Running backs Junior Mark Fletcher Jr. and sophomore Jordan Lyle will step into bigger roles in 2025 after being significant contributors in 2024. Fletcher Jr. and Lyle are likely to share carries in 2025 as the top two Miami running backs after Damien Martinez led Miami in carries and rushing yards in 2024.
Martinez had 159 carries for 1,002 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns in 2024. Fletcher Jr. was second on Miami in 2024 with 112 carries for 607 yards and nine touchdowns. Lyle had 54 carries for 400 yards and four TDs in 2024. Miami will have three new RBs behind Fletcher Jr. and Lyle in 2025.
CharMar Brown from Football Championship Subdivision North Dakota State is expected to be third in the RB rotation for Miami behind Fletcher Jr. and Lyle. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2024, Brown had 44 carries for 1,181 yards and 15 TDs with the Bison.
Brown earned the Jerry Rice Award as the best FCS freshman in 2024. Miami gains another RB with proven production in Division I. Fletcher Jr., Lyle and Martinez gave Miami three fresh RBs during the 2024 season. Expect three to be featured prominently in 2024.
Lyle was often used as the closer for Miami with Fletcher and Martinez receiving the majority of the carries in the first three quarters. Lyle had 31 carries for 307 yards and all four TDs in 2024. Brown could be used as the closer for Miami at RB in 2025.
In addition to Brown, Fletcher Jr. and Lyle, Miami returns Chris Wheatley-Humphrey, who redshirted in 2024 and has 2025 signee Girard Pringle on the roster. Wheatley-Humphrey had his only carry for seven yards versus FCS Florida A&M in a 56-7 win in 2024.
Pringle Jr. is the second-highest-ranked 2025 Miami signee and the top one on offense. The 247Sports composite rankings have Pringle Jr. as the seventh-best RB in the 2025 class. Pringle Jr. and Wheatley-Humphrey will compete for carries to be the fourth RB on the 2025 Miami depth chart.
Miami could lean on the run early during the 2025 season more than they did in 2024. The Hurricanes averaged 37.6 pass attempts per game in 2024 and 33.3 runs. Miami has an experienced offensive line returning that should be one of the best nationally in 2025 and give Miami the potential for a dominant running game.