In their regular-season finale on Saturday against Pittsburgh, the Hurricanes defense was an absolute force, keeping the Coastal Division champion Panthers out of the end zone and holding Pitt’s vaunted running backs to a combined 69 yards.
That defensive performance in Miami’s 24-3 win on Saturday was the latest impressive showing put together by a unit that finished the regular season as the No. 2 defense in the nation and the top defense in the ACC.
But that group — which featured the ACC’s individual leader in tackles for loss and the stingiest pass defense in the conference — landed just one player on the All-ACC first team, junior linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, who finished second on the team with 76 tackles.