Sports

Miami’s Offensive Line Dwarfs Indiana’s Defensive Line With Major Height And Weight Advantage

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Miami Indiana Size Difference Offensive Defensive Line Preview Height Weight Advantage
© Jerome Miron/Imagn Images — © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-TImes / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Indiana and Miami are going to play for a national championship in college football. The Hurricanes have a major size advantage over the Hoosiers in the trenches.

Their offensive line is significantly larger than the defensive line.

True ball-knowers understand that these two positions groups are built completely differently and have very different jobs. It is also worth noting that height and weight (or lack thereof) has not been an issue for the top-ranked team in college football throughout the entire season thus far. Still, it is significant.

Miami’s offensive line is massive.

The current starting lineup for the Hurricanes features five absolute monsters on the offensive line. All but one of them stand 6-foot-6 or taller. The other is listed at 6-foot-3.

Right tackle Francis Mauigoa is currently projected as a first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. He is listed on the roster at 6-foot-6, 335 pounds.

Right guard Anez Cooper will also hear his name called in April. He is listed on the roster at 6-foot-6, 350 pounds.

Center James Brockermeyer is the smallest player on the line. He played extremely well against Ole Miss at “only” 6-foot-3, 295 pounds.

Samson Okunlola and Matthew McCoy both split time at left guard this season. McCoy is listed on the roster at 6-foot-6, 325 pounds. Okunlola is listed as five pounds heavier at the same height.

That leads us to left tackle Markel Bell. He is the largest player on the entire team at 6-foot-9, 340 pounds and has not allowed a single sack this season.

If we are to average it out, the offensive line for Miami stands at 6-foot-6, 329 pounds.

Indiana’s defensive line is small.

The Hoosiers use a heavy rotation on the defensive line. They rotate eight or nine different guys.

Stephen Daley is the star but he is out for the season. That requires Tyrique Tucker, Daniel Ndukwe, Mario Landino, Dominique Ratcliff and Mikail Kamara to step up.

Tucker is listed on the roster at only 6-foot-0, 302 pounds. Ndukwe is a little taller at 6-foot-3 but weighs only 240 pounds. Kamara is 265 pounds at 6-foot-1. Landino is 275 pounds at 6-foot-4. Ratcliff is the biggest of the group overall at 6-foot-3, 295 pounds.

If we are to average it out, the defensive line for Indiana stands at 6-foot-2, 275 pounds.

We have seen this group dominate much larger offensive lines throughout the entire season so it’s not like their “inferior” size is causing. I mean, just look at Kamara on this rep:

That does not change the reality of the situation. Factually speaking, on average, Miami’s offensive line out-weighs Indiana’s offensive line by more than 50 pounds. The Hurricanes also have a four-inch advantage over the Hoosiers. Size matters but it is all about how you use it.