Miami has the eighth-best backfield nationally entering the 2025 season in an article "Projecting college football's top 10 backfields in 2025" by Brad Crawford of 247Sports. Miami added quarterback Carson Beck and returns running backs Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle to give Miami a high-ranked backfield.
Beck was a necessity for Miami at QB after losing Cam Ward. Fletcher Jr. and Lyle provide Miami with a pair of players who have a proven history of production carrying the ball. In 23 games with eight starts in his two college seasons, Fletcher Jr. has 217 carries, for 1,121 yards and 14 touchdowns with 17 receptions for 168 yards.
Lyle had 54 carries for 400 yards and four TDs with four receptions for 19 yards in 12 games in 2024. With Fletcher Jr. and Lyle returning in 2025 and an extremely young wide receiver group, expect Miami to rely more on the run than they had to in 2024. Miami lost their top six receivers from the 2024 season.
Miami also returns rising redshirt freshman Chris Wheatley-Humphrey and brings in 2025 four-star signee Girard Pringle at RB in 2025. In 2024, Miami was 31st nationally averaging 188.92 rushing yards per game and was fourth averaging 5.67 yards per carry. Miami led the ACC in 2024 in rushing YPG, YPC and TDs.
"8. Miami HurricanesBrad Crawford, 247Sports
Miami's projected backfield: Carson Beck, QB; Mark Fletcher Jr. + Jordan Lyle, RB
Veterans Fletcher and Lyle will handle the rushing load at Miami this fall. Beck comes over from Georgia as another elite (and costly) transfer acquisition and could see a resurgence of sorts in Shannon Dawson's interpretation of the spread. Miami's offense line could be a top unit in the ACC, which benefits this trio and should lead to sizable numbers."
Beck was 13th nationally in 2024 averaging 268.1 passing YPG, was 32nd with a 145.34 passer rating, 14th with 28 TD passes, 37th averaging 7.8 yards per attempt and 35th completing 64.7 percent of his passes. Miami had to add Beck after the subpar performance by Emory Williams in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
Miami returns four of its top six offensive linemen in 2025. The Hurricanes were fourth nationally allowing 3.54 sacks per game and 56th permitting 1.77 sacks per game in 2024. Expect Francis Mauigoa to compete to be an All-American as the top OL for Miami creating holes in the running game and protecting Beck.
Dawson has always stated his interpretation of the Air Raid offense which is a version of the spread is more based on balance. Expect Dawson to strive to be more balanced offensively in 2025 with Fletcher and Lyle returning. Miami averaged 37.6 passes and 33.3 runs in 2024. Expect that to be close to even in 2025.