Nick Saban Knows Miami Could Have Won A National Championship if They had a Defense

Not to beat a dead horse, but even Nick Saban knows that the Miami Hurricanes had a chance of winning the national championship had they had a semblance of a defense last season.

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; ESPN analyst Nick Saban before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Not to beat a dead horse, but even Nick Saban knows that the Miami Hurricanes had a chance of winning the national championship had they had a semblance of a defense last season.

Saban knows what it takes to win on both sides and the ball. Miami had the No. 1 offense in the country last season, dropping casual 40-point performances game in and out. That is why Cameron Ward was the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft, and the amount of offensive talent drafted in the following days will show for it.

Saban said Miami could have won the national title, "If they played any defense at all."

— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) April 25, 2025

The Hurricanes had one of the worst defenses in all of college sports last season, and it will put a blimish on what was the all-time offensive season.

Luckily for the Hurricanes, Lance Guidry is gone, and the Corey Hetherman era is here. A "simple and free defense" has reinvigorated the Hurricanes for what they can be this season. Despite how great the offense was last season, this team is well-balanced on both sides of the ball. This year, it will be an old-school football team. Winning with a stout running game and a strong defensive line.

The Hurricanes are also still hunting for new players in the spring portal to plug in the few missing holes on both sides of the ball. Offense and defense can improve, but there is still more work for Mario Cristobal and staff.

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