62 Days to Miami Football: Hayden Mahoney 2018 Preview
Redshirt Junior Hayden Mahoney enters the 2018 Miami Football season as first on the depth chart at right guard. Mahoney started two games there in 2017.
Mahoney began the Spring playing with the Miami Football second team offense. After it became clear that George Brown could not handle right tackle, the Hurricanes shifted the offensive line around.
Navaughn Donaldson who was a True Freshman All-American at right guard in 2017 was moved to right tackle replacing Brown. Mahoney took Donaldson’s spot at right guard. He will likely have to battle with incoming Graduate Transfer Venzell Boulware and Rising Sophomore Corey Caynor to hold on to the starting spot at right guard.
The two games Mahoney started last season were the wins over North Carolina and Syracuse. The Hurricanes gained nearly 900 combined yards in those games.
Mahoney or whoever became the starting right guard will be one of two new starters on the Miami offensive line. There will be four starters in new positions this season.
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Rising Senior Jahair Jones is currently the first string left guard. Donaldson and left tackle Tyree St. Louis are in new positions at tackle. St. Louis was Miami’s right tackle last season.
Upgrading the talent and getting better play on the offensive line will be a key for Miami in 2018. Mark Richt has said throughout the offseason that the offensive line is the unit on the Miami Football team that needs the greatest infusion of talent and more consistency.
The Hurricanes offensive line is the only unit on the Miami Football team not ranked in the top five in the ACC per Athlon Sports. After basically striking out in his first recruiting class on the offensive line, the Hurricanes have recruited the big uglies well in the last two classes.
Donaldson is already a star and there are plenty of other players up front offensively expected to contribute from the 2017 and ’18 classes. Gaynor played well last season having to shuffle between guard, center and even fullback. Kai-Leon Herbert and Zalon’tae Hillery should both see plenty of snaps this season and contribute in 2019.
Mahoney was a part of Al Golden’s last recruiting class at Miami in 2015. The fact he is from Pennsylvania shouldn’t surprise those that follow Miami’s recruiting closely, especially under Golden.
Mahoney was a three-star offensive tackle out of high school. He was the 94th best tackle in the Class of 2015 and 19th best player in Pennsylvania.
Mahoney has grown under Richt and Offensive Line Coach Stacy Searles. He redshirted as a Freshman during Golden’s final season three years ago. Under Richt in 2016, Mahoney did not get into any games. He only contributed as a part of the practice squad.
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He made a big leap last season by playing in 12 out of the 13 Miami Football games, plus the two starts. It speaks a lot about Richt, Searles and the Miami staff that Mahoney is currently the favorite to start at right guard.