There's no way around it. The Malachi Toney injury is a crushing blow to the best offense in college football. Toney wasn't just the best player on the Miami Hurricanes, the offense runs completely through him. The play calling, the pace of play . . .the entire scheme is built around Toney's unique talents.
I thought Toney was the best offensive weapon in college football. The good news is he should be back in time for a postseason run. Hopefully, he'll be at the short end of the 4-6 week recovery time and return for the ACC Championship Game. Do the Hurricanes have enough to get through the final four games (Notre Dame, Duke, Virginia Tech, and Boston College) without Toney? Absolutely. But it's not going to be easy.
“This is a huge loss for Miami [football].”@TaylorLewan77 comments on Malachi Toney’s injury update, as he needs to undergo surgery ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ILdLJvEQko
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) November 5, 2026
The defense is going to have to play much better and the offense might have to help them out a bit by slowing the game down in areas. Here are five players on offense that can step up in Toney's absence:
RBs Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory
Miami's best chance of winning in Week 10 against Notre Dame and over the next month will be with its running game. The ground game hasn't stood out this season, but now is as good a time as any to take control. Mallory has outperformed Fletcher this season, but both players should be very productive if they can get around 30+ carries per game between them.
WR Cooper Barkate
Barkate is a high-volume receiver that already has experience with Darian Mensah as a No. 1 receiver. He isn't the playmaker that Toney is, but he can give you 6+ catches a game and work in the slot or on the outside. I expect Shannon Dawson to move Barkate around a little and get him open in space.
TE Elija Lofton
Lofton is the player that could see his stock rise the most in the next month. Every week Lofton makes a highlight play in the passing game. Now the 6-foot-3, 242-pound athlete is in line for a few more opportunities. He can be a mismatch nightmare, especially in the red zone, where his size will come into play. I would love to see the Hurricanes get the ball to Lofton early and see if he can do something that will fire up the offense.
HOW did Miami TE Elija Lofton turn this into a first down? pic.twitter.com/Th5IyAr1BP
— Underdog CFB (@UnderdogCFB) November 1, 2026
WR Daylyn Upshaw
When I look back on a few games, especially the FSU game from a few weeks ago, there's one thing that stands out — Upshaw is open a lot. Mensah looks him off sometimes and, on other occasions, he doesn't look at him at all. There might be a trust issue there. Upshaw has missed some opportunities for big plays. He dropped a 4th-down pass against Pitt in Week 8 that might've gone for a touchdown. But that needs to be put in the past, because Upshaw can do some damage on the field if he gets the touches.
One guy isn't going to replace what Toney has done for the Hurricanes, but if these five players can each give a little extra and gain some confidence through making an explosive play or two, Miami will be all right.
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