Miami’s offensive line took a hit that looks bigger by the day. Starting right guard Max Buchanan is set for surgery on Wednesday, and the move points to an absence that will likely last beyond the bye week and may well end his season.
Buchanan tried to push through the issue against Clemson, and that return had left the door open for optimism. He posted from a hospital bed on Tuesday, writing, "Y'all hold out down. It'll be back."
Buchanan actually left the Clemson game with the injury before coming back to finish it, which is why the early read on his status felt more encouraging. But head coach Mario Cristobal had already said Monday that there wouldn’t be any fresh injury information until later in the week, and that update now appears likely to confirm a season-ending situation.
The injury showed up late in the first half at Memorial Stadium, when Buchanan went down with 11:22 left and trainers examined his left knee. He needed help getting off the field, eventually made it back to the sideline, and later re-entered the game. Afterward, Cristobal said both Buchanan and right tackle Matt McCoy were not at full strength.
Cristobal had high praise for the way both linemen battled through it. He said McCoy "displayed a toughness that I have never seen" while playing through a shoulder injury, and described McCoy and Buchanan together as "off the charts." He also said, "They really wanted this game," and noted that Buchanan’s effort to finish against Clemson was especially impressive.
The concern now is what Buchanan’s surgery means for the rest of Miami’s offensive front, particularly with McCoy also dealing with his own injury. Cristobal is known for keeping injury information close to the vest, so the full picture may not be clear until later in the week.
Buchanan, a 6-foot-4, 310-pound sophomore from Seminole High in Sanford, Fla., had secured the starting right guard job this season after appearing in five games as a true freshman in 2025. He picked Miami over Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Ole Miss and Penn State, among others.
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Malik Reneau, Dante Allen and Shelton Henderson give Miami a familiar core, while the newcomers are expected to help solve one of the bigger offseason needs by improving outside shooting. There is still plenty of work before the opener against Florida, but the ranking suggests the Hurricanes are no longer being treated like a feel-good surprise - they are being viewed as a team with a chance to back up last years rise. [Read more 🡒]