Liam Hickey

Coming off the other side of Miami’s final bye week, the first half of the 2025 campaign is officially in the rear view as the Hurricanes get set to gear up for seven nonstop weeks of ACC conference play. Now at the halfway point of the college football regular season, it’s time to dish out the midseason report card for each UM position group. 

Standing at 5-0 heading into Friday night’s contest against Louisville, Miami’s start thus far has been an overwhelming success. In less than two months, the Hurricanes have re-established national powerhouse status, ascending to No. 2 on the AP Poll and conquering the state of Florida amid one of the toughest schedules in the country through seven weeks. Statement wins against Notre Dame, USF, Florida, and FSU have echoed nationwide among the college football landscape and catapulted Miami to being legitimate title contenders.  

From elite offensive playmaking by the likes of Carson Beck and the legion of skill players at his disposal to the game-wrecking defensive front headlined by Reuben Bain Jr. that has terrorized opponents at the line of scrimmage, standout performances on both sides of the ball have been the sparkplug of the team’s undefeated run. 

Let’s take a deeper look into the driving forces behind Miami’s dominance by assessing the various position groups before the Hurricanes enter the final half of the season. 

Quarterback: A

Beck arrived at Coral Gables in January under lofty expectations and doubts from critics who failed to see the full picture of his time at Georgia. Within ten months, the sixth-year signal caller has silenced every naysayer, reversing the narrative and asserting himself as the Heisman favorite seven weeks into the season. As the trigger man behind offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson’s high-powered offense, Beck has already exhibited the traits of an NFL-caliber quarterback.

The marquee 2025 transfer currently ranks in the top 10 for completion percentage and grades as one of the best QBs in the country when in a clean pocket. But beyond the statistics, it’s the intangible qualities he possesses that have vaulted him into the spotlight. Beck’s overall leadership, poise, and competitiveness have been the backbone of Miami’s success, proving to be the decisive factors during the Hurricanes’ most crucial moments.

As the season progresses, the Jacksonville native will only continue to improve as he gets more comfortable utilizing his weapons within Dawson’s tailored offensive schemes. 

Wide Receiver: A-

What was once a position of uncertainty heading into the fall has become one of the team’s greatest strengths. Miami’s new wide receivers have arguably exceeded expectations more than any other offensive group.

Commanded by the two-headed monster of sixth-year LSU transfer CJ Daniels and true freshman phenom Malachi Toney, the receiving corps has flourished in season-defining matchups against Notre Dame and Florida State, with the pair of wideouts developing into one of the most formidable duos in the nation.

Toney has emerged as Carson Beck’s favorite downfield target, leading the group with 29 receptions for 375 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while Daniels isn’t far behind, amassing 269 yards from 23 catches and a team-high five scores. BYU transfer Keelan Marion and freshman standout Joshua Moore have also been making waves, and highly-touted pass-catcher Joshisa Trader will hopefully be unleashed in UM’s arsenal soon after suffering an injury in the season opener.

Aside from seeing little involvement in the game script against Florida, Miami’s wide receiver group has been elite when called upon. 

Running Back: A-

A remarkable aspect of the Canes’ refurbished offense this year has been that when one skill group has sputtered, the other has picked up the slack.

This was seen most visibly against Florida, when Mark Fletcher Jr. and North Dakota State transfer Marty Brown combined for 196 yards on the ground and three rushing touchdowns when the passing game wasn’t moving the needle. Negating the Florida State contest as the only slight blemish, Fletcher Jr. and Brown have been stellar for Miami, taking over the backfield and moving the chains to alleviate pressure from Carson Beck having to play hero ball.

By establishing the run, they have added to a balanced attack that works in tandem with the receiving unit to beat teams in a multitude of ways. Fletcher Jr. has cemented himself as the feature back, accounting for 5.5 yards per carry on 428 total yards, while Brown has carved out a role at the goal line, seeing his bulk of touches come in the red zone en route to four touchdowns.

