The CaneSport On3: Will Miami have a player with double-digit sacks?

The Miami Hurricanes tallied an impressive 35 sacks this past season, ranking 19 ^th in the nation and third in the conference with 2.69 per game. There were 15 players nationally that had 10 or more sacks, but Miami hasn’t had one since Gregory Rousseau’s 15.5 in 2019.

Tying for UM’s team lead last year was freshman All-American DE Rueben Bain and LB Francisco Mauigoa with 7.5 apiece.

Which brings us to today’s question: If there’s a Hurricane on this roster that can terrorize opposing QBs to the tune of double-digit sacks. Prior to Rousseau, the last Cane to hit the number was all the way back in 2006 when Calais Campbell had 10.5.

There were a couple of close calls, though: DE Jaelan Phillips had eight sacks in his one full season at UM in 2020, and Joe Jackson came close in 2018 with nine sacks.

So, no, it’s not easy to hit that 10-sack number.

Could this year be the second time since 2006 it happens?

Given Miami’s talent off the edge don’t bet against it. And there could be multiple players that approach the number.

Let’s start with Bain. He is back with the benefit of a year under his belt, and it might be difficult for teams to solely try and stop him given Akheem Mesidor (seven sacks in 2022) is expected back off injury and the team’s also added Tyler Baron, who had 6.5 sacks and 10 TFL at Tennessee, and rush end Elijah Alston from Marshall off his six-sack season last year. Bain’s utter dominance shows in his Pro Football Focus stats that noted him with 45 pressures, 10 hits on the QB and 26 QB hurries. Of all the linemen he’s perhaps best situated to hit that 10-sack number.

There’s also a chance that Mauigoa could increase his sack numbers given the way Lance Guidry allows his linebackers to blitz and attack the line of scrimmage. He had 15 QB hurries last year, per PFF.

It’s worth noting, too, how Guidry’s ends performed in his defenses at Marshall. Look at that and you’ll quickly find that DE Owen Porter had 9.5 sacks in 2022.

Add it all up and the stars could align this year for a Bain, Mauigoa or another lineman like Baron to approach that 10-sack mark.

When you have a guy dominating like Bain and drawing attention it opens the door for other linemen to make plays. Given the Canes’ question marks on the back end of the defense, it makes it even more important that this front seven come through with constant pressure and difference-making plays.

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