In 2017, does Miami have a top 10 Defense?

[ChosenOne]

Honestly.. Depending on our secondary.. we could be a top 5 defense. UNC, VT, Pitt, GT, and ND are losing their starting QB.. UNC loses 2 of their top 3 receivers, their QB, and their starting running back. VT loses all 4 of their best players on offense in Evans, Hodges, Rodgers, and Ford.. AND their run game at RB wasn't productive at all..(Evans lead VT in rushing) Pitt loses their top passer and rusher.. AND most people forget they lost their OC that took their offense from 73th in 2015 to 10th in 2016 to LSU. GT loses their best QB since '09 when Nesbitt was there. ND they loses their QB as well but they usually field really good offensive line so that could help them. Not to mention, FSU loses Dalvin Cook who was a guarantee 200+ all purpose yards for FSU against us.. I know they have a 5 star but i could care less.. He ain't cook.. Cook's vision, speed, and ability to break tackles was unfair at times. Cook singlehandly kept this win streak going for FSU idc what anyone says.

 

[Astcloud11]

No. But I will say that we look good with the front seven. What is often overlooked is the DB play. Corn did a great job of setting an edge, so the safety knew where to go. A lot of people don’t notice those plays during the course of the game against the run. When you watch games on the other side of the field we weren't as good. Had we competed against better power rushing teams the defense would have been easily exposed. Now with a depleted DB backfield coming into 2017 this is a real concern because opponents will attack this weakness.

What do you define as a "power rushing team" and why would that have exposed us?

Good question. I think plays like 3:10 in the APST game would have killed us had we played teams like Bama and Clemson who would have had the personnel and coaches to exploit this. We are good but that's good with one solid CB kind of good. The defense that you are looking for to be top 10 like the Canes of old we need better play against the run with two or three solid CBs so that the safeties can be a factor. And we all know from history it don't take too many runs like that to kill this type of defense.

This year I think we went RPO crazy... At times it looked like we were playing an RPO defense the way we used our one CB, defending half the field... Heehee!!!

[video=youtube;co7eqtDR02k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=co7eqtDR02k[/video]

Georgia Tech

 

[Astcloud11]

This is a good question. Unfortunately, the NCAA uses statistics like total defense and scoring defense to determine their rankings. That would be fine if everyone played the same teams. Miami has to play in the ACC, home to some of the nation's top offenses. Meanwhile teams in the SEC or Big 10 don't see the number of high powered offenses on a week in week out basis. I think the true measure of a defense should be the amount of yards/points you hold an opponent to under it's average. If you hold a team that's averaging 35 ppg to 20, it's more impressive than holding a team that averages 17 ppg to 10. At least that's the way that makes the most sense to me. If you consider that Miami held high scoring offenses FSU, UNC, Pitt and WVU far under their averages, you could make a point that Miami had a top ten defense in 2016.

This is why I normally use cfbstats and only take into account pure numbers like Sacks/TFL/Pass Breakups/Forced Turnovers pretty much impact plays made by the defense...For other measurements like yards/points given up, I trust Footballoutsiders more with evaluating how good a defense is because they take into account your opponents offensive efficiency.

https://www.canesinsight.com/thread...siders-com/115612?highlight=Footballoutsiders

This year we were #13 in FEI and in S&P. Our DLine was rated #9 .

 

[hesskilla]

Will we have one of the ten best defenses in all of college football??? I'll say probably.

Will we have one of the ten best defenses in all of college football statistically??? I'll say maybe. Lots of things factor into that statistic. Obviously it also depends on which numbers are used to determine "top ten". No D fielded a statistically respectable defense one year. An offense that runs the ball, dominates TOP, and keeps the D off the field helps make a defense top ten statistically. Not too mention SOS. Obviously, this depends on the stat used to measure performance.

To answer the OP's question, we will have one of the ten best defenses in all of FBS in 2017.

 

[Miamicane]

Front 7 will be nasty barring significant injuries - we have depth to withstand a couple injuries. Look at our schedule and name one talented QB besides Francois, who we held to 20 points last year. Think our DBs will be fine.

 

[Colombie]

I said it in another thread and I will say it again here. I would like to see the defense score some points off turnovers in big games like other dominant defenses around the country. Make teams pay for losing the football.

