- LOCATION: Miami, Florida (population 442,241)
- CONFERENCE: Conference USA
- 2023 RECORD: 4-8, 1-7 in CUSA
- 2024 PREDICTION: 7th
- HEAD COACH: Mike MacIntyre, 3rd season
- San José State, 2010-12 (16-21)
- Colorado, 2013-18 (30-44)
- FIU, 2022-present (8-16)
- STADIUM: Alfonso Field at Riccardo Silva Stadium (opened 1995, capacity 20,000)
2023 RESULTS
- L, 22-17 @ Louisiana Tech
- W, 14-12 vs Maine (FCS)
- W, 46-39 vs North Texas
- W, 24-17 @ UConn
- L, 6-38 vs Liberty
- L, 17-34 @ New Mexico State
- L, 14-27 vs UTEP
- W, 33-27 (2OT) @ Sam Houston
- L, 16-41 vs Jacksonville State
- L, 6-40 @ Middle Tennessee
- L, 20-44 @ Arkansas
- L, 28-41 vs Western Kentucky
2024 SCHEDULE
- Aug. 31 @ Indiana
- Sept. 7 vs Central Michigan
- Sept. 14 @ Florida Atlantic
- Sept. 21 vs Monmouth (FCS)
- Sept. 28 vs Louisiana Tech
- Oct. 9 @ Liberty
- Oct. 16 @ UTEP
- Oct. 22 vs Sam Houston
- Oct. 29 vs New Mexico State
- Nov. 16 @ Jacksonville State
- Nov. 23 @ Kennesaw State
- Nov. 30 vs Middle Tennessee
Bold indicates CUSA game.
Key CUSA game: Louisiana Tech (Sept. 28th)
This game is important for a couple of reasons: the Bulldogs and the Panthers are both under third-year coaches and both are looking for a breakthrough season, and it’s also the CUSA opener for both schools.
Key non-conference game: Florida Atlantic (Sept. 14th)
The Shula Bowl — named for legendary NFL head coach Don Shula — returns after a one-year hiatus. The Panthers were crushed, 52-7, by the Owls in 2022, the last edition of the rivalry. This year, it could be a toss-up; both teams went 4-8 last year and the Owls will be led by second-year coach Tom Herman.
2024 Recruiting Class – High School
- Jaden Williams, S (Plantation HS – Florida)
- Devonte Lyons, RB (St. Augustine HS – Florida)
- Clayton Dees, QB (Palmetto HS – Florida)
- Jon Rodriguez, OT (Cardinal Gibbons HS – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
- Knajee Saffold, OT (Treasure Coast HS – Port St. Lucie, Florida)
- Raheim Sexil, CB (Manatee HS – Bradenton, Florida)
- Josiah Taylor, LB (Sebring HS – Florida)
- Germaine Carter, DT (Norland HS – Miami, Florida)
- Shamir Sterlin, S (Treasure Coast HS – Port St. Lucie, Florida)
- Robert Williams, DE (Christopher Columbus HS – Miami, Florida)
- Eric Nelson Jr., WR (Miramar HS – Hollywood, Florida)
- Nicholas Smith Jr., WR (Stranahan HS – Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
- Sadonnie Gay, S (Northwestern HS – Miami, Florida)
2024 Recruiting Class – Transfer Portal
- Desna Washington, WR (New Mexico/Belle Glade, Florida)1
- Eddie Walls III, LB (Bethune-Cookman/Ft. Myers, Florida)
- Giovanni Davis, DE (UT-Martin/Miami, Florida)
- Juju Lewis, WR (Georgia Tech/Ft. Lauderdale, Florida)
- Daniel Ogundipe, OT (UTSA/Upper Darby, Pennsylvania)1 2
- Nazeviah Burris, WR (Stetson/Duncan, South Carolina)
- Ben Shellenback, OG (Tusculum/Melbourne, Florida)
- Jaleel Davis, OT (NC State/Rockingham, North Carolina)
- Antonio Ferguson, TE (East Carolina/Apopka, Florida)
- Mathias Adjingbaruk, OG (Towson/Silver Spring, Maryland)
1also played at Iowa Central CC
2also played at Old Dominion
2024 Recruiting Class – Junior College Transfers
- Travion Barnes, LB (Georgia Military College/Apopka, Florida)
- Dwight Nunoo, LB (Dodge City CC/Grand Prairie, Texas)
- Ashton Levells, S (Butler CC/DeSoto, Texas)1
- Cole Gustafson, DT (American River College/Rocklin, California)
- Clinton Mahoni, DT (New Mexico Military Institute/Auckland, New Zealand)
1also lettered at Division II UTPB
Assistant Coaches
- David Yost, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
- 3rd year at FIU
- Previously worked as the OC/QBs coach at Utah State (2017-18) and Texas Tech (2019-20) under head coach Matt Wells
- Coached future NFL QB Justin Herbert at Oregon in 2016
- Worked as inside receivers coach in the Air Raid offense with Mike Leach at Washington State (2012-15)
- First rose to prominence under coach Gary Pinkel, working on his offensive staffs at both Toledo (1996-2000) and Missouri (2001-15)
- Jovan Dewitt, defensive coordinator/linebackers
- 3rd year at FIU
- Has been a DC previously at Division III St. Norbert (2006-08), Division II Northern Michigan (2004-05) & FCS Northern Iowa (2011)
- Coached both special teams and linebackers at numerous stops, including Army (2014-15), UCF (2016-17), Nebraska (2018-19) and North Carolina (2020-21)
- Zac Roper, tight ends/special teams coordinator
- 2nd year at FIU
- Former longtime Duke assistant under head coach David Cutcliffe, serving in various roles from 2008-21
- Coached future New York Giants QB Daniel Jones
