No. 1 Miami is heading into Saturday night with a defense that has plenty to clean up and one clear mission: make CJ Carr uncomfortable.
The Hurricanes’ pass rush has been one of the loudest parts of this team all season, but Notre Dame presents a different kind of test. Carr has been hit only twice this year, the fewest sacks allowed by any FBS quarterback, and he’ll be protected by a line that has settled in with left tackle Will Black, Anthonie Knapp, center Joe Otting, right guard Ashton Craig and right tackle Guerby Lambert.
Miami, though, brings real heat. The Hurricanes are tied for eighth in FBS with 24 sacks, and edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot is right in the middle of it with seven, which ranks second in the ACC. He said Carr looks different than he did a year ago, when the quarterback made his first collegiate start against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium.
“He's more experienced,” edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot said at Tuesday's media availability on Zoom. “He's starting to trust his [offensive line] more. Once we can get him uncomfortable in that pocket, that's when I feel we'll see a change.”
That opener last season gave Miami a pretty good preview of what Carr can do when he settles in. In a 27-24 Notre Dame loss, the Saline, MI native completed 19 of 30 passes for 221 yards and accounted for three total touchdowns, with two through the air and one on the ground, all in the second half. He also threw one interception and was sacked three times.
The bigger challenge for Miami now is that Carr isn’t the only piece that has changed. Notre Dame’s backfield looks different without Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price, both first-round selections in this year’s NFL Draft. Nolan James Jr., Jonaz Walton and Aneyas Williams have been handling the load instead.
That shift matters because Corey Hetherman’s defense starts with the run. Notre Dame’s rushing attack sits 38th in FBS, while Miami’s run defense has been strong enough to give the Hurricanes a real foundation to build on.
The Hurricanes’ defense has been uneven over the last three games, especially in the secondary, so the margin for error is thin. But Miami still has multiple ways to get after the quarterback, with Ahmad Moten Sr., Armondo Blount, Justin Scott and Herbert Scroggins III all part of the pressure package.
Scott summed up the approach simply.
“We just go with the same game plan,” Scott said. “Attack the quarterback, make teams one-dimensional, and stop the run.”
And after Tuesday night’s initial College Football Playoff rankings were released, the stage for this rivalry game got even bigger.
In Other News...
Miamis Notre Dame Plan Hinges On One Massive Malachi Toney Unknown
Notre Dame is still planning as if Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney could be part of the picture, even though the early read has him trending toward the sidelines after a high ankle sprain and surgery. Marcus Freeman said the Irish are preparing for the possibility Toney suits up, which tells you how much respect Notre Dame has for Miamis offense and how much uncertainty still hangs over this matchup.
For the Hurricanes, the bigger issue may be how they adjust if Toney is unavailable again, not just for this game but for the rest of the regular season and potentially the College Football Playoffs. Notre Dame also expects All-American cornerback Leonard Moore back after he missed recent games with a concussion, adding another layer to a game plan that already has to account for one major unknown on Miamis side. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Now Gets A Notre Dame Team With Everything To Lose
Notre Dames playoff positioning already has a strange look to it, sitting 11th in the first College Football Playoff rankings despite being fourth in the AP poll. The reason is pretty clear: the committee has not been sold on the Irishs resume, and the lack of signature wins has left little margin for error as the season tightens. Now the next stop brings a trip to No. 1 Miami, and for a team trying to prove it belongs in the top tier, the timing could hardly be more demanding.
The Hurricanes also know they will see Notre Dame without wide receiver Malachi Toney, who is out after ankle surgery and expected to miss 4 to 6 weeks. Even with that setback, the bigger pressure point is on the Irish, who need a win in Miami to strengthen their playoff case before the schedule offers fewer chances to recover from another loss. For a team already facing scrutiny from the committee, this is the kind of game that can reshape the conversation quickly. [Read more 🡒]
Darian Mensahs Huge Season Has Sparked A Real NFL Draft Debate
Darian Mensah has done just about everything a quarterback can do to force his way into the NFL conversation. Through eight games, Miamis signal-caller has thrown 25 touchdowns against just one interception while completing more than 80 percent of his passes, a run that has made him one of the most efficient passers in the country and a big reason his name is drawing so much attention beyond Coral Gables.
The debate now is less about whether Mensah belongs on draft boards and more about where he fits. Some analysts view him as a top prospect, while others have pushed him outside the first round, pointing to questions about his arm strength and the level of competition he has faced. For Miami, it is a reminder that a big season can change the conversation fast, even if the final verdict on a quarterback is still very much up in the air. [Read more 🡒]