It's time for the next era of Miami Hurricanes pass-rushers to eat.
Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor gave fans a lot to cheer about last season, and they will forever have their legacies secured as great Hurricanes. However, they have moved on to the NFL and, unlike about 50 players that are afraid of growing up, Bain and Mesidor are meeting their new challenge head on.
So now the bright light shines on Marquise Lightfoot, Armondo Blount, Herb Scroggins II and the rest of the new names to remember on the defensive line. The resume for this group is still in development, but the credentials are strong.
Miami DE Marquise Lightfoot is stepping into a starting role in 2026 and he has big shoes to fill but this tape shows why I think he’s more than ready⬇️ pic.twitter.com/pppCq4jNdW
— LandonTengwall (@LandonTengwall) August 15, 2026
Lightfoot is a former five-star recruit, Blount is a former top-50 prospect and Scroggins was also a four-star prospect in the class of 2025. So, they all have talent and, as Lightfoot points out, they were given a blueprint for success from their predecessors.
"Being able to watch them, learn from them, play with them and, like just being around them. I learned just by seeing their work ethic. It was me watching them work and their attention to detail...learning from that, they basically taught me how to be a pro right now," he said during fall camp media day.
Miami's pass-rush should feast on a broken down Stanford offensive line
Stanford is already 1-0 after a 37-27 win over Hawaii, but that victory came at a huge cost. The Cardinal are banged up and hurting badly going into the Week 1 contest. They will be without three starters up front — left tackle Niki Prongos, guard Simione Pale and center Aidan Kilstrom.
That means it's time for the new pass-rush to put on a show. Lightfoot had 2.5 sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss last season in a reserve role. At times, he was a designated pass-rusher, but he also had the athleticism to play a bit of a hybrid linebacker role.
Now, Lightfoot is physically ready to be a full-time defensive end. He's put on 35 pounds since arriving on campus in 2024 and will be asked to play a lot more snaps, which should give him plenty of opportunities to show off all the things he's learned from Bain and Mesidor.
"I was playing behind the two top guys in the nation, so I had to fit in where I could. Also, grabbing a few tips and tricks from them and being able to transfer that over to this year. I'm ready. I'm ready to get my name out there," he added.
Lightfoot isn't alone up front. Damon Wilson II had nine sacks last season at Missouri and is a good bet to lead the ACC in sacks this year. Blount also had 2.5 sacks in 2025 and his ability to play outside or on the interior should give the Hurricanes an additional boost on passing downs.
The table has been set for the new Hurricanes pass-rush, and now it's time for the feast to commence.
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