Miami football ACC ranking in returning starters
The Miami football team returns six starters on offense and six on defense in 2024. Miami returns 79 percent of its offensive production and 53 percent of its defensive production per Steven Lassan's article "ACC Football: Which Teams Return the Most Starters, Production and Talent for 2024?" for Athlon Sports.
Miami is tied for ninth in the ACC with Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh and Wake Forest in returning starters. Clemson, California and Miami are tied for sixth in the ACC with 79 percent of their offensive production returning in 2024. Boston College, Miami and North Carolina State are tied for 12th with 53 percent returning defensive production.
The numbers do not include transfers. Miami is one of multiple ACC teams to bring in transfer quarterbacks in 2024. Cam Ward is the best of the ACC transfer QBs. Duke, Louisville, North Carolina State and Syracuse also signed high-profile transfer QBs during the 2024 offseason.
Miami returns starter guard Anez Cooper, tackles Francis Mauigoa and Jalen Rivers, tight end Cam McCormick and wide receivers Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo on offense. Miami has brought in center Zach Carpenter in addition to Ward, as projected starters on offense. Left guard will likely be open through August training camp.
Defensive tackle Jared Harrison-Hunte, edge rusher Rueben Bain, linebackers Wesley Bissainthe and Francisco Mauigoa and cornerbacks Damari Brown and Darryl Porter Jr. return on defense. Miami mainly focused on defense in the transfer portal. Six of the nine transfers Miami added for 2024 are on defense.
Backup quarterback Reese Poffenbarger is the only other offensive transfer Miami added in 2024. Expect several transfers Miami added on defense to compete for starting positions in 2024. Safety and defensive tackle will be the positions to watch for Miami transfers to make their biggest impacts.
Defensive tackles C.J. Clark and Marley Cook should receive significant snaps for Miami in 2024. Transfer Elijah Alston will be part of a deep Miami group of edge rushers with Bain, Njjalik Kelly and Akheem Mesidor, who return in 2024 after missing most of the 2023 season with injuries.
Next. ESPN names Cam Ward as 2024 transfer with most to prove. ESPN names Cam Ward as 2024 transfer with most to prove. dark
A third of the 2024 Miami transfer additions are safeties Mishael Powell, Savion Riley and Isaiah Taylor. Powell has mostly played slot cornerback during spring practice. Riley should compete for first-team safety snaps. Taylor adds depth. The transfers give Miami a virtual increase in returning production for 2024.