What Canes can and cannot redshirt. And update on Lyle, a Beck record, safety
A six-pack of Miami Hurricanes notes on a Monday heading into Saturday’s critical game at Pittsburgh (noon, ABC):
▪ With one game left in the regular season, eight Hurricanes freshmen have played too many games to redshirt.
But several other players haven’t appeared in more than four games and remain able to get that extra year of eligibility.
Among the freshmen who have played too many games to redshirt, according to UM’s official participation charts: starters Malachi Toney (has played in every game) and Bryce Fitzgerald (has played every game), receiver Joshua Moore (10), emerging running back Gerard Pringle Jr. (six games), emerging receiver Daylyn Upshaw (six games; started against Virginia Tech), guard/center SJ Alofaituli (seven); and defensive linemen Donta Simpson Jr. (six) and Herbert Scroggins (eight).
Incidentally, sophomore running back Jordan Lyle also has appeared in too many games to redshirt (six). Lyle started the opener, then missed three games with an ankle injury.
He started against SMU but hasn’t played since and is averaging just 3.1 yards per carry on 33 carries. Pringle, Mark Fletcher Jr. and CharMar Brown have all passed him on the depth chart.
“It’s hard to play four running backs,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said Monday. “Jordan will get an opportunity soon and he will take advantage of it. It’s a crowded room.”
It’s unclear if Lyle will decide to remain with the team long-term; he very likely will draw interest from other schools. UM decides what players can be interviewed, and Lyle hasn’t been made available for an interview in weeks.
The same uncertainty also surrounds receiver Ray Ray Joseph, who played in the first three games but not since.
Besides Joseph, others who are eligible for redshirts include defensive lineman Malik Bryant (three games; was surpassed on the depth chart by younger players and is now injured); receivers Ny Carr (two games) and Chance Robinson (one); freshman edge player Hayden Lowe (one game; had a major injury); freshman tight end Brock Schott (two); freshman cornerback Chris Ewald Jr. (one); veteran defensive back Jadais Richard (four appearances since returning from last November’s knee injury; freshman safety Amari Wallace (no games), freshman defensive tackle Mykah Newton (one); freshman edge player Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. (four).
▪ Canes quarterback Carson Beck leads the Atlantic Coast conference, and ranks third in the country, in completion percentage at 74.3. That would set a UM record, topping Cam Ward’s 67.2 last season.
His 74.3 completion percentage is well above his 64.7 percent accuracy at Georgia last season. In his past three games, he has completed 66 of 83 throws with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
“He’s playing awesome football,” Mario Cristobal said. “Especially a guy who went through what he went through [offseason elbow surgery]. That can derail you mentally if you let it. He just wants to win. That’s all he cares about. He’s a self-motivated guy.”
▪ A few more things from Dawson’s media session on Monday:
He said Fletcher, who came back from injury against Virginia Tech, “is a very calming source.”
Against Virginia Tech, Pringle played 36 snaps, compared with 23 for Fletcher and 7 for Brown…
Dawson, on why the ACC is a “tough conference” despite public perception: “What makes the conference good is parity. From top to bottom, can anybody beat anybody? In our conference, you can say yes. Every week, you’ve got to come to play or you will lose. In other conferences, there are five or six games you are going to win.”
▪ Pro Football Focus rated Zechariah Poyser No. 1 among all UM defensive players in Virginia Tech; with two years of eligibility remaining, he’s a key building block for the future.
“He has been excellent the entire season,” Cristobal said. “Been very effective as a blitzer, man to man cover guy, being stout on the perimeter. His sack was a huge play in the game. He’s been consistent all year long. He’s been a big difference maker for us this year.”
UM’s other starting safety, Jakobe Thomas, was cleared for practice on Monday after leaving Saturday’s game with an injury. UM has been using Thomas to fill in at nickel in the wake of Keionte Scott’s injury, which is expected to be season-ending.
Fitzgerald has replaced Thomas at safety and logged a game-high 64 defensive snaps against Virginia Tech. With Thomas limited to 12 snaps against the Hokies because of the injury, Dylan Day played 44 defensive snaps.
“Day had some really good reps in the game,” defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman said.
FYI: Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor, Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott were rated UM’s second, third and fourth best defenders by PFF.
▪ UM is bringing receiver CJ Daniels back slowly from his injury; he played only four offensive snaps against Virginia Tech.
Among the other receivers, Malachi Toney played 64 of UM’s 66 snaps. Keelan Marion played 52, Upshaw 27, Jojo Trader 22, Moore 7, Carr 4 and Daniels 4.
Even beyond Toney’s 12 receptions for 146 yards, he had three carries for 16 yards and completed a 15-yard pass.
“A part of him that doesn’t get mentioned enough is the pride he takes in physical conditioning,” Cristobal said. “When you get that many touches in all those different ways, you’re getting tackled by DBs, 300 pounders up front, don’t come out of the game. Hat’s off to him. He keeps getting better.”
▪ ESPN’s Jordan Reid ranks UM edge player Rueben Bain as the fourth-best draft prospect, behind Ohio State edge player Arvel Reese, Ohio State safety Caleb Downs and Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love.
Reid said Bain has “heavy, quick, powerful hands which allow him to overwhelm blockers with strength and help him win with his arsenal of pass-rush moves. According to my NFL sources, Bain is a polarizing prospect because of his tweener build, and questions about his true position at the next level will come up.”
Reid ranks UM offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa eighth with this assessment:
“Mauigoa is a steady presence at right tackle and the anchor of the Hurricanes’ offensive line, but I believe he projects better as a guard in the NFL because of his natural strength, short-area quickness and barrel-like frame.
“He’s a physical run blocker who uses his excellent body strength to plow open run lanes. Mauigoa is also good in pass protection, as his 1.6% pressure rate allowed is 10th lowest among FBS offensive tackles this season. He is capable of being a plug-and-play starter on the interior or at right tackle, though he has more upside inside.”
Players five through seven on Reid’s list: Oregon quarterback Dante Moore, LSU cornerback Mansoor Delane and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
This story was originally published November 24, 2025 at 4:20 PM.