Until that happens I can't say if this is a top 5 or top 10 or whatever arbitrary number you would like to throw out there.

Statistically , sure we could be a top 10 defense but numbers aren't always the best way to define a Defense.

 

[tpres]

Best front 7 in the nation

Stretching it some here. LBer's are very good, but still young, might be best unit in ACC by the end of the year. Front 4 is definitely above average, but will be 3rd in ACC. Clemson will be 1up front, followed by FSU (was hoping Nnadi was leaving early but came back) and then us.

I say we are a top 20 defense as long as secondary plays decent. Which is very good. no complaints from me here.

 

[Cane Dynasty]

Yes or no?

I say yes.

Only a kunut would down vote your post.

I approve.

 

[Cane Dynasty]

This is a good question. Unfortunately, the NCAA uses statistics like total defense and scoring defense to determine their rankings. That would be fine if everyone played the same teams. Miami has to play in the ACC, home to some of the nation's top offenses. Meanwhile teams in the SEC or Big 10 don't see the number of high powered offenses on a week in week out basis. I think the true measure of a defense should be the amount of yards/points you hold an opponent to under it's average. If you hold a team that's averaging 35 ppg to 20, it's more impressive than holding a team that averages 17 ppg to 10. At least that's the way that makes the most sense to me. If you consider that Miami held high scoring offenses FSU, UNC, Pitt and WVU far under their averages, you could make a point that Miami had a top ten defense in 2016.

I go by what's commonly referred to as the 'eye test'.

My eyes tell me we will be a top 10 defense dissirregardless of what your dyslexic permutations infer.

 

[FAKE Chip Brierre]

Honestly.. Depending on our secondary.. we could be a top 5 defense. UNC, VT, Pitt, GT, and ND are losing their starting QB.. UNC loses 2 of their top 3 receivers, their QB, and their starting running back. VT loses all 4 of their best players on offense in Evans, Hodges, Rodgers, and Ford.. AND their run game at RB wasn't productive at all..(Evans lead VT in rushing) Pitt loses their top passer and rusher.. AND most people forget they lost their OC that took their offense from 73th in 2015 to 10th in 2016 to LSU. GT loses their best QB since '09 when Nesbitt was there. ND they loses their QB as well but they usually field really good offensive line so that could help them. Not to mention, FSU loses Dalvin Cook who was a guarantee 200+ all purpose yards for FSU against us.. I know they have a 5 star but i could care less.. He ain't cook.. Cook's vision, speed, and ability to break tackles was unfair at times. Cook singlehandly kept this win streak going for FSU idc what anyone says.

there are multiple boards right now saying that because we lose kaaya AND Njoky, we will struggle. and I'm afraid that some of that will be true.

you can NOT tell me that whoever replaces Kaaya will be better than him NEXT season.

 

[tpres]

we will be good defensively, if Secondary develops and gels, could be better than last season. Offensively we will not be as good, but we have a very weak schedule so it might not impact us as if we had a hard schedule. I fully expect ACC Coastal to be us, maybe VT and that is it. The other teams are real bad. We really only have maybe 3 tough games. FSU and possibly VT and ND. The rest of the games are cupcakes. Won't need much offense to win minimum of 9 games.

 

[gambino97]

I think, considering the back 4 will be comprised of 3 new starters mainly, its safe to say if we can be anywhere near we were this year, then El Jefe is even better than we thought!

That being said, if we are a Top 20 defense again, we should consider that a win. Too many unknown variables to believe top 10 at this point....

 

[jdmorgan76]

Miami will be much better on D by the end of the season as the secondary players get more playing time, I expect them to play with unwavering violence and physicality...

Should be top 20...

 

[Marcelo2988]

Last year the LBs were the question mark and that ended up being no concern.

This year it seems to be the secondary.

Someone needs to step up and we'll see if Banda and Rumph really are as effective as they seemed to be this season.

 

[brock]

Best front 7 in the nation

Stretching it some here. LBer's are very good, but still young, might be best unit in ACC by the end of the year. Front 4 is definitely above average, but will be 3rd in ACC. Clemson will be 1up front, followed by FSU (was hoping Nnadi was leaving early but came back) and then us.

