our defense will take a step back, but so will the offenses we face

[Josh]

Defense finishes #19 in scoring defense (19.6 PPG)

Offense finishes #12 in scoring offense (36.3 PPG)

Miami goes 11-1 and wins the ACC championship by 17.

I’ll allow it.

That's a fair prediction. I'm expecting much better. Top 10 in defense, Top 5 in offense.

I see top 5 scoring O and top 15ish scoring D. Total O and D aren’t great stats to gauge the actual play and dominance of each side IMO. I think that cruises us through the ACC and into a first week BYE. As many have pointed out, gotta stay healthy.

 

[E1k]

Who cares? We’re projecting ahead, that’s the whole discussion. The logic is that we have an elite DC and DE coach with a room loaded with 5 stars and elite body types. Who says Wilson doesn’t perform like a superstar and go first round? We’re sure as **** paying him like that’s the expectation.

Im saying who cares that no one expected a huge leap from mesi, he made the leap and it won’t be easy to replace him

If you’re saying someone else will make the leap then cool that’s your opinion but just saying no one expected him to make a leap so that means someone else will make a leap too? I don’t understand that logic

I think wilson is really good too, i don’t see first rounder because of his run defense but i hope you’re right and he takes a similar leap as mesi

 

[grover]

I’d love it. And honestly we have the talent and schedule for it. I just don’t think Mario plays the game that way. Maybe that run down the stretch changed him some. Let’s hope it did.

I hope the staff all gets together collectively and says the best way for us to win every game is to play the way we did in 2024 on offense and 2025 on defense. There’s no rule that says you can’t play offense like you feel you have to score on every possession while also playing incredibly aggressively on defense and feeling like you need to hold the other team under 20 to win.

Both Indiana and Texas tech had top 10 units on both sides last year. Mario needs to fully embrace the fact that he has 2 Lamborghinis for units on both sides of the ball and you don’t have to protect either side. I just don’t think they do that for a full 60 minutes over 12 games. We’ll see.

I hear you. But Mario and Dawson said Let It Rip in November and the CFP, except A&M due to the wind. That was the most fun we’ve had since 2002/3 and the false-positive 10 game win streak under Richt in 2017. If they backslide now with the talent they’ve acquired, shame on them.

 

[E1k]

I’d love it. And honestly we have the talent and schedule for it. I just don’t think Mario plays the game that way. Maybe that run down the stretch changed him some. Let’s hope it did.

I hope the staff all gets together collectively and says the best way for us to win every game is to play the way we did in 2024 on offense and 2025 on defense. There’s no rule that says you can’t play offense like you feel you have to score on every possession while also playing incredibly aggressively on defense and feeling like you need to hold the other team under 20 to win.

Both Indiana and Texas tech had top 10 units on both sides last year. Mario needs to fully embrace the fact that he has 2 Lamborghinis for units on both sides of the ball and you don’t have to protect either side. I just don’t think they do that for a full 60 minutes over 12 games. We’ll see.

100%. People keeps saying oh we won’t score as much as 2024 because we won’t need too because of our defense. Im like shouldn’t a better defense give us more opportunities to score

 

[Pearson704]

'defense will take a step back' is a bit of a lazy take.

Moten will be better, Wilson is no slouch. Secondary has depth, development & system familiarity. Top-end talent may be diminished, but our defense will be better in other ways.

 

[305407cane]

I expect the offense to rank/grade out in the middle of our 24 and 25 offenses.

The defense is a bit more complex. We’ve taken steps forward at db, returned two vets at lb(call that a wash) and the dt’s will be a year better with potential breakout first rounders (plural)

But how do you quantify how good those ends were. When you get beat on the outside but it doesn’t matter cause Bain is already at the qb. We will see.

I predict we will see a 10-spot dropoff in total defense unless Hayden lowe is healthy and proves himself as an all around end that plays the run and the pass like his former recruit ranking

 

[dunkman23]

1. That's not necessairly accurate.

Keionte Scott struggled in 2024 when Auburn moved him to Boundary Corner. His first 2 seasons he was fantastic in coverage at Nick with coverage grades above 75+. The 24 season they moved him outside & that wasn't his natural position so he had a hard time adjusting. He also had a mid-season high ankle sprain.

Scott had 2 years worth of film of him covering very well at Nickel for Auburn.

2. I watched full games of Thornton from BC, Tim Lewis deliberately called the Defense to keep Thornton out of downfield coverage. He used him as basically a LB playing in the Rover/SS spot. His primary assignment/first read was coming down backside in run support on run plays & on passing downs he was timing the snap to crash the pocket as a Blitzer. He was rarely dropping in shells; whenever he did, he was almost always in the Cloud Hook & Hole Zones. I could literally count on my hands the number of times they had him in Deep 3rd's.

There's a reason why even when you watch his highlights, it's 90% run support.

That's actually a smart thing to do, playing to his strengths & putting him in position to be an effective playmaker despite his limitations.

He can play in the same role in this Defense & be an impactful player.

