Miami’s opening depth chart made one thing clear right away: Mario Cristobal isn’t handing out jobs based on reputation.
The Hurricanes’ Week 1 setup had two of the loudest names on the roster starting on the sideline, at least on paper. Damon Wilson II, Miami’s biggest transfer portal splash on defense and one of the SEC’s top sack leaders of 2025, was listed with the second-team edge rushers. Jackson Cantwell, the top-rated offensive lineman in the Class of 2026, showed up on the second-team line at right guard behind sophomore Max Buchanan.
That didn’t mean either player was buried. It just meant Cristobal was sticking to his line: nothing is promised.
Wilson II still got plenty of run, logging 44 snaps, the second-most among Miami’s defensive ends and edge rushers. Cantwell got in early, too, entering on the third series to replace Buchanan and finishing with 34 snaps, the most of any backup offensive lineman.
The defensive end picture, in particular, looks fluid. Marquise Lightfoot, Armondo Blount and Wilson II were all functioning as co-starters, even if the snap counts weren’t identical.
Blount was on the field first, while Wilson ended up with more action than Blount, 44 to 28. That rotation can shift as the season moves along.
Cantwell’s role says just as much about Miami’s approach. Cristobal and his staff chose development over hype, and the freshman’s first game was handled that way.
He’s only 18 and still learning the speed and physicality of college football, so easing him in made more sense than throwing him into a full-time starting role immediately. Buchanan’s emergence gave the staff that flexibility.
Cristobal addressed Cantwell and Buchanan on the Joe Rose Show, saying, "It was a solid start for [Cantwell]. [He] had some really bright moments, other ones where you got to get better at and work on, but overall, to get thrown in there as a true freshman at that position, it's a solid job. [Buchanan] is a guy that we have high expectations for, and we're gonna push him really, really hard because he's got tons of ability, and in his first start, really played, he played a good game, and so, yeah, we're excited about him,"
That’s been Miami’s blueprint with young linemen. The ranking gets the attention, but the staff is focused on the process.
Cantwell arrived with talk of potentially starting at left tackle right away, but that was never going to happen unless he earned it. Cristobal and Alex Mirabal have taken this path before with young offensive linemen, and the results have already shown up with Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola.
So while Wilson II and Cantwell may have opened Week 1 listed as backups, the message wasn’t punishment or a power play. Miami simply has enough depth to rotate, develop and keep the door open. In Cristobal’s program, the chart can change fast, because no spot belongs to anyone by default.
In Other News...
Former Miami CB D'Yoni Hill Lands In A Strange New Situation
DYoni Hills football path has already taken him from Marshall to Miami and then Wisconsin, and now he is set for another stop, with Oklahoma planning to add the veteran cornerback as a midseason transfer. Hill has experience starting games at both Miami and Wisconsin, which gives him the kind of rsum teams look for when they need help in a hurry, even if his role this time is expected to be more about depth than jumping straight into the lineup.
For Miami fans, the odd part is not just the new destination, but the timing and the larger question hanging over his career. Hill is also tied up in a lawsuit seeking an additional year of eligibility, so the move to Oklahoma comes with another layer of uncertainty beyond simply getting cleared to join the roster. If the process goes through, it would give Oklahoma a seasoned defensive back with a familiar track record, but the full shape of his next chapter is still far from settled. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Have Found A Freshman Defender Ready For More
Miamis defense got a closer look at true freshman J.J. Dunnigan in his college debut against Stanford, and the early signs were encouraging. Dunnigan logged 33 snaps and finished with a tackle for loss, a useful first impression for a player who arrived as a four-star recruit in the 2026 class and picked the Hurricanes over several other programs.
Mario Cristobal and defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman both singled out Dunnigans physical traits and versatility, which is usually the kind of praise that matters most when a young defensive back is trying to earn more than a cameo. The intriguing part for Miami is how he might fit moving forward, since the staff sees him as someone who can line up in more than one spot and potentially give the secondary another piece to work with sooner rather than later. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Have Found Another Difference Maker In The Secondary
Miamis secondary had a new face make an immediate impression in the 45-6 win at Stanford, as Boston College transfer Omar Thornton stepped in for his debut and showed the kind of edge the Hurricanes have been looking for. He finished with three tackles and helped bring a physical presence against the run, the sort of effort that can quietly change the feel of a defense even when the highlight plays go elsewhere.
Mario Cristobal and Corey Hetherman both came away encouraged by Thorntons physicality, versatility and football intelligence, and that matters for a Miami defense still sorting out who can become reliable week-to-week pieces. The early signs suggest Thornton is more than a depth addition, and as he continues getting comfortable in the system, the Hurricanes appear to have another defender who can factor heavily into what theyre building on the back end. [Read more 🡒]