Miami played 16 games on the way to the College Football Playoff national championship game last season. The extra four postseason games provided a national stage for the Hurricanes, but they also added another month of hits, routes, tackles and recovery for players who will again be central to the 2026 team.
Malachi Toney, Mohamed Toure and Zechariah Poyser were on the field throughout Miami's 16-game run, while Mark Fletcher Jr. handled the heaviest workload of anyone on the roster despite missing two regular-season games. Transfers such as Darian Mensah, Cooper Barkate and Damon Wilson II also arrive with plenty of their own 2025 mileage.
3 Miami returners face the hidden cost of a 16-game CFP season
Malachi Toney
In addition to putting up 109 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards and 10 receiving touchdowns, Toney also had 113 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, 298 punt-return yards, four pass completions for 82 yards and two touchdowns out of Miami's special wildcat package.
Luckily, Miami has more receiver depth in 2026. Cooper Barkate, Vandrevius Jacobs and Cam Vaughn joined the room through the portal, while Joshua Moore, Daylyn Upshaw, Somourian Wingo, Milan Parris, Vance Spafford and Tyran Evans are also on the roster. The extra options should help Miami avoid asking Toney to do everything.
Toney will still be the offense's most dangerous returning player, but Miami's job is making sure he does not have to be its emergency answer every time the offense needs a play.
Mohamed Toure
Toure started all 16 games in his first season at Miami and led the Hurricanes with 84 tackles. He closed the season with eight tackles against Texas A&M, seven against Ohio State, four with a sack against Ole Miss and 11 in the national championship game against Indiana.
That workload came after a long college career. Toure played 37 games over six seasons at Rutgers before arriving at Miami, where he recorded 168 tackles, 22.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks. He also entered 2025 after missing two full seasons at Rutgers because of injuries.
Miami needs Toures experience in 2026. And he needs to stay healthy.
Mark Fletcher Jr.
Fletcher Jr. belongs in the conversation even without a 16-game schedule. He played in 14 games and made 12 starts, but he carried the ball 216 times and added 17 catches. His 507 rushing yards during Miami's four-game College Football Playoff run set the CFP record, including 172 yards against Texas A&M, 133 against Ole Miss and 112 with two touchdowns in the title game.
Fletcher missed games against Syracuse and NC State because of injury, then returned to take the biggest workload of his career during the postseason. Miami has CharMar Brown and Jordan Lyle back in the running back room, which gives the staff an opportunity to reduce the number of times Fletcher must take 20-plus carries before November.
Miami's 2026 wear-and-tear watch
- WR Malachi Toney: 1,622 all-purpose yards and a major role in all four CFP games.
- LB Mohamed Toure: Started all 16 games for Miami.
- S Zechariah Poyser: Started all 16 games for Miami.
- RB Mark Fletcher Jr.: Carried the ball 216 times and added 17 receptions last year for Miami.
- WR Cooper Barkate: Started all 14 games at Duke.
- QB Darian Mensah: Started all 14 games for Duke.
- DL Damon Wilson II: Started all 13 games at Missouri.
Add us as a preferred source on Google