Miami Hurricanes safety Bryce Fitzgerald is another freshman who's been impactful all season long. Defensive coordinator Corey Heterman had great words to say about him after the College Football Playoff first-round matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies.
The Miami Hurricanes' offense was the main attraction during the four-game winning streak to close the regular season, but the defense was just as dominant. They allowed an average of 263 total yards and five total touchdowns, while also recording a total of 17 sacks, five interceptions, including two pick-sixes, and five forced fumbles. Edge rushers Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor have been the leaders on that side of the field, alongside others, such as Keionte Scott, etc.
However, as wide receiver Malachi Toney has gained national attention, another freshman is making a similar impact, but on defense.
Bryce Fitzgerald was a four-star recruit coming out of Columbus High School, where he played on both sides of the ball. As a wide receiver, the Miami native caught 29 passes for 423 yards, including five touchdowns in two years. As a defender, he recorded 32 total tackles, 27 solos and five assists, including eight interceptions.
Fitzgerald received numerous offers from powerhouse programs, such as the Florida Gators, LSU Tigers, and Florida State Seminoles. Afterwards, committed to the Hurricanes on August 17th, 2024.
To begin his collegiate career, the 18-year-old appeared in all 12 regular-season games, finished with 15 total tackles, 10 solos and five assists, one tackle for loss, including four interceptions. It's a great production, but it wouldn't compare to what happened in the College Football Playoffs.
In the Hurricanes' first-round matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies, Fitzgerald grabbed two interceptions, with one of them coming on the final drive of the game in the endzone. He was one of the program's biggest heroes in their biggest game in over two decades.
"I think, obviously [Fitzgerald] loves football," defensive coordinator Corey Heterman said. "Committed, works hard, he's in the building all the time, constantly competing in practice and the ball always finds him. It does the same thing in games. In fall camp, preseason, I thought he created a lot of takeaways in those situations and got an opportunity to play on the field; it's happened over and over again. I think the first one might have been South Florida or Bethune and he just continues to have a way of finding the football. The way that he competes and the way he goes about practice, studying film, and constantly improving is why you see him every single week, continue to take the next step, and get better as he develops."
The Hurricanes have gotten tremendous contributions from their freshmen this season, which is a great compliment to the program's recruiting department. They will face the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
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