OXFORD — Malcolm McCain doesn’t need to know exactly what his role will look like each day.
The Miami University linebacker just wants to provide whatever the RedHawks need.
“Sometimes there’s players getting down because of a bad play. I can help pick them up,” McCain said. “Sometimes the energy’s low. I can help juice everybody up. Sometimes we don’t need that. Sometimes we can let other people lead.
“Just honestly being whatever my team needs me to be, always bringing the juice, focusing on my game and trying to get better every day.”
That mentality fits a Miami defense that enters the 2026 season with considerable experience, depth and expectations.
The RedHawks have built much of their success under 13th-year coach Chuck Martin around defense and special teams, and Martin sees the pieces for that formula to continue as Miami prepares for its Sept. 5 opener at Pittsburgh.
Miami finished 7-7 last season and reached the Mid-American Conference championship game. The RedHawks allowed 21.7 points and 334.6 yards per game, including 134.3 rushing yards, while recording 41 sacks and intercepting 14 passes. Opponents averaged 5.0 yards per play.
There are significant losses from that group, including first-team All-MAC defensive lineman Adam Trick — who went to Texas Tech — and first-team defensive back Eli Blakey, who graduated. Third-team All-MAC linebacker Jackson Kuwatch — drafted by the Carolina Panthers — is also gone.
But Martin doesn’t see the RedHawks starting over.
“We’ve got a lot of good players and a lot of depth over there,” Martin said. “We’ve got good bodies, twitchy bodies up front. We’ve got good depth at linebacker. We’ve got back-end guys that can play and have some experience.”
McCain figures prominently in that equation.
The 6-foot, 230-pound redshirt junior emerged as one of Miami’s most productive defenders last season, playing in all 14 games with eight starts. He finished with 73 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble and capped the season with a career-high 13 tackles against Fresno State in the Arizona Bowl.
McCain said Miami’s defensive identity won’t change.
“It’s not going to be any different this year,” McCain said. “We have plenty of talent across the board, multiple positions deep. I would say this is one of the most exciting years that I’ve been here just because of that talent and because of how far along we’re going.”
The RedHawks have reinforcements around him.
Miami added experience through the transfer portal. Defensive back Amariyun Knighten arrives after stops at Northern Illinois and Indiana. Knighten appeared in 27 career games at NIU with 13 starts and intercepted a pass at Notre Dame in 2024 that helped set up the Huskies’ game-winning field goal.
The secondary also includes Notre Dame transfer and Lakota West graduate Ben Minich, along with veterans such as Dillon Tatum and Mychal Yharbrough. Miami’s 2026 roster lists Tatum as a redshirt senior after previous stops at Michigan State and Northwestern.
Martin estimated the defense has roughly 15 players who have logged significant college experience.
That depth gives Miami options. It also creates competition — something Martin wants handled within the structure of the defense rather than through players chasing individual plays.
“Everybody thinks making plays wins the position,” Martin said. “Making the plays that you should make wins the position. Running around like a chicken with your head off trying to make every play gets you to sit on the bench.”
Martin said the RedHawks’ defensive staff has emphasized keeping the football inside and in front — a principle that has helped Miami consistently make opponents work for points.
McCain expects the finished product to play aggressively.
“You’re going to see 11 people flying around the field, physicality,” McCain said. “Especially in the linebacker room, that’s something we’re going to hang our hats on. We got a bunch of guys that love to hit, a bunch of guys that can really run, get after the quarterback.
“We’re going to be foot on the gas, applying pressure. We’re not going to be on our heels.”
Miami’s special teams will undergo a more noticeable transition, particularly at placekicker.
Dom Dzioban exhausted his eligibility after establishing himself as one of the nation’s most reliable kickers. He earned first-team All-MAC honors in both 2024 and 2025 and was a two-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist. Dzioban finished his Miami career 46 of 53 on field goals — an 86.8% rate that ranks first in program history.
His departure continues a remarkable succession of Miami kickers. Graham Nicholson won the Lou Groza Award in 2023, while Sam Sloman was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the 2020 NFL draft.
The next opportunity belongs to Kellan McLaughlin.
McLaughlin has spent the last two seasons handling kickoffs. He produced 47 touchbacks on 72 kickoffs in 2024 and another 40 touchbacks on 72 attempts last season. He also made a 41-yard field goal against Central Michigan in 2024.
“When you say Sloman and then Graham Nicholson and Dom Dzioban, it’s pretty exciting, pretty daunting to think — pretty big shoes to fill,” Martin said. “Expectations of a Miami kicker is you’re the best in the country, right? Or you’re one of the best.
“The expectations for kickers at Miami are as high as any position on the field.”
McLaughlin, Martin said, has been waiting for the opportunity.
“He’s really talented,” Martin said. “He’s really been waiting for this moment. He’s done a good job on kickoffs, but he’s been dying (for the opportunity). He was trying to beat Dom out last year, even though Dom was returning first-team all-league.”
There is more continuity at punter.
Senior Pierse Stainton returns after averaging 42.3 yards on 63 punts in his first season with Miami. He had 12 punts travel at least 50 yards, placed 21 inside the 20 and recorded only three touchbacks.
Stainton earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week honors after averaging 55.3 yards per punt against Eastern Michigan, including a career-long 65-yarder that was downed at the 4. Miami later named Stainton one of its two special teams players of the year.
Miami was also dangerous in the return game last season. Under special teams coordinator Johnny Aylward, the RedHawks led the MAC with 26.4 yards per kickoff return. Aylward enters his second season coordinating the unit.
Miami must replace its long snapper as well, but Martin said the RedHawks added an experienced college transfer at the position while also bringing in a freshman they expect to develop.
“We have a lot of depth on defense and we have offensive skill guys that aren’t afraid to be physical, that can pitch in on special teams,” Martin said. “So we should have unbelievable depth. We should be really good.
“If you play good defense and special teams, you’re going to be in a lot of football games.”
