Marcus Freeman isn’t pretending Miami’s top weapons are anything less than a problem.
With No. 1 Miami heading to South Bend to face No.
4 Notre Dame, the Irish coach spent his Monday press conference zeroing in on quarterback Darian Mensah and receiver Malachi Toney. Freeman had praise for both, and he didn’t hide how much respect he has for what they bring to the Hurricanes offense.
“I think he's a great quarterback/athlete, but he's a really good game manager,” Freeman said of Mensah during his Monday press conference. “He doesn't make bad decisions.
As you look at his career, 40 touchdowns, zero interceptions in the red zone. So, he makes really good decisions.”
Freeman was even more effusive when the conversation turned to Toney.
“He does everything well. Not only does he catch, he runs, he blocks, he's a punt returner. He does everything well, and plays the game the right way,” he said.
That kind of versatility is exactly why Toney has become such a headache for defenses. Freeman has already seen it up close.
Last year, Toney - then a 17-year-old who was just a few months removed from being a junior in high school - carved up Notre Dame’s secondary for six catches, 82 yards and a touchdown. Now a sophomore, he’s only taken another step, becoming the player Miami leans on whenever it needs a spark.
Mensah brings a different kind of danger, but the same kind of poise. This will be his first game against Notre Dame, yet he’s already shown he can handle the spotlight.
Freeman pointed to Mensah’s performance for Duke last season, when he threw a couple of touchdowns on a chilly, windy night in Charlotte to help the Blue Devils win the ACC Championship. He also led Duke to road wins over Clemson last year, and he answered again in Week 9 against North Carolina, helping Miami rally from multiple deficits in a back-and-forth game.
That’s what makes this matchup so tricky for Notre Dame. Mensah and Toney aren’t just talented; they’ve shown they can deliver when the moment gets loud.
Freeman knows the challenge isn’t about wishing them away. It’s about finding a defense that can actually make those wishes come true.
And as far as he’s concerned, that’s the part that will keep him up this week.
In Other News...
Miami Gets A Big Opening In Notre Dames Secondary
Notre Dames secondary is suddenly a little more vulnerable heading into its matchup with No. 1 Miami, after cornerback DJ McKinney was ruled out for an extended stretch with an ankle injury suffered Oct. 17. McKinney had started every game this season and been a major part of the Irish back end, so his absence changes the look of a defense that has leaned on him all fall.
Sophomore Jayden Sanders is expected to step into the starting role in McKinneys place, giving Miami a different matchup to attack in a game that already carries major weight. For the Hurricanes, any opening in the secondary matters, especially against a Notre Dame defense that will be trying to hold up without one of its most dependable corners and hope McKinney can work his way back by the College Football Playoffs. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Escaped UNC But A Bigger Problem Should Worry Hurricanes Fans
Miami got the result it needed in Chapel Hill, edging North Carolina 38-35 to snap a frustrating run against the Tar Heels and finally get over the hump in a matchup that had gone the other way far too often. But the win came with plenty of unease attached, because the Hurricanes spent most of the afternoon chasing the game on defense and never looked fully in control against a UNC offense that kept finding answers.
The numbers behind the performance were hard to ignore, from North Carolina converting 8 of 11 third downs to a coverage grade from Pro Football Focus that reflected just how much Miami struggled on the back end. Mario Cristobal pointed to missed tackles and incomplete finishes after the game, and the broader concern is obvious for the Hurricanes: defending mobile quarterbacks on the road is already a tough assignment, and this one showed how quickly a conference game can turn into a stress test. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces Its Toughest Test Yet With Everything On The Line
Miamis trip to South Bend on Nov. 7 has the feel of a measuring-stick game with real College Football Playoff weight behind it. The No. 1 Hurricanes and No. 4 Notre Dame are meeting in a matchup that carries plenty of history, but the present-day stakes are what make it stand out, with both teams bringing strong recent performances and a handful of high-end playmakers into the spotlight.
Darian Mensah and Malachi Toney have given Miami plenty to build around on offense, while Notre Dame has its own answer in quarterback CJ Carr. Coaches on both sides have already framed this one as the kind of game that can reveal plenty about where each program stands, and for Miami, it is the sort of road test that can shape how the rest of the season is remembered. [Read more 🡒]