- After making a run to the National Championship last season, the Miami football program is well aware they have a target on their back. UM represents a potential tenure changing win for every team they face on the regular season schedule and with that in mind the Hurricanes know they will get the best shot of every team. Mario Cristobal has challenged his staff to do a deep self-assessment on themselves. That means gaining a deep understanding how the approach that the three teams that beat Miami last year—Louisville, SMU, and Indiana—went about their business. When a program has success, the process of staying ahead of the curve of what opponents are doing to beat you is critical to sustaining success.
- Having depth and staying healthy is of course important to navigating a season, but the importance of those factors was only magnified once Miami got into the 12-team college football playoff. Injuries are inevitable during football and the drop-off of the ‘next man up’ is critical in determining the impact of any injury. In Miami’s loss to SMU, wide receiver CJ Daniels was out due to an injury. When the Hurricanes got into the CFP, nickel Keionte Scott returned to action and his infusion into the defense helped propel Miami on a postseason run. It is fair to say Miami is confident this is the deepest the program has been during the Mario Cristobal era. The talent acquisition efforts have stacked the roster with depth and the efforts of strength coach Ervin Young and the sports science staff has lowered soft tissue injuries.
- Miami puts a high value on players who are willing to be available and play through pain and being hurt. The best players on last year’s team—OL Francis Mauigoa, DE Rueben Bain, DE Akheem Mesidor, and DB Keionte Scott—all played through bumps and bruises. Toughness is highly valued. Great players are willing to play through being hurt. Miami is not going to lower its standard of conducting physical practices.
- The excitement that Miami has for Darian Mensah is similar to the feelings that surrounded Cam Ward prior to the 2024 season. This time last year, Carson Beck was working his way back through the rehab process of undergoing elbow surgery. Ward played with a chip on his shoulder and approached every day with an edge. Mensah has has an edge to him with the way he competes and attacks the process of preparation.
- At Duke, Darian Mensah ran a ‘check-with-me’ type of offense in which offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer would tell him what to look for and where to go with the ball pre-snap. At Miami, Mensah will have more freedoms and he is excited about that step in running an offense. Mensah had that type of freedom as a starter at Tulane in 2024.
- Having a capable back-up quarterback on the roster is critical in case of an emergency at that position and UM feels comfortable with what Luke Nickel showed in the spring and the progress he made with processing and getting the ball out quick.
- WR Malachi Toney has added ten pounds of muscle as he continues to mature physically as an 18 year old sophomore. Toney was the best freshman in the country in 2025 and this year the program is searching for ways to expand the ways he is used out of the slot.
- WR Daylyn Upshaw is legitimately in the mix to be a starting receiver because he is dependable on the field and a consistent worker off the field. Duke transfer Cooper Barkate and Toney are cemented as starters, but that third spot is going to be a battle between Upshaw, Joshua Moore, Vandrevius Jacobs, Cam Vaughn, and Somourian Wingo.
- OL Samson Okunlola has had one of the best offseasons of any player on the roster. Okunlola was held out of contact during the month of spring football and he has primarily played guard at Miami, but don’t be surprised if he gets a crack at playing offensive tackle during fall camp.
- OL Max Buchanan is a young interior offensive lineman to get excited about because he is athletic enough to handle high level three-technique defensive tackles and in an emergency he could kick outside and hold his own at tackle.
- OL SJ Alofaituli has performed well this offseason and is going to be a part of the playing rotation and could push for a starting job. At 6-feet-2 and 290 pounds, Alofaituli is the smallest lineman on the roster, but his movement skills, balance, and strength for his size is elite.
- Roles on the offensive line will be sorted out during the month of fall camp, but overall the program is higher on its depth at that position group than the general public. Every year, Miami wants to feel like it can depend on eight to nine linemen and coming out of spring the Hurricanes felt good about the group with Matthew McCoy, Ryan Rodriguez, Max Buchanan, Jackson Cantwell, Jaden Wilkerson, Ben Congdon, and Alofaituli all having strong showings in April. Again, Okunlola was held out of the spring, but there is a lot of confidence there. UM is also excited about the raw potential of true freshman Joel Ervin, who is a mountain of a man at 6-feet-6 and 330 pounds.
- This offseason was an important time for DT Ahmad Moten to rest his body and get physically right after a demanding 2025 season. The program is confident Moten can be one of the best defensive tackles in the country in 2026. Moten is one of the best development stories of the Mario Cristobal era.
- Lots of buzz surrounding DL Armondo Blount going into this 2026 season. There is a feeling he can be a breakout star after performing as a solid contributor in 2025.
- DE Damon Wilson is everything the program was looking for as a player on the edge who can get after the quarterback on a consistent basis.
- DE Marquise Lightfoot has matured significantly during his time at Miami and he is now viewed as one of the more consistent players on the defense. Lightfoot is pound-for-pound one of the strongest players on the team and there is confidence that he will be productive in the expanded role that is coming for him this season.
- There is a confidence that LB Mo Toure can be one of the best linebackers in the ACC in 2026.
- Overall, Miami needs to stay healthy at linebacker. Toure is a veteran that the program is excited about. Chase Smith took a nice step forward in the spring as his role is elevated in 2026. After those two, Miami needs to find a way to develop some depth at the position group during fall camp.
- Miami returns its top five cornerbacks from the 2026 season and the program is very excited about it. The talent and depth provided by OJ Frederique, Xavier Lucas, Ethan O’Connor, Damari Brown, and Ja’boree Antoine was a big reason why the Hurricanes were able to navigate a long season successfully. That group was plagued by injuries in 2025, but there was enough depth to handle the situation. NFL scouts are already watching Frederique and Lucas closely. Miami is hopeful that this group can take the next step with being available during the season and learning how to play through the bumps and bruises that comes with a physical sport.
- DB Bryce Fitzgerald has gained 12 pounds this offseason and he is viewed as one of the smartest football players on the team. Fitzgerald can play safety or nickel and we’d expect him to play both positions based on game situations in 2026.
- DB Zechariah Poyser has attacked the offseason program and has changed his body significantly since arriving from Jacksonville State in January of 2025. Poyser was one of the steadiest players on the 2025 defense and he is extremely valued inside the program.
- Miami is excited about the mentality and maturity that Boston College transfer Omar Thornton has brought to the defensive back room.
- The program is always projecting what a potential depth chart can look like two or three years out and there is plenty of excitement as to what the line of scrimmage will look like in the future—particularly on the offensive line. Current freshman Rhys Woodrow is viewed as an intriguing center of the future. There is also a ton of excitement about 2027 commit Jatori Williams.
- Getting on the field as a walk-on is never easy, but keep an eye on TE Owen Ruskavich, who at 6-feet-7 and 255 pounds has the size to contribute as an in-line blocker.
- Every year freshmen have to go earn the right to earn a significant role. The six freshmen we’d highlight to keep an eye on in terms of having a chance to be a starter or rotational player would include: OL Jackson Cantwell, DB JJ Dunnigan, TE Gavin Mueller, RB Javian Mallory, WR Somourian Wingo, and OL Ben Congdon.
**shared the whole thing as there was nothing earth shattering in the article ... but its a good start to a friday
