Miami Gardens, Florida – Miami has officially appointed Corey Hetherman, formerly of Minnesota, as their new defensive coordinator as of Sunday.
Hetherman previously served as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Golden Gophers for one season, overseeing significant enhancements in their defensive performance. Under his guidance, the team’s defense now ranks fifth in the nation for yards allowed per game and ninth for points allowed per contest.
This marks a notable improvement compared to the previous season, where Minnesota ranked 56th in yards allowed and tied for 69th in points allowed.
Additionally, Hetherman’s professional journey is diverse and mirrors some aspects of Miami’s head coach, Mario Cristobal. Both have had brief stints in Europe—Cristobal as a player and Hetherman as a coach—and both have affiliations with Rutgers’ coach Greg Schiano.
During his time with Schiano, Hetherman served as the linebackers coach for two years, participating in the 2023 Pinstripe Bowl where Rutgers triumphed over Miami. In addition to his recent tenure at Minnesota, Hetherman’s coaching career spans across several institutions including James Madison, Maine, Pace, Old Dominion, Western New England, Northeastern, Springfield, King’s College, and his alma mater, Fitchburg State, where he played quarterback.
At Miami, Hetherman fills the role left by Lance Guidry, who was let go after the Hurricanes’ disappointing finish to the season, which saw them lose three out of their last four games. These final matches included disappointing defensive performances, with the team conceding at least 38 points and 500 yards in their last two contests—defeats against Syracuse and Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
