped revamp the Canes’ disastrous unit from less than a calendar year ago. The veteran started his career at Snow College before transferring to Auburn, where he played from 2022-24. He came to Miami after the 2024 season, and he took up the nickel role that he played with the Tigers. So far this season, Pro Football Focus credits Scott as having logged 260 snaps at nickel and 98 as a box defender.
PFF rates Scott as the third-highest graded defender on the Miami defense through 7 games, giving him an 88.6 overall defensive mark in 394 defensive snaps played that comes in behind only Bain and Mesidor. He has totaled 34 combined tackles with 7 tackles for loss, 9 QB pressures, 3 passed defended, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
To me, it’s not an insignificant deal to see Scott getting some recognition. After all, only 15 semifinalists were announced across the country, and Scott was one of just two in the entire ACC to get the nod, along with Clemson’s Avieon Terrell.
The Canes will need Scott to continue to provide impact plays as the Canes begin their stretch run to what Miami fans hope is the school’s first trip to Charlotte for the ACC Championship game since the 2017 season.
