The Miami Hurricanes running backs have overachieved this season with the offensive line still ranked one of the worst among in run blocking.
The Miami Hurricanes offense ranks 47 out of 52 Power Five teams in run blocking according to David Lake of Inside the U. Miami ranks 23rd with 169.5 rushing yards per game and 4.35 yards per carry among the Power Five schools. The numbers are slightly inflated by the 337 yards rushing Miami had in the opener against UAB.
In their five ACC games, Miami is 11th averaging 136 rushing yards per game, tenth averaging 3.74 yards per carry. Miami has particularly struggled with their rushing offense in the last three games. The Hurricanes averaging 106.67 rushing yards and an anemic 2.78 yards per carry over the last three games.
Those numbers include yardage lost on sacks. The Miami offensive line has improved in sacks allowed from 2019. Syracuse was the only Power Five team that allowed more sacks per game than Miami did in 2019. Miami is 74th this season allowing 2.83 sacks per game. Sixteen teams are worse in pass protection this season.
With junior first-team RB Cam Harris struggling, freshmen Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton had the majority of the carries against Virginia two weeks ago. Harris has 28 carries for 38 yards while the Miami rushing offense has struggled over the past three games. Chaney had career highs with 10 carries for 43 yards against Virginia.
Knighton set a career-high with 12 carries against Virginia but only had 37 yards. Knighton ran for his career-high with 49 yards against UAB. With 11 receptions for 135 yards and a touchdown, Knighton has become a key receiver out of the backfield. Knight had an electrifying 75 yard TD receptions versus Louisville.
Quarterback D’Eriq King has had a big impact on the rushing offense for Miami. King is second to Harris with 301 rushing yards. If not for the yards lost on sacks, King would lead the Hurricanes in rushing. King has achieved a lot of his rushing yards off of scrambles. The Miami rushing offense should improve in the second half of 2020.