Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for Miami Hurricanes On SI's Justice Sandle

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The biggest game of the season for the Louisville football program is just one day away. The Cardinals are heading down to Hard Rock Stadium this Friday at 7:00 p.m. EST, where a matchup with No. 2 Miami is waiting for them.

Kickoff between Jeff Brohm's Cardinals and Mario Cristobal's Hurricanes is set for Friday, Oct. 17 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Cardinals On SI sat down with Justice Sandle of Miami Hurricanes On SI to find out more about the Canes:

1. Carson Beck certainly had his ups-and-downs last season at Georgia, but is in the middle of a career year this season at Miami. What has been the main difference in his play from last season to now?

Yes, the offensive line is lightyears better, and his receivers are catching the ball, but the main difference is the confidence he is playing with. Watch how quickly he would panic and try to either run with the ball last season or force it in spots that were near impossible to place. He is relaxing on South Beach in the pocket now.

There is this swagger about him at Miami that he didn’t have at Georgia. He feels and looks free on the football field.

His UCL Injury in this throwing arm kicked him around a bit at the beginning of rehab, but it also helped Beck love the game of football again. Beck has said multiple times that playing at Miami has brought his love back for the game. That love has him leading the ACC in completion percentage (74.1), throwing for 1213 yards, 11 touchdowns, three interceptions, and a top 10 QBR (85.0)

2. From Mark Fletcher Jr. and CharMar Brown to Malachi Toney and C.J. Daniels, the Canes have a plethora of playmakers at the skill positions. Who is the X-Factor among this group?

The obvious answer is true freshman receiver Malachi Toney. Before the season started, he was the worst-kept secret in Coral Gables about how excited the coaching staff was to get him on the field. He just turned 18 and should be in high school, but here he is contending for an All-American season. He can do it all at an elite level. Contested catches, deep ball receptions, elite crisp route running, and twitchy ‘can’t tackle me’ ability.

A familiar player comp would be Xavier Restrepo. But imagine Restrepo faster, stronger, and more athletic.

A bonus could be RB Jordan Lyle. He has that speed and explosive capabilities that Issac Brown has, but he has battled an ankle injury suffered in the Notre Dame game. Starting the season, he was getting the first few snaps in the game against the Fighting Irish, hinting at who Mario Cristobal wanted as his starter, even with the endless depth in the room.

3. Last season, Miami’s defense struggled mightily to contain opposing offenses, but has looked vastly improved this season. Ho much of that is due to first-year DC Corey Hetherman?

All the credit can’t go to Hetherman (it should do you see the 180 this defense did?) Moreover, the health of the Hurricanes' defensive line and revamped secondary has highlighted the message that he is preaching.

“ESV”: Excitement, Swarm, Violence

Hetherman has simplified the defense, and it has allowed them to play freely with this motto ringing through every defender's ears.

Rueben Bain Jr. was on one leg for most of last season, Akheem Mesidor was playing defensive tackle and battling injury, while the revamped secondary only returned one key player, OJ Frederique Jr., from last season.

Everyone has bought in from top to bottom, and is playing a violent brand of football and thriving in it. They are leaning into that historic “Thug U” that used to be the stigma around them. They are not thugs, of course, but they are coming to hit you and get the football.

4. Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor might be the best edge rusher duo is college football right now. What makes this pair such a handful for offensive tackles to deal with?

As I mentioned earlier, Bain is 100 percent, and Mesidor is back in his true position. It is that simple but it goes deeper.

Mesidor was Bain’s “senior” when he was a freshman, but because of injuries, he overtook Mesidor, and the duo never had the chance to play side by side until now. If they did, they would have been doing this earlier in their careers.

What also changed was during the offseason, both taking a different approach in their dieting and conditioning, and it has shone on the film. They are both explosive and get around blockers with ease and years under DE coach NFL Hall of Famer Jason Taylor is starting to take shape. It’s their physicality presence that edges over other players.

It also helps that they are going against one of the best offensive lines in the country every day, so anyone with a slight disadvantage is going to have to deal with those hellcats with their ears pinned back.

5. What is the one thing Miami must do in order to avoid getting upset?

It might be simple, but for the Hurricanes not to get upset is that they need to play a full 60 minutes of football.

Time and time again, dating back to last season (and why they missed the College Football Playoff), Miami takes its foot off the gas and stalls out. It’s the one thing that might keep them from winning the ACC Championship, let alone the National Championship. They have to learn to put teams in the dirt and bury them where they lie. It sounds grim, but it’s the only thing that is holding Miami back from being the best team in the country, leaving the chance of upsetting them wide open.

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