Canes Defense Needs Major Help
MIAMI (CBSMiami) – The University of Miami football team is enjoying an offensive renaissance and it's desperately needed with a defense as woeful as "The U's."
The Canes' offense is one of the better in the nation, averaging 35.6 points per game, which is good enough for 37th in the country. The Canes have relied on the offense to key two straight victories over Georgia Tech and North Carolina State, and it all starts with quarterback Stephen Morris.
In the last two weeks, Morris has thrown for 1,002 yards along with seven touchdowns. For the season, Morris is averaging 327 yards and 41 passes per game. He's thrown for 1,635 yards this season and is completing 60 percent of his passes in 2012.
And the Canes have needed it this year because as good as the offense has been in the last two weeks, the defense has been equally bad. In games against NC State and Georgia Tech, UM's defense has given up 1,083 yards of offense.
The Canes, who have put scores of defensive stars into the NFL, have one of the worst defenses in the country and the worst in recent memory. Miami's defense is giving up just less than 495 yards of total offense per game, which is 116th out of 124 teams, according to cfbstats.com.
The Canes defense is giving up 33.4 points per game, which ranks it 100th in the nation. Miami surrenders on average, 225.6 yards on the ground and 269 yards through the air per game.
There is no let up for the Canes on the schedule either. This week, Miami travels to Notre Dame to face a Fighting Irish team that is rapidly improving this season, based on early victories over struggling Big Ten teams.
After this weekend's big matchup, the Canes will return home to battle the North Carolina Tar Heels, who threw up 66 points on the scoreboard against Idaho last weekend.
Then, the big game of the year, the Florida State Seminoles will come to Sun Life Stadium on October 20 to give the Canes a big chance to play spoiler to the Noles. FSU gets NC State this weekend and Boston College the next as tune-ups for the Canes.
