MIAMI FOOTBALL

Hondro aims to keep Miami defense strong

Corban Hondru

By MIKE SMITH
In a season when Miami RedHawk football is dealing with massive turnover, it's nice to have a few familiar faces at spring practice -- especially when they figure to be a productive part of the 2025 MU defense.    

Redshirt senior Corban Hondru is part of the "next man up" for Miami's linebacking corps. It's a distinguished group that has been a key cog in RedHawk success. Even as the offense suffered key injuries in recent seasons, the defense typically kept MU in a position to win. 

Former MAC Defensive . . . 

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. . . Player of the Year Matt Salopek was among Hondru's mentors. Before Salopek, Ryan McWood was another standout linebacker. 

"Being behind Salopek and Ryan McWood, you learn so much," Hondro said after a recent practice. 

Salopek, who played in a program-high 59 games, earned All-MAC honors in four seasons. McWood, meanwhile, registered 135 tackles in 2022. 

Corban Hondru (12) and teammates take down an Ohio runner during last year's championship game. (MVSmith/MRO file)

"Yeah, we're losing ... a lot of production, but that just means more guys have to step up and prove themselves," said Hondro, who has been moving up the ladder with each season.

"Year-by-year, it's been a grind. Freshman year, I learned ... from all the guys above me. Sophomore year, (playing mostly special teams) ... getting a lot of looks there. Then the following year, playing linebacker -- getting interceptions, tackles and bringing it all together. It was putting in all those pieces I had learned through the years."

Hondro played in 13 games and totaled 28 tackles inj 2023. He also had two interceptions that year, one of which was part of an all-time personal memory. His first pick came in Miami's upset win at Cincinnati. 

As a redshirt junior in 2024, Hondro totaled 70 tackles. Together, he and Salopek combined for 190 hits and six (3 apiece) of MU's 13 interceptions. 

Those numbers, as well as outstanding overall defensive statistics, owe to a number of factors. One of the most important is getting to the right spots. 

"In our defense, we make all the checks," said Hondro, an Academic All-MAC player last year. "We want to know what's happening, so we spend a lot of time ... just trying to figure out what the (opposing) offense is going to do -- tendancies and keys (that show up) in that pre-snap window. It just makes us play faster, smarter and more physical."

Given the team's turnover, putting people into the right spots will be particularly important in 2025.

"It's fun being the old head in the room, but it also comes with different opportunities and roles I have to pick up," said Hondro, who appreciates the value of spring practices, when there are position battles all over the field. 

"It's huge," he said. The competition "is intense. We're flying around. The defense is screaming at the offense. We bring it 110 percent (and) ... we see what we can improve on going into fall camp." 

It may be way too early to speculate on positions, but the Miami defense has a way of rising to the challenge - especially by the MAC season. "We pride outselves on defense,: Hondro said. "It's exciting getting the defense together and getting ready for next year."