Examining UM’s offensive personnel at midpoint: Beck’s issue, some surprises
With the 5-1 Miami Hurricanes at the halfway point of their regular season, a six-pack of nuggets and metrics on the team’s offense, heading into Saturday’s home game against Stanford (7 p.m., ESPN).
▪ The Canes are averaging 412.3 yards per game (52nd in the country) and 32.7 points per game (45th among 134 FBS schools).
Among players who have logged at least 100 snaps, Pro Football Focus rates receiver Malachi Toney as UM’s top player on offense, followed by right tackle Francis Mauigoa, running back Mark Fletcher Jr., receiver CJ Daniels and running back CharMar Brown. This is one case where the PFF rankings match the eye test.
Of the 37 players who have appeared on offense, PFF rates receiver Keelan Marion and tight end Alex Bauman as the worst among players who have played at least 15 offensive snaps. That’s notable, because Marion essentially beat out five others for the No. 3 receiver job. Bauman has played the most snaps at tight end.
▪ Among the most surprising snap count totals midway through the season: Receiver Jojo Trader, who appeared to be a likely starter in April, has played only 10 offensive snaps despite being healthy for at least half the games, including the past two. On Friday, he was yanked after only one snap.
At this point, the coaches clearly don’t believe he gives them a better chance to win than the players that are playing, for reasons they have not explained. But the situation has even drawn questions from Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson, who asked on X: “What happened to Jojo Trader? I don’t see him out there for Miami.”
Bauman, the Tulane transfer, has played more than Elija Lofton (240 snaps to 192). Lofton has been a bit banged up this season, but he hasn’t missed any games. Bottom line: This hasn’t been the breakout season for Lofton that most expected.
Receiver Joshua Moore, who flashed considerable potential in August workouts, has played just 90 offensive snaps (compared with 246 for Marion)....
Transfer receiver Tony Johnson, who played a lot for Cincinnati last season, has played just 60 snaps, but that’s mostly a byproduct of Toney’s greatness. The same could be said for slot receiver Ray Ray Joseph, who has played just 42 snaps. Chance Robinson, who has been injured recently, has logged just 12 snaps on offense and Ny Carr just nine…
Running back Jordan Lyle, who started the opener against Notre Dame and then sustained an ankle injury during the game, has been back the past two games but has just 43 offensive snaps for the season, compared with 223 for Fletcher and 146 for Brown.
Now that he’s healthy, UM needs more from Lyle because he adds a second explosive element, to complement Toney. But Lyle is averaging just 2.6 yards on 17 carries, after averaging 7.4 yards on 54 attempts last season.
▪ Beyond Toney’s 289 offensive snaps and Moore’s 90, here are the snap counts for the other freshmen on offense at the halfway point:
Interior lineman SJ Alofaituli (46), offensive lineman Max Buchanan (31), tight end Luka Gilbert (30), running back Girard Pringle Jr. (17), receiver Daylan Upshaw (14), tight end Brock Schott (8).
▪ PFF says Mauigoa is UM’s only starting offensive lineman who has allowed a sack; PFF says he permitted two, while allowing seven hurries in 196 pass-blocking chances. Alofaituli has allowed the other sack; he will compete to replace senior center James Brockermeyer next season.
Left tackle Markel Bell, center James Brockermeyer and right guard Alex Cooper have each permitted six pressures.
Michael McCoy struggled at left guard against Louisville and has allowed five pressures in 122 pass-blocking snaps. He has two players pushing him in Samson Okunlola (just one pressure permitted in 95 pass-blocking snaps) and Ryan Rodriguez (no pressures in 16 pass-blocking snaps). That’s the spot on the line where there needs to be competition.
As run blockers, PFF ranks UM’s starting offensive line in this order: Mauigoa, Cooper, McCoy, Brockermeyer and Bell. Okunlola would be second if he were a starter; his playing time possibly could increase.
▪ Carson Beck, overall, has 11 touchdowns and 7 interceptions — underwhelming to say the least. He said Wednesday that he had a “terrible game” against Louisville, a game in which he threw four picks.
Beck has been productive when he’s not facing a pass rush. He has nine touchdowns, three interceptions and a 114.8 NFL passer rating when he’s kept clean.
But.... As was the case at Georgia last season, he has struggled when under pressure, going 10 for 23 with two touchdowns and four interceptions and a 51.4 passer rating.
Beck has been at his best on throws involving play action, and offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson needs to incorporate that more. On those attempts, he’s 46 for 57 for 598 yards, five touchdowns, one interception and a 132.3 passer rating.
He has six touchdowns, six interceptions and an 86.3 rating on 118 passes without play action.
▪ Beck is 11 for 26, for 364 yards, with five touchdowns and five interceptions, on passes thrown at least 20 air yards (89.4 passer rating). He’s much worse than Cam Ward was in that area.
Beck hasn’t been great on intermediate throws. He’s 15 for 30 for 269 yards, one touchdown and one interception, on passes that travel 10 to 19 air yards. That’s a mediocre 78.3 rating.
But Beck has benefitted from UM receivers - especially Toney - generating yards after the catch on those intermediate throwss. Toney is averaging a sterling 8.2 yards after catch.
Coming next: A look at UM’s metrics on defense at the midway point.
This story was originally published October 22, 2025 at 1:42 PM.
