Mario Cristobal still isn’t giving much away on Jordan Lyle, and with Miami’s opener at Stanford set for Friday night, the running back’s status remains murky.
“Same status, letting everything run their process,” Cristobal said.
That’s the only update Cristobal offered on the junior back, who is trying to reset his season after injuries and limited production cut him down to six games a year ago. Lyle finished with 108 yards and one touchdown on 35 carries last season, but his availability has been in doubt for No.
7 Miami after he was arrested on Aug. 13.
The charges stemmed from a July 10 incident in which he was accused of aggressively fleeing and eluding a law enforcement officer and reckless driving. In that episode, he allegedly was clocked at 92 mph in a 65 mph zone and was estimated to have reached 130 mph while fleeing.
If Lyle is available, he’s in line to compete for snaps behind senior Mark Fletcher, who has become a major piece of Miami’s backfield. Fletcher rushed for 1,192 yards and 12 touchdowns last season and piled up 507 yards in four games during the Hurricanes’ playoff run.
Miami also brings back CharMar Brown, who had 474 yards and 7 TDs, and Girard Pringle Jr., who added 374 yards and 4 TDs. Both finished the second half of last season ahead of Lyle on the depth chart as he dealt with injury and inconsistency.
That depth is why Miami may simply lean on whoever is ready.
“We're going to be running back-by-committee and that's been the case since I've been here,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “I do believe in sharing the carries.
I do believe in sharing the abuse at that position. 'Cause that position's a tough one.
There's a lot, your job description at that position, you're blocking, their linebackers are 230, 240 and , they blitz the 'A' gap and blitz the 'B' gap and it's collisions. And so I don't want one guy out there all the time.
And luckily enough right here, that's probably of our rooms that's the deepest. And so we're gonna utilize that room.
It's my job to make sure that people get opportunities and we get them in the game, and I'm going to do that, but I'm excited about that room and being able to utilize that room.”
Stanford enters at 1-0 after holding Hawaii to 46 yards on 22 carries in a 37-27 win Saturday.
Miami, meanwhile, is coming off a season in which it ranked seventh in the ACC in rushing after leading the conference in 2024.
In Other News...
Miami Faces A Complicated Wesley Bissainthe Decision Right Before The Season
Wesley Bissainthes path back to Miami suddenly looks more complicated than a simple homecoming. After four seasons with the Hurricanes, the linebacker signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent, only to be waived, and now he is weighing a return to college football at a moment when his eligibility sits inside a broader legal fight over fifth-year status and roster rules.
For Miami, the issue is bigger than one players next stop. The ACCs current rule bars athletes who signed professional contracts or appeared on pro rosters from playing conference football, and Bissainthe is among the players covered by a temporary restraining order tied to the dispute. With court hearings still scheduled, his status remains unresolved, leaving Miami to wait on whether a familiar defender can actually make his way back onto a college field. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Still Has One Big Miami Line Decision To Make
Mario Cristobal still has one spot on Miamis offensive line to sort out before Stanford, and the good news for the Hurricanes is that most of the front already looks settled. Ryan Rodriguez, Samson Okunlola and Matthew McCoy are expected to anchor the middle and the tackle spots, giving the line a clearer shape as the season moves forward.
The uncertainty sits at guard, where true freshmen Jackson Cantwell and Ben Congdon are both in the mix, with Cantwell likely to get the nod. Seuseu Alofaituli is also expected to start at guard while continuing to cross-train at center, giving Miami some flexibility if injuries or adjustments force Cristobal to shuffle things once the game begins. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Is In A Recruiting Fight Fans Will Want To Watch
Mario Cristobals staff is already deep into the kind of early recruiting battle that can shape a class long before signing day arrives, and Virginia prospect Lee is right in the middle of it. The 2028 four-star from Loudoun Sports Academy is drawing attention as a true two-way athlete, with the kind of versatility that shows up at receiver, on defense and in the return game. Miami has made a habit of getting in early on players with that sort of upside, and the Hurricanes are trying to keep building on the momentum they have created with the 2028 class.
For Miami, the appeal is obvious. Lees ability to help in more than one spot makes him the sort of prospect staffs keep circling back to, especially when multiple major programs are involved. The Hurricanes already have two verbal commits in the cycle, but the bigger question is whether they can turn that early progress into a stronger foothold with a player whose recruitment should stay active for a while. [Read more 🡒]