The Miami Hurricanes gave their fans a taste of success last season with a run to the national championship game. But instead of raising the banner for Natty number six, the team fell six points short and left the season with unfinished business.
Mario Cristobal and company have plenty of motivation for the season to come. They worked to improve on an already excellent roster through key additions like quarterback Darian Mensah, receiver Cooper Barkate, and edge rusher Damon Wilson II in the Transfer Portal.
What will it take for The U to get over the finish line in 2026? Let’s examine the biggest factors and obstacles to success.
Consistent intensity
The biggest lesson the Hurricanes learned in 2025 was to never let up. It happened twice last year, with frustrating losses to Louisville and SMU. Both L’s should have been avoidable. The loss to the Mustangs led to a pivotal team meeting and a turning point. From that point forward, the team played aggressively, executed consistently, and showed no mercy or sympathy to the opposition. The switch flipped for them, and they need to carry that same energy into 2026. Returning important team leaders from last season, like Mark Fletcher Jr., Malachi Toney, and Mohamed Toure, will help them remember those lessons learned.
Miami will likely be favored in 11 of their 12 games this season, with a road trip to Notre Dame as the exception. We’ve seen the Canes lose far too many games over the years that they should have won. It’s time to turn that corner.
Taking care of business would mean finally winning the ACC. If Miami can do that, it would pave the most favorable road to the playoffs with a first-round bye and high seeding.
Continued dominance at the line of scrimmage
Miami was one of the final two teams standing last year because they literally bullied their way to the championship game. Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor took over games on the defensive front in the playoffs. They both moved on to the NFL as first-round picks. Offensively, the Hurricanes kept quarterback Carson Beck protected and consistently created running lanes with a physical offensive line. Key offensive line starters Francis Mauigoa, Markel Bell, Anez Cooper, and James Brockermeyer have moved on to the league.
The Hurricanes will be adamant about maintaining the same identity of trench dominance this season. New faces, same goal. A D-line featuring interior standouts Ahmad Moten Sr. and Justin Scott on the interior, with an edge rotation including Wilson, Marquise Lightfoot, Armondo Blount, Herbert Scroggins III, and Hayden Lowe, will attempt to carry the torch into the new season. On the offensive line, freshman standout Jackson Cantwell will likely be the protector of his quarterback’s blindside, with left guard Samson Okunlola, center Ryan Rodriguez, right guard Max Buchanan, and right tackle Matt McCoy looking to develop the type of chemistry the previous group had.
The Mensah Factor
Darian Mensah has the talent and athleticism to elevate Miami’s offense even higher than Carson Beck did in 2025. With playmakers like Toney, Barkate, Joshua Moore, and the deepest running back rotation in college football at his disposal, the former Duke Blue Devil has everything he needs around him to find continued success in Coral Gables.
Mensah won’t be asked to do as much as he did in Durham last season, given Miami’s balance, but he must execute at a championship level. Throughout spring football, he showed a willingness to check down and make the right decisions. As long as that continues when the lights are on this fall, Hurricanes fans should expect a tremendous season from the junior signal-caller. If he struggles to find consistency or tries to do too much, things could go sideways.
While Mensah only threw six interceptions to 34 touchdowns last year, he was credited with a high number of fumbles at 14. Miami should give him the tools and the protection to keep that number significantly lower.
Special Teams, please
A missed block leading to a blocked punt in the title game cost Miami greatly against Indiana. I apologize for even bringing that up because I hate talking about it, but it happened. In spring practice, Miami noticeably spent extra time working on those situations. Cristobal has made it a point of emphasis.
The Hurricanes will be breaking in another new place kicker this year, with former Northwestern Wildcat Jack Olsen competing with former Florida State Seminole Jake Weinberg. When the margins tighten up in the playoffs, field-goal kicking can become the difference. I didn’t get an extended look at either of them during spring practice, but I’m hoping at least one of the two emerges as a reliable option.
Expect Malachi Toney to handle most of the punt returns again this year. He made a difference flipping fields in 2025 and nearly broke off a couple of touchdowns. On kickoff returns, expect to see RBs Girard Pringle Jr. and Jordan Lyle getting prominent opportunities.
The most important of all?
Health. Health. Health.
The Hurricanes are deep, yes, but certain players are irreplaceable. I will not mention their names here because I am very superstitious.
