Where UM ranks nationally in key defensive categories:
Points per game: 39th (2012, 83rd)
Rush yards allowed: 49th (2012, 114th)
Pass yards allowed: 68th (2012, 105th)
Total defense: 53rd (2012, 120th)
Like most football coaches, Miami’s Al Golden prefers the small detail instead of the overview.
“Everyone wants to talk big picture all the time — it’s just one game at a time,” he said.
The last two games, blowout losses to Florida State and Virginia Tech, have not been kind to the ‘Canes. The defense, in particular, has been especially painful to watch. UM has allowed a combined 83 points and 1,066 yards of offense.
But before that, Miami’s defense helped it to a 7-0 start and a No. 7 ranking. the Hurricanes’ best start in nearly a decade.
It begs the big-picture question: how good is Miami’s defense? And how much better is it than last year, when it was one of the lowest-ranked units in major-college football?
There’s no question that Miami’s defensive statistics were inflated by playing inferior competition early on.
The Hurricanes average 384.7 yards allowed per game, ranking them 53rd in the nation. However, not including blowout wins over FBS weaklings Florida Atlantic and South Florida and FCS doormat Savannah State and Miami is allowing 456.8. That’s a slight improvement over last year, when the Hurricanes allowed 486.4, the fifth-worst average among FBS teams.
How about sacks? The three aforementioned games produced 14 of Miami’s season total of 25. Take away those games and Miami has just 11 in six games. UM had 13 in 12 games last year, ranking 115th overall.
Before it had faced a quality passing offense, UM was the nation’s top-ranked pass defense by yards allowed and opponent passer rating. It now ranks 68th and 47th, respectively. In four games since Oct. 17 at North Carolina, the Hurricanes have allowed 347 passing yards per game, which would rank dead last — by far — over the entire season.
Miami’s turnover differential made its defense look good in the early part of the season, but those numbers are also trending down. In a Sept. 7 win over No. 12 Florida, UM allowed nearly double the yards it gained but forced five turnovers. In its first four games, UM recovered six-of-seven fumbles it forced. In their last five games — all against ACC opponents — the Hurricanes have forced five fumbles and recovered just one.
Although it is hardly fair, many fans will forever view Miami through the lens of the past. But today’s defensive tackles are not Warren Sapps, the linebackers not Jonathan Vilmas, nor the safeties Ed Reeds. If they are, they have yet to show that kind of potential.
Among upperclassmen, only junior linebacker Denzel Perryman looks like a surefire, top-level NFL draft pick. Junior Anthony Chickillo, who came to UM as the nation’s third-ranked defensive end, has had a so-so career. Former five-star cornerback Tracy Howard and four-star safety Deon Bush still has a lot of learning to do.
Like last year, when UM played 21 freshmen, inexperience is an issue. Of the nine safeties or cornerbacks listed on the Hurricanes’ two-deep depth chart, only senior Kacy Rodgers II has more than two years of experience at his position. Senior A.J. Highsmith came to UM as a quarterback and switched to safety last year. Cornerback Ladarius Gunter, a junior, transferred to UM last year from Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College. The rest are sophomores and freshmen.
Golden said Wednesday “it’s going to take one more (recruiting) cycle” to get his secondary depth where he wants it to be.
The linebackers were mostly lightly-rated recruits out of high school, with only sophomore Raphael Kirby receiving a four-star ranking.
Golden has repeatedly said depth is a major issue on the defensive line. Three of the nine defensive linemen in Miami’s rotation joined the Hurricanes in August (Justin Renfrow, David Gilbert and Ufomba Kamalu), and next year Miami returns just four linemen.
Of the 28 recruits verbally committed to UM, eight are defensive linemen. On Wednesday, four-star defensive tackle Anthony Moten of Fort Lauderdale-St. Thomas Aquinas pledged to the Hurricanes.
While it’s clear Miami has made improvements from last year’s defensive debacle, the Hurricanes have a long way to go to consistently win with defense.
