Mark Fletcher Jr. Just Changed A Miami Record Book Forever

Mark Fletcher Jr. cements his legacy at Miami, shattering a long-standing rushing touchdown record in a thrilling match against Duke.

Mark Fletcher Jr. has put his name at the top of Miami’s record book.

The senior running back scored his 36th career rushing touchdown on Saturday against Duke, breaking a Hurricanes mark that had stood for 34 years. Fletcher found the end zone on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and gave No. 7 Miami a 10-3 lead at Hard Rock Stadium.

That score moved him past Stephen McGuire, who had owned the program record with 35 rushing touchdowns from 1989 through 1992. Fletcher entered the game tied with McGuire after a two-touchdown rushing performance against North Carolina, a night that also included a receiving score and made him Miami’s career leader in total touchdowns.

He now has 39 career touchdowns overall, with 36 on the ground and three through the air.

The touchdown also pushed Fletcher ahead of some of the biggest names in Hurricanes history. McGuire had been first on the list at 35, followed by Edgerrin James with 32 and Willis McGahee with 31. Fletcher had already moved past McGahee and James earlier this season before matching McGuire against North Carolina.

A Fort Lauderdale native who played at American Heritage in Plantation, Fletcher has been climbing Miami’s record charts since arriving in 2023.

At halftime, Miami held a 13-10 lead in another tight matchup with Duke. Darian Mensah had thrown for 179 yards in the opening half, while Fletcher had 23 rushing yards on eight carries along with his record-setting touchdown. Cooper Barkate paced Miami’s receiving group with four catches for 71 yards.

Duke’s biggest offensive burst came from Nate Sheppard, who broke loose for a 47-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 10. Miami kicker Jake Weinberg added field goals from 39 and 26 yards.

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