Miami Hurricanes offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa, a 6‑foot‑6 junior from American Samoa, kicked off ACC Media Day reinforcing his commitment to anchoring the offensive line. Mauigoa, entering his third year as a starter, reflected the unit’s confidence amid high expectations for the 2025 season.
Mauigoa stood out as the only returning All‑ACC lineman from Miami’s 2024 campaign. He allowed just one sack over more than 500 pass-blocking snaps which was the lowest in FBS among tackles and earned second-team All‑ACC honors. Pro Football Focus ranked Miami’s offensive line eighth nationally, and Mauigoa himself earned praise as the No. 2 overall college offensive lineman entering 2025.
Statistically, Miami ranked No. 1 in the nation last year in scoring offense (43.9 points/game) and total offense (537.2 yards/game), thanks in part to the protection Mauigoa and his teammates provided. The uninterrupted pocket allowed quarterback Cam Ward to thrive and Mauigoa says he feels a familiar competitive energy with Carson Beck.
"“He comes ready every practice that we have,” Mauigoa said. “He’s very open-minded. He’s a very special guy just like Cam Ward last year, I feel the same energy with Carson Beck.”"Francis Mauigoa
Mauigoa has also emphasized incremental improvement, saying “Practice makes improvement, not perfect… if I can improve every day on my craft, that’s all I need." It seems like Mauigoa has taken on a leadership role as the veteran with the Hurricanes program. As arguably the best player on the team, that is something that is very important to the culture as Miami looks to build off of its successful 2024 campaign.
Looking forward, the offensive line faces a tough opener against Notre Dame on Aug. 31, followed by other talented defensive lines in the ACC. With Mauigoa projected as a top‑round NFL draft pick next spring, his presence is something that should not be taken for granted at Miami.