That's true regarding Omar. He's going to be doing the same thing he did at Boston College because he'll be playing on the same side as OJ. Now he'll get to play more freely since OJ will probably play one-on-one coverage on the majority of snaps. I expect Omar to be an All-ACC caliber safety.

 

[TouchMoney26]

That’s part of it and the weak schedule but it would also be naive to think you lost your best DE combo in school history but will improve at that position. There’s more nuance to this imo. I think the offense will help camouflage the loss some. 3 and 4 had to be great at run and pass support for the d to be really good.

Our DEs can come close to filling the shoes of Bain and Mesidor in terms of production, which is obviously a tall task, but I think they're up for it and we have the players to do it.

As far as improving the defense overall, I think the bigger challenge is replacing Scott and Thomas. Not as much Thomas, because Poyser was playing really well, but if Bryce and Thornton can maintain the level of play Scott brought, that would be impressive. Bryce especially has a very high ceiling, and I'm excited to see him take on that role.

 

[NJshoreCane]

View attachment 365822

hopefully this serves as a reminder ... its extreme, but this is what a bunch of pass rushers can get you when they don't set edges ...

775 yards on 75 plays.

 

[NJshoreCane]

I expect the offense to rank/grade out in the middle of our 24 and 25 offenses.

The defense is a bit more complex. We’ve taken steps forward at db, returned two vets at lb(call that a wash) and the dt’s will be a year better with potential breakout first rounders (plural)

But how do you quantify how good those ends were. When you get beat on the outside but it doesn’t matter cause Bain is already at the qb. We will see.

I predict we will see a 10-spot dropoff in total defense unless Hayden lowe is healthy and proves himself as an all around end that plays the run and the pass like his former recruit ranking

A ten spot drop puts us in between UVA and Wake level defenses (from '25).

Ol' **** was the only p4 team not ranked in the top 18 to make the playoff.
Put me in for total D about the same as last year, in the 10-15 range.

 

[Hstokes1447]

I hope Lowe balls pause, he has the ability to set the edge which is the concern I have. Don’t think we have an edge setter yet unless it’s HL. Pause

Blount is a perfect edge setter. He has the size (pause) now at 275, and he plays with elite power. I think he can be a real difference maker this season.

 

[E1k]

Blount is a perfect edge setter. He has the size (pause) now at 275, and he plays with elite power. I think he can be a real difference maker this season.

I expect him to play alot of de on early downs and vs heavy personnel

 

[Bender]

Damon Wilson
Marquise Lightfoot

This may be the first time you end up being wrong.

I'll see you in October where I'll probably regret saying that to you.

 

[MikeyCanez]

People have no clue how elite and special we were at setting the edge. Most pass rushers don’t want to have the discipline to stick to setting the edge while still getting home to the qb. Imagine the sack numbers if 3 and 4 went full on Diaz scheme just getting up field causing havoc. I don’t think people realize the combination was.

I think this is the correct take. I also think people are underestimating how much impact Bain and Mesidor had on the rest of our defensive units. Those guys were true game wreckers and the impact was felt across the board.

That is why guys like that get paid so much money, because if you can wreck a team's gameplan, you don't even need a good secondary.

Still good defensively but impossible not to step back some with what was lost.

 

[NJshoreCane]

The OSU game was on the ACC network last night.
They had -3 yards rushing in the first half.

 

[gacaneaddict]

I think this is the correct take. I also think people are underestimating how much impact Bain and Mesidor had on the rest of our defensive units. Those guys were true game wreckers and the impact was felt across the board.

That is why guys like that get paid so much money, because if you can wreck a team's gameplan, you don't even need a good secondary.

Still good defensively but impossible not to step back some with what was lost.

We won't take a step back.

 

[canecrazy23]

We won't take a step back.

I'm really starting to believe this. Another year for the mastermind Hetherman to put in more stuff and I really think our secondary and DL is Elite. UM's great Defenses always had Elite DT play and I think that's what we get this year.

 

[OrangeBowlMagic]

If you think the 2026 defense will be just as good, or better, than the 2025 defense, you should be putting a lot of money on Miami to win the national championship.

Because I will tell you right now, if the 2026 defense is better than 10th in the country in YPP allowed, better than 5th in the country in points allowed per game, better than 8th in the country in yards per carry allowed, and better than 3rd in the country in sacks per game, with this offense, we are winning the national championship.

 

[NJshoreCane]

If you think the 2026 defense will be just as good, or better, than the 2025 defense, you should be putting a lot of money on Miami to win the national championship.

Because I will tell you right now, if the 2026 defense is better than 10th in the country in YPP allowed, better than 5th in the country in points allowed per game, better than 8th in the country in yards per carry allowed, and better than 3rd in the country in sacks per game, with this offense, we are winning the national championship.

I expect us, at a minimum, to be here...

Semifinals

• January 14, 2027: Capital One Orange Bowl (Miami Gardens, FL)

 

[lurker]

If everyone in here says, "people don't understand the impact Bain and Mesidor had on the defense..."

Doesn't that mean everyone does understand the impact they had?