The Next Step For The Miami Hurricanes' Defense
There isn't a direct area to start at with the defense of the Miami Hurricanes. All of it is bad.
The pass rush many foamed at the mouth about during the off-season and beginning of the year has not played to the standard of a title contender. The linebacking core has regressed in many areas and it is the same duo from last season.
The secondary? If not hurt, the best player on the field is freshman OJ Frederique Jr. The rest are on the bench dying for an opportunity to play meaningful minutes. The rest of the back group is one of the worst coverage teams in the country and struggles to make a tackle.
This area of defense was the most concerning during the offseason, but many hoped it could get covered up because of the name talent in the front seven.
The Hurricanes can still win an ACC Championship but a National Championship with this defense could be one of the greatest stories in American sports. That is how bad this defense is and has been throughout conference play.
The Hurricanes rank No. 22 in total defense but that is being a bit too kind. They are allowing over 300 yards a game and if any time it has seen a quality running back, they will put up Ashton Jeanty numbers against a supposed top-10 rushing defense.
The one loss has opened the eyes of many who have ridden the hype train all season. Metrics don't tell what is happening on the field.
The next step is to play the younger talent. They are faster, hit harder, and have a better motor than some of the tenured players on the field. Justin Scott and Zaquan Patterson need to see more playing time. Linebacker Chase Smith saw some action in the game and was not too bad in his limited snaps.
Wake Forest is the perfect time to try something new after the bye week, but it could also be too late into the season for anything major to change. If Damari Brown comes back fully healthy, he could be that game-changer but it still has to be seen on the field.
If they started how they finished games, this defense would be a top-10 defense in the country. Because they don't, the key is to recruit the best of them for these impact positions. The 2025 recruiting cycle has been heavily focused on the defensive side of the ball because of the number of names that are about to enter the NFL Draft after this season.
Miami Hurricanes Football Recruiting Tracker
This team might have to wait until next year to reach those National Championship talks again.
READ MORE FROM MIAMI HURRICANES ON SI: Three Takeaways After No. 12 Miami's First Loss Of The Season
