No. 7 Miami is keeping its cards close to the vest heading into its season opener against Stanford, and that includes something as basic as a depth chart.
The Hurricanes are set to face the Cardinal at 9:00 p.m. ET on ESPN, but fans hoping for an early look at how Mario Cristobal plans to line up his team will have to wait. Miami did not release a depth chart, leaving plenty of room for speculation about the roster and, especially, the lines on both sides of the ball.
That secrecy has been a running theme for Miami, and the university’s private status has helped Cristobal operate with a tight lid on information. Whether this is simply how things are done in Coral Gables or another layer of gamesmanship, the result is the same: a whole lot of guessing before kickoff.
There are still a few spots that are clear. Darian Mensah is not starting at quarterback, while Malachi Toney and Cooper Barkate are not starting at wide receiver.
Mark Fletcher Jr. is not starting at running back. OJ Frederique is not starting at defensive back, and Armondo Blount, Justin Scott, and Ahmad Moten are not starting on the defensive line.
Beyond that, the rest is up in the air.
The offensive line has been the biggest offseason puzzle, and that uncertainty still hasn’t been solved publicly. Who takes the field up front for Miami won’t be known until the Hurricanes run their first offensive snaps of the game.
Miami enters the opener with four players out, while Stanford is down 16.
Defensive end is listed as Armondo Blount and Herbert Scroggins III.
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Cristobal said Lyles situation has not changed as Miami moves through its game-week prep, which keeps the focus on how the Hurricanes will piece together the backfield and manage the rest of the absences. With multiple key contributors unavailable, the opener now carries a little more intrigue than Miami likely wanted, especially in a spot where early-season continuity usually matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Darian Mensah's Duke Exit Just Got A Lot More Painful
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Miami Fans Should Know These Stanford Names Before The Opener
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