The 2024 season is on the horizon, andHurricanesfans hope to see a major step forward in Year 3 of theMario Cristobalera.
As Miami keeps adding talent through high school and transfer portal recruiting, UM appears poised to be a major contender in the ACC this season.
This summer, we will take a look at a different position group each week to see who departed, who arrived and who should have big impacts this year.
After taking a look at Miami’s tight ends, we now preview a group that has turned into a strength in Coral Gables: the offensive line.
Who left
Miami lost a pair of starters to the professional ranks this offseason. The Cincinnati Bengals picked center Matt Lee in the seventh round, and the Cleveland Browns signed Javion Cohen as an undrafted free agent.
Lee was an instrumental addition to the Hurricanes, spending one season with the team and starting every regular-season game after transferring from UCF. He had a 79 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus, which was sixth in the nation. For the second straight season, he did not allow a sack.
Cohen, an Alabama transfer, also started every regular-season game in his one season at Miami. Cohen notched a 59.4 offensive grade.
Miami also lost a pair of depth offensive linemen to the transfer portal. Both of those linemen, Jonathan Denis and Logan Sagapolu, previously transferred from Oregon to UM.
Denis did not play last year while he recovered from an injury. He played 201 snaps in 2022, filling in for an injured Jakai Clark at center and starting two games. Denis had a 57.1 offensive grade in 2022.
Sagapolu played 177 offensive snaps in 2022 but saw his playing time drop last year, getting 29 offensive snaps. He transferred to Washington.
Who returns
Fortunately for UM, the Hurricanes return three key members of last year’s strong offensive line: Anez Cooper, Francis Mauigoa and Jalen Rivers.
Rivers anchors the line at left tackle. He started every game last year, racking up 878 snaps. He earned a 74.1 offensive grade, which was tied for 35th in the nation and third in the ACC among tackles with 500 or more snaps. He also had a 73.5 pass-blocking grade and 70.2 run-blocking grade.
Rivers not only provides a steady presence at left tackle but also brings veteran leadership to the line as he enters his fifth season of college football.
“It’s great to know the offense so I can teach the guys behind me and be that leader,” Rivers said in the spring. “I already know my stuff. I’ve got to help the guys behind me. I’ve got to help the whole offense.”
Cooper, who was a three-star prospect coming out of high school, appears to be a diamond in the rough that Miami’s coaching staff found. After taking over at guard midway through his freshman year, Cooper established himself as a quality starter.
Last year, Cooper started 13 games and had a 65.9 offensive grade, which ranked 10th among guards in the conference. He also had a 78.4 pass-block grade, which was seventh-best, and a 63.1 run-block grade.
Mauigoa also returns after a standout freshman season. The former five-star prospect lived up to the hype that came with his high recruiting ranking. He started all 13 games and despite some early struggles, posted a 68.1 offensive grade with a 64.1 pass-blocking grade and a 70.7 run-blocking grade.
Mauigoa’s offensive grade was second-best among freshmen linemen with at least 500 snaps. His run-blocking grade was No. 1 nationally among that same group.
Mauigoa was an All-ACC honorable mention and was named a freshman All-American by multiple outlets. However, Mauigoa missed spring football while he recovered from an injury.
The Hurricanes also return several returning reserve linemen who could compete for open positions on the line.
Former five-star prospect Samson Okunlola is one possible replacement for Cohen at guard. Though he was a tackle in high school, he could shift inside to guard.
Okunlola played 30 snaps in three games last year before missing the remainder of the season with an injury.
“He looks great,” Cristobal said in the spring. “He’s 100 percent healthy. He got healthy towards the end of the year last year. He had an injury right during the bye week. He’s ready. He’s ready to help us. He’s competing for a spot just like everybody else is out there.”
Third-year lineman Matthew McCoy, who is listed at 6-6 and 290 pounds, played the most backup snaps for UM last year, getting 141 offensive snaps in 2023. He had a 57.7 offensive grade in his time on the field.
The Hurricanes bring back a few other depth linemen: Luis Cristobal (Mario Cristobal’s nephew), Tommy Kinsler IV, Antonio Tripp Jr., Frankie Tinilau and Ryan Rodriguez. Rodriguez had the most snaps of those five, getting 123 snaps last season.
The Hurricanes also returned veteran Zion Nelson, who has been recovering from knee surgery since 2022.
Who arrived
UM strengthened its offensive line in the offseason, adding one transfer, one junior college prospect and three high school recruits.
The transfer, Zach Carpenter, is poised to make a quick impact in Coral Gables. Carpenter, a soft-spoken transfer from Indiana, was a two-year starter for the Hoosiers. He had a 65.3 offensive grade, which was sixth in the Big 10 among centers with at least 500 snaps.
“He’s more calm and quiet, but he gets the job done. He’ll communicate,” Rivers said of Carpenter in the spring. “That’s what we need: a leader in the center position, and he’s doing a great job of it right now filling that spot.”
The other experienced lineman joining the team is Markel Bell, The former Holmes Community College lineman stands out with his size; he is listed at 6-9 and 340 pounds.
“He’s really, really big,” UM offensive line coach Alex Mirabal said. “He’s really, really good. And he’s going to be really, really good for the ‘Canes. He’s almost 6-9, I believe, and he’s like 325, 330 pounds. But he can bend his knees, he can move his feet.”
Bell is more than just size, Mirabal said.
“He’s got good feet,” Mirabal said. “He’s got great length. It’s not that he’s tall, it’s that he’s long. He’s got really long arms, and it’s not the same. But he’s developing tremendously.”
UM also added three freshmen linemen: Nino Francavilla, Deryc Plazz and Juan Minaya. Francavill and Plazz enrolled in time for spring practice, while Minaya is a summer enrollee.
All three freshmen were rated three-star prospects in 247Sports’ composite rankings. Plazz (6-4, 275 pounds) was the No. 57 inside offensive lineman in 247Sports’ composite ranking. Francavilla (6-3, 295 pounds) was the No. 169 interior lineman. Minaya (6-6, 335 pounds) was listed as the No. 79 offensive tackle.
“They’ve been catching on real fast,” Cooper said in spring.
