After lackluster start, can Hurricanes’ Elija Lofton finish season on a strong note?
The Miami Hurricanes had high expectations this season for Elija Lofton, the do-it-all tight end who was poised to take on a bigger role in the offense after showing glimpses of his talent as a freshman.
Things haven’t gone as planned.
Injuries slowed Lofton early, and he failed to consistently get involved in the passing game.
But he appears to be turning the corner.
Lofton has caught touchdowns each of the past two games, hauling in a 29-yard reception in the third quarter of Miami’s 41-7 rout of NC State and opening scoring with a 20-yard reception in the Hurricanes’ 34-17 win over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
“He’s just continuing to stick with it, trust the process and continuing to work. That’s what you have to do,” quarterback Carson Beck said.
And it’s helping Lofton salvage what could have been an otherwise lost season.
Lofton spent his freshman year behind Elijah Arroyo, who had a breakout 2024 season with 35 catches, 590 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on his way to being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Arroyo’s breakout allowed the Hurricanes to ease Lofton into college ball and utilize his versatility.
He took the field in select packages, with Miami figuring out ways to maximize his talent and put him in the best position to succeed.
“Athletically, he’s blessed,” Hurricanes tight ends coach Cody Woodiel said during spring practices. “[He’s a] Swiss Army knife. You can use him and put him in multiple different ways.”
His role was supposed to expand in Year 2 and in many ways it has. He has already taken more than double the offensive snaps that he did a year ago — 340 this season entering Miami’s regular-season finale at Pittsburgh on Saturday (noon, ABC) compared to 157 in 13 games last season. He’s being used more as a pure tight end, having to balance both being a pass catcher and a blocker.
However, the results haven’t translated with the increased role. Lofton has 20 catches for 186 yards and the two touchdowns through 11 games and has essentially split starting duties with Tulane transfer Alex Bauman.
But Lofton gave a reminder of how he can impact a game with his two touchdown receptions.
“He deserves a lot of credit,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said. “He has played through some pretty good injuries and nicks and bumps or whatnot that have slowed him down, but he’s never complained. He just keeps showing up. And has it hindered himself? It has, but he still keeps coming.”
Cristobal said the hope was that Lofton’s first touchdown reception against NC State could “really start the momentum to some bigger and better things.”
“His approach has never, ever wavered,” Cristobal said. “He is a guy that’s very strong-minded that we’re counting on for continued high-level play, and I think it’s coming. His best steps ahead of him, but I’m really proud of that guy because he’s fought through a lot. His future here is really, really bright.”
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said the adjustment period for a player going from a part-time role to a starter sometimes “takes a little longer than people expect” regardless of the player’s skill set. However, Dawson said Lofton has been “trending in the right direction” as of late, evidenced by the two touchdowns.
“The more plays you make, the more confidence you’re gonna have,” Dawson said. “I think everybody probably falls into that category. ... Just finding different ways to use him. It’s going to happen. The kid’s very talented.”
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