How No. 4 Miami Has Produced One of College Football's Best Defenses With Endless Injuries
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CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Last season, the Miami Hurricanes spent time inside the top 10 of overall defense with the best pass-rushing duo in the country along with some of the best corner play in the country.
Statistically, No. 4 Miami is better this season. Over four weeks, the Hurricanes rank as the No. 2 overall defense in the land, only behind No. 3 Notre Dame. They are the No. 4-ranked scoring defense but still have some areas to clean up, with sacks and turnovers starting to increase.
But how is this possible with the Hurricanes missing their top two cornerbacks and best young linebackers on the roster? It's simple: defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman.
"I think our guys do a really good job being able to take, like, minor adjustments or little details, and as a staff, I think our guys do a really good job of helping out, hey, this is where maybe we got to clean something up, or maybe a better call in this situation might be this, and, you know, being able to react and respond, and then also understanding, like, hey, the play off of this is probably going to be this shot or this moving pocket or this a run that’s a little bit different where the scheme might fit a little bit different, a tweak here or there, and our guys can handle that pretty well," Hetherman said.
"And I just think that’s our guys putting in the effort during the week, putting in the effort in the offseason to understand what’s happening when I’m blocking man away, blocking when I’m getting certain pictures in the box or out of the box, and understanding the game of football."
Schemes and defensive adjustments are the calling card for Hetherman and this Hurricanes defense. The first drive of each Miami game, depending on the talent of the opposing offense, will likely get the first drive down the field and add some points to the board.
After the Canes and Hetherman figure out what they like to do and lock them down. Some teams struggle to get past the 50-yard line, while Miami has its team ready to pin its back to attack and get after the quarterback.
Miami's sack total might only be 10, but they are one of the best teams in the country at quarterback pressure. If the ball is not out within 2.5 seconds, other teams are at the mercy of the Hurricanes.
The process is simple for Hetherman, and the defense changes. Learn, adjust, and adapt. It doesn't have to wait until the second half if something can be fixed quickly. Most times, those quick fixes are all it takes for the Hurricanes to get roaring.
Moreover, with that mindset, the Hurricanes have only allowed four offensive touchdowns this season. One to start the season against Stanford, and the rest came against Wake Forest, who are better than most give them credit for.
Miami's offense will get most of the praise as it should. The Hurricanes have the No. 1 offense and two Heisman candidates leading the charge. But their defense has been all-world-beaters for two years in a row thanks to Hetherman and his philosophy.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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