The defensive rotation changes for the Miami football team will be significantly for Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech. Two new Hurricanes defensive players will play their first game against the Hokies and another two are expected to receive more snaps.
The Miami football team will welcome back defensive tackle Nesta Silvera against Virginia Tech after a foot injury cost him the first four games. Safety Bubba Bolden is getting ready to make his Miami debut against the Hokies after transferring from USC.
Miami defensive coordinator Blake Baker said he expects defensive linemen Greg Rousseau and Trevon Hill to receive more snaps against the Hokies. The game is big for Hill who spent the last four seasons in Blacksburg after being dismissed from by Virginia Tech last season. Bolden is playing in his first game in two years.
The Miami defense has been stout against the run in 2019 but has struggled to defend the pass. The Hurricanes are sixth nationally in rushing defense. They allow 59.75 rushing yards per game. Miami is 49th in pass defense allowing 209.8 yards per game. The Miami football team led the nation in pass defense in 2018.
Speaking to the media on Monday, Baker discussed the season debuts of Bolden and Silvera and the anticipated increase in playing time for Hill and Rousseau. Baker first discussed the expected impact Bolden and Silvera will have and how they have been practicing recently.
"“From a depth standpoint, they are going to provide a huge boost for us, but also just a spark of energy…They have both had two really good weeks of practices. I think Nesta is a load inside. He is a spark for us. I think he brings a ton of energy besides the physical aspect of it. He is a physically gifted young man.Bubba adds a lot of range…He has phenomenal ball skills. He is a long guy that can run and cover a lot of ground and he is physical in the run game as well. I think their role will be determined through the flow of the game.I can’t give you a snap count from either one of them, but both of them have played well in practice the last two weeks and have good energy about them. Both those guys are going to add a lot of value to this defense moving forward."
Canes DC Blake Baker on having Nesta Silvera and Bubba Bolden for this week's game: "They've both had two really good weeks of practice. ... Both of them have good energy about them. I expect to see both of them on the field Saturday."
— Christy Chirinos (@ChristyChirinos) September 30, 2019
Rousseau has been exceptional this season. According to Pro Football Focus via Inside the U, the redshirt freshman has had 29 pass-rushing snaps in 2019. Rousseau has seven tackles, leads the Miami football team with 4.5 tackles for loss and three sacks and has forced six quarterback hurries this season.
Rousseau had a critical strip-sack against Central Michigan that he recovered the fumble on. It has been widely discussed the incredible athlete that Rousseau is at his size. Hill was lethal last season in three games with Virginia Tech. He has six tackles, two TFLs and one sack for Miami this season.
"“He is continuing to get more comfortable with what we are asking him to do and he continues to produce when he is out there, so he is going to continue to play [more]…You’ll see more of a dose of Greg Rousseau.Competition makes everybody better and I think [Greg] is really pushing Scott Patchan and pushing Jonathan Garvin and I think Trevon Hill is getting more comfortable too,” Baker said. “We want these things to happen instantly and all we can ask young guys to do is get better every week and he has done that."
Blake Baker on Greg Rousseau: "He's really pushing Scott Patchan. He's pushing [Jon Garvin]...You'll see more of a dose of Greg Rousseau."
— Josh White (@_JoshRWhite) September 30, 2019
Baker has discussed with Hill this week how to avoid getting too amped up to play Virginia Tech where he spent the last four seasons. Hill was off to an impressive start to the 2018 season before he was dismissed in September.
"“I keep telling him that we don’t kick off until 3:30, so you have to stay level headed and peak at the right time…He has done a good job with it. He has been level headed and he is getting better in our scheme every week. I am expecting a good game from him.He has told us his ideas on some guys in terms of strengths and weaknesses. He was there for three or four years, so he knows those guys from a day-to-day basis.”"
Miami will face a mediocre Virginia Tech offensive line. The Hokies are right in the middle in pass protection ranked 66th allowing two sacks per game. Virginia Tech has been worse run blocking. They are 95th in stuff rate at 20.8. The Miami defense that played exceptional against Cental Michigan needs to continue to get penetration.