FEWEST UM SACKS (since 1981)
2012/12*
1984/16
1997/23
2011/24
2009/24
2000/24
* projected over 12 games.
Not all the numbers put up this season by the Miami Hurricanes’ struggling defense are big and ugly.
Some are small and equally unattractive.
Take UM’s sack total. Heading into Saturday night’s showdown with No. 12 Florida State at Sun Life Stadium, the Hurricanes (4-3, 3-1 ACC) have generated only seven sacks in seven games.
Unless UM picks up the pace over its final five regular-season games, the Hurricanes will record their fewest sacks since the school began tracking the statistic in 1981. In 1984, Miami was credited with 16 sacks. The Hurricanes haven’t had less than 23 sacks in a season since then.
Nationally, only four teams that have played seven games have fewer sacks than Miami.
The lack of quarterback pressure has been particularly noticeable in back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and North Carolina. Those opponents attempted a combined 66 passes without suffering a single sack, and they seldom were forced into hurried throws.
Subtract the season-high three sacks against Bethune-Cookman and the Hurricanes have only four quarterback takedowns in six games against FBS foes.
Like everywhere else on UM’s defense, part of the problem is inexperience. Of the four defensive linemen listed as starters on this week’s depth chart, one is a freshman and two are sophomores. Starting defensive end Shayon Green, a junior, barely played before this season.
The backups are even greener.
“We’re not getting the pass rush that we need, there’s no question,” coach Al Golden said. “That’s an ongoing problem that we need to continue to address. We need guys to not only improve there, but mature.”
There’s not much time for that. On Saturday, the Hurricanes face FSU quarterback EJ Manuel, who threw for a career-high 439 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s 51-7 win against Boston College.
Give Manuel too much time and it could mean another long day for a UM defense that’s coming off one of its best outings during Saturday’s 18-14 loss to North Carolina.
Last season, the Hurricanes sacked Manuel three times, but the 6-foot-5, strong-armed quarterback managed to complete 17 of 23 passes for 197 yards and one touchdown in the Seminoles’ 23-19 victory at Doak Campbell Stadium.
“He’s an excellent quarterback who is playing really well,” Golden said of Manuel. “We need to get pressure on him. We need sacks, [tackles for losses], takeaways. I don’t think you can win if you don’t get those against these guys.”
Defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio said he’s been working with his linemen to produce more pressure as well as other disruptive tactics like getting their hands up in passing lanes. D’Onofrio said he has shown his players video of J.J. Watt, the Houston Texans defensive end who has turned batting down passes into an art form.
Miami’s defensive line has accounted for four passes broken up this season.
“To me, those are as devastating as a sack,” D’Onofrio said. “Right now, we’re not batting balls down and we’re not getting sacks. We have to get something going.”
Do the Hurricanes have a guy who can make quarterbacks consistently uncomfortable?
That player was supposed to be defensive end Anthony Chickillo, who tied for the team lead with five sacks last year as a freshman. But Chickillo has only two sacks and was a non-factor against Notre Dame and North Carolina.
Not that he’s getting much help. The only other Hurricane with more than one sack is freshman defensive end Tyriq McCord, who rang up both of his in the 38-10 win against Bethune-Cookman.
Green has started seven games and, along with Chickillo, has seen the most playing time among UM’s defensive linemen, but he’s still looking for his first career sack.
“We’ve been challenged up front,” Green said. “We’re working on it. We’re doing everything we can to get better.”
