Just saw that report about Rueben Bain Jr. It's a tragic situation, and it puts a lot of the offseason noise into perspective. Football is secondary to life.
But looking at the ACC defensively, Miami losing a player of that caliber for the draft is a massive hit for the conference's defensive identity. Bain was a force, generating a top-15 pressure rate in the Power Four last year. His departure, along with other stars leaving, means the ACC's collective defensive front is losing a ton of proven production right before our eyes.
This is where Wake Forest's scheme has to be the difference. We don't recruit at that Miami level, so our defensive identity can't be based on having a Bain on the edge every year. It has to be about complexity and disguise. Our base three-down front and simulated pressures have to generate havoc without a singular superstar. Last season, the defense ranked 40th in defensive SP+ despite not having a first-round talent. That's the model. If the ACC's defensive reputation dips with these NFL departures, it's a chance for a program like ours to climb by being more sound and confusing than everyone else. We win with scheme, not just athletes.