Led by coordinator Corey Hetherman, a former Curt Cignetti assistant, the defense is the strength of this Miami football team.
The Hurricanes rank No. 5 in scoring defense, with just 14.0 points allowed per game, and No. 11 in total defense, allowing 292.6 yards per game.
The key for Indiana is to continue to do what they’ve done all season — stay ahead of the chains and stay out of third and long. That won’t be easy. Miami is No. 11 in third down conversion defense, with opponents moving the chains just 30.8% of the time. But the Hoosier offense is No. 1 converting third downs, at 58.2%. Long drives could lead to penalties against Miami, as they are one of the more penalized teams in the nation and can beat themselves at times.
And IU will need to take care of the football. The Hurricanes are No. 9 nationally with 25 total takeaways. The Hoosiers have only given it away eight times all season.
PFF grades Miami as one of the worst tackling teams in the country, at No. 119. So getting plays properly blocked so the Hurricanes are forced to tackle in space seems like a critical element of the game.
AGAINST THE RUN
The Hurricanes rank No. 6 in rushing defense (86.5 yards per game), and No. 7 in tackles for loss (96). They’ll try to slow IU’s No. 12 rushing attack at 218.3 yards per game. The Hoosiers have the most potent rushing offense Miami has seen all season. The Canes are one spot above Ohio State in run defense. IU ran for 118 yards against the Buckeyes.
PFF grades Miami as having the No. 14 overall run defense. Some of their worst graded games against the run have come when they’ve had bad tackling days. There should be opportunities to make defenders miss.
Five times this year teams ran for over 100 yards against Miami, with Virginia Tech (194) and Syracuse (161) leading the way. They can certainly smother teams. Five opponents rushed for less than 50 yards, including Ohio State.
AGAINST THE PASS
Miami has been a bit more vulnerable against the pass, giving up 206.1 yards per game through the air. That comes in at No. 45 nationally. They’ve had plenty of big leads throughout the season, which has no doubt led to some opponents abandoning the run.
The Canes rank just No. 103 in the nation, giving up 116 passes of 10 or more yards. But those numbers improve on deeper balls (20 yards and beyond), suggesting the intermediate routes are the way to go.
A big night from Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza appears to be in order. In nine of Miami’s 15 games, teams have thrown for more than 200 yards, and five times they’ve thrown for 272 or more. In their two losses Miami gave up 306.5 passing yards per game.
The whole key for Indiana will be getting the ball thrown before the pass rush gets home. The Hoosiers are No. 34, allowing 1.47 sacks per game, while Miami is No. 4 with 3.13 sacks per game. Miami had 12 total sacks in their CFP wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State, and just three total in their two losses this season.
Tempo seems like a neutralizing factor against the Miami pass rush, but IU hasn’t been a tempo offense to this point.
On the season, the Hurricanes are fifth in pressure rate (41.7%) and 10th in sack rate (8.1%). Mendoza has been getting sacked more of late. Again, get the ball out, make Miami tackle in space.
The Hurricanes like to widen their rush at the line of scrimmage, meaning Mendoza might have room to run down the middle when he senses pressure. His ability to escape a collapsing pocket should be a big story in this game.
THE DEFENSIVE LINE
This is the strength of a very good Miami defense. Perhaps the best defensive line in college football.
At PFF, the two highest rated players on Miami’s defense are their edge rushers, Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor. In fact, they are the third and fifth-highest rated edge rushers in all of college football at PFF.
Bain has posted an incredible 80 quarterback pressures this season, the second most in college football, and Mesidor has 63. Mesidor leads the way with 10.5 sacks and four forced fumbles, while Bain has 8.5 sacks. Bain is more of the power rusher, while Mesidor is the athletic speed rusher.
The Hoosiers have been suspect at times in pass protection on the right side of the offensive line, so that will be something to keep an eye on Monday night. Bain and Mesidor will likely move around to key on the best matchups, and can even be on the same side of the field at times.
At defensive tackle, David Blay (6-4, 302), Justin Scott (6-4, 310) and Ahmad Moten (6-3, 324) are the headliners. Blay has the top run defense grade of the three, Scott the top pass rush grade, and Moten the top overall defensive grade.
Armondo Blount is also a versatile defensive lineman who can line up in a number of areas and he’s a good tackler and gets to the quarterback.
THE LINEBACKERS
Mohamed Toure and Wesley Bissainthe see most of the snaps at linebacker for the Canes.
Toure, who transferred in from Rutgers and even visited IU in the spring, leads the team in tackles with 73 while Bissainthe has 63.
Bissainthe has been good in coverage but that looks like an area of weakness for Toure, who grades out worst on the team among the main players. Perhaps Indiana will target him with backs and tight ends in that intermediate space?
Miami doesn’t blitz a lot from linebacker, but Toure is used for that purpose more than Bissainthe.
Neither player is among Miami’s top-15 overall based on PFF grades among their defensive players with 250 or more snaps.
THE SECONDARY
Due to injuries and a first half suspension, Indiana has a chance to win against the corners if the pass protection holds up.
The Hurricanes could be without starting cornerback Damari Brown, who has played nearly 400 snaps this season but hasn’t played during the College Football Playoff. Brown is actually the highest-graded tackler on the team according to PFF, and the fourth best in coverage. His status will be something to watch leading to kickoff.
And unless they’ve successfully appealed, for the first half Miami will be without starting cornerback Xavier Lucas, who received a second half targeting penalty in their national semifinal game. He leads the team with eight passes defended.
Nickel corner Keionte Scott is a playmaker for Miami and he also blitzes a lot. Mendoza will be looking for him pre-snap. He has five sacks on the season and the top pass coverage grade on the team.
Miami’s safeties (Zechariah Poyser, Jakobe Thomas) don’t grade out particularly well against the run or as tacklers, so if Indiana can get to the second level there may be opportunities.
Bryce Fitzgerald doesn’t get as many snaps at safety but actually leads the team in interceptions at six, while Thomas has five. Thomas and Fitzgerald are graded in the 80s at PFF for pass coverage, and Thomas is yet another threat to blitz. He has 13 pressures and three sacks.
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