Mario Cristobal says the Miami Hurricanes are in a different place now at quarterback.
After leaning on transfer-portal stars Cam Ward and Carson Beck for back-to-back double-digit win seasons, Miami believes it has found the next answer in Darian Mensah - and, just as importantly, believes it may not need to keep shopping in the portal to fill that spot again.
Cristobal explained the thinking behind Miami’s pursuit of Mensah during Wednesday’s ACC Kickoff Media Day, saying the Hurricanes targeted him once he became available. “We felt that the team was set in so many areas,” he said.
“When Darian hit the portal, we felt like this is a guy we’d like to pursue. We saw his level of talent and play.
What really took us by surprise - in a great way - was what an incredible young man he is. His levels of leadership, care factor, time invested in his craft, football and human IQ - just an elite person.”
Mensah arrives after an impressive season at Duke that put him in All-Atlantic Coast Conference-caliber territory. He completed 334 of 500 passes for a 66.8 percent completion rate, piled up 3,973 yards and threw 34 touchdowns against six interceptions in 14 games. He also helped lead the Blue Devils to their first football conference title since 1989.
Miami expects Mensah to be a one-and-done quarterback, much like Ward and Beck, with the possibility of entering the 2027 NFL Draft. But unlike those two, he does have the option to return to college football next year.
Cristobal said the Hurricanes are positioned to handle the future internally, too. “We feel, going forward, that we are set in that room from a high school standpoint,” he added. “With what we have on the roster and coming in.”
That group includes Luke Nickel, Judd Anderson and Dereon Coleman, along with 2027 five-star commit Israel Abrams. Cristobal also left the door open for another portal addition only if the right opportunity comes along.
For Miami, the bar has already been raised. Mensah and the veterans around him are being asked to push it higher - starting with an ACC title and ending with a deeper national championship run than the Hurricanes have managed before.
In Other News...
Mario Cristobal And Miami Step Into A Huge ACC Spotlight
Miami is headed into one of the conferences biggest summer stages this week, with Mario Cristobal and a group of players set to represent the Hurricanes at ACC Media Days in Charlotte. Cristobal will be joined by Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr. and Darian Mensah, giving Miami a chance to put its program front and center while also letting a few of its key voices explain what the Hurricanes are building heading into the season.
Mensah is expected to draw plenty of attention as the questions turn to his move from Duke, while Cristobal could be pressed on bigger league issues such as the ACCs direction, playoff expansion and NIL legislation. Fletcher and Toney also bring a local angle that fits Miamis current pitch, since both chose to stay close to home and help push the program forward as it tries to keep rising in a crowded league conversation. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Use Its Final Portal Swing On A Surprising Gamble
Miami still has one roster spot open, and the Hurricanes may be willing to use it on a player whose help would not arrive right away. L.J. Cason, a former Michigan guard, has entered the transfer portal and is being considered by Miami as Jai Lucas continues to shape the roster with an eye toward building something bigger than just the coming season.
The appeal is obvious in a long view: Cason is viewed as a potential future asset, not merely a short-term add. For a program trying to stockpile pieces for a championship-level push, the decision comes down to whether Miami wants to spend its final portal swing on upside and patience, even if the payoff is still down the road. [Read more 🡒]