Looking to replace a generational QB, top 5 receivers, starting RB, and 2 offensive linemen, Miami’s offense has plenty of work to do this spring.
The Miami Hurricanes start spring practice on Monday, March 3rd. For the offense, the tall task of replacing a TON of starters begins.
Gone from the Nation’s #1 offense are a generational QB in Cam Ward, the starting RB in Damien Martinez, 2 other starting-caliber RBs in Ajay Allen (transfer to FIU) and Chris Johnson Jr. (transfer to SMU), the top 4 receivers in Xavier Restrepo, Isaiah Horton (transfer to Alabama), Jacolby George, and Sam Brown, the top 3 tight ends in Elijah Arroyo, Cam McCormick, and Riley Williams (transfer to Oregon State), and 2 starting offensive linemen in LG/LT Jalen Rivers and C Zach Carpenter. That’s a lot of outgoing talent, to be sure.
As the Canes look to start building toward the 2025 season, let’s take a look at the positions on offense heading into the spring.
Quarterback
Joining the roster is former Georgia starting QB Carson Beck. While he will be Miami’s starting QB in the fall, he’s recovering from an elbow injury he sustained in the SEC Championship Game. Beck is on schedule with his recovery — Mario Cristobal said in an interview yesterday that Beck should start throwing soon — but that doesn’t mean he’ll participate in spring. For now, he’ll be taking mental reps and learning the offense for when he’s physically ready to compete again.
For the spring, the opportunity to compete for the backup QB job exists for RS sophomore Emory Williams, RS freshman Judd Anderson, and true freshman early enrollee Luke Nickel. Williams has the most experience, and will likely be the backup next season. Anderson is a big, physical player with tons of athletic ability, but he’s still in the development phase for sure. Nickel has the highest ceiling of the group, coming in as the highest rated signee, and crafting an elite HSFB career which ended with him winning Georgia’s Mr. Football and being named a HSFB All-American.
To my eye, Nickel is the QB of the future. He has the kind of ability Miami has lacked with the previous recruits in Williams and Anderson. He’ll start learning the offensive system now and start to position himself as a top contender for the QB1 job in 2026.
Running Back
Mark Fletcher Jr. goes from rotational player to unquestioned starter for Miami this year. He’ll be pushed by Jordan Lyle, a talented sophomore who earned significant snaps as a true freshman in 2024, and early enrollee Girard Pringle Jr, a blazing RB with homerun speed. Chris Wheatley-Humphrey is another speedster in the backfield who could work his way into some snaps this season as well.
With only 4 scholarship backs after Allen and Johnson Jr’s departures via transfer, Miami is a bit short handed at this position. I’d expect to see some walk-ons taking snaps here, and maybe a guy like Elija Lofton moving from TE into the backfield again this spring as well.
Miami would be well served to add a veteran body to the RB room in the spring transfer portal window to cover the gap in the roster that currently exists.
Wide Receiver
Gone are Miami’s top 4 receivers from 2024, so there is plenty of room for the blue chip recruits Miami has compiled over the last 2 cycles to earn a spot in the rotation for the fall.
Liberty and LSU transfer CJ Daniels will likely sit out the spring to fully recover from the heel injury that plagued him at LSU. He’ll be an integral part of Miami’s pass game come the fall regardless.
The competition for playing time among the young players in the room will be one of the top battles to watch this spring. Ray Ray Joseph, Jojo Trader, Ny Car, Chance Robinson, Joshua Moore, Daylyn Upshaw, and Malachi Toney will all do their best to show the coaches they’re ready for primetime and fashion roles for themselves for the upcoming season.
Early reviews on the trio of true freshmen — Moore, Toney, and Upshaw — have been overwhelmingly positive. Of them, Moore and Toney have been a cut above. I’m very excited to see what they, and the other unproven talent at receiver, are able to do this spring. There are snaps to be won, and now is the time to go get them.
Tight End
To replace the outgoing trio of Eijah Arroyo, Cam McCormick, and Riley Williams, Miami added Tulane transfer Alex Bauman and and UAB transfer Jack Nickel, older brother of QB signee Luke Nickel.
When you add Bauman and Nickel to undersized playmaker Elija Lofton, there’s lots to like at Miami’s Tight End position this spring. That trio of players, along with true freshmen signees Luka Gilbert and Brock Schott, have a great combination of size and skill across multiple areas.
The main thing I’m looking for this spring at Tight End is Lofton taking a big step forward. He was a utility weapon used at RB, FB, TE, and WR in his first spring, and I’m excited to see what he can do now that the players who were in front of him last year have all moved on.
Offensive Line
Miami needs to replace 2 outgoing starters, but the talent is already on the roster to be able to handle that with ease.
6’9” JUCO standout Markel Bell will move from part-time starter to full-time starter at LT in 2025. He started a handful of games when Jalen Rivers was injured last year, and played in every game rotationally as well. He grew by leaps and bounds through the season, and will have the starting spot locked down.
Matthew McCoy should have the LG spot on lock. He’s a bigger, more physical, and more talented player than other options here, and he also developed well during the 2024 season. McCoy started several games last year, and rotated with Jalen Rivers throughout the season as well when Miami employed a 1A (LT Rivers, LG McCoy) and 1B (LT Bell, LG Rivers) left side of the line.
In to replace Zach Carpenter is TCU (and previously Alabama) transfer James Brockermeyer. He’ll play his last year here in 2024 and keep the C position warm while blue chip signee Seuseu “SJ” Alofaituli learns the ropes in his freshman year before hopefully taking over in 2026.
On the right side, RG Anez Cooper and RT Francis Mauigoa return for a 3rd year starting next to each other. Set it and forget it. Still, I’m interested to see how they develop individually and collectively as the leaders of the line on their side.
This will be a key spring for the backups and developmental players who look to crack the 2-deep and move toward starting spots down the line. Guys like former 5-star tackle Samson Okunlola, who hasn’t really done much yet while his classmates Cooper, a former 3-star recruit who has reshaped his body and become a foundational starter, and Mauigoa, the other 5-star tackle in the 2023 recruiting class, have VASTLY outperformed Okunlola to this point of their respective careers.
OT Deryc Plazz was a blue chip recruit last year and this spring can help him develop. Juan “Door” Minaya is a big body who could take a step forward as well. And there are a quartet of 2025 signees in the aforementioned Alofaituli, as well as Max Buchanan, Demetrius Campbell, and Jaden Wilkerson who can begin to lay the foundation for solid college careers with their work and performance this spring.
All in all, this spring is going to have way more foundational development work across the board on offense than any spring in recent memory for the Canes.
There is far more youth pushing for key roles than in any year in the past 10 for Miami. The top of the 2024 offense, with the exceptions of Fletcher Jr., Cooper, and Mauigoa, and in some measure Bell and McCoy, needs to be replaced. That’s A LOT of turnover, and a lot of opportunity for young players to prove their worth.
With many possible outcomes from this spring and the subsequent summer work, I’m very excited to see who steps up given a chance to earn a starring/starting role, and also who fancies themselves a leading man, but is better suited for backup/ensemble duty instead.
Miami starts spring practice on March 3rd. I’m excited to see how things shake out when this new version of the Canes hits the field.
Go Canes