Miami Hurricanes players to watch, keys to the season and key games
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FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH
1. Malachi Toney
How can you take your eyes off the superstar wide receiver? Toney, an American Heritage alum, had arguably the best freshman season in UM history. He is poised to have another excellent season. Miami coach Mario Cristobal said Toney had put on good weight in the offseason, which could help make him a better player this season. Don’t be surprised if Toney’s production goes down this year, though, as Miami has a loaded wide receiver room. But Toney certainly will be a key part of UM’s offense this year.
2. Darian Mensah
The Hurricanes’ new quarterback will be the leader of UM’s revamped offense. Mensah comes to Miami after an excellent season at Duke; he led the Blue Devils to the ACC title last season. Mensah threw for 3,973 yards with 34 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2025. He was second in the nation in passing yards and tied for second in touchdown passes.
3. Jackson Cantwell
Cantwell was one of the top prospects in the 2026 class. He arrived at UM during the team’s 2025 playoff run and immediately went to work, practicing with the team. Cantwell is expected to slide right into the starting lineup, likely at left tackle. That means he will be protecting Mensah’s blind side. Cantwell, who is 6-8 and 330 pounds, has all the physical traits one could want in an offensive lineman. He will just need time to adjust to the college game.
4. Marquise Lightfoot
Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor were a dominant duo on the edges of Miami’s defensive line last year. Lightfoot was a solid rotational player who spelled the edge rushers, playing 292 snaps. Lightfoot will play a much larger role this year; he will likely start at defensive end, along with transfer Damon Wilson II. Miami needs Lightfoot to continue improving and perform well this year.
5. Bryce Fitzgerald
When opposing quarterbacks made it through the onslaught of UM’s defensive line last year, they had to throw into the Hurricanes’ strong secondary. Veteran defensive backs like Keionte Scott and Jakonbe Thomas anchored the back end of the defense; they are both in the NFL now. The Hurricanes will turn to Fitzgerald, a sophomore, to fill that void. Fitzgerald excelled as a freshman pass-defender last year, leading the team with six interceptions. This season, he may split his time between safety and nickelback. Regardless of what position he plays, Fitzgerald will be a crucial part of the defense.
THREE KEYS TO THE SEASON
1. Build the offensive line
The Hurricanes lost four of their six top offensive linemen to the NFL this offseason. The unit is a near-complete rebuild for head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal. The building blocks of another strong line are on the roster. Two players who were key contributors last year, Matthew McCoy and Samson Okunlola, return to anchor the line. There is talent on the roster to fill the remaining spots. Cantwell, Max Buchanan, Ben Congdon, SJ Alofaituli, Ryan Rodriguez and others all have the ability to play. They just have to earn their spots.
2. Find the best playmakers
The Hurricanes are not short on offensive weapons. The running back group and wide receiver group have more depth and talent than at any point in Cristobal’s tenure at Miami. Mark Fletcher Jr., Malachi Toney, Cooper Barkate, Marty Brown, Girard Pringle Jr., Vandrevius Jacobs, Josh Moore and Daylyn Upshaw are just some of the players who make up an impressive group of skill-position players. The coaches’ job will be to find the right spot for all of them. Does a certain situation call for Fletcher’s power or Pringle’s shiftiness? Does the offense need Jacobs’ deep-ball threat or Moore’s combination of size and speed? If the coaching staff plays its cards right, it could have the nation’s best offense.
3. Don’t trip up
The Hurricanes’ playoff success last season nearly did not happen because mid-season losses to Louisville and SMU nearly doomed their season. The two losses against underdog opponents cost UM a chance at its first ACC title and nearly kept Miami out of the playoffs. The Hurricanes will almost certainly be the favorites in all of their games except their road game against Notre Dame. The schedule is favorable, but Miami needs to avoid a mid-season stumble.
THREE KEY GAMES
at Clemson, Oct. 3
The Hurricanes’ first big test comes early in October when they go on the road to face Clemson. Miami has not won at Clemson since 2010. Memorial Stadium, known as “Death Valley,” is one of the toughest places to play. But this is not the same Clemson team that won a pair of national titles under coach Dabo Swinney. The Tigers went 7-6 last year and are projected to finish fourth in the ACC.
at Notre Dame, Nov. 7
On a weekend loaded with top college football games, Miami at Notre Dame might be the game of the week. The two teams battled in Week 1 last season, and the Hurricanes got the edge. That victory was crucial in getting UM into the College Football Playoff, and Notre Dame was left out. Both teams have national title aspirations this year, and although a loss would likely not be fatal to either team’s playoff hopes, this game projects to be a hard-fought, close game in front of a raucous crowd.
vs. Duke, Nov. 14
The Hurricanes host the reigning ACC champions the week after playing Notre Dame, starting a three-game homestand to end the regular season. These teams are tied to each other in multiple ways. Duke’s coach is former Miami coach Manny Diaz. The Hurricanes’ new quarterback, Darian Mensah, and star wide receiver Cooper Barkate transferred from Duke to UM late in the transfer window in January. This game could be testy.
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