Ten Miami Hurricanes questions and answers heading into Saturday’s spring game
When the Hurricanes play their spring game on campus at 10:15 Saturday morning, without TV cameras and a limited crowd, there will be a fair degree of intrigue.
For select fans in attendance, this will represent the first look (in a Canes jersey) at new quarterback Darian Mensah and his go-to receiver at Duke (Cooper Barkate); an initial glimpse at five-star left tackle Jackson Cantwell and several other ballyhooed freshmen; and a first peek at the edge rusher (Damon Wilson) who’s expected to help replace Rueben Bain’s and Akheem Mesidor’s sack production.
Play-calling in spring games is usually vanilla for competitive reasons, and UM went a step further by declining television coverage, so 2026 opponents can’t examine the tape to glean information. The Canes also decided to make the first half of the game what is essentially a practice session.
There are no remaining tickets for the game; all 5,500 have been distributed.
Nevertheless, some small clues and a bit of clarity should emerge on a few issues. Ten of them:
▪ Does the new-look offensive line measure up?
Not only have four starters departed, but another 2025 part-time starter — Samson Okunlola — has missed the spring with an injury.
That has left UM with first-time starters at left tackle (Cantwell), center (Ryan Rodriguez, who has started sparingly in the past) and guard (Max Buchanan and possibly SJ Alofaituli, who has been filling in for Okunlola).
What’s more, former starting guard Matthew McCoy will be starting at right tackle for the first time this season, unless head coach Mario Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal shift course.
UM has expressed strong confidence in this group. And with the elimination of the post-spring portal window, the Canes don’t have any external options if they don’t measure up.
▪ How does UM compensate for the loss of Bain, Mesidor and to a lesser extent, David Blay?
At the edge position, the hope is that Wilson (who had nine sacks last season at Missouri) becomes an All-ACC-caliber pass rusher and that Marquise Lightfoot and Armondo Blount continue to thrive in more expanded roles.
At tackle, Ohio State transfer Jarquez Carter, Nebraska transfer Keona Davis and second-year player Mykah Newton will need to show that the quality of UM’s tackle play won’t diminish greatly when starters Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott get a breather.
▪ Does Luke Nickel secure the No. 2 quarterback job?
He’s the clear front-runner over Judd Anderson and freshman Dereon Coleman. There’s no question about his arm or ability to improvise if a play breaks down. But he needs to show consistent accuracy to cement his position as Mensah’s backup.
▪ Does Jordan Lyle regain his groove?
The regression, partly due to an ankle injury, was pronounced last season — from a 7.4 yards-per-carry average as a freshman to 3.1 (on 35 attempts) last year. New running backs coach Favian Upshaw said he wants to get Lyle back to his freshman form, and Lyle must prove he can break tackles.
▪ Is there a reliable kicker in the house?
This remains an ongoing competition between Northwestern transfer Jack Olsen, who went 19 for 21 on field goals last season, and FSU transfer Jake Weinberg, who went 12 for 19, with two of the misses doomed by operational issues and a couple impacted by a mechanical issue that he has worked to correct.
This could come down to Olsen handling field goals and Weinberg handling kickoffs. Of Weinberg’s 61 kickoffs at FSU, 56 were touchbacks.
▪ Do Daylyn Upshaw or transfers Cam Vaughn (West Virginia) or Vandrevius Jacobs (South Carolina) wrest a starting job from Joshua Moore?
Malachi Toney and Barkate are automatic as starters, but the four-way battle for the other starting spot will remain one of the delicious competitions that will seep into August.
Moore, who has both size (6-4) and speed, can become a genuinely great player, UM people say. But his competition is formidable; Jacobs averaged 17 yards per catch for the Gamecocks and has electrifying speed.
▪ Which freshmen will make a strong case for playing time come September?
The sense from UM people is that safety JJ Dunigan, who’s big and physical, is likely to carve out an immediate role. Cantwell looks like a Day 1 starter.
Freshman guard/tackle Ben Congdon is making a strong case, and receivers Milan Parris (a red-zone target at 6-5) and Somourian Wingo tantalize. Defensive tackle Keshawn Stancil could become a factor. Tight ends Gavin Mueller and Israel Briggs will push No. 2 tight end Luka Gilbert.
And cornerback Camdin Portis — who had two pick-sixes this spring — also has made a case, though there are five corners seemingly ahead of him.
▪ Does Elija Lofton build on his strong regular-season finish and is there a quality backup who emerges?
Lofton’s very modest production was puzzling for most of last season. He came alive in November, catching TD passes in each of the final three regular-games. But he caught only two passes overall in three playoff games and missed the championship game with an injury.
Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson needs to find ways to exploit him, as he did in November, and Lofton must be more consistent.
Likely backup Gilbert, a mammoth target at 6-7, can stretch the field but must show he can block. If not, Jackson Carver — who missed last season with a knee injury — could snag some of Gilbert’s snaps.
And former walk-on Owen Ruskavich, a star of the spring game last season, shouldn’t be discounted, a practice observer said.
▪ Is there a good enough No. 3 linebacker on the roster?
That has been a lingering issue all spring; Cristobal was very vocal about that on Thursday.
The Canes — who lost Raul Aguirre in the portal — are comfortable with Mo Toure and Cam Smith, but somebody must emerge as a reliable No. 3 among Kamal Bonner (a former NC State starter), Cam Pruitt, Ezekiel Marcellin, Kellen Wiley Jr. and three freshmen — Justin Edwards and Jordan Campbell and the only Class of 2026 member who hasn’t yet enrolled (four-star Karsten Busch).
▪ How does the secondary shake out?
UM is in an enviable spot, with a collection of good cornerbacks (Xavier Lucus, OJ Frederique, Ethan O’Connor, Damari Brown, Ja’boree Antoine and perhaps Portis and three other freshmen) and seven experienced or very talented safeties (Zechariah Poyser, Bryce Fitzgerald, Omar Thornton, Dunnigan and Dylan Day, Conrad Hussey and Isaiah Taylor).
That depth will breed intense competition. The biggest question is whether Fitzgerald, Brown, Thornton or someone else will replace NFL-bound Keionte Scott in the nickel. Thornton has played in the nickel a lot this spring.
This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 12:13 PM.
