Miami Hurricanes' Darian Menash Predicted to Claim Heisman Trophy

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MIAMI, Fla. – Around college football, there are great expectations for new Miami Hurricanes quarterback Darian Mensah for the upcoming season. Coming off a career season at Duke, the 21-year-old has an opportunity to take another step in production. Given all the offensive roster modifications, Mensah is an early candidate for the Heisman Trophy.

The annual award is given to the most outstanding college football player. Only two former Hurricanes have been the recipient – quarterbacks Vinny Testaverde (1986) and Gino Torretta (1992). According to On3’s J.D. Pickell, Mensah will be the third. He’s predicted to win it over Oregon’s Dante Moore, Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith, and Georgia’s Gunner Stockton.

Unlike the Hurricanes, Mensah has experience winning the Atlantic Coast Conference. He led the Blue Devils program to its first football title since 1989. Also, Mensah led the ACC with 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns. Despite being sacked 28 times total, it wasn’t enough to stop him from generating effective offense.

The Coral Gables program has found tremendous success with transfer portal quarterbacks over the last couple of years. Cam Ward and Carson Beck elevated the program, including a National Championship appearance.

However, Mensah is expected to surpass both. He has the supporting cast to deliver hardware.

The Hurricanes revamped the wide receiver room around rising college football star Malachi Toney. Among the 13 transfers is Cooper Barkate. He was Mensah’s teammate and most targeted playmaker at Duke. 

Barkate caught 72 passes for 1,106 yards and scored seven touchdowns last season. He and Toney are the only ACC receivers to record over 1,100 yards – now on the same roster.

Alongside them are Joshua Moore, South Carolina transfer Vandrevius Jacobs, Daylyn Upshaw, and West Virginia transfer Cam Vaughn.

Prolific targets surround Mensah to complete explosive plays and run up scoreboards. However, the backfield is more proven. The Hurricanes retained the entire supporting cast from last season, including star Mark Fletcher Jr. Mensah will have different types of running backs behind him.

The offensive line has questions ahead of fall camp. Usually, losing four starters isn’t easy to replace, but Mario Cristobal is confident the in-house talent can fill the voids. Samson Okunlola, Ryan Rodriguez, and Matthew McCoy are veterans the Hurricanes will rely upon. Plus, freshman and five-star recruit Jackson Cantwell is projected to start at left tackle.

Mensah joined the best situation to chase the Heisman Trophy and compete for a National Championship.

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