The Miami Hurricanes have landed at No. 7 in On3’s preseason top 25, while wide receiver Malachi Toney also picked up All-American recognition from the network ahead of the new college football season.
Only six teams checked in above Miami: Ohio State at No. 1, followed by Oregon, Texas, Georgia, Notre Dame, and Indiana. On paper, that’s a crowded top of the rankings, though the source notes that Notre Dame and Texas didn’t reach last year’s 12-team College Football Playoffs. Miami, meanwhile, ran all the way to the National Championship after beating Texas A&M, the Buckeyes, and Ole Miss.
Even with some key losses, the expectation around this roster hasn’t dipped much. The Hurricanes did say goodbye to All-Americans Rueben Bain Jr. and Francis Mauigoa, but the belief is that there should not be a meaningful drop in production on either side of the ball.
A big part of that confidence starts with quarterback Darian Mensah, the Duke transfer who won the ACC and now faces a higher standard in Coral Gables. He’ll be working behind an offense that includes Toney, who already owns the program record for receptions in a single season with 109. Toney’s preseason honors keep piling up, too: Phil Steele Preseason All-America, ACC Preseason All-ACC team at wide receiver from AP and SP, plus watch list spots for the Maxwell Award and the Paul Hornung Award.
There’s also a strong case being made that Miami should have been placed even higher than No. 7, with the argument centered on how much talent is now stacked across the roster. Up front and off the edge, the Hurricanes are looking to replace Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor with Marquise Lightfoot, Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II, Armondo Blount, and Herbert Scroggins III.
The receiver group around Toney is deep as well, with Cooper Barkate, Vandrevius Jacobs, Joshua Moore, Cam Vaughn, Daylyn Upshaw, and Somourian Wingo all in the mix. In the backfield, Miami brings back the same running back core from last season: Mark Fletcher Jr., CharMar Brown, Jordan Lyle, and Girard Pringle Jr.
That depth is a big reason several players on both sides of the ball could work their way into All-American conversations. Last year, the Hurricanes had a clearer sense of which players carried the load. This season, the feeling is that more names can step into the spotlight.
Miami is coming off a 13-win season and its first trip to the National Championship game since 2002, and some experts and analysts think there’s room for even more. For now, Mario Cristobal and his team are keeping the focus narrow as fall camp begins, holding onto the “1-0” mentality.
In Other News...
Miami Suddenly Has A Fall Camp Battle Fans Can't Ignore
Special teams has become one of the more intriguing parts of Miamis fall camp, and the spotlight is falling on a kicking competition that is still very much unresolved. The Hurricanes brought in two transfer options to sort it out, with one coming from Northwestern and the other from FSU, and Mario Cristobal has pointed to the unit as an area he feels good about as camp moves along.
Cristobal also spent time talking about Jordan Lyle, whose recovery and improved conditioning have been part of the programs broader August conversation. The coaching staff clearly believes there is value in having him healthier and better prepared entering the season, but for now the kicking job remains one of the quieter battles that could end up mattering a lot once the games start. [Read more 🡒]
Miami May Be Unlocking Even More From Transfer WR Cooper Barkate
Cooper Barkate has spent the second week of Miamis fall camp trying to turn a promising addition into something more complete. The senior transfer wide receiver has talked about sharpening his physicality and rounding out his game, which fits the tone of a Miami pass-catching group that seems to be pushing itself daily. Barkate has also pointed to the competition in the Hurricanes receiver room as a real advantage, saying the environment around him is helping bring out more from his own development.
For Miami, that matters because the Hurricanes are not just looking for another body at receiver, they are looking for players who can raise the level of the room and give the offense more options. Barkate appears to believe there is still another gear to find, and his optimism extends beyond this season to the idea that a stronger year in Coral Gables could improve his NFL Draft standing. The interesting part is how much more the Hurricanes can unlock before camp gives way to the real test. [Read more 🡒]
Former Miami Standout Could Reopen A Hurricanes Roster Debate
Malik Reneaus name is back in the college basketball conversation, and for Miami fans it brings a familiar what-if back into focus. After three years at Indiana, Reneau transferred to Miami and put together a career season, earning All-Atlantic Coast Conference First Team honors while giving the Hurricanes the kind of frontcourt production that can reshape a roster discussion in a hurry.
Now, after going undrafted and signing an Exhibit 10 contract with the Orlando Magic, Reneau is pursuing the possibility of another college season following a recent court ruling that opened the door for certain athletes to regain eligibility. The move raises an intriguing question for Miami circles: if that path stays open, would the Hurricanes have a place for a player who already proved he can change the look of a team in one year? [Read more 🡒]