Miami football versus Louisville features ACCs top 2 run defenses

The Miami football team leads the ACC allowing 86.0 rushing yards per game. Louisville is second in the ACC allowing 91.6 rushing yards per game. Moving the ball on the ground could be difficult for Louisville and Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday. Miami has held three of its six ACC opponents under 100 rushing yards.

Louisville has not allowed over 4.0 yards per carry since a 56-28 win at Boston College in September. Virginia was the first team to run for over 100 yards versus Louisville since the Boston College game. The Cavaliers had 36 carries for 120 yards and one TD in a 31-24 loss last week ahead of playing the Miami football team.

Louisville was sixth nationally allowing 61.0 rushing yards per game in October. Miami is eighth in the ACC averaging 172.00 rushing yards per game. Miami has fallen drastically versus ACC teams averaging 138.33 rushing yards per game. The Hurricanes are averaging only 121 rushing yards per game in its last three contests.

The biggest test for the Miami run defense versus Louisville will be containing Cardinals’ running back Jawhar Jordan. Jordan is second in the ACC averaging 97.60 rushing yards per game. Miami had its worst performance of the season stopping the run versus Omarrion Hampton of North Carolina who leads the ACC in rushing yards.

Jordan has also contributed as a receiver with 14 receptions for 193 yards and one touchdown. Louisville backup running back Isaac Guerendo is also a threat with 77 carries for 492 rushing yards, 6.39 YPC and seven touchdowns. Miami needs to stop the run and make Louisville quarterback Jack Plummer beat them.

Plummer has proven the ability to run when he has to with nine carries for 51 yards in the season-opening win at Georgia Tech and eight carries for 42 yards two weeks later in a win versus Indiana in Indianapolis. Plummer threw for 243 yards, two TDs and one interception in the win versus Virginia last week.

In the two previous games, Plummer combined for 258 in wins against Duke and Virginia Tech. Plummer did not have to do much versus the Blue Devils and Hokies with the Cardinals’ defense allowing a combined total of three points. Miami will need to produce offensively to put pressure on the Louisville offense.

Miami has been inconsistent running this season. The Hurricanes are averaging 202.33 rushing yards per game and 6.01 YPC with 14 touchdowns in wins. Miami is averaging 126.50 YPG, 3.61 YPC and one TD in losses. Success on the ground will be critical for Miami as Tyler Van Dyke returns as a starter.

Injuries have caused the Miami football team to utilize Ajay Allen, Don Chaney Jr, Mark Fletcher and Henry Parrish as their top RBs at different times this season. Fletcher leads Miami with 77 carries and 469 yards rushing. Chaney and Fletcher have been the leading rusher for Miami in each of the last two weeks.

The one thing to watch out for will be if Miami takes advantage of a Louisville run defense that has been susceptible to mobile QBs this season. Louisville has allowed 318 rushing yards on 102 carries to QBs this season.  Virginia QB Anthony Colandrea had 89 yards rushing on 14 carries last week versus Louisville.