It’s game week in Coral Gables, and Miami is turning its attention to Friday’s season opener on the road against Stanford. The Cardinal already have a win in hand after beating Saturday 37-27, but the bigger question for the Hurricanes is how their first offensive depth chart will settle once Mario Cristobal releases it - assuming, of course, he releases one at all.
At quarterback, there isn’t much suspense. Darian Mensah, a redshirt junior, is the guy after Miami pulled off his transfer from Duke.
He comes in as a Heisman Trophy favorite and one of the top quarterbacks in the country. Behind him, redshirt freshman Luke Nickel did enough in camp to lock down the backup job, and Shannon Dawson would like to get him some extended snaps in at least one of Miami’s first four games.
The backfield should open with senior Mark Fletcher Jr. in front. That makes sense after he piled up 1,192 rushing yards last season.
Marty Brown, a redshirt junior, is the next man up and gives Miami a dependable option who can run with force, catch the ball and hold up in protection. Jordan Lyle and Girard Pringle are also expected to get carries, and their play in those roles will help decide how much they factor into the second half of the season.
Receiver is a younger group, but it has some real structure to it. Malachi Toney, a sophomore, and graduate Cooper Barkate are the headliners, and both are coming off 1,000-yard seasons.
Joshua Moore, also a sophomore, is the pick to win the starting spot over redshirt freshman Daylyn Upshaw and redshirt junior Vandrevius Jacobs, though the top five wideouts should all see plenty of action because they’re so similar in what they bring. Freshman Somourian Wingo is expected to play quite a bit too, and he’s not someone to overlook.
At tight end, junior Elija Lofton has had a strong camp and arrived in good enough shape to take a real step this season. Miami does have a hit to absorb with Luka Gilbert out, since he was a strong run blocker.
That leaves Owen Ruskavich needing to prove he can handle that job. Freshman Gavin Mueller has also had a good camp and should get meaningful playing time, though his blocking still has room to grow.
Up front, Miami’s projected starting line has Samson Okunlola at left tackle, Seuseu Alofaituli at left guard, Ryan Rodriguez at center, Jackson Cantwell at right guard and Matthew McCoy at right tackle. The backups listed are Max Buchanan, Ben Congdon and Jamal Meriweather, giving the Hurricanes eight linemen in this projected group.
The tackles and center feel set, with Okunlola, McCoy and Rodriguez essentially locked in. The guard spots are the real live issue, and that battle is expected to keep going this week and beyond until Cristobal and Alex Mirabal settle on the best combination.
Buchanan looks like a key rotation guard, while Congdon has been so impressive in camp that Miami may end up using the true freshman from Ohio as a swing tackle. Meriweather is another reserve who could fill in at guard or as the fourth tackle.
In Other News...
Miami Landed A'Mir Sears But One Recruiting Fight May Just Begin
Miami added a major piece to its future with A'Mir Sears, the five-star prospect who reclassified from 2028 to 2027 and quickly chose the Hurricanes. The move gives Mario Cristobal and his staff an elite top-20 recruit with a long list of scholarship offers from major programs, and it reinforces the idea that Miami is trying to stack premium talent early rather than wait for the cycle to unfold.
Sears is also expected to be more than just a headline commitment, with the Hurricanes viewing him as a possible two-way contributor and a centerpiece for what could become a strong 2027 class. But landing him is only part of the challenge, because reclassified prospects often bring a new layer of attention right away, and Miami may have to keep fighting to hold off the rest of the sports heavy hitters until signing day. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Linebackers Are Moving Forward From One Offseason Debate
Miamis linebacker room has been one of the quieter but more interesting position groups to watch this offseason, especially with the staff trying to build depth the old-fashioned way. Mo Toure and Chase Smith are expected to be the steadying forces in the middle of the defense, while Cam Pruitt and Kellen Wiley Jr. are the kinds of younger pieces who can lift the unit if their development keeps trending up. Behind them, the Hurricanes have been leaning on internal growth rather than chasing quick fixes.
Wesley Bissainthe, though, is unlikely to be part of that picture despite some fan interest in a possible return, which adds a little more definition to how this group is taking shape. Miami has made it clear it wants to move forward with the players already in the room, and that puts even more attention on how quickly the younger linebackers can grow into larger roles. The ceiling here may depend less on outside additions than on whether the Hurricanes can keep the core together and let the next wave catch up. [Read more 🡒]
A'mir Sears Already Looks Like A Miami Weapon Everywhere
Amir Sears is already making the kind of all-around impression that gets Miami fans thinking beyond the recruiting rankings. The 2027 Hurricanes commit has been everywhere for Christopher Columbus against Bishop Gorman, finding the end zone twice and coming up with an interception in the first half while playing nearly every snap against a roster loaded with college prospects.
What stands out is not just the production, but how many different ways Sears is affecting the game. Miami has reasons to like him as a future piece because he keeps showing the versatility to line up, move around and impact a game in multiple phases, the sort of profile that can translate to a few different roles once he gets to Coral Gables. [Read more 🡒]