The impressive data on UM’s offensive line and how much the unit has improved

There are several tangible signs of progress in Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal’s second season and none are bigger than this:

The play in the trenches is appreciably better.

“I feel we have the best O line in the country, along with the best O line coach [Alex Mirabal],” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said, noting that freshman quarterback Emory Williams “got hit one time… against a really, really tough [Clemson] defensive front.”

To appreciate the level of improvement, consider this:

According to Pro Football Focus, UM offensive linemen have allowed only six sacks (one by backup Logan Sagapolu) and 41 quarterback pressures through more than half the regular season schedule.

That’s a pace for 10 sacks and 70 quarterback pressures permitted over 12 games – which would be exceptional.

As perspective, last year’s UM offensive linemen permitted 20 sacks and 112 pressures.

UM’s offensive line is comprised of “legitimate, hard-working, tough, resilient, accountable, physical, smart, cohesive human beings that are team-first guys,” Cristobal said, with his 5-2 team preparing for Saturday’s home game against Virginia (3:30 p.m., ACC Network).

“They have great personalities, are natural leaders by what they do, by example. The culture of that room just gets better and better and better.”

Here’s how UM’s centers, guards and tackles have performed as pass blockers and run blockers compared with last season, per PFF:

▪ Tackles: Left tackle Jalen Rivers has permitted nine pressures and two sacks in 249 pass rushing chances. His move from guard to tackle has generally been a success.

Five-star freshman right tackle Francis Mauigoa has yielded 14 pressures and three sacks in 244 pass blocking snaps; some growing pains were natural for any freshman offensive lineman, but his talent is evident.

As for UM’s tackles last season…John Campbell yielded five sacks and 19 pressures and DJ Scaife permitted two sacks and 15 pressures.

As run blockers, PFF gives high marks to Rivers (71 grade) and Mauigoa (65), compared with 62.1 for Scaife and 52.6 for Campbell last season.

So there has been a clear upgrade at tackle.

▪ Center: This was a clear upgrade, as well, from Jakai Clark to Matt Lee. Clark left for SMU after Lee’s arrival from UCF.

Lee has yielded only three pressures and no sacks in 242 pass blocking snaps, compared with 14 pressures and one sack relinquished by Clark in 368 pass blocking snaps last season.

PFF grades Lee as a top run-blocker (74.7), compared with Clark’s 58.2 run blocking grade last season.

▪ Guards: Anez Cooper -- the one returning starter who’s at the same position as a year ago -- is much improved.

Last year, he yielded 12 pressures and two sacks in 184 pass rushing snaps. This season, UM’s starting right guard has relinquished just three pressures and no sacks in 249 pass blocking snaps.

Left guard Javion Cohen hasn’t allowed a sack and has yielded eight pressures in 241 pass blocking snaps. Rivers, who played guard for UM last season, allowed 13 pressures and two sacks at that position in 2022.

And PFF rates Cohen better as a run-blocking guard than Rivers performed at guard before Rivers’ move to tackle in the spring.

Mirabal’s coaching is a key component.

“He’s very, very good at his job,” Mauigoa said. “He’s always pushing everyone, to work on technique.”

THIS AND THAT

Defensive coordinator Lance Guidry made a smart move shifting to a three defensive lineman/three linebacker/five defensive back grouping in the win against Clemson.

That’s a departure from UM’s traditional four-man defensive line.

“We picked it up fast, learned it, did some walk-throughs with it,” linebacker Wesley Bissainthe said of the 3-3 stack. “We knew it would be something the offense couldn’t handle. It was just going out there and making it happen. We’re all athletic, all able to make plays.”

Because UM was playing only three defensive linemen, Jahfari Harvey played only 16 snaps and Chantz Williams 8 against Clemson, even with defensive ends Akheem Mesidor and Nyjalik Kelly missing the game. Kelly is out for the season. Freshman phenom Rueben Bain played 62 snaps against Clemson.

▪ Bain has a remarkable five sacks and 29 pressures in 185 pass rushing snaps. None of the other freshman defenders are playing much.

The four freshman linebackers “have done a great job on scout team, are going to be some good football players,” Guidry said.

Defensive tackle Joshua Horton “is getting better, but if you don’t come the spring of your freshman year it’s hard,” Guidry said. “Horton is going to develop when he develops. He has gotten better; just not there yet.”

▪ Tight end Elijah Arroyo continues being brought along slowly from last September’s knee injury. He played 18 offensive snaps against Clemson, compared with 71 for Cam McCormick and 22 for Riley Williams. Arroyo played six offensive snaps against North Carolina in his season debut.

▪ Former South Florida sportscaster Jorge Sedano and former UM offensive lineman Orlando Franklin call Saturday’s 3:30 p.m. home game against Virginia on ACC Network.