I say we are a top 20 defense as long as secondary plays decent. Which is very good. no complaints from me here.

Uh no, fsu defense had more sacks than Miami but they are losing Demarcus walker who was their second best player on the team and had like 16 sacks 18 tfl or something like that they do add kaindoh. Meanwhile Miami adds dj Johnson, Jon Garvin and Jon ford to a front 7 that was top 5 in tfl(more than fsu) and top 20 in sacks. Overall with the linebacker play and talent on the dline it's definitely not out of the question to say Miami has the best front 7 in the acc

 

[brock]

I think, considering the back 4 will be comprised of 3 new starters mainly, its safe to say if we can be anywhere near we were this year, then El Jefe is even better than we thought!

That being said, if we are a Top 20 defense again, we should consider that a win. Too many unknown variables to believe top 10 at this point....

The thing is we are bringing back redwine and young who both each started at least 4-5 games this year at corner and Jaquan Johnson essentially was a starter this year too. To add to that the incoming recruits as well. It's not a dire situation or anywhere near that

 

[theibisrules]

YES

 

[ScubaCane]

We need to develop some quality depth at LB, when the first 3 took a break there was a huge drop off from our D. Obviously, the secondary will be a huge concern and I still think we need to do a much better job of pressuring the QB with just our front 4. Too many questions at this point to predict we will be top 10.

 

[Hurracanes]

Best front 7 in the nation

Stretching it some here. LBer's are very good, but still young, might be best unit in ACC by the end of the year. Front 4 is definitely above average, but will be 3rd in ACC. Clemson will be 1up front, followed by FSU (was hoping Nnadi was leaving early but came back) and then us.

I say we are a top 20 defense as long as secondary plays decent. Which is very good. no complaints from me here.

Krazy is also that guy who thought Rosier was better than Kaaya all season, so you'll have to excuse his extreme POV's.

 

[tpres]

Best front 7 in the nation

Stretching it some here. LBer's are very good, but still young, might be best unit in ACC by the end of the year. Front 4 is definitely above average, but will be 3rd in ACC. Clemson will be 1up front, followed by FSU (was hoping Nnadi was leaving early but came back) and then us.

I say we are a top 20 defense as long as secondary plays decent. Which is very good. no complaints from me here.

Uh no, fsu defense had more sacks than Miami but they are losing Demarcus walker who was their second best player on the team and had like 16 sacks 18 tfl or something like that they do add kaindoh. Meanwhile Miami adds dj Johnson, Jon Garvin and Jon ford to a front 7 that was top 5 in tfl(more than fsu) and top 20 in sacks. Overall with the linebacker play and talent on the dline it's definitely not out of the question to say Miami has the best front 7 in the acc

Don't agree at all the to looking through Rose colored glasses. Clemson, FSU then us for front 7 effectiveness.

Front 4 1) Clemson Wilkins, Lawrence, Farrel and Bryant just a few of the studs they have coming back probably best front 4 in college, either them or Bama 2) FSU, somewhere in the 3-7 range in all of college. top 5-10 front 4 in country lose Walker, but have Burns, Sweat, Nnadi, Christmas, Aime, Jones and 5 star Kaindoh joining them, hope they don't get Marvin Wilson to go with that. 3: Us, Norton and and Jackson are studs. Thomas looked a little better, need big effort from him next year. Top 10-15 unit in country

LBers 1) Miami by wide margin, absolute studs. best LBer class i have seen. Expect McCloud to be best of bunch. 2) Clemson lost Boulware, but have young talent to make up for that. 3) FSU Thomas who played much better in the last half of the season, Pugh and Jackson who saw alot of playing time last year in 2nd half of season as freshmen. Also signed a JC who was a big time Bama recruit out of HS.

Secondary 1) FSU by a long shot, which allows the front 7 to play better due to more time to get to QB. Once they got their line up down in 2nd half of season, they played very well, Also have James coming back who is probably best safety in college and Samuels will give them even a bigger advantage than they already had. .2) Clemson lost Tankersly and Johnson, but again have young talent who saw alot of PT last year.
3) us, with unproven talent, will make front 7 not as effective as last year. Not expecting much with what we have back their. Hope I am pleasantly surprised.