Jordan Lyle, who entered the year atop the running back depth chart before sustaining an injury in week one, will also look to provide an impact as he slowly ramps up his snap share. 

Tight End: B- 

The tight end unit has drawn mixed but generally lukewarm reviews up to this point. While the group has paid dividends in the blocking game, their lack of receiving production has stood out as a concern.

Elija Lofton, viewed as the successor to UM’s Elijah Arroyo who was taken in the second round of the NFL draft last year, has only generated 100 yards on 11 receptions. The lack of involvement in the passing game has been due to an unfavorable play design, not a lack of talent.

Between Lofton, Alex Bauman, and Brock Schott, this room has untapped potential that could be highly effective in short-yardage situations if their usage is increased. On the flip side, they have been strong contributors in run blocking and pass protection, opening the doors for explosive plays where the receivers and running backs have excelled.  

Offensive Line: A

Loaded with depth and immense talent, Miami’s front five has been the foundation of the entire team. Some have even made the case that this group is the best in the country at the position, bar none.

Anchored by standouts Markel Bell, Anez Cooper and superstar Francis Mauigoa, the offensive line has smothered opponents at the line of scrimmage, allowing Carson Beck ample time to work his magic in the pocket. Against Florida State, the QB was pressured only six times in 30 dropbacks, amounting to a meager 20% pressure rate, which was astonishingly the highest rate they had conceded all season.

Head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal’s reputation for constructing elite units in the trenches has been exemplified through the Hurricanes’ impregnable brick wall up front, who have set the tone for UM to move the ball at will offensively. 

Defensive Line: A+ (Valedictorian)

Through five games, Miami’s defensive line has shown why they are unequivocally the best in the country — just watch the film.

Physically domineering and mentally relentless, this front seven behind the ball has suffocated all players in their path, and no team has found an answer to stopping them so far. Leading their reign of terror is the combo of Akheem Mesidor and Bain, two of the best edge rushers in college football who rank among the top three in the nation in pressure rate.

Mesidor leads the team with 3.5 sacks, while Bain has become the best-graded football player in the country. Already racking up multiple defensive player of the week awards, the edge rusher’s performances have lifted him to the No. 1 spot on many NFL 2026 mock draft boards.

With the competition expected to ease up over the next seven weeks for the ‘Canes, expect Bain and the defensive line to continue brutalizing opposing offensive lines in unimaginable ways. 

Secondary: B+

While not perfect, the secondary’s grade shows marked improvement from last season’s flunking disaster. Under the coaching of former defensive coordinator Lance Guidry in 2024, the defensive backs and safeties could not contain the explosive play, and they were frequently torched in man coverage as a result.

But under the new management of defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, this unit has completely transformed from an alarming weakness into a net strength. The group underwent a major overhaul during the offseason, highlighted by the splashy additions of defensive backs Jakobe Thomas, Keionte Scott and Zechariah Poyser via the transfer portal and the recruitment of ballhawking true freshman Bryce Fitzgerald, who has already nabbed three interceptions on his own.

Altogether, the secondary has produced nine turnovers, a strong positive that may help in overlooking their fourth quarter collapse against FSU.

Special Teams: A-

Consistency and reliability have been the main takeaways from this year’s special teams unit. FAU transfer kicker Carter Davis has been phenomenal, nailing field goals and PATs with 100% accuracy and drilling pivotal kicks against Notre Dame and Florida. Davis’ turnaround from last season has been extraordinary after entering Miami’s program 4-for-11 on field goals in his career and going 2-for-7 in 2024.

Punter Dylan Joyce has also enjoyed a strong start, shanking a punt at Florida State that tanked his average distance but otherwise remaining steady on the year. In the return game, specialist Keelan Marion along with Malachi Toney have flashed promise. Their best moment came against South Florida, when Toney almost ran a punt back for six had a teammate not fell into him seconds before breaking free of the pile. Overall, Hurricanes fans have yet to see any head-turning or awe-inspiring moments, but there haven’t been any major disasters either.