As Hurricanes prepare for 2025 season, look for offensive line to ‘set the tone'
'The O-line, we like to set the tone for the whole team,' Mauigoa said last week at the Atlantic Coast Conference's Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'We like to set the standard. [Offensive line] coach [Alex] Mirabal always pounds on us every day to set the standard for the team, and we're the type of guys that go out there and try to dominate everybody.'
That's the standard that has to be set if Miami wants to build on its 10-win season in 2024, the first time UM has won double-digit games since 2017.
Coach Mario Cristobal always harps that the game begins in the trenches, and the Hurricanes have done their part through recruiting and development to make sure that their offensive line is among the best in the country.
That should be the case this season.
In addition to Mauigoa at right tackle, the Hurricanes return three other starters from last season in left tackle Markel Bell (who filled in early when Jalen Rivers was hurt and continued getting playing time when Rivers returned), left guard Matt McCoy and right guard Anez Cooper. Miami also added veteran center James Brockermeyer through the transfer portal.
Combined, the Hurricanes' projected starting offensive line has a