<\/p>\n
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, left, and defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. react following the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Ohio State Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/AP<\/p>\n
Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, center, is sacked by Miami defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., left, and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/AP<\/p>\n
Miami defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald (13) reacts as he faces the visitng crowd after intercepting a pass in the end zone to secure a win over Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in College Station, Texas.<\/p>\n
Sam Craft\/AP<\/p>\n
Miami defensive back Keionte Scott drops back to defend against Ohio State during the second half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.<\/p>\n
Julio Cortez\/AP<\/p>\n
Texas A&M wide receiver KC Concepcion (7) is tackled by Miami defensive back Zechariah Poyser (7) and linebacker Mohamed Toure (1) during the second half of the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in College Station, Texas.<\/p>\n
Karen Warren\/AP<\/p>\n
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) \u2014 The biggest signing for Miami going into this season might not have been quarterback Carson Beck out of Georgia, wide receiver CJ Daniels<\/a> out of LSU or defensive back Keionte Scott<\/a> out of Auburn.<\/p>\n It might have been the guy they got from Minnesota.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Corey Hetherman \u2014 Miami\u2019s defensive coordinator \u2014 was hired away from the Golden Gophers in January 2025 and given a simple yet enormous task: Fix a defense that was so porous last season that not even a 10-win team with a No. 1 draft pick like Cam Ward at quarterback and the top-ranked offense in the country was deemed worthy of a spot in the College Football Playoff.<\/p>\n The result: The Hurricanes are giving up their fewest points per game since 2001, which not coincidentally just happens to be their last national championship season. They’ve given up 9.7 points per game in their current six-game winning streak, plus an even-stingier 8.5 points per game in its two CFP wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State. And now comes another massive test for Miami (12-2), which will take on high-octane Mississippi (13-1) in a CFP semifinal at the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday night.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s a guy that has no Miami ties,\u201d Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Hetherman. \u201cBut he quickly established himself as a very knowledgeable person with a very high care factor and a ridiculous amount of intensity.”<\/p>\n It all stems from an acronym that Hetherman brought with him to Miami: ESV. It stands for excitement, swarm, violence. That has been the base philosophy for everything that he’s installed at Miami over the last 12 months.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n That sort of thinking, combined with a ton of talent, has been the perfect match. Defensive linemen Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are generally considered to be first-round draft candidates and have been one of the best 1-2 punches in college football, combining for 19 sacks.<\/p>\n \u201cThose two are game-wreckers,\u201d Beck said. \u201cEven just having one of those guys would be a huge impact to any defense. But being able to have both of them has completely changed the course of this season and the way that our defense plays, right? … Obviously, they\u2019ve done a phenomenal job, along with the rest of the defense, this year of executing and playing a physical brand of ball, which is a lot of fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n It’s far from just Bain and Mesidor<\/a> leading the way. The secondary that was shelled last season has 16 interceptions this year, 11 of them coming from either freshman Bryce Fitzgerald<\/a> or transfer Jakobe Thomas<\/a>. Scott, who Miami believes was snubbed from some major individual awards, had a game-changing interception<\/a> for a touchdown in the win over Ohio State. Linebacker Mohamed Toure<\/a> might have saved the season with a pass breakup near the goal line in the final moments of the win at Texas A&M. The cornerback play is vastly improved. Linebacker Wesley Bissainthe has made big play after big play.<\/p>\n And if all that isn’t enough, Hetherman’s staff includes none other than Hall of Famer Jason Taylor \u2014 the defensive line coach who has gone from Miami Dolphins great to Miami Hurricanes great.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The numbers from 2024 to 2025 are simply staggering. Miami was 69th nationally in points allowed and 27th nationally in yards allowed per game last season; the Hurricanes are fourth in points allowed and 10th in yards allowed this season.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have done it differently here than I\u2019ve done it everywhere else, as far as like where we install and do certain things on certain days,\u201d Hetherman said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s worked out really well. And I think our guys are playing fast with the way we\u2019re doing it right now.\u201d<\/p>\n A loss at SMU on Nov. 1 dropped Miami to 6-2 and basically meant the Hurricanes had to win out to have any chance at making the 12-team CFP field. And in those six games, the Miami defense has more than done its job.<\/p>\n Among the highlights during this streak:<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u2014 Had seven sacks against Syracuse in a game where Miami led 38-3 before settling for a 38-10 win.<\/p>\n \u2014 Built a 41-0 lead over N.C. State, before surrendering a touchdown with 2:10 remaining with a slew of backups on the field. The Wolfpack came into that game No. 2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s offensive rankings and Thomas had a pair of first-quarter interceptions.<\/p>\n \u2014 Recorded five sacks at Virginia Tech in a 34-17 win, the most sacks allowed by the Hokies since \u2014 ironically \u2014 last season’s bowl loss to Minnesota, Hetherman’s last game with the Gophers.<\/p>\n \u2014 Held Pitt to seven points in the regular season finale, the Panthers’ lowest total in more than two years.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u2014 Held Texas A&M to three points in the CFP first-round game in College Station, the Aggies’ lowest point total since 2014.<\/p>\n \u2014 Held Ohio State to 45 rushing yards in the CFP quarterfinal win, the Buckeyes’ lowest total on the ground since 2011.<\/p>\n Ole Miss has seen all that, of course. The Rebels have high praise.<\/p>\n \u201cThey got dudes,\u201d Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss said. \u201cTheir front seven, their defensive line, they got dudes up front. They\u2019re physical, high motor defense.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Those dudes are one win away from a spot in the CFP title game, which will be Jan. 19 on Miami’s home field at Hard Rock Stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery person in that locker room is playing for each other,\u201d Bissainthe said. \u201cThat\u2019s what it looks like when we\u2019re out there. No one is just playing for themselves. The brotherhood, I feel like it\u2019s one of the most important things in a team\u2019s culture. You\u2019ve got to play for the person beside of you.\u201d<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n<\/p>\n