- Worked at NC State as an offensive analyst in 2022
- Previously spent three seasons at Cornell (2005-07)
- Eric Hickson, associate head coach/running backs
- 3rd year at FIU
- Florida native who played for Hall of Fame coach Bill Snyder at Kansas State (class of 1999)
- Returned to K-State as RBs coach in 2018 before moving onto Miami for three seasons
- Also coached RBs at Akron from 2015-17
- Served as a coach at various South Florida high schools, including American Heritage & Coral Springs Charter
- Spent 2014 in the JUCO ranks, working as running backs coach & recruiting coordinator at Garden City CC in Kansas
- Joshua Eargle, deputy head coach/offensive line
- 3rd year at FIU; 2nd year as DHC/OL coach
- Originally served as tight ends coach before moving to the OL in 2023
- Was a senior offensive consultant at Memphis under Mike MacIntyre in 2021
- Served as a quality control coach at both Southern Miss (2006) and LSU (2009)
- Has been an OC at Division II Arkansas-Monticello (2010) and at FCS program Austin Peay (2016-18)
- Was the head coach at Division II East Texas Baptist from 2013-15, amassing a career mark of 14-16
- Got his first on-field FBS job at Kansas in 2020, serving as tight ends coach & recruiting coordinator after being an analyst the previous season for coach Les Miles
- Jay MacIntyre, wide receivers
- 3rd year at FIU
- Played for his dad Mike at Colorado as a receiver (class of 2018)
- Worked at FCS UT-Martin for two seasons as WRs coach, in addition to serving as pass game coordinator and recruiting coordinator
- George Frazier, defensive line
- 3rd year at FIU
- Southern California native who lettered for Mike MacIntyre at Colorado (class of 2016)
- Worked with MacIntyre as a grad assistant at Ole Miss (2019) and Memphis (2020) before moving onto UT-Martin as their D-line coach, where he reunited with Jay MacIntyre
- Nate Taye, safeties
- 3rd year at FIU
- Played for MacIntyre at San José State (class of 2013) before moving with him to Colorado, where he spent six seasons in both GA and quality control positions
- Followed MacIntyre to Ole Miss (2019) and Memphis (2020-21), this time as an analyst
- Anthony Gaitor, cornerbacks
- 2nd year at FIU
- Former FIU cornerback (class of 2011)
- Coached outside linebackers & nickels in 2023 before moving to corners in the offseason
- Previously coached in the Miami high school ranks
- Kenechi Udeze, defensive ends/outside linebackers
- 1st year at FIU
- Former USC linebacker (class of 2005) whose NFL aspirations were ended due to injury
- Served as an strength coach with Washington, USC and Pitt
- Most recently served as a pass rush specialist coach for the University of Houston
- Coached the D-line at USC under Clay Helton from 2016-18
- Spent two seasons with the NFL’s Tennessee Titans under coach Mike Vrabel (2021-22)
- Worked as an analyst on the 2019 CFP national champion LSU Tigers under coach Ed Orgeron
2024 Preview – Offense
Seven starters return to an offense that struggled in 2023 as the Panthers finished with a second consecutive 4-8 record under head coach Mike MacIntyre and OC David Yost.
Lefty Keyone Jenkins, who surprised many by staying in Miami and playing for the Panthers, also surprised the coaches by seizing the QB job as a true freshman. He struggled at times, completing 58 percent of his passes for 2,414 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while also rushing for six TDs. Junior Haden Carlson attempted 12 passes last season and will be the primary backup option after Grayson James transferred.
“Keyone has done real well,” MacIntyre said as spring practice started. “He’s got some muscles now. I’ve been teasing him. He’s gone from 180 pounds to 192 pounds, stronger and throwing the ball real well. He looked good out there today. He’s had a good offseason and an excellent spring.”
FIU didn’t offer much in the ground game, with South Dakota transfer Shomari Lawrence getting the bulk of the carries. He finished the year with 566 yards and four touchdowns and is back for his junior season, but there is increased depth. Junior Kejon Owens has some potential, and veteran Lexington “Flex” Joseph is back after missing the entire 2023 season.
Joseph rushed for 536 yards and five touchdowns in 2022 before tearing his ACL in fall camp last year and missing the entire season. The FIU ground game needs help (second-worst in CUSA in ‘23), and Joseph came back despite already having his degree in hand.
“I already graduated. Had different internships and jobs lined up, and it was a very bad injury, so a lot was weighing on me,” Joseph said during the spring.
