Bryce Fitzgerald snagged six interceptions, tying for ACC-best, and proved an instant defensive force. He's set to anchor the Miami Hurricanes' secondary for years to come.
Last season, the Miami Hurricanes had great contributions from freshman talent, such as star wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Girard Pringle Jr., plus safety Bryce Fitzgerald. He played a tremendous role in the secondary, recording 16 total tackles, 10 solos and six assists, one sack, a tackle for loss, two passes broken up, eight passes defended, and six interceptions, which tied for first among ACC players, alongside Clemson Tigers safety Ricardo Jones. The 18-year-old played in all 16 games, including four starts.
The Miami native grabbed the 10-3 game-sealing interception in the first round of the College Football Playoffs against the Texas A&M Aggies.
Fitzgerald finished the season as the highest-graded freshman safety, 80.7, according to PFF. An in-depth analysis: he recorded 304 coverage snaps, nine catches allowed, and a passer rating allowed of 38.5.
As the Hurricanes revamped the roster for next season, with hopes of another National Championship chase, Fitzgerald is expected to take another leap in production with veteran defensive backs Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas declaring for the upcoming NFL draft. He may likely be a consistent starter for the team.
The program added Omar Thornton from the Boston College Eagles and Conrad Hussey from the Oregon State Beavers through the transfer portal. Plus, with a few departures, most notably Amari Wallace to the Sacramento State Hornets.
Regardless, Fitzgerald will be one of the cornerstone pieces for the Hurricanes, along with Damari Brown, Xavier Lucas, Zechariah Poyzer, and OJ Frederique Jr.
He was a four-star recruit coming out of Columbus High School, a private Catholic institution located in Miami-Dade County. Fitzgerald recorded 32 total tackles, 27 solos and five assists, four passes defended, and eight interceptions in 23 total games through two seasons.
It shows how strong an eye the local native has for the ball.
The Hurricanes took a massive surge on the defensive side of the field and look to continue that trend after retaining Fitzgerald and other key components.
Despite having arguably the best offense in college football throughout the 2024-25 season, led by quarterback Cam Ward, the team couldn't get consistent stops. The program completely turned that around last season, especially with defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman on the staff, who was in the running for the Broyles Award.
The Hurricanes have aspirations, not only to claim the program's first-ever ACC Championship, but to reach the National Championship stage again and finish with different results.
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