Elija Lofton is starting to make his case in the middle of Miami’s offense, and the latest example came in the Hurricanes’ 38-35 win over UNC at Chapel Hill.
The junior tight end posted a season-high 48 receiving yards on three catches last Saturday, but the number that mattered most came on a second-and-seven in the fourth quarter. After edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot forced a fumble and defensive tackle Justin Scott recovered it, Miami needed a drive that would push the lead into double digits.
Darian Mensah delivered a short pass to Lofton, and from there the tight end did the rest. He hurdled redshirt sophomore safety Greg Smith III, shook off linebacker Derek McDonald, slipped past Peyton Seelmann, and finally got taken down by safety Jaiden Patterson after turning the play into a 12-yard first down.
Miami finished that possession with a nine-yard touchdown from rising star wide receiver Malachi Toney.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson didn’t hesitate when asked about the sequence on Monday. He called it "the play of the game."
"If he gets tackled, that’s a third-and-long," he said. "It puts us in a situation where that gets a little sticky. That play, making that guy miss and getting the first down, really jump-started us to score on that drive."
Lofton’s role has grown over the last six games, and he has made the most of it as Miami’s top tight end and the most experienced player in the room. After spending time behind Elijah Arroyo and Alex Bauman in recent seasons, he’s finally getting the chance to show what he can do in a bigger role.
He isn’t the flashiest piece in a loaded offense, but he has been productive for the nation’s top-ranked team. His usage began to climb in Miami’s 33-20 win over Wake Forest on Sept. 18, when he caught five passes on seven targets for 39 yards and a touchdown.
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For the Hurricanes, Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney will be central to whatever they do offensively, and Notre Dame has its own answer in quarterback CJ Carr. With both teams arriving highly ranked and playing with plenty on the line, this one has the ingredients of a playoff-caliber measuring stick, even before a single snap is taken in South Bend. [Read more 🡒]
Arizona Faces An Early Test That Could Expose Everything Fast
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For Arizona, the spotlight comes with an added layer of uncertainty, since eligibility questions are already affecting the lineup picture. RJ Godfrey is among the players whose status could alter how the Wildcats look right away, and that kind of early roster wrinkle can matter as much as the opponent in a game like this. With key matchups and game times set for opening day, the first real test may tell a lot about which teams are ready and which ones still have work to do. [Read more 🡒]