College football: 6 things to know about Miami’s home opener against UNLV

Here are six things to know heading into Miami’s home-opener:

1. Offensive growth behind Finn

The offense rebounded from a stagnant opener at Wisconsin. Transfer quarterback Dequan Finn produced big chunk plays through the air and on scrambles, helping Miami move the ball consistently in Week 2 at Rutgers.

The challenge now is converting yardage on third downs and into points.

2. Defensive consistency

Miami allowed extended drives against Rutgers without giving up explosive plays.

Martin said if the defense “fit the run right, we’d be fine. Fit it wrong, we got knocked off the ball.”

Third-down defense and pass rush remain focal points after the RedHawks failed to pressure the quarterback or cover effectively in key situations.

3. Special teams praise

Martin praised Miami punter Pierse Stainton and the special teams coverage units in the early going.

“Special teams was good against a team that really prides itself on special teams,” Martin said of Rutgers.

4. A maturation process

Martin emphasized that a young defense must mature quickly.

“Your 20th game is going to look different,” the coach said. “We have to grow up quicker — we can’t wait for game 20.”

With UNLV coming to Yager on Saturday, the RedHawks will try to turn early-season hard lessons into their first win, backed by a home crowd and a more balanced offense.

5. Physicality could set tone

Martin said the Rebels “physically got after UCLA,” overpowering the Bruins on key third-and-short situations.

He warned that Miami must match UNLV’s strength in the trenches and avoid being “overwhelmed in a hurry” by the Rebels’ athletic defensive front and aggressive secondary.

6. UNLV has dual-threat QB, deep skill positions

UNLV quarterback Anthony Colandrea is a seasoned dual-threat transfer from Virginia, complemented by plenty of options in the running game.

Martin said the Rebels’ big, athletic offensive line and wide receiver depth — as nine different players caught passes in their opener against Idaho State. Multiple running backs add balance, making Miami’s defensive assignments critical.