No. 6 Miami heads into Saturday’s home game against Central Michigan with a problem that has nothing to do with the flashy parts of the offense. The Hurricanes’ tackles and center have been steady through three games, but the guard play has lagged behind, and that’s where the real concern sits before ACC play ramps up.
Left tackle Samson Okunlola and right tackle Matthew McCoy have both been reliable. Center Ryan Rodriguez has quietly anchored the middle, and PFF has him with zero pressures allowed on 88 pass-blocking snaps through three weeks. That has helped Miami get to 3-0, and it has also drawn praise from Mario Cristobal.
After the win at Wake Forest, Cristobal said, “Tackles and center had solid games," Cristobal said. "Guards had some positive moments and some growing-pain moments.”
Those growing pains have been most obvious on the inside. Sophomore Seuseu “SJ” Alofaituli has started every snap at left guard, but he has taken plenty of heat for his play through the first three games. The former Bishop Gorman standout and highly regarded 2025 recruit has the size and football IQ that make him an intriguing run blocker, but his pass protection has been the issue.
Against Wake Forest, Alofaituli posted the lowest pass-blocking grade on the line by a wide margin and gave up a pressure.
Right guard Max Buchanan has also had trouble consistently winning his matchups. He and Alofaituli both played every offensive snap against the Demon Deacons, and while Buchanan’s tape has been better than Alofaituli’s, he still has work to do.
That pairing could be tested again Saturday, even if Central Michigan is not the same kind of problem Clemson will be next week. The Chippewas are a physical MAC team, and Shannon Dawson has pointed to the way they move across the line as a challenge for Miami’s interior.
That makes this one a useful checkpoint for the Hurricanes. Miami’s offensive line has enough talent to keep tinkering, but it also needs a combination that actually works. Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and Cristobal have spent the offseason stressing versatility, and nearly everyone up front has taken reps at multiple spots.
Five-star freshman Jackson Cantwell has already seen a few snaps at right guard, even though his natural position is left tackle. Ben Congdon and Georgia transfer Jamal Meriweather are also options if Miami decides to keep searching for the right fit.
The issue is timing. Saturday is the last low-pressure chance to sort through it before the schedule tightens. Seven days later, Miami goes to Clemson, and the Tigers’ defensive line has the kind of talent that can punish interior mistakes.
The tackles and center have done enough. The guard spots have not, especially Alofaituli’s. Miami has the pieces, but now it has to put them together before the real test arrives.
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Bains situation has grown a little more complicated with word that he has been missing practice because of a possible shoulder issue, which only adds to the early uncertainty around his role. For the Bucs, the bigger question is not just when he gets healthy, but how he adapts from here, since some evaluators already believe he may need to tweak both his position and his approach to find the kind of success he had been projected to bring into the league. [Read more 🡒]