Miami Defense

[flips]

Some defensive stats I found interesting: (just FBS games)

Red Zone TD% allowed: 5th - 37.5% allowed (41st last year/56% allowed. Heads up, FSU is #2 in offensive red zone TD% at 89%)
10+ yard plays allowed: 44th - 11/g (last year 11.2/g)
20+ yard plays allowed: 28th - 3/g (last year 3.3/g)
30+ yard plays allowed: 4th - 0.5/g (last year 1.3/g)
3rd down conversion % allowed: 65th (we were 13th last year) Obviously, this is where we need to improve
Sacks/gm: 6th
1st downs allowed/game: 32nd (last year 20th)
INTS forced/g: 51st - 0.75/g (last year 31st - 1/g)
Fumbles forced/g: 81st - 0.5/g (last year 45th - 0.8/g)

We are only allowing 2 Red Zone Opportunities (RZO)/game and are only giving up 3.75 points/RZO). Both are second best amongst the AP top-10 teams (range for opponentRZO/game: 1.8-4, range for p/opponentRZO: 3.27-6.43). So, we are only giving up 7.5 points/game in the red zone (also 2nd best in top-10). Last year we allowed ~2.25 oRZO/game & 4.7 p/oRZO for ~10.6 oRZ-points/game.

This year, we've only given up 1 TD outside the red zone (Wake 23 yard TD). Last year we only gave up 6 in 15 FBS games. For reference, in 2024 we gave up 12 such TDs in 12 FBS games.

Keep in mind parts of our DL and especially our secondary has been a M.A.S.H. unit most of this season.

Big picture: We rarely give up easy, uncontested points since Hetherman has gotten here, and this year has been much better in that regard than last year. We have made a big leap in keeping our opponents from scoring TDs when they enter the red zone too.

Our defense rarely gives up a TD outside the red zone, while making it very difficult to score a TD inside the red zone. It's a winning formula, as long as your offense isn't Iowa's and our offense is much, much better than that. I know the easy access 10-19 yard passes we give up drive many on this board up a wall. I argue it's a worthwhile tradeoff to have a defense that is elite at limiting touchdowns, from inside the red zone and outside of it. We do need to stop giving them up on 3rd & long, so our offense can get back on the field sooner.

Our offense has been more efficient both in creating red zone chances and averaging more points per red zone trip (up 10 and 18%, respectively). We've also scored more TDs from outside the red zone in our first 4 FBS games this year than last year (up 50%). We also don't turn the ball over, which is cool.

A defense that's even better at limiting explosive plays and touchdowns paired with an offense that's much better at creating explosive plays and touchdowns is clearly a better football team. This team is really, really good. If guys stop getting injured, and most of the ones who are out hurt can come back, paired with the OL continuing to get better and our offense getting more explosive, the sky is the limit this year.

 

[FrancisSawyer]

Thornton never got subbed out this game. I'd guess we had him at safety more than first 4 games specifically because Clemson doesn't pass past like 10 yards usually... but idk. But I don't like it. He needs to stop trying to give people concussions and learn to wrap up. Our Edges needs to learn to tackle too. Between last year and this year we have so many missed sacks, it's baffling.

Dylan Day played like 70% of snaps.

Damari played like the 2nd/3rd drive then was out rest of game. Ryan Mack has now passed him on Depth Chart.

Definitely best game Chase Smith has had here. Having him and Toure on field together is still a problem. And I'd bet also contributed to Clemson actually passing on us pretty well. Between Smith, Toure, and Thornton all on field together, that's a bad recipe in coverage, especially when you're down to CB 6 and a converted Safety (well 5 now) getting most of the snaps.

Agree 100% on Thornton. Chase Smith was excellent vs the run and played his best game as a Cane. Toure was also very active in the box vs the run buy your overall point stands. In pass coverage, the trio of Toure, Smith and Thornton is a major liability. Toure and Smith give us a ton of experience which will always pay dividends in big games and when we least expect it. So how can Hetherman manage this issue? The continued development of young LBs like Marcellin, Wiley, Pruitt and Bonner will alow us the ability to match either Smith or Toure with one of the younger kids so that they are not on the field together all the time. Just when we need them to he.

As for Thornton, he really excels going downhill and attacking whether it's filling the alley vs the run or coming on a blitz. However he struggles mightily in space. In this situation, it's absolutely crucial that we get Xavier Lucas and Jaboree Antoine back. Lucas will likely be back vs FSU and his return will likely mean Hetherman will have the ability to move Bryce Fitzgerald back to his natural position of Free Safety and possibly moving JJ Dunnigan to Nickel where I think he would excel. Then Hetherman can use Dylan Day(who I'm very high on) and Thornton as either rotational depth or in specialized roles that make the most of their abilities.