How Indiana Football Could Slow Miami's Vaunted Pass Rush Duo: 'big Challenge'

Cignetti and Hetherman aligned to shape nan rule that still spearheads some Indiana and Miami's protect identity: Attack.

Hetherman's strategy has evolved, Cignetti said, beryllium it nan measurement of man and area coverage, nan types of blitzes aliases nan protect fronts. But he's still patient connected nan aforesaid play style he thrived pinch nether Cignetti astatine James Madison.

"He's going to create havoc up front, extremity nan run, TFLs, sacks," Cignetti said. "He's going to attack. The accuracy is still nan aforesaid successful position of, it each starts up front."

There, connected Hetherman's protect line, rests 2 of assemblage football's champion walk rushers and possibly nan nation's champion protect extremity duo. Miami pairs inferior Rueben Bain Jr., nan ACC Defensive Player of nan Year who has 8.5 sacks this season, pinch sixth-year elder Akheem Mesidor, who tied for nan ACC lead pinch 10.5 sacks.

Bain is 2nd nationally pinch 80 backmost pressures, according to Pro Football Focus, while Mesidor is sixth pinch 63 pressures. Bain leads nan federation pinch 66 backmost hurries, 11 much than nan next-closest player, while Mesidor is tied for 3rd pinch 48 pressures. Both players are apical 20 successful nan FBS successful walk unreserved triumph rate.

Collectively, Miami has totaled 47 sacks, nan astir successful nan nation. Cignetti said Hetherman is creating havoc up beforehand — a process aided heavy by nan terrific tandem of nan 6-foot-3, 270-pound Bain and 6-foot-3, 265-pound Mesidor.

"The 2 ends," Cignetti said, "are a large challenge."

Indiana sixth-year elder tight extremity Riley Nowakowski agreed pinch his coach's assessment.

"The D-line, you sewage those 2 edges, those are bully players," Nowakowski said Tuesday.

Indiana's violative statement is nary alien to facing big, strong, diversion and skilled protect fronts, beryllium it Oregon, Ohio State aliases Alabama. The Hoosiers person fared reasonably good — they earned a 78.2 walk blocking people from Pro Football Focus, nan 18th-best people successful nan nation, and person allowed 22 sacks successful 15 games.

Pat Coogan, Indiana's elder center, said nan Hoosiers' violative statement is focused connected winning nan statement of scrimmage, keeping backmost Fernando Mendoza connected his feet and creating rushing lanes for elder moving backs Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black.

"It's 1 of nan best," Coogan said of Miami's protect line. "But astatine nan aforesaid time, we return awesome pridefulness successful protecting nan backmost nary matter who we're playing. I deliberation that's conscionable an absolute cardinal accent for america this week to protect nan backmost and evidently tally nan ball. That's portion of who we are and our DNA.

"We person to protect nan backmost successful each situation, each down. We cognize really typical he tin beryllium and really bully our discourtesy tin beryllium erstwhile we springiness him nan clip to execute. No matter who we're playing, we request to protect nan backmost and it's nan aforesaid connection this week."

The Hoosiers' violative tackles will beryllium tested by Bain and Mesidor. Indiana inferior near tackle Carter Smith won nan Big Ten Offensive Lineman of nan Year aft not allowing a azygous sack this season, but nan correct tackle position has much questions.

Indiana has started seniors Kahlil Benson and Zen Michalski, on pinch redshirt freshman Adedamola Ajani, astatine correct tackle this year. Benson, who's allowed a team-high 24 pressures this season, is nan superior campaigner and projected starter entering nan title game.

But nan Hoosiers person options to lessen nan load connected Benson aliases whoever they opt to protect Mendoza's beardown side.

Indiana whitethorn usage its tight ends arsenic an hold of its violative line. Nowakowski aliases elder Holden Staes tin spot Bain aliases Mesidor disconnected nan edge, delaying their unreserved scheme and knocking them disconnected course. Running backs for illustration Hemby and Black tin do nan aforesaid erstwhile they merchandise to tally routes.

The Hoosiers person tinkered pinch heavier unit packages successful caller games. They played a fewer snaps successful 12 personnel, aliases 2 tight extremity sets, against Oregon successful nan Peach Bowl, and they've utilized Michalski arsenic a sixth violative lineman to adhd wide to their line.

Indiana's six-linemen package has been utilized connected some runs and passes. The Hoosiers whitethorn opt for heavier protection calls, which Coogan noted puts nan defense successful conflict.

"The defense could sub successful their heavier package successful narration to that," Coogan said. "Sometimes they don't match, though. Oregon matched a fewer times and different times they didn't. First 11 personnel, they went heavier, which they ne'er did during nan season. They went 5-2. And past different times erstwhile we brought successful that heavier package, they stayed successful 4-2 base.

"So you conscionable ever bully to beryllium alert of it, particularly arsenic a center, because nan circumstantial plays that are wrong that package dwell of a circumstantial (middle linebacker) ID, truthful you sewage to beryllium alert of it for sure."

The trade-off from dense protection is less pass-catchers moving routes, which strains nan ratio and occurrence of Indiana's receivers. Senior wideout Elijah Sarratt said Miami chiefly runs area defense — screen 4 and screen 2 astir often — but pinch a complementary dose of man-to-man screen one. There's usually 1 information playing overtop, Sarratt said.

Bain and Mesidor, 2 proven game-wreckers, should beryllium atop Indiana's game-planning focus. But Sarratt has nary worries, nary fears, if Indiana struggles getting its tally crippled going aliases needs to heighten its protection measures against nan Hurricanes' protect line.

After all, he says, pinch a Heisman Trophy-winning backmost successful Mendoza, there's nary logic to fto uncertainty creep in.

"I'm ever comfortable erstwhile you sewage personification for illustration Fernando backmost location throwing you nan ball," Sarratt said Tuesday. "And, of course, I judge successful myself and nan guys successful nan receiving room pinch me. So, I'm ever assured nary matter who we're going against, nary matter if it's Miami, nary matter if it's Indiana State.

"So, very assured successful my beliefs. It's going to beryllium a challenge, of course. They're successful nan nationalist title for a reason, but I will ever spell into each crippled being confident."

After watching nan Hurricanes connected film, Nowakowski saw a fast, beingness and convulsive portion crossed each 3 levels. They don't interest astir making mistakes because of a shared trust, and each defender rallies to nan shot pinch urgent, fierce intentions.

But Cignetti didn't request crippled portion to cognize arsenic much.

Cignetti knows Hetherman, knows his philosophies, knows his strengths. He besides knows Bain and Mesidor will beryllium a "big challenge" — 1 nan Hoosiers must conquer to hoist their first nationalist title trophy Monday nighttime successful Miami Gardens.