Dabo Swinney on No. 4 Miami Hurricanes: 'Really Don't Have Any Weaknesses'

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In Tuesday’s media availability, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney hardly sees an area in which the No. 4 Miami Hurricanes struggle ahead of Saturday’s Atlantic Coast Conference clash on prime time.

“This is a team that, in my opinion, really don’t have any weaknesses,” he said. “It’s a really, really talented football team across the board.”

Swinney believes the Hurricanes have “multiple Heisman candidates.”

However, this weekend won’t be the first time facing quarterback Darian Mensah and wide receiver Cooper Barkate. Last season, with the Duke Blue Devils, they went to Memorial Stadium, otherwise known as Death Valley, and left with a 46-45 win.

Mensah completed 27 of 41 passes (65.9) percent and threw for 361 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions. On the Blue Devils’ final drive, he led the offense 94 yards down the field on 11 plays and handed the ball to running back Nate Sheppard for the game-leading touchdown.

In the same game, Barkate led the team with 127 yards on six catches and scored a touchdown.

The former Blue Devils duo haven’t connected as much to start this season, as the Hurricanes provided Mensah with a plethora of weapons. He’s taken full advantage as the Football Bowl Subdivision’s current completion percentage leader – 88.7 percent.

Swinney alluded to Mensah’s awareness and reading defenses being remarkable traits.

“He don’t get rattled,” he added. “It doesn’t matter what you do. Whether you blitz him or whatever, he don’t get rattled. He knows where everybody on the field is. You can tell he has great recognition. We got our hands full for sure.”

Clemson junior linebacker Sammy Brown will look to challenge Mensah’s ability to execute. The former ACC Defensive Player of the Year led the team with 10 total tackles in the last outing. However, it wasn’t enough to stop Mensah from delivering in a hostile environment.

Although the Hurricanes have been dominant to start the year, an area Swinney could look to attack is the secondary. Even with junior cornerback Xavier Lucas’ return “potentially” looming, defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman has needed to move pieces around with several injuries, including junior Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr. and sophomore Ja’Boree Antoine.

However, in an attempt to test the resilience of the defensive backfield, freshman quarterback Tait Reynolds has to show accuracy, especially when going deep. In the last three games, he’s completed 50 of 78 passes (64.1 percent) and thrown for 499 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

The 19-year-old has at least seven passes completed with a gain of 20-plus yards, including two with a gain of at least 40 yards.

Another area Swinney could look to attack is the offensive line. After losing four starters to the NFL, the Hurricanes had to form a new unit. Although it features veterans, such as left tackle Samson Okunlola, center Ryan Rodriguez, and right tackle Matthew McCoy, the “weak link” falls on sophomores left guard Seuseu “SJ” Alofaituli and right guard Max Buchanan.

Clemson has carved out 73 pressures on the season and senior edge rusher Will Hedlt leads with 17, including 10 hurries, two quarterback hits, and four sacks (tied for third-most in the ACC).

Mensah has been brought down three times on the season thus far. He can operate in and out of the pocket; extend plays with his legs. According to Pro Football Focus, in 57 dropbacks when blitzed and/or under pressure, Mensah has completed 44 of 53 passes (83 percent) and thrown for 702 yards and nine touchdowns with no interceptions.

The Hurricanes have another big test approaching, with kickoff scheduled for 7:30 p.m. E.T. and will be televised on ABC.

Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: alexagmu@gmail.com & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports

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