How Bain, Toney are helping Hurricanes on the field and their community off it

Rueben Bain Jr. and Malachi Toney have both come up big for the Miami Hurricanes often this season.

Bain, a junior who starred at Miami Central and is a projected first-round draft pick in April, has been one of college football’s top edge rushers. Toney, a freshman phenom who reclassified to join the Hurricanes a year early out of Plantation American Heritage, has been one of the sport’s top wide receivers despite only turning 18 three months ago.

The impact on the field for the Hurricanes is undeniable. They’re major reasons No. 10 Miami is playing the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl for a College Football Playoff quarterfinal on Wednesday.

But the two homegrown Hurricanes have also used their platform and success to give back to a South Florida community that gave so much to them growing up.

Toney has held two such events over the past two months, hosting a turkey drive in Hollywood before Thanksgiving and a holiday toy drive in Opa-Locka just before Christmas through his newly created Toney Foundation, which is supported by his representation agency, NETWORK and First Horizon Foundation.

“It means a lot,” said Toney, who enters the Cotton Bowl with 89 catches for 992 yards and eight touchdowns and also has two passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown in his breakout freshman season. “Growing up, certain kids really don’t have much, and I just want to do the best that I can be able to give back and make them feel as appreciated, as blessed as possible.”

Bain, meanwhile, held a toy drive of his own on Dec. 22 in Miami through his Hurricane Bain Foundation. Bain, named a consensus All-American this season, said he estimated that he gave out about 500 toys and 80 bikes during the four-hour event on Miami’s off day from practice.

“It was amazing seeing all the kids come out, all the excitement on their face,” said Bain, who is coming off a three-sack performance in Miami’s first-round win over Texas A&M and has 7.5 sacks, 11.5 tackles for loss, 42 tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and interception and a blocked field goal this season. “It was a great feeling. Everybody was leaving with smiles on their face and a whole bunch of toys. It was all around a good day, good time. I was so tired, but it was all worth it.”

Toney, who was named the ACC’s Rookie of the Year and a second-team All-American by the Associated Press, said he feels grateful knowing that he has a platform that helps him give back this early in his career and plans to continue doing community events moving forward.

“I feel great knowing that I’m still young doing it,” Toney said, “and when I get older, I’ll still be able to do it, God willing.”

This story was originally published December 31, 2025 at 10:13 AM.