The Miami Hurricanes are gearing up for another run at the College Football Playoff, and after coming up just short in the national title game against Indiana, the focus in Coral Gables is clear: finish the job this time around. And while the sting of that championship loss still lingers, Mario Cristobal’s squad just got a boost on the defensive side of the ball that could pay big dividends.
Conrad Hussey, a former blue-chip safety out of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, is coming home - and this time, he’s suiting up in orange and green. Once ranked as the No. 9 safety in the 2023 class, Hussey brings both pedigree and potential to a Miami secondary that’s looking to reload and refine heading into the 2026 season.
Hussey’s college journey has already taken a few turns. He originally committed to Florida State, where he made an early impact.
As a freshman, he appeared in 14 games and notched 22 tackles, earning Defensive Freshman of the Year honors for the Seminoles. That kind of production and recognition doesn’t come easy - it’s a sign of what he’s capable of when he’s locked in and healthy.
But things didn’t quite stay on that trajectory. His sophomore campaign in 2024 saw a dip in production, and a hand injury sidelined him for much of the season. Compounding the issue, Hussey reportedly had a falling out with a position coach, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the program ahead of the 2025 season.
He then landed at Oregon State, where he played in just three games - preserving a redshirt year in the process. And now, he's back in South Florida, looking to hit the reset button with the Hurricanes.
So what does this mean for Miami?
For starters, it’s a low-risk, high-upside move. Hussey is still a young player with two years of eligibility remaining, and he’s already shown flashes of what he can do at the Power Five level. At his best, he’s a rangy, instinctive safety who can cover ground, deliver hits, and bring some swagger to the back end of a defense.
For Miami, the hope is that a return to familiar surroundings - and a fresh start under Cristobal’s staff - can help Hussey tap back into the potential that made him such a coveted recruit in the first place. The Hurricanes have been building a fast, physical defense, and Hussey fits that mold when he’s on his game.
The challenge now is consistency. Can he stay healthy?
Can he stay locked in? If the answers are yes, Miami may have just added a difference-maker to a unit that’s already hungry to get back to the biggest stage in college football - and this time, finish the climb.