No. 7 Miami got its home slate started Thursday night against Florida A&M, and the Hurricanes didn’t just roll to a 77-7 win - they also got a handful of strong individual performances that stood out in the process.
The biggest bounce-back came from Mark Fletcher Jr. After managing just 40 rushing yards on 13 carries in the opener, the senior back erupted against the Rattlers.
He finished with 105 yards on only seven carries and found the end zone twice, pushing him higher in Miami’s record book. With that outing, Fletcher moved to sixth in program history in rushing yards and fifth in rushing touchdowns.
Miami is going to need that kind of production from him if it wants another playoff run to have real teeth.
The Hurricanes also got a lively showing from Girard Pringle Jr. The sophomore added 52 total yards and a touchdown in the first half, highlighted by a 23-yard catch and a four-yard rushing score that turned heads. Pringle has already shown flashes early in his Miami career, and the speed he brings gives this offense another weapon to work with as the season moves along.
Then there’s the duo driving the offense forward at full speed. Darian Mensah was nearly perfect, completing 14 of 15 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns.
Through two games, he has more passing touchdowns - eight - than incompletions - four - this season. Malachi Toney kept his own surge rolling with four catches for 96 yards and a touchdown.
One of his biggest plays came on a 52-yard grab over a Rattler defender, and he later added a 19-yard scoring catch. Both players are making a loud early-season statement.
Joshua Moore joined the big-play party too. He caught just one pass, but it was a 55-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the kind of play that shows exactly what he can add to this offense. At 6-foot-4, Moore has the size and the speed to become a trusted third option behind Toney and Barkate if he keeps delivering moments like that.
Miami also had reason to be encouraged by Luke Nickel. The sophomore quarterback was perfect on the night, going 8-for-8 for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
He also picked up 13 rushing yards and a first down with his legs. Nickel looked composed, decisive, and clean with the football, giving the Hurricanes a glimpse of what the future might hold.
And then there was true freshman Javian Mallory, who turned in one of the most eye-catching performances of the night. He ran for 142 yards on just 10 carries, a blistering 14.2 yards per attempt, and showed the burst and contact balance that make him such an intriguing piece for Miami moving forward. With a performance like that, it’s easy to see him earning more chances as the season goes on.
In Other News...
Miami Secondary Suddenly Faces A Bigger Xavier Lucas Concern
Miamis secondary had already been leaning on youth, and the home opener only sharpened that reality. Xavier Lucas, who started in Week 1, did not play against Florida A&M, and the program offered no injury details for the absence. With the Hurricanes dealing with multiple injuries and absences in the back end, underclassmen like Bryce Fitzgerald and freshman JJ Dunnigan have been pushed into bigger roles sooner than planned.
Mario Cristobal has pointed to the groups versatility as a way to absorb those hits, but the situation also underscores how quickly depth can be tested in the secondary. Miami has spent plenty of time talking about recruiting and development as the foundation for surviving stretches like this, and Lucas status adds another layer of concern for a defense already asking younger players to hold more responsibility. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Fans Still Havent Forgotten The One Florida A&M Shocker
Before Florida A&M and Miami met again in the late 2000s, the series had already built up a long memory for Hurricanes fans, and most of it was not especially kind to the underdog. The two programs first tangled in 1979 and then again over the years in matchups that usually followed the same familiar script: Miami controlling the game, leaning on its talent and depth, and coming away with another win. By the time the teams played through the 2009 meeting, the Hurricanes had turned the series into one of those old nonconference histories that can be retold almost by habit.
Still, the reason this one lingers is that not every chapter fit the pattern, and Miami followers have never entirely let go of the one result that broke through the routine. Even with the Hurricanes holding the clear edge across the series, the trip through those games from 1979 to 2009 shows why certain opponents stick in the memory longer than the record alone would suggest. For Miami, the larger story is dominance, but for fans, it is the shock that kept one Florida A&M afternoon from blending into the rest. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Secondary Injuries Just Forced A Defensive Shuffle Fans Need To Watch
Miami was forced to improvise in the secondary against Florida A&M, and the adjustment offered a clear look at how thin the Hurricanes have become at cornerback. Bryce Fitzgerald slid over from safety to cornerback, while true freshman JJ Dunnigan was pressed into a starting role at safety, a reminder that this defense is already having to lean on flexibility early in the season.
The injury list at cornerback is what created the shuffle in the first place, with OJ Frederique, Xavier Lucas and Ja'Boree Antoine all sidelined. Some of those players are expected back later in the season, but for now Miami has to keep finding workable combinations on the back end, and the way it handles that stretch will be worth monitoring once the schedule gets heavier. [Read more 🡒]