There's little time for Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes to wipe tears away from Monday night's heartbreaking 27-21 loss to Indiana in the CFP Championship Game. The expectations are huge for the Hurricanes next season and much of it is dependent on Miami landing former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah out of the transfer portal.
Mensah's transfer is likely to be a messy, legal situation with Duke fighting it at every step. But assuming the second-team All-ACC quarterback makes the move from the Research Triangle to South Beach, it could be the final piece to a championship puzzle for Miami.
Darian Mensah to @CanesFootball for 10 million NIL shows that #miami has plans to be back next year.
— Chris Connor (@LastCallwChrisC) January 18, 2026
Put him in an offense w/ Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher, Elijah Lofton and others and Miami is the ACC favorite pic.twitter.com/JAFN6Q54no
Darian Mensah would give Hurricanes their best transfer QB yet
Miami has struck gold with transfer quarterbacks in consecutive seasons. Cam Ward proved to be a rare talent at the position, and he almost carried the Hurricanes to a playoff berth while becoming a Davey O'Brien Trophy winner, consensus All-American, Heisman Trophy finalist and the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Carson Beck wasn't the athletic and playmaking marvel that Ward was, but his experience in big games and composure in critical situations helped Miami reach the CFP title game with a magical run through the playoffs. He was the perfect match with an improved supporting cast that featured one of the best offensive lines in football and a freshman All-American at receiver, Malachi Toney.
But with Mensah, Miami would get all the athleticism and playmaking skills that Ward provided, combined with the great supporting cast that Beck got to work with. The Hurricanes should still have a great offensive line next season even with the expected departure of Francis Mauigoa. And with Toney, Mark Fletcher and others returning, Mensah will have plenty of talent around him.
This is a player that threw for nearly 4,000 yards this season and 34 touchdowns with just six interceptions in leading Duke to the ACC championship. With Mensah in a Miami uniform, everything would be on the table next season—the CFP championship, Heisman Trophy and a first-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
There's nothing more exciting and unsettling for a fanbase than an 'all-or-nothing' season and if Mensah comes to Coral Gables, that's what the narrative is going to be. But I can't imagine Mario Cristobal and the Miami Hurricanes would want it any other way.