Expletives about Notre Dame were written multiple times in Hurricanes defensive lineman Reuben Bain Jr.’s notebook prior to Miami’s home opener against the Fighting Irish.
He finished that game with six total tackles, a sack, and a game-changing interception.
His dominant performance against rival Notre Dame reflected the edge he’s carried into every game this season — an edge that has elevated him into early Heisman contention.
The Heisman trophy, given to the Nation’s top player, has been historically awarded to skill players on the offensive side of the ball. But, the start of Bain’s 2025 campaign has been so dominant that if he continues his current pace, he will undoubtedly be the most deserving player of the award.
The homegrown junior has been solid on the stat sheet, racking up two sacks, two forced turnovers, and 22 total tackles as part of a Miami defense that has allowed just 11.5 points per game.
As impressive as Bain’s numbers are, his impact this year has gone far beyond the stat sheet.
Bain has scored a Pro Football Focus Grade of over 90 in three of the Hurricanes’ first four games, even earning PFF’s Defensive Player of the Week following a stellar performance against Florida in week four.
Largely due to Bain’s play, quarterbacks against Miami have struggled immensely. The Hurricanes defense has allowed just three touchdowns through the air this season.
While UM’s secondary certainly deserves plenty of credit for their stout pass defense, Bain and the Miami front four have given opposing quarterbacks very little time to get rid of the football, sequentially making the secondary’s job much easier.
Redshirt senior Akheem Mesidor leads the Hurricanes in sacks with two and a half, and his skillset cannot be overstated. That being said, much of his success has come due to all the double teams and attention Bain draws from defenses.
Bain deservedly receives much praise for his pass rushing ability, but he has been equally impressive as a run-stopper for the ‘Canes’ defense. As high as his PFF pass rush grades have been, his rush defense grades have been extraordinary as well.
Beyond his own personal achievements, Bain’s case for the Heisman has only been intensified by his lack of competition.
Preseason front runners for the award like quarterbacks Arch Manning and Cade Klubnik have been unremarkable to start their seasons, and very few receivers or running backs across the nation have made Heisman-worthy impacts for their respective teams.
Still, there are a few serious competitors that may challenge Bain in his Heisman campaign.
Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer led the Sooners to a red hot 4-0 start, but has since fallen out of the race due to a hand injury that will sideline him for a significant amount of time.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has had similar success to Mateer, putting up fantastic numbers as part of a thriving Hoosiers team. In his last matchup against Illinois, Mendoza threw an impressive five passing touchdowns on route to a 63-10 blowout victory.
Bain’s own teammate Carson Beck has also received Heisman consideration as the leader of the Miami offense, but an ordinary performance against Florida in Miami’s last matchup significantly dropped his odds to win the award.
The quarterback position is generally considered to be the most important in football, with seven of the last ten Heisman winners being field generals.
The only defensive lineman to win the award is Notre Dame icon Leon Hart, who played both sides of the ball as both an edge rusher and tight end.
Only two other defensive players besides Hart have won the Heisman, with defensive back Charles Woodson taking the honors in 1997 and dual-threat star Travis Hunter winning the award in 2024.
However, the precedent of defensive players being overlooked by the Heisman committee should not result in Bain receiving the same unfair treatment.
If quarterbacks are supposedly the most influential players in football, then perhaps more recognition should be given to defensive linemen like Bain who have the greatest ability to impact QB performance relative to any other position.
Out of all the defensive linemen this college football season, no player has been able to impact the game this year like Bain has. He doesn’t have the flashiest numbers compared to some of his counterparts, but the fear factor he brings to the Miami defense is immeasurable.
It only may be week five of the college football season, but Bain seems to have already cemented himself as the best college football player in the nation. If he can continue the dominance he’s already put on display through weeks one through four, Bain should become the first Miami player to win the Heisman since quarterback Gino Torretta in 1992.