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‘We’re going to swarm’: No. 4 Hurricanes boast nation’s top run defense
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- ‘We’re going to swarm’: No. 4 Hurricanes boast nation’s top run defense
Central Michigan entered its game against Miami with a clear offensive strategy: run the ball.
The Chippewas were coming off a 339-yard performance on the ground in their win the week before. The option-style offense is based around the run, and CMU throws the ball less than nearly all the other teams in the FBS.
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Miami refused to allow it. The No. 4 Hurricanes held Central Michigan to a season-low 21 rushing yards on 25 attempts — a remarkably low 0.84 yards per carry. UM forced CMU to throw, which did not work either, as the Hurricanes held the Chippewas to three points in the 49-point rout.
"The game looks completely different when you make a team one-dimensional," Miami cornerback Ethan O'Connor said. "So when we're tackling well and we stop the run and we just make a team throw the ball all game, it's really hard to do — especially with the cover guys that we have."
Miami's run defense has been stellar this season. The Hurricanes are first in the nation, allowing 39.5 rushing yards per game. Miami allowed Stanford to run for 78 yards (3.39 yards per carry) in the season opener, and UM's next three opponents averaged just 26.67 yards per game.
"I think our guys bought into it, and I think they bought into it from the offseason: Being detailed in our movement, being detailed in our alignments, detailed with our hands, being physical at the point of attack, going through people and tackling in the box," defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said. "I think it's been very good right now. We've got to continue. There's always room for improvement. There's things that showed up this weekend that we've got to clean up, and we'll get (them) fixed."
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The Hurricanes have not only shut down outmatched FCS and Group of 6 opponents, but they have kept conference foes in check, too. Wake Forest has rushed for at least 177 yards in each of its three other games this season, averaging 188.67 yards against its three other opponents. Miami held Wake Forest to just 22 yards on 16 attempts.
If not for the Hurricanes, the Demon Deacons would be 42nd nationally in rushing offense. Instead, they are 93rd.
Miami's defense ranks highly in advanced run-stopping metrics, as well. The Hurricanes are second in the nation in EPA (expected points added) per rush at -0.38, according to Hudl IQ data. Only Georgia ranks better. The Hurricanes are third in opposing rush success rate (32 percent), trailing UMass and Indiana.
UM's run defense was a question heading into the season, as the Hurricanes lost Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor — two stellar run stoppers on the defensive line — to the NFL. But their influence is still felt by Miami's defensive ends. Junior Marquise Lightfoot, who was primarily a pass-rusher last season, said he learned from the two defensive ends and spoke to Mesidor recently. He has a 76.4 run-defense grade from Pro Football Focus, which leads UM's defensive linemen. Defensive linemen Armondo Blount (66.7), Keona Davis (75.8) and Justin Scott (70.7) all have solid run grades, as well.
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But it's not just the linemen who are getting in on run defense. Nickelback Omar Thornton and safety JJ Dunnigan have six run stops each, according to Pro Football Focus. That's the same number of run stops as UM's top defensive lineman, Lightfoot.
"Coach Hetherman, he preaches it from 6 a.m. in the morning," defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald said. "He (doesn't) care what position you (are). Eleven hats better be to the ball every time you're on the field. So we take that in every time we step on the field, and we're going to swarm, regardless."
