The sacks haven’t piled up yet, but the story around Miami’s pass rush is more complicated than a simple slow start.
Through two games of the 2026 season, the Hurricanes have three sacks and are pressuring opposing quarterbacks on 24.7 percent of drop-backs. That’s a sharp drop from 2025, when Miami finished with the best pass rush in the country and generated pressure on 40.8 percent of opposing drop-backs, good for fourth nationally.
The talent is still there. Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor are gone to the NFL, but Miami has reloaded up front, and the new-look edge group of Armondo Blount, Damon Wilson, and Marquise Lightfoot has already drawn plenty of attention from opposing play-callers.
The issue so far hasn’t been a lack of athletes. It’s been how opponents are attacking them.
Quarterbacks are getting the ball out fast against Miami. In the first two weeks, opposing passers have averaged 2.55 seconds to throw, which ranks 21st fastest in the country. That quick-game approach has helped hold the Hurricanes to a pressure rate that ranks No. 112 nationally.
A year ago, the quarterbacks Miami faced averaged 2.80 seconds to throw, which ranked 70th fastest in the country. The difference is real, and it lines up with another shift: Miami is blitzing less often.
The Hurricanes sent pressure on 32.6 percent of opposing drop-backs in 2025, 32nd most in the nation. This season, that number is down to 27.4 percent, which ranks 55th most.
There’s also been a small change in how quickly Miami’s rush is getting home. According to PFF, the Hurricanes are generating pressure in 2.2 seconds on average through the first two games, down slightly from 2.3 seconds in 2025. Not a massive drop, but enough to matter when opponents are clearly trying to speed things up.
Friday night against Wake Forest will be worth watching because Demon Deacons quarterback Gil Lopez is not the type to panic and dump it immediately. He likes to hold the ball while trying to push it downfield.
His average time to throw in 2026 is 2.94 seconds. Last season at North Carolina, it was 2.98 seconds.
That kind of profile has shown up before against Miami. In 2025, the Hurricanes faced six quarterbacks who were in that same neighborhood: Julian Sayin at 2.92 seconds, Marcel Reed at 2.99, Byrum Brown at 2.99, Mason Heintschel at 3.13, Kyron Drones at 3.17, and Thomas Castellanos at 3.17.
Those six quarterbacks combined to complete 61 percent of their passes for 232 yards per game, at 6.6 yards per attempt, with five touchdowns, eight interceptions, and 4.1 sacks per game. Miami won all six games.
There are a few reasons the numbers look the way they do right now. Opponents are getting the ball out faster.
Miami is blitzing less while an injury-riddled secondary settles in. Stanford also had a handful of holding penalties that would have been sacks.
And the Hurricanes are willing to accept quick throws if the offense is scoring touchdowns and playing explosive football.
The question now is whether the pass rush shows up in a bigger way against Wake Forest. Friday night should give another clue about how the Demon Deacons plan to handle Miami’s front.
In Other News...
Ex-Miami Receivers Arrest Puts The Program In A Brutal Spotlight
A former Miami wide receiver is back in the news for all the wrong reasons, and the case has already thrown a harsh spotlight on a program that has spent years trying to move forward from off-field distractions. Mark Pope was arrested in Miami-Dade County on felony charges that include armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery, a startling development for a player once part of the Hurricanes receiver room.
Police say the incident began during a dispute at a local park, where Pope allegedly pistol-whipped a woman and took her cellphone by force. He was booked into a correctional facility and held without bond, and a court order would require a GPS ankle monitor if he is ever released, leaving the legal process to unfold while Miami is left watching another former player face a serious and troubling situation. [Read more 🡒]
Former Miami Playmaker Is At Center Of A Disturbing Arrest Case
A former Miami Hurricanes playmaker is back in the news for all the wrong reasons. Mark Pope was arrested in Miami-Dade County on felony charges that include armed robbery with a firearm and aggravated battery, turning what began as a dispute with an acquaintance into a serious legal case that has quickly drawn attention around the programs fan base.
Police allege Pope pulled a handgun, pistol-whipped the woman and took her cell phone before being booked into a correctional facility. He is being held without bond, and if he is released, a court order requires him to wear a GPS ankle monitor, leaving the next steps in the case to play out in court. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Offense Looks Ready But One Wake Forest Test Still Matters
No. 5 Miami heads to Wake Forest on Friday night with some early momentum and a chance to keep its unbeaten start intact in ACC play. The Hurricanes have handled Stanford and Florida A&M to open 2-0, and the matchup brings an interesting early-season contrast because Wake Forest is also unbeaten after wins over Akron and Purdue.
The offense has looked capable enough to travel, but this is still the sort of road test that can reveal more than a couple of lopsided September results. Predictions around the game lean toward Miami, with attention on key player performances and how the Hurricanes handle a defense that should be more demanding than the first two opponents. [Read more 🡒]