CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The 14th-ranked Miami Hurricanes are aware of Duke quarterback Daniel Jones’ running ability.

Malek Young has 8 tackles, 2.5 for a loss, 1 interception, and 1 pass breakup this season

Jones, who has rushed for at least 50 yards in five of his last 10 games including a career-best 108 yards against Northwestern on Sept. 9, is a key to stopping the Blue Devils on Friday (7 p.m., ESPN).

“He loves to throw the ball,” cornerback Malek Young said. “He takes hits. He don’t like to slide and what we’re going to do is—the goal is to get him out the game. Get him out the game and it’s going to be a good game.”

Jones has guided the Blue Devils to a 4-0 overall mark, 1-0 in the ACC, this season after going 4-8 last year in his first year as a starter.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pound sophomore is averaging 226.0 passing yards and 35.0 rushing yards a game with eight total touchdowns to two interceptions this season after averaging 236.3 and 40.5 with 23 touchdowns and nine interceptions last year.

“The first thing that defines him is his toughness and if your quarterback is tough, then your offense is tough,” defensive coordinator Manny Diaz said. “The offense takes on the personality of its quarterback. He don’t slide. He can take a hit. He took some hits in our game a year ago. He’s taken some hits this year, but when you see him lower his shoulder and get a first down, I’d imagine that gets everybody on their football team excited to play because they know he’s tough and he doesn’t flinch. Certainly they’ve got weapons.

“What he presents as a runner, the quarterback-run game will really be in play this week for the first time—it really wasn’t as much the first two weeks—really the first dual-threat guy we’ve gone against. We knew going in that he would be one of the two returning starters (in the ACC) we face this year at quarterback and that’s what gave Duke confidence. You see that in the way they started the year and I think a lot of that goes back to who they have in the driver’s seat.”

Jones completed 34 of 50 passes for 316 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 15 yards in a 40-21 loss to Miami last season.

Miami (2-0, 0-0) has allowed 286.5 passing yards a game, which ranks 13th in the ACC, and is seventh in pass efficiency defense with a 123.6 rating.

"We can improve in our Cover 2 coverage, getting the jam, focusing on our man, and just reading the quarterback," Young said. "But all of our DBs, I love them and I trust the DBs that we've got. We're like family. I trust what they do when they're filling gaps, making tackles, and it sets me on my edge to make tackles. I just love what we do on defense."

The Hurricanes will travel to Duke on Thursday ahead of Friday’s game.

Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by e-mail at stock@insidetheu.com

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