Freshman cornerback Camdin Portis didn’t exactly take the easy road into Miami. He had other Power Four scholarship options on the table, including a chance to stay in Florida with the Gators, but he chose Coral Gables anyway - and with that choice came the kind of pressure only a familiar last name can bring.
That last name belongs to Clinton Portis, the former Hurricanes running back and 2001 National Champion who remains one of Miami’s signature players. In that title season, he carried the ball 220 times for 1,200 yards and scored 11 total touchdowns.
He was later inducted into the University of Miami’s 46th Sports Hall of Fame on April 10, 2014. Clinton Portis is still sixth on Miami’s all-time rushing list with 2,523 yards, though Mark Fletcher Jr. moved ahead of him this season for fifth and now sits at 2,620.
Camdin Portis is not ducking any of that. In a recent episode of the Greentree Made show, hosted by Fletcher Jr., he talked openly about the expectations that come with the name on the back of his jersey.
“There’s been pressure my whole life,” he said. “I came here knowing what the last name brought.
I tried to wear his number here. That’s even more pressure I’m adding to myself.
It’s not like I didn’t have a choice to go anywhere else. I decided to come to his stomping grounds and wear the same last name on the back of that jersey.”
He’s also got another Miami connection at home. His mother, Jamilla Wade, was a Hurricanes track and field athlete and earned three All-American honors across indoor and outdoor competition.
On the field, though, Portis is still waiting for his bigger moment. Miami has dealt with injuries in the secondary, especially at cornerback, but the freshman has seen limited action so far.
He’s appeared in all five games, mostly on special teams, and is listed at 5-11 and 180 pounds. Pro Football Focus has him at a 57.6 grade.
The depth chart around him is crowded. Portis is part of a defensive back group that includes Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr., Xavier Lucas, Damari Brown, Zechariah Poyser, Ethan O’Connor, Omar Thornton, and Bryce Fitzgerald. That gives him plenty of veterans to learn from while he waits.
Miami has shown it isn’t afraid to play young guys when the moment calls for it. Wide receiver Somourian Wingo, running back Javian Mallory, safety/nickel JJ Dunnigan, and left guard Ben Congdon have all gotten chances. Portis could be next, but for now the message is simple: stay ready.
A former four-star recruit out of Myers Park High School in Charlotte, North Carolina, Portis put together a strong senior season there, finishing with 59 total tackles, 30 solos, 29 assists, a tackle for loss, and three interceptions, according to MaxPreps.
As he develops, he’s doing it inside a Miami program that has returned to National Championship contention. That part, at least, fits the family story.
In Other News...
Chase Smiths Long Fight Became A Miami Story Fans Can Feel
Chase Smiths path to Miamis title run has been defined less by flash than by persistence, and his impact in the win over Clemson fit that same mold. The sixth-year linebacker delivered six tackles and a key stop while continuing to carve out a meaningful role in a defense that has leaned on him all season, a run that has carried the Hurricanes into the National Championship game. It is the kind of contribution that does not always dominate a highlight reel, but it has mattered plenty to a team trying to finish the job.
Smiths story also resonates because it has been so hard-earned. Years of injuries and rehabilitation left him dealing with the isolation that can come with being away from the game, and he has been open about how that experience shaped him. Now, as Miami pushes deeper into the postseason, he has also been a source of support for teammates navigating their own injuries, giving his journey a human edge that fits the tone of this Hurricanes run. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Can Show Just How Far FSU Has Fallen
Florida States trip to Louisville turned into another rough snapshot of where the Seminoles are right now, with Mike Norvell clearly worn down after a 44-20 loss that featured 397 rushing yards allowed. It was a sharp contrast from the previous week, when FSU held Virginia to just 38 rushing yards, and it underscored how quickly things can swing for a program trying to find any kind of defensive consistency.
Now comes the part Miami fans will be watching closely, because the Hurricanes are next and the matchup says plenty about the two programs current tracks. Under Mario Cristobal, Miami has been trying to climb back toward relevance, while FSUs latest stumble has only deepened the conversation about how far the Seminoles have fallen and how much ground still has to be made up. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Is Getting The Hype Fans Have Been Waiting On
ESPNs College GameDay spent plenty of time on the heavyweight meeting between No. 2 Georgia and No. 6 Alabama, but the show also gave Miami something its fans have been waiting to hear. With both programs drawing attention for their strong starts, Kirk Herbstreit singled out the Hurricanes as the best team in college football, a stance that was echoed by former Alabama coach Nick Saban. It was the kind of national praise Miami has been chasing as it tries to turn an undefeated start into real respect.
For Miami, the hype is welcome, but it also comes with a familiar catch. The Hurricanes have not lost, and they have looked the part so far, but they still have yet to face a ranked opponent this season. That makes the coming weeks even more important, because the conversation around Miami is no longer just about whether it is winning, but whether it can back up the growing belief that it belongs at the very top. [Read more 🡒]