The Miami Hurricanes add defensive firepower, landing a homegrown talent who seeks a championship opportunity after a quiet stint with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The Miami Hurricanes continue to multitask by preparing for the National Championship game and securing talent through the transfer portal for next season. The program has earned commitments from safety Omar Thornton, wide receiver Vandrevius Jacobs, and wide receiver Cam Vaughn. Now, they've added another to the mix in Jarquez Carter.
The 18-year-old spent his freshman year with the Ohio State Buckeyes, but only appeared in six regular-season games, recording one solo tackle. He did not play a snap in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals against the Hurricanes. After a limited time on the football field, Carter entered the transfer portal and committed to the team that defeated him in the College Football Playoffs shortly after.
Carter was a three-star recruit coming out of Newberry High School. After playing for four years, he recorded 312 tackles, 155 solos and 157 assists, 129 tackles for loss, and 43 sacks playing in 46 games.
He received interest from numerous powerhouse programs, such as the Alabama Crimson Tide, Florida Gators, Penn State Nittany Lions, and many others, before committing to the Buckeyes on July 18th, 2024.
The Hurricanes were also part of Carter's recruiting process and made multiple unofficial and official visits. It's a full circle moment as he'll have an opportunity to play in his home state.
The biggest piece to the Hurricanes' success this year has been the defense on all cylinders. Rueben Bain Jr., Akheem Mesidor, Wesley Bissainthe, and Ahmod Motten Sr. have been the leaders up front, while Keionte Scott, Jakobe Thomas, and Damari Brown, along with many others, have key players for the secondary.
The defense has completely turned around compared to when Mario Cristobal was first hired ahead of the 2022 season.
The Buckeyes heavily relied on their starters, which left little to no room for Carter to crack the rotation. However, Cristobal takes pride in allowing players to compete for starting positions or even playing quality minutes on the field.
The Hurricanes continue to set themselves up for success as the program returns to elite status, making the National Championship for the first time since 2002. They will face the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 19th, at Hard Rock Stadium, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN. Regardless of the final results, the team has displayed toughness, great execution, and the ability to overcome adversity.
A new culture has been established and Carter can contribute to carrying it over for years to come.
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