Miami isn’t backing off five-star offensive lineman Mark Matthews, and the St. Thomas Aquinas standout isn’t closing the door on anything either.
Matthews, who once looked like a Hurricanes lean before committing to Texas A&M, remains tied to the Aggies. By every indication in the source, that pledge is still firm, and Texas A&M did enough with its NIL package to land him in the first place. Even so, Miami’s pull is still very real, and the locals have kept Matthews engaged.
“I love the family there. They put a lot of effort into me,” Matthews told On3’s EJ Holland.
That’s not a flip watch declaration, but it is enough to show Miami has stayed on his radar. The Hurricanes have continued to keep in touch, and Matthews clearly still has respect for the program.
Miami’s recruiting push in the 2027 class is a big part of why. The Hurricanes already have an historic group sitting at No. 2 in 247Sports’ rankings and No. 3 in Rivals/On3.
That class includes five recruits with five-star ratings on at least one of the two networks, along with a blue-chip ratio nearing 80 percent. It’s the kind of haul that naturally forces elite local prospects to take a harder look.
Matthews has already seen enough around the program to understand what Miami is building. He got a firsthand look at what A'mir Sears can do, and he’s also been around other Hurricanes commits such as Jaiden Bryant and Donte Wright on the camp circuit. That’s part of the appeal Miami is selling: stay home, join a loaded group, and be part of something that looks built for big things.
Cristobal and his staff are not going to ease up. They know Matthews is a special talent, and they see him as the kind of offensive lineman who could help Miami stockpile a young, dominant group up front. The hometown angle matters, too, and Matthews has seen how Malachi Toney is embraced in the community and how much anticipation is building for Sears to get to Coral Gables next season.
For now, Matthews is still with Texas A&M. But Miami has kept a foothold, and he’s not pretending the Hurricanes don’t matter.
In Other News...
Miami Is About To Face Its First Real Test Up Front
Miamis offense is about to find out a lot more about itself. After two games of easing into the season, Shannon Dawson and Mario Cristobal are focused on a step up in class next week, when the Hurricanes run into a Wake Forest defensive front that has already shown it can make life uncomfortable.
For Miami, the spotlight is squarely on the offensive line and the kind of communication that tends to get tested most when the opponent can win up front without needing much help. Cristobal and Dawson both pointed to Wake Forests early-season defensive work as a reminder that this wont be another dress rehearsal, and the Hurricanes will need cleaner timing and sharper coordination to handle a much tougher assignment. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces An Early Test That Could Change Everything
Miamis early-season path gets a quick reality check Friday night when the Hurricanes head to Wake Forest, a road stop that comes with more weight than the calendar might suggest. Around college football, Oregon is trying to steady itself after a loss to Oklahoma State and Houston is staring at No. 13 Texas Tech in Lubbock, so Miamis matchup fits into a busy night that could start shaping how teams are viewed before the schedule really settles in.
For the Hurricanes, this is the kind of game that can sharpen the conversation around where they stand and how far they have to go. Road games always bring a different level of scrutiny, and with standings and perception both still in flux, Miami has a chance to make an early statement while the season is still young and the margin for error is thin. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Freshman Just Raised The Stakes In An Injury Tested Backfield
Javian Mallory took a significant step forward in Miamis win over Florida A&M, then got recognized for it with ACC Freshman of the Week honors. The freshman backed up the award with a two-touchdown, 142-yard performance, giving the Hurricanes another useful answer in a backfield that has already had to deal with some injury-related uncertainty as the schedule moves on.
Mario Cristobal didnt sound surprised on Monday. He praised Mallorys intelligence, maturity and physical style, the kind of traits Miami values when it has to sort through depth issues and keep its offense moving. With Wake Forest up next, Mallorys emergence gives the Hurricanes a little more confidence, even if the exact shape of the backfield remains something they still have to sort out. [Read more 🡒]