Grit and Growth: How Miami Hurricanes DB Zechariah Poyser Bet on Himself and Won

Before he makes a tackle, breaks up a pass, or lines up across a from a Power Four receiver, Zechariah Poyser begins every Saturday the same way, guided by gospel music humming from his speaker and a familiar plate of eggs and pancakes dripping with maple syrup. His roommate, Ethan O’Connor, helps set the tone.

“We hype each other up,” Poyser said. “We don’t tell each other, ‘Good luck.’ We say, ‘You’re gonna get a big hit today’ or ‘You’re gonna snap today.’”

It’s fitting for a player whose Miami career began with a risk, one that demanded confidence long before he will earn any recognition.

After the regular season ended, Poyser became an honorable mention All-ACC defensive back in his first season at Miami. But before any accolades arrived, before the move paid off, he had to take a transfer portal leap from Jacksonville State to Coral Gables — a jump in expectations, talent, and daily competition.

“The change of scenery was most definitely a big one,” he said. “Jacksonville State is a smaller school than Miami for sure… it kind of made me grateful for everything we have here. The talent here is crazy, man. Like dudes I go against in practice, it’s crazy.”

At Jacksonville State, he had confidence. At Miami, he had to grow in every way. Before he could ever step on the field, he had to decide to gamble on himself.

“The biggest risk I ever took was jumping in the portal,” he said. “I didn’t know I was going to get buzz. But I got buzz.”

Once Miami called, the risk suddenly felt like direction. Poyser insists he wasn’t coming just because the Hurricanes were his dream school growing up. It was Mario Cristobal who changed the conversation entirely.

“Really, it was Coach Cristobal,” he said. “He really sold me and my family…he reminded me of my father. I have a daughter, and he told me he could teach me how to be a man. I just got a real deal family vibe from him.”

That connection mattered, but so did how the rest of the program embraced him. Transfers often talk about needing time to fit in; Poyser didn’t.

“It’s been great for me. From the head man down, from Coach Cristobal to Coach Dennis Smith,” he said. “Even the guys [his teammates], they accepted me with open arms. It’s been smooth. That’s my family. I didn’t feel left out with anything.”

Fatherhood as Fuel

The biggest influence in his life doesn’t wear a headset or strap up with him every Sunday. She’s two years old, smiles at him during the Hurricane Walk, and has shifted the way he approaches everything.

Her name is Kylie.

On his arm, Poyser’s tattoo sleeve carries her story: her name, her birthday, her footprints, and an image of him holding her tiny hand can be noticed going up and down Poyser’s left arm. During practice, meetings, and workouts, he sees her every time he looks down.

“Without her, I don’t think I would have the motivation to get up every morning and do the things as hard,” he said. “Every time something is hard… I look at my tattoos or I look at pictures of her and it pushes me.”

Kylie doesn’t just motivate him, she grounds him. She clarifies why he takes the hits, the early mornings, the film sessions, and the pressure of joining a defense with NFL-level expectations. She is the constant reminder that he’s playing something  bigger than himself.

Basketball Roots, Defensive Back Results

What makes Poyser effective traces back to basketball, not football. The balance, footwork, and quick-twitch movement he developed on the hardwood now translate cleanly into his work as a defensive back.

“Basketball most definitely helped me,” he said. “Getting rebounds… that’s like catching the ball at a high point.”

Even now, his footwork, change of direction, and leaping ability all trace back to those early years. And while the physical tools came along, the mental ones came from coaches who understood how to push him.

“I got a couple: Coach Rich Rod, Coach Napoleon, Coach Jefferson,” he said. “Rich Rod… everything he did was hard. He made me comfortable with being uncomfortable.

“Coach Napoleon… that’s like my big brother. When I was down, he brought me up.”

Those are the people who shaped his confidence. Miami is where he’s learning how to channel it.

Leadership on Miami’s Defense

Across Miami’s defense, leadership comes in different forms, and Poyser has spent his first season studying how the strongest voices operate. Some lead loudly, some quietly, and all of it shapes the standard he is now part of.

“I think Keionte Scott… he’s a verbal leader,” Poyser said. “You have your verbal leaders and you have leaders that just lead by example. I think Bain is one of those guys who leads by example. Keionte goes around and picks everybody up. He’s more verbal.”

In Miami’s defensive room, Poyser has watched two distinct forms of leadership take hold. Keionte Scott is the voice, the one who brings energy and direction. On the other hand, Rueben Bain leads by example, setting a standard through the way he works. Seeing both approaches up close has shaped how Poyser understands the heartbeat of the unit.

Eyes Forward, Feet Grounded

Ask Poyser about what comes next, and he keeps the focus where it is: the present.

“I try not to look too far ahead,” he said. “Obviously the goal is… if I could go to the NFL now, I would go. But I’m gonna take it day by day.”

For Poyser, the leap from Jacksonville State has already paid off. The risk became reality when his first season at Miami ended with All-ACC honorable mention honors.

It’s all about mindset and motivation.

And for Zechariah Poyser, the next chapter matters just as much as the last.