Colin McCarthy woke up at 6 a.m. Tuesday, the result of practices being moved from 5:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. once a week. If you're a University of Miami football player, that's called ``sleeping in.''

McCarthy, the Hurricanes' strong-side linebacker, could use the extra sleep. So could the rest of the UM defense. After allowing 555 yards in a one-point victory at Wake Forest that stretched nearly 100 plays, the weary Canes acknowledged they can't continue down this path.

Safety Randy Phillips promised that when No. 16 Miami (6-2, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) meets Virginia (3-5, 2-2) at noon Saturday at Land Shark Stadium, UM will play with energy and purpose from start to finish.

``We will do that,'' Phillips said. ``We can't get into one of those games like we had last game. It was too tiring, too exhausting, a lot of headaches. Great game for the spectators, but 97 plays on defense is too many.

``We're working on some things to change that. We're going to practice a little harder and smarter, get guys healthy and come out and be real fresh. And it's going to be hot, so we'll practice in the heat, and hopefully the heat will play a role in our victory.''

The getting-guys-healthy part might be harder than he thinks.

UM coach Randy Shannon hates talking about injuries, but on Tuesday he said this was the worst he's ever seen in his football career.

``I've never had this many injuries, even as a player,'' Shannon said. ``And we've never had this many on one side of the football -- the defense. Think about it. We're missing Ryan Hill, Marcus Forston, Adewale Ojomo, Andrew Smith, Sean Spence, Jordan Futch, Ray Ray Armstrong, Jo Nicolas . . . There are a lot of guys who have had a lot of experience in games that are not out there.

``Are any guys coming back? No, not right now. The other guys have to step it up.''

OVERWHELMED

Wake Forest marched up and down the field, almost at will, devouring UM's secondary with short- to middle-range passes. UM's defense left the middle of the field especially vulnerable.

``A lot of blitzing, a lot of quick passing, crossing routes, trying to do pick routes and things like that,'' Shannon said. ``Last week, Riley Skinner made some great throws. I can't tell the secondary guys `you screwed up' -- they were great throws. We just have to make plays.''

After UM's first four games, it was ranked 29th nationally in pass defense, allowing 178 yards per game. After eight games, it is 64th, allowing 220. The Hurricanes gave up 408 passing yards last week.

UM also gave up the most first downs in its history: 33.

``We're not the same team we were earlier in the season,'' Shannon said. ``The first four games, we had a lot of guys who were on the roster that were healthy. Those guys are out, and we have other guys that have to step up.

``As coaches, we're going to grind those guys every day and teach them what we need to get done. And if they don't understand, we're going to keep grinding them. Because right now, this part of the season, it's all about execution.''

McCarthy and defensive end Allen Bailey are two players who have dominated. Bailey leads the team in tackles for a loss (9.5) and sacks (7). McCarthy leads UM with 60 tackles and had a team-high 11 tackles the past two games.

PUSHING THROUGH

McCarthy, who missed most of 2008 with a shoulder injury, is one guy who plays through pain.

``Every game, he's fighting an injury, whether it's a shoulder, knee, ankle, whatever,'' cornerback Chavez Grant said. ``He's a warrior. My mom says he's her favorite player behind me. He's intense, and he's going to give it his all.''

McCarthy said it's part of the game. ``A lot of people are banged up,'' he said. ``But you get to a point where you've got to keep pushing. The coaches are doing a good job now of giving us time to rest, getting our legs back and trying to finish the season out strong.

``Actually, I feel pretty healthy now.''

As for the 555 yards, McCarthy laughed. ``Yeah, that's pretty impressive,'' he said, ``and for us still to win . . . Give them credit, but the win is all that really matters.''

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