IT'S A 'U' THING

Three decades covering the #MiamiHurricanes—@BleacherReport, #CanesTime, #allCanesBlog. Rise up #UFAMILY —Mario Cristobal is back in the 305! 🙌🏼 🇺🇸🙌🏼

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

.@CanesFootball season is here, year five is underway for @Coach_Cristobal and the respected @JoshPateCFB called #TheU as best in show for the 2026 season—a deep-dive into how things got here and where they're headed in 2026. It's a 'U' thing...

#MiamiHurricanes
#CollegeFootball

https://t.co/Sc5oRfHGuT

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

You’re not gonna “find him” when Wake drops into man with Fletcher out and Toney sitting out multiple plays per possession.

Deacs didn’t have to worry about the run and Barkate wasn’t getting open.

New offensive line and pass blocking tougher than run blocking—safe to say coaches protecting against sacks, fumbles and interceptions to flip and field and steal momentum.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@Romancane … shit, wellness check on Mark Matthews?

President of the Elko Elko Elkoooo Club?

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

We’re three games into replacing Mauigoa, Bell and Cooper, my guy.

Have you see what these three guys are already doing in the NFL?

Literally instant impact guys while the Canes are leaning on some back ups becoming starters and two true freshman phenoms.

You’re not respecting how veteran that o-line was the last two years and how deep the trenches were on both sides as Bain and Mesidor left a massive hole as well.

Cristobal and Mirabal are working with a lot of raw talent yet to gel.

There is no power running game right now when 60% or last year’s massive line are all raising hell as pros.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

#Miami's showdown at #WakeForest was the epitome of why a portion of this @CanesFootball fan base doesn't deserve nice things.

I get that rage-bait and knee-jerk overreactions are part of fandom in this social media-driven world—and will lay into that in the recap tomorrow—but as far as a Saturday morning reaction, some quick sentiments:

A big reason the #Canes made such a deep post-season run in 2025; the team stayed healthy and wasn't bitten by the injury-bug—which is a direct contrast to the first three games of 2026.

To lose both #OJFrederique and #XavierLucas for what could be the better part of this season—too many of you are not grasping just how massive this is to a team (and especially a defense) in rebuild-mode.

It was challenging enough to lose #RuebenBain, #AhkeemMesidor, #DavidBlay, #KeionteScott, #JakobeThomas and #WesleyBissainthe on this defense—and a big key to looking the part early was a secondary that boasted two of the best in the sport and a pair of future first rounders.

That is how #TheU has successfully "reloaded" over the years; each side of the ball having some level of experience and consistency to help bring the new guys along.

Back in 2002 when Miami sent it's entire 2001 secondary to the NFL (three first rounders, one third rounder)—the new-look secondary benefitted from championship caliber guys and veterans returning on the defensive line and at linebacker.

Which helped guys like #SeanTaylor, #AntrelRolle, #MauriceSikes and #KellyJennings hit the ground running in game two of that season at No. 6 Florida—because #JonVIlma, #DJWilliams, #JeromeMcDougle, #MattWalters, #WilliamJoseph and others returned (which also helped a #VinceWilfork ease in on that line, as well.)

To take a Lucas and Frederique out of this current line-up; Miami is damn-near running last year's second string defense across the board, outside a #AhmadMoten or #MoToure—and while that wasn't a game-changer at Stanford or against Florida A&M, it was a thing at Wake Forest going up against a solid head coach in #JakeDickert.

It also seems ridiculous to not acknowledge the impact of a #MartyBrown suffering what looked like a season-ending injury before halftime—as anyone sitting in Sun Devil Stadium when #WillisMcGahee was taken out of the 2003 Fiesta can attest; losing a beloved star to what ESPN described last night to "a gruesome knee injury" they wouldn't replay—it can take the air out of the entire room.

Fast-forward to a second half that saw Moten playing hurt, #MarkFletcher going down injured, #MalachiToney getting banged up (and sitting out several plays per possession)—the Canes now down to #GeraldPringle and #JavianMallory (as #JordanLyle still isn't back)—Miami was a shell of itself personnel-wise that second half against Wake.

