Mario Cristobal had plenty to like after Miami’s 52-3 rout of Central Michigan, but he made it clear Monday that the Hurricanes’ next test will demand a sharper edge.
Miami rolled to 572 total yards on Saturday night, averaged 8.4 yards per play and found the end zone on six of seven trips inside the red zone. The defense held Central Michigan to 158 yards, just 3.1 yards per snap, and forced three turnovers in a game that got out of hand quickly. The Hurricanes also spread the workload across 59 players on offense and defense.
Cristobal appeared Monday morning on WQAM’s The Joe Rose Show, where he looked back at the win and turned the page toward October and a road trip to Clemson.
Quarterback Darian Mensah continued to impress, finishing 23 of 27 for 338 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver Malachi Toney was again a major factor, hauling in six catches for 120 yards and a score. Reserve back Chris Wheatley-Humphrey led the ground game with 104 rushing yards and a touchdown, doing his damage in fourth-quarter action.
On defense, Marquise Lightfoot set the tone with 2.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and a forced fumble. Cam Pruitt led Miami with six tackles.
Cristobal said injured players Mark Fletcher and Ahmad Moten, who were held out against Central Michigan as a precaution, are expected back for Clemson.
He also praised Mensah’s early-season approach, saying, "I love his approach to the game. It is attack, attack, attack," Cristobal said.
Miami’s offensive line rotation was another point of emphasis against the Chippewas. True freshman Ben Congdon and UGA transfer Jamal Meriweather got work at the guard spots, and Cristobal liked what he saw from that group as well as the response from starters SJ Alofaituli and Max Buchanan.
"They all improved and showed they could play some winning football for us," Cristobal said. "We are going to do whatever we can do to make sure we play who gives us the best chance to win."
Jackson Cantwell, who had previously played right guard this season, shifted to left tackle in the second half when the reserves entered. Cristobal said Cantwell also lined up there in pregame warmups and added, "His natural home is tackle and he did a really good job for us at tackle," Cristobal said.
Javian Mallory made his first start for Miami and produced 30 rushing yards and a touchdown while also catching two passes for 26 yards. Cristobal pointed to the true freshman’s strength and growth in protection.
"He is a strong runner and has great contact balance," Cristobal said. "He has really tightened up his protection. He continues to get better and better and when he touches the ball, he makes the most of his opportunities."
Cristobal also singled out Toney’s work away from the ball. "I don't think he gets enough credit for his blocking.
I think he is one of the best in all of college football. He is an excellent blocker.
"
Even with the blowout win, the penalties stood out. Miami was flagged 13 times for 112 yards, and Cristobal said the pre-snap mistakes were the ones that bothered him most.
"The ones that are inexcusable are the pre-snap penalties…We did really well with penalties until Saturday. We can't rationalize it with our players at all. We have to get a better result," Cristobal said.
Clemson comes in at 3-1 after a 24-10 win at California on Friday night. The Tigers’ lone loss was a 51-10 defeat at LSU in Week 1, and Cristobal noted how different they’ve looked since then.
"They had a tough first game and since then they are 3-0. They are allowing 12 points per game and they haven't allowed a touchdown in the last three games. They are outscoring opponents 42-6 in the second half of the last three games."
In Other News...
Clemson Just Got A Tougher Miami Test Than Expected
Miami got a welcome update heading into its matchup with Clemson, with coach Mario Cristobal saying running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. are expected to be available. Both had been held out of the previous game after picking up minor injuries against Wake Forest, leaving the Hurricanes a little thinner than usual in two important spots.
Now, those absences appear to be short-lived, and that matters in a game where Miami will want as much stability as possible on both sides of the ball. Fletcher gives the Hurricanes another option in the backfield, while Motens presence up front helps a defense that will be tested in a big way, even as Cristobal says both players are healthy and ready to go. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Suddenly Has A Real RB2 Debate Before Clemson
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey gave Miami something to think about in the win over Central Michigan, turning 11 carries into more than 100 yards and a touchdown while Mark Fletcher Jr. was held out to get ready for Clemson. The timing matters because the Hurricanes have been searching for clarity behind their feature back, and the latest outing only sharpened the conversation. When a reserve back puts together that kind of performance, it changes how a depth chart looks heading into a much bigger stage.
Mario Cristobal said Fletcher was rested with Clemson in mind, and Miami appears headed toward a committee approach for the RB2 role anyway. Wheatley-Humphrey, Girard Pringle and Jordan Lyle are all in the mix, which gives the Hurricanes options but also leaves the pecking order unsettled. Against a defense like Clemsons, the question is not just who gets the next carry, but who can earn the staffs trust when the game gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Heads Into Clemson With A New Look Fans Will Notice
Miamis 52-3 rout of Central Michigan pushed the Hurricanes to 4-0 and kept the momentum rolling into a marquee trip to Clemson, but the more immediate buzz around the program is the lineup getting healthier at just the right time. Several key pieces are expected back from injury, including Mark Fletcher Jr., Ahmad Moten Sr., Armondo Blount and Damari Brown, giving Mario Cristobals team a different look as it prepares for one of its biggest tests of the season.
The timing matters even more after Miami climbed to No. 4 in the AP Poll following Ole Misss loss, a sign that the Hurricanes have gone from early-season riser to a team with real weight in the national conversation. Between the reinforcements on the roster, the latest poll jump and a program still getting solid visibility from its players in the NFL, this is one of those stretch-point moments where the details around the game start to matter almost as much as the game itself. [Read more 🡒]