“But my teammates, my family and my coaches, they kept going in my ear, like, “You got this.”
The Panthers suffered a major blow when leading returning receiver Kris Mitchell transferred to Notre Dame in early December. He caught 64 passes, twice as many as the next leading receiver (Eric Rivers, with 32). Speedy Dean Patterson caught 28 passes for 423 yards last year (both career highs), and coaches like redshirt freshman Luby Maurice Jr. as well. New Mexico transfer D.J. Washington has a 6’5″ frame and is athletic after the catch, making 29 of them for the Lobos last year before returning to his South Florida roots.
Tight end could be a position of strength with senior Josiah Miamen (14 catches), along with the Beers brothers, Rocky and Rowdy. Rowdy, a redshirt freshman, learned on the job last year, while Rocky transferred in from Air Force last summer and brings veteran leadership.
As for the line, the Panthers have some starting experience (John Bock II, Naeer Jackson, Wyatt Lawson) and have added some athletic newcomers to the rotation, including NC State transfer Jaleel Davis and UTSA transfer Daniel Ogundipe.
This group showed slow-but-steady growth as the season progressed last fall, but depth still isn’t ideal. The Panthers also received a blow here in the spring when Bock was slapped with a six-game ban after testing positive for a banned substance. Redshirt freshman Jaheim Buchanon will have to hold down the fort at center until then.
Defensive back Brian Blades II
2024 Preview – Defense
The Panthers gave up 31.8 points per game in 2023, as a 3-1 start evaporated into a 4-8 finish, then they lost several key players to graduation and/or the portal: defensive back Adrian Cole, linebacker Donovan Manuel and defensive linemen Jack Daly and Jordan Guerad.
With that said, third-year coordinator Jovan Dewitt sounded confident in the spring in terms of the Panthers’ production and experience as the staff threw around some new ideas.
“We’ve implemented a couple of things. It’s been a lot of fun. Obviously, we’re a lot older than we’ve been since we’ve been here, so you’re starting to see some of that shine throughout some of the guys in terms of experience,” Dewitt said.
Reggie Peterson Jr. (104 tackles) is a quality piece to build around at linebacker, while the Panthers’ staff added some key numbers during the early signing period, including three-star JUCO transfer Travion Barnes, Bethune-Cookman transfer Eddie Watts III and true freshman Josiah Taylor.
Senior linebacker Elijah Anderson-Taylor is a former FCS All-American at Northern Colorado who transferred to FIU prior to last fall, posting a perfectly respectable 46 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and a forced fumble. But coaches noticed that he had hit a new gear in the spring, showing a more muscular frame.
“He looks completely different than he did,” said Dewitt. “He’s way more sideline-to-sideline.”
CJ Christian showed signs of becoming an all-around playmaker in the secondary, recording 55 tackles, three picks and three pass breakups. Cornerback Hezekiah Masses has played a lot of football and enters his second season as a full-time starter. Senior Jamal Potts is another experienced name after he notched 63 stops, six TFL, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles, while Brian Blades II broke up six passes of his own.
Converted running back Antonio Patterson is an athletic addition to the safety room, while coaches also brought in JUCO transfer Ashton Levells and a trio of three-star freshmen, including Shamir Sterlin, who showed immediate flashes after enrolling early.
“He’s doing a great job, an unbelievable job as a freshman coming into his first semester,” Dewitt said of Sterlin. “He’s supposed to be in prom…He’s done an unbelievable job adapting and learning everything and really processing packages. We can allow some of those young guys to learn where to be and how to do things.”
The situation up front is more concerning, as the Panthers have lacked size and depth there for years, and coaches are making the pass rush a greater priority. Sophomore defensive end Steven Shannon—son of former Miami head coach Randy Shannon—has potential after racking up 14 tackles and two tackles for loss in 11 games off the bench.
Fellow sophomore Toddrick Brewton, a touted recruit, will be expected to take on a larger role at rush end after Travonte O’Neal entered the portal. The Panthers will look to a combination of Clinton Mahoni, Cole Gustafson and Marquez Tatum to clog the middle. Gustafson, a JUCO transfer from California’s American River College, impressed in spring practice as well.
2024 Preview – Special Teams
This could be a strength for FIU in 2024. The Panthers return both specialists, and both are seniors. Daton Montiel averaged 39.1 yards per punt, with a long of 58, and had only three touchbacks all season. Chase Gabriel booted 9-of-12 field goals, with a long of 50.
Summary
MacIntyre has posted back-to-back 4-8 seasons, and last year’s slide included a 1-7 finish after a promising 3-1 start. He’s crossing his fingers that another solid recruiting class and continuity at the coordinator positions will help get the Panthers over the hump in Year Three, and in spring practice he confidently stated that this was his most mature team since taking the job.
A more experienced Jenkins will need to take the next step in his development, while the transfer players in the front seven need to help stop the bleeding on defense. The Panthers had the nation’s 121st-ranked run defense in 2023 and they’ll still need more depth heading forward.
Despite the recent problems and a reasonably tough schedule, a bowl game is achievable in 2024 if FIU can stay healthy and start stopping more teams on D.
Letters from Las Cruces 