The cynic calls these 'excuses' instead of 'explanations' while trotting out trite and cliché sentiments about how "this team need to get better down the stretch or it's gonna have problems!" or mocking comparison's to last year's team (when many of the currently-disgruntled were the one's hyping this roster and whining about a No. 7 pre-season ranking in the first place.)

It's wild how it feels nothing has been learned from last year; most-notably how this team, the coaches and the program as a whole was written off after losing at SMU on November 1st—before going on a seven-game win-streak and reaching the national title game, by way of a slew of upsets.

Miami started fast out the gate last year, it a mid-season lull, bottomed-out and then got its shit together, found its mojo and won four in a row to reach the College Football Playoffs—that was the tale of the tape for 2025.

Now it's 2026 and a third of the way through this new season and the storyline is injures impacting depth—keeping Miami from reloading this fall and putting them in rebuild-mode for the time being.

The minutes so many of these back-ups are currently playing while injured starters work to heal-up and take their jobs back; this isn't the way anybody designed the first few weeks of this season.

Perception is reality and sadly, a few missed tackles an inability to wrap-up #GioLopez—it allowed #JackFoley to get behind some green defensive backs, while #CarlosHernandez had his shifty move on display—but does anyone think for a minute those two combine for 16 receptions, 187 yards and two touchdowns if Lucas and Frederique are in lockdown-mode?

Does anyone really believe the Canes offense hits a late wall if Fletcher and Toney are fully healthy and getting after it in the fourth?

That's a 45-17 ballgame under normal circumstances and without a few superstars from last year's title run not being sidelined or knocked out of the contest—losses that a rebuilding Miami team could ill-afford week three of this new season, another one of those quirky Friday night ACC road games.

And to that point, anyone paying attention to history over the past two decades—this game is absolutely a loss at any point since joining the ACC in 2004; those collapses and buzzsaw games were Miami blew a game at a Virginia, a North Carolina, a Virginia Tech, a Duke, a Georgia Tech—we've seen this horror movie before; it's literally been the Canes' narrative since the wheels fell off.

Does this team have work to do? Absolutely—but we knew that before this season even started and everybody was still healthy?

We knew that this new-look d-line had it's hands full replacing Bain and Mesidor, while the o-line would be completely revamped and a mix of some super-talent new freshman and some veterans who'd been grinding and waiting their time in the sun.

The goal was always to find a way to win and simply not blow an opportunity early in the season; hanging tough and then hitting that stride in November—much like last year—rolling into the postseason healthy and in position to make some noise.

For as great as 2025 ended have we already forgotten where it started and were the first two-thirds went?

Almost blowing that 21- 7 lead to Notre Dame; letting the Irish tie it up before a late field goal and final defensive stand resulted in a 24-21 upset?

Almost blowing a 28-3 lead at Florida State and getting outscored 19-0 down the stretch, while the defense was hands on hips and sucking wind—the Seminoles and onside kick away from the offense taking field for a potential game-winning drive in that unexpected, 28-22 thriller?

Fast in a 14-0 hole at Louisville, getting away from the ground attack, trying to get it all back one big throw at a time and outscoring the Cardinals, 21-10 down the stretch—behind four #CarsonBeck interceptions and some stout defense—before falling, 24-21?

That godawful first half against Stanford that was tied 7-7 at the half before the Canes just out-talented the Cardinal in the second half for a 42-7 win?

Pissing away a winnable game at SMU as Miami was out of its element and couldn't get out of its own way, fallen 26-20 in overtime?

Syracuse was an ugly 0-0 ballgame late in the second quarter before a few Orange turnovers and a throwback pass from Toney to Beck to wake this team up—followed by that late fourth quarter pitch to #FrancisMauigoa as the offensive lineman rumbled in for a touchdown in a 38-3 game were the Canes finally seemed like they were finding their groove again.

Miami dog-walked North Carolina State, put Virginia Tech out to pasture and smashed Pittsburgh to roll into Selection Sunday with momentum—but go back to expectations at so many big points of the 2025 and ask yourself if you though those Hurricanes were going to beat the likes of Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss in the postseason, while taking top-ranked Indiana to the wire.

There is a lot of football let to be played and just like last year, a lot of growth that needs to take place—and this coaching staff is well-aware that what they put on the field last night is not championship-caliber football—so back to Greentree they go this week, to get better, correct mistakes and to prep for Central Michigan.

In short, get a grip—it's mid-September in Winston-Salem, not early November in South Bend.

You saw what this program and coaching staff did last year—they earned the benefit of the doubt week three with a MASH unit on the sidelines and back-ups hanging on to preserve a double-digit win.

1-0 every week; onto the next ... and yes, the 53-yard field goal attempt in a 13-point game with 4:23 left from the Wake 36-yard line was a braindead call—Miami in no man's land, unable to really punt while asking a new kicker to make his career-long.

This is a no-brainer run with Fletcher last year and the o-line blowing an opposing defense of the ball—and with a Fletcher, a Brown or a healthy Toney at this point last night—Miami goes for it ... but in the moment it felt like an analytics-driven move instead of going with the feel of the game.

The worst-case scenario was a block and that's precisely what happened—but credit Miami for buckling in, even after that Damon Wilson offsides on a 4th-and-7—in what had been a clean night thus far; Ethan O'Connor putting it away our plays later with a goal-line pick to all but seal it.

Back to work, Miami...

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@OrangeBowlBoys I was rooting for Brohm to Penn State last year.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Wake went into man the minute Toney wasn’t a factor anymore and the running game wasn’t a threat with Pringle / Mallory at that point.

These aren’t last year’s trenches, man—no Mauigoa, Bell or Cooper and its musical chairs as Miami tries to set its starting five there.

Friday night has nothing to do with anything, but you’re vastly diminishing key guys being injured and the fact this is a new-look offensive and defensive line for the Canes.

And again, where was this energy from our fans when Miami’s offense went into the toilet late at Florida State last year and was outscored 19-0 down the stretch—that defense sucking wind—as the Noles were a made onside kick from having a shot at a game-winning drive in a game they lost 28-22 en route to a 5-7 season.

Wake will be a better squad in 2026 than FSU was in 2025—book it; Jake Dickert a much better coach than Mike Norvell, too.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@Dario_WFRAgency @LakersCanes305 Exactly.

You can’t get tackled at any point; keep moving towards the back of the end zone and step out, get pushed out, ball swatted and it goes out the back. Never should’ve been scrambling in place and moving forward.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Yeah man, so many key injuries right now with a team trying to reload and it’s only mid-September. So much ball left and just have to get back to work.

I still remember how dismal everything was on November 1st last year and where the rest of that season went; Miami was all but left for dead at 6-2 but tuned out the noise, kept working and went on a hell or a run.

Canes so healthy last season and no injury bug; mind-blowing what’s happened to this depth chart three games in when needing to revamp after all the off-season losses to the NFL.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@PatJamesBETS You’re on drugs if you really think that shit was targeting; estrogen pumping strong with this post.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Nobody played with their food.

Brown knocked out at the half, Fletcher left in fourth. Lyle still out so it was Pringle and true freshman Mallory behind a totally new-look offensive line.

Toney was missing triple plays per possession injured and Mensah appeared to get rocked, and was rattled and off as well.

The offensive personnel was depleted and on defense that secondary was without Frederique and Lucas again and Wake Forest took some advantage late when Miami’s offense kept stalling.

Tone of injures theee games in; absolute nightmare start to the season on that front.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@bencarmona3 @CanesFootball Thanks, brother.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@RonMexico718 Thanks, brother.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Anyone saying it won’t be “interesting” is clueless how tough this rivalry has been since joining the ACC.

Canes have lost five in a row to the Tar Heels and Chapel Hill is almost always a bitch; Miami now 3-7 in Kenan Stadium since joining the ACC.

That upset in 2004 was Halloween weekend: No. 3 Miami taken down 31-28 by a shitty 3-4 North Carolina team that was set to fire Carl Torbush if they lost that weekend.

Those three road wins:

24-19 in 2017; almost blew it with a late fumble against a sub-par Heels squad when the Canes were No. 7 and undefeated.

27-23 in 2013; No. 10 Miami needed a monster comeback late on a Thursday night.

30-24; Al Golden almost shit the bed and blew a huge lead late.

Miami has never won a convincing game in Chapel Hill; all dogfights and some embarrassing as fuck losses.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Perfectly put by @Romancane — amazing what happens when we have high IQ football fans who operate from a place of logic and common sense; not feelings and emotions.

[Roman #OBB @Romancane]

Post SOTG notes: Wake Forest addition.

Wake came into this game with a game plan coming in from the off-season. They had this game circled. This just isn't a "let's prepare for Miami during the season" this was a let's prepare for them like they are our week one opponent.

Welcome to taking everyone's best shot every week season. At least they will try. I mean, you played for a national championship a year ago.

First half was exquisite. Did what you wanted to do. Had wrinkles on things and it looked good. Running game found some juice.

Offensive guards are popping up on film and just outright losing reps. Again this is NOT the playoff offensive line from a year ago. But that offensive line from a year ago wasn't the playoff offensive line until the playoffs.

They have a few more games of grace period but it needs to gel cohesively quicker in the next two weeks. The quintessential, you aren't freshmen any more line needs to apply. Time to grow up.

The tackles have been solid, I don't really notice them which is a very good thing.

The pass protection isn't perfect right now. It has been really really good under Mirabal. But the team needs to find the pattern of simulated pressure fronts because Mensah needs a split second longer to process.

Defense got pressure. I love Lightfoot's motor. He is fun to watch.

If Miami has an answer to find defensively, they love cut mechanics on motions and when they are two high. Wake seemed to find soft spots underneath those cut mechanics. It was a game of, I'll motion this way, Miami needs to buzz and cut that way, and I'll just take the advantage on the other side. If you see a heat map you would notice the completions focused a ton on hook/curl areas with motion.

Wake Forest is a well coached football team. They aren't winning that many games by accident. If that team is in the SEC they are ranked top 15 in the country. Fight me on that.

In the second half, more like end of third and the forth wake's simulated pressure front was winning. But the issues is Miami put themselves in a situation where they kept facing 3rd and longs and that's when the simulated pressures came out.

Mensah got uncomfortable in the pocket late when that happened. You got a couple options to remedy this.

STOP GETTING IN 3RD AND LONGS. Seems simple enough, but Shannon disappears for too long of stretches at times. I called him out on the pod. Because in the national championship game first half, and other playoff games the offense goes straight Houdini for a half.

The guy loses an play calling emotional intelligence in moments. He needs a section of play calls on his play sheet that says, "The momentum is swinging and I need to get them back in the groove." section. And opening script of sorts that's made specifically when the team is losing swag.

He's a good play caller OC. But he has to address to his "Houdini for a Half" tendencies.

Defense has a couple things to clean up as well. Took some flow bait one too many times, missed hit a gap here and there and the tackling was meh. Heatherman is still uber aggressive and it's at least a fun brand of football to watch.

Ultimately Miami wasn't world beaters on the night, they were mortal. Do I believe it was a complete blue print for other teams to follow? No. Do I believe it was a favor and you get to learn from it? Yes.

Improve.

Bang!!!!

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Because Wake went into man coverage when they didn't account for Toney—Miami one-dimensional; unable to run the ball consistency with no Fletcher / Brown / Lyle—and to people not realize it's harder for a new, green line to pass-protect than run-block?

Offense was hamstrung and up 31-7 — coaches obviously wanted to avoid a sack, a fumble or an interception that would shift momentum and give them easy points.

Mensah was also obviously banged up as he was very off with his throws in the fourth.

Take the win and let's not over-dissect every aspect of a mid-September game were the sideline looked like a MASH unit.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

It's more than Miami fans; it's the media expectation as well.

Look at last week and how aghast everyone was when Miami slapped up Florida A&M, 77-7 — the Canes were the epitome of everything wrong with the sport and teams playing lesser foes.

You think anyone said shit about Oregon smashing Portland State, 84-0 last night? Of course not; great bounce back game or the Ducks after choking at Oklahoma State.

Duke steals Darian Mensah from Tulane; nobody gives two shits—Miami lands him when he leaves Durham; it's a federal case and the Canes are Public Enemy #1 for doing the same thing everybody out there is doing.

Look at the media narrative this morning; Miami was "overrated" ... the Canes were "exposed" ... no credence given to the fact so many key players have been knocked out the past few weeks.

If we saw Notre Dame lose Leonard Moore and Christian Gray first few weeks of September and the Irish had a rough fourth quarter with back-ups, ALL conversation would be around these injuries—yet nobody in the national media is highlight just how hamstring this rebuilding Miami defense is right now without OJ Frederique and Xavier Lucas.

In short, the worst thing that happened to college football was Miami getting back to the national title game because it broke the brains of every fucking rival and critic out there who spent the past two decades believing the Cane had been left for dead and would never be a contender again.

The hate and jealousy is palpable.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

I trust Joe Echevarria, Rudy Fernandez, Manny Kadre, the Mas brothers and all other behind the scenes power brokers who brought Cristobal home with autonomy, money and a game plan for this program.

I can also admit that there could've been tunnel-vision here as the powers that be were hell-bent on going back to Nike and there was really nothing else adidas could've done to change those minds, as the big Swoosh energy was preferred to that three-stripe life.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

@CIApiFL @MiamiCanes1971 @GeoMilian Because there's been a lot of rage-bait and stupidity out of our fan base this week and shit obviously gets lost in translation on here.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Yup, adidas wanted to sign the deal—as did Dan Radakovich, the since forced-out AD—as the power brokers at Miami have wanted Nike back in the fold for a while now.

BoT member Manny Kadre kept Rad from accepting the adidas deal as he was actively pursuing Nike and is the biggest reason this went through—arranging a meeting with Nike CEO Elliott Hill and executive vice president Ann Miller (and personally negotiated the agreement) while President Echevarria approved and signed off on all of it.

Kadre is the biggest name at UM the masses don't know; before becoming chair, he chaired or served on the board’s Finance, Government Affairs and Public Policy, and Master Planning and Construction committees.

Kadre is also vice chair of the U-Health board and chairs its Audit, Finance, and Strategy Committee—and he gets a ton of credit for helping bring Cristobal back home—so if you think that adidas really had a shot to match the deal, or that it was apples to apples and Miami was ever going to really hear them out, I don't know what else to tell you.

There was a massive internal push for Nike as UM prefers the brand, the cool factor and the storytelling—power brokers like Kadre working for months behind the scenes.

But what do I know; I've only covered the program for three decades.

[IT'S A 'U' THING @ItsAUThingBlog]

Bro, get a grip and be a a realist here. Not sure if this is rage-bait or just a low football IQ, but this ain't it.

We're three weeks into a new football season and Miami is down two first-first round starting cornerbacks—some of the best in the sport.

Lucas and Frederique were supposed to help take pressure off a new-look defensive line and some new faces at linebacker but locking things down back there.

Instead, you have newness all over that side of the ball—and no strong link on the defense until guys get healthy—while Fitzgerald gets pulled from his nickel role and is helping in other areas.

Brown gets taken out (most-likely for the year) before halftime, Fletcher gets hurt early fourth quarter, Lyle still isn't back and you literally had a fifth-string true freshman in Mallory trying to carry the load behind a new look offensive line—while Toney was sitting plays out hurt, as well.

Last year Miami isn't trying a fucking career-long field goal for a new kicker on a 4th-and-4—they are trusting that stout line and Fletcher to blow Wake Forest's front-seven the fuck off the ball and the Canes are getting the first down.

It is going to take a minute to get this thing where it needs to be this year.

Last year's fast start flamed out in October with Louisville, a slow start against Stanford and a los at SMU, before the team found post-season mode and an identity and went on a run.

Did everyone also forget a blown 28-3 lead in Trailerhassee where that stellar defense was winded and on roller skates out there as Florida State scored 19 unanswered and was an onside kick away from a potential game-winning drive and comeback for the ages?

Wake Forest is a quirky out at home and Friday night games in the ACC always have drama, for whatever reason—and I've watched enough Miami football these past two decades to tell you the Hurricanes find a way to lose that game last night at any point since joining this conference.

Sometimes you thrive and sometimes you survive—and for a team that was blessed health-wise last season, it is snakebitten three games into 2026—and it's disingenuous-as-fuck for our fans to not realize that or to understand these growing pains.

So from here you appreciate the win and 3-0 and you trust that Cristobal, Hetherman and Dawson get these kids the fuck back to work this week and they keep learning on the job so that when October rolls around they look better than September and when November rolls around they look ready for another post-season run.

Either way, this is some real misguided "anger"—emotion besting logic—and a very unfair way to characterize last night.