One of the oldest adages in football is if you can stop the run and run the football you can be successful. During the Mark Richt era that has been true for the Miami football program.
While the offense was the one that got most of the criticism this season, the Miami football team’s defense inability to stop the run during in their five losses this season played a major factor finishing 7-5. The Hurricanes finished 24th in the nation against the run during the regular season but that number was misleading.
Next up Miami has to face Jonathan Taylor and the prolific Wisconsin running game in the Pinstripe Bowl December 27. Taylor led the country in rushing by nearly 20 yards per game during the regular season. He enters the Pinstripe Bowl averaging 165.75 yards per game on the ground.
In their five losses this season, the Miami defense allowed an average of 179 yards per game on the ground. The five teams that defeated the Hurricanes this season ran the ball for 4.18 yards per carry. The Canes also gave up 1.6 rushing touchdowns per game in defeat.
| Overall | Passing | Rushing | Total Offense | First Downs | Penalties | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Split | Value | G | W | L | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | Pass | Rush | Pen | Tot | No. | Yds | Fum | Int | TO |
| Total | 12 | 7 | 5 | 13.6 | 25.5 | 53.3 | 140.8 | 0.8 | 38.7 | 127.3 | 3.3 | 0.9 | 64.2 | 268.1 | 4.2 | 6.4 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 15.4 | 5.1 | 49.7 | 0.8 | 1.3 | 2.0 | |
| Overall | Passing | Rushing | Total Offense | First Downs | Penalties | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Split | Value | G | W | L | Cmp | Att | Pct | Yds | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | Pass | Rush | Pen | Tot | No. | Yds | Fum | Int | TO |
| Result | Win | 7 | 7 | 0 | 14.4 | 27.1 | 53.2 | 147.3 | 1.0 | 35.7 | 90.3 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 62.9 | 237.6 | 3.8 | 7.1 | 6.0 | 1.1 | 14.3 | 5.0 | 49.1 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 2.6 |
| Loss | 5 | 0 | 5 | 12.4 | 23.2 | 53.4 | 131.8 | 0.6 | 42.8 | 179.0 | 4.2 | 1.6 | 66.0 | 310.8 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 9.6 | 2.0 | 17.0 | 5.2 | 50.4 | 0.2 | 1.0 | 1.2 | |
| Overall | Passing | Rushing | Total Offense | First Downs | Penalties |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 12/15/2018.
North Carolina who was an abysmal 2-9 overall and 1-7 in the ACC this season was the only Miami football opponent to run the ball with success against the Hurricanes in defeat. The Tar Heels offense is what did them in. North Carolina turned the ball over six times, three of those went for touchdowns.
North Carolina shredded the Miami defense for 215 yards on 40 carries and a touchdown. The Tar Heels 5.4 yards per carry was the most against the Hurricanes in 2018. Six of Miami’s top seven performances against the run were in the Hurricanes other six victories in 2018.
In the Miami football team’s seven wins they allowed an average of 90.3 rushing yards per game, 2.5 YPC and 0.4 touchdowns per game. Those numbers would skyrocket without the domination North Carolina was able to achieve on the ground at Hard Rock Stadium despite being blown out on the scoreboard.
Oddly enough, the Miami run defense was far better in their losses in 2017 than they were in their wins. The Hurricanes allowed an average of 123.7 RuYPG and 2.9 YPC in their 2017 losses and 154.1 RuYPG and 3.8 YPC in 2017 victories.
It remains to be seen if this is a formula that opponents will be able to use against Miami under Banda and Patke. They will both be in their first Coordinator jobs. Their strengths and weaknesses will take shape beginning in September 2019.
Miami closes out the 2018 season against Taylor and Wisconsin’s seventh-ranked rushing offense. Miami’s 2019 season opener is against Florida. The Gators have the nation’s 26th ranked rushing offense this season.
The Hurricanes are going to have to improve against the run to become an elite team nationally. If they don’t, opponents will continue to exploit them on the ground and also control the clock and game tempo.