Miami Hasn’t Met an Offense Yet It Couldn’t Tackle : Hurricanes: The speed of nation’s top defense figures to give San Diego State problems.

SAN DIEGO —  When last seen, the San Diego State receiving corps was running fly patterns and post patterns and test patterns and probably plaids and solids around the Brigham Young secondary.

Linebackers assigned to Marshall Faulk on passing routes are still looking for him.

Don’t look for another 52-52 game when the Aztecs travel to Miami for a 4:30 p.m. game Saturday. The offensive edge might not look so lopsided against the Hurricanes--the undefeated, No. 1-ranked, least scored-upon team in the nation.

This is a defense whose safety made 18 tackles against Florida State, then ranked No. 1. A team whose speed on defense is so impressive that several starters run track in the spring (and usually win). A defense that loses All-American linemen like Russell Maryland and Cortez Kennedy to the NFL and hardly skips a beat. A defense that has given up two plays longer than 50 yards all season and has allowed a high of 20 points--to Penn State.

“Their defense has the best team speed, maybe, in the country along the front seven,” Aztec Coach Al Luginbill said. “This defense has a minimum of seven potential top three rounds NFL draft choices. You try to force things against this defense and you’ll be in serious trouble.”

The difference between this Miami defense and recent editions is there is no overwhelming 300-pound tackle, a la Kennedy two years ago and Maryland last season. There is a good group of about eight linemen, almost all in the 240- to 265-pound range, who play interchangeably. All but one are underclassmen.

With Miami coaches considering the line a year away from maturing, the focus of the defense is the linebacking corps of Butkus Award candidate Darrin Smith, Micheal Barrow and Jessie Armstead, all juniors. For a defense allowing an average of only 8.8 points and has held four teams to a field goal or less, they rank 1-2-3 on the team in tackles. Smith, the swiftest of the three, leads the ‘Canes with six tackles for losses. They have combined for seven quarterback sacks.

“We’re not as physical at defensive tackle as we were a year ago, but our linebackers are playing very well,” Miami Coach Dennis Erickson said. “We’ve probably got a little more team speed and they play hard.”

Sonny Lubick, Erickson’s defensive coordinator, said, “They’re just playing so well together. I think the fact that we don’t have the big superstars, the kids have taken it upon themselves to do the job. The staff didn’t know we’d be this good. We’ve had the ball moved against us but the guys find a way to keep you out of the end zone.

“The key is they’re playing hard and the linebackers are the fastest around. I can’t imagine a better linebacker than Darrin . . . and Barrow and Armstead, when they’re all healthy, are as quick as you can find.”

Named a Kodak All-American this week, Smith has 112 tackles, highlighted by 18 against Florida State and 15 against Penn State. The junior, who runs a 4.4 40-yard dash, is listed at 228 pounds--he’s probably lighter--and was the least heralded of the three as a 210-pound lineman at Miami’s Norland High who ran a 4.6.

“He’s a very hard worker, tremendously coachable,” Lubick said. “He played the line in high school but he stood out on special teams, I think that’s why (Jimmy Johnson) recruited him.”

Barrow, who redshirted as a freshman, was the focus of an intense recruiting battle between Miami and Florida, and announced his decision to attend Miami at a press conference seen statewide. The next year, Armstead was considered the nation’s top linebacking prospect in Dallas. The two competed for the same spot last year, with Barrow replacing Armstead in the starting lineup late in the season. The 227-pound Barrow has 99 tackles this season with a best of 13 against Florida State. The 218-pound Armstead has 90 tackles, has caused two fumbles and recovered another.

Miami’s defensive numbers are impressive across the board, but Lubick has a favorite statistic. The Miami offense has turned over the ball 22 times, and only Florida State has been able to follow up with a touchdown.

“We take pride in what we call the sudden change,” Lubick said. “Only once has a team scored (a touchdown) and that was Florida State on fourth down. Teams have gotten only one touchdown and two field goals after 22 turnovers.”

Miami’s line has featured 250-pound sophomore Rusty Medearis, who leads the ‘Canes with 10 sacks, but he might miss Saturday’s game with a sprained ankle. He only saw long-snapping duty in last week’s 19-14 victory over Boston College. The only lineman in the traditional mold is 290-pound junior Mark Caesar. The one who has caught coaches’ attention lately is 6-foot-6, 255-pound freshman Patrick Riley.

“By the time he’s done, he might be as good as we’ve ever had here,” Lubick said. “When he goes in, we don’t fall off.”

San Diego State’s offense puts pressure on defensive backfields, but Miami’s appears capable--at least more capable than BYU’s. Darryl Williams, a junior safety, might be the team’s best athlete. He was an all-state 200-meter runner and 6-11 high jumper in high school. Along with 18 tackles against Florida State, he had 12 against Penn State. He also has two interceptions.

“He’s a tough kid,” Lubick said. “When he hits you, he hits you.”

Junior Ryan McNeil has been the leading cornerback, with four interceptions and 15 passes broken up, five against Florida State. Hurley Brown and Charles Pharms alternate at strong safety. Herbert James plays the other corner.

Both safeties saw extensive action in last year’s 30-28 Miami victory against the Aztecs. Last year’s starting corners are both in the NFL.

Lubick said the Aztec receivers “have got our attention, they’re as skilled as we’ve played all year. (Patrick) Rowe turned us around last year.”

However, Lubick said, the Hurricanes have an advantage in that they practice against their own receivers, including Kevin Williams.

“We play good receivers all year . . . our own guys,” he said, “and these (secondary) guys match up pretty well.” Do they match up with SDSU’s receivers?

“I guess we’ll find out Saturday,” Erickson said. “We’ve got to keep them from getting the big play, force ‘em to drive it downfield on us. If we get in a scoring match, I don’t know if we can keep up with them.”