Darian Mensah and Mark Fletcher named 2nd-best 2026 QB-RB duo nationally

Miami quarterback Darian Mensah and running back Mark Fletcher Jr. were named the second-best QB-RB duo entering the 2026 season by Brad Crawford of CBS Sports. Crawford noted that Mensah (playing for Duke) and Fletcher Jr. combined for 5,305 total yards and 49 touchdowns in 2025.

Mensah and Fletcher Jr. are only behind QB Trindad Chambliss and RB Kewan Lacy of Mississippi. Chambliss and Lacy combined for 6.301 yards and 54 TDs in 2025. Chambliss threw for 277 yards and a TD and Lacy ran for 103 and a score as Miami beat Mississippi 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff National Semifinal in January.

Fletcher Jr. ran for 133 yards against Mississippi. Miami shut down Lacy, other than a 73-yard TD run. Lacy had 11 carries in the Fiesta Bowl to 22 for Fletcher Jr. Mensah will replace Carson Beck at QB for Miami in 2025. Beck had 268 yards, two TDs and one interception against Mississippi.

Mensah had career highs by completing 66.8 percent of his pass attempts for 3,973 yards, 34 TDs and six interceptions in 2025 and ran for another score. Fletcher Jr. also set career highs with 216 carries for 1,192 rushing yards and 12 TDs and 17 receptions for 140 yards and another two scores.

Fletcher Jr. CFP production

Fletcher Jr. was at his best during the CFP with 75 carries for 507 yards in four games as Miami advanced to the National Championship Game. Mensah finished seventh nationally during the 2025 season, averaging 283.8 passing yards per game and finished 21st with a 153.59 passer rating.

The Miami backfield is more than Fletcher Jr. and Mensah. Miami returns its top six players in rushing yards from 2025. That includes wide receiver Malachi Toney, fourth on Miami with 113 rushing yards and one TD (that was against Texas A&M in the CFP first round) in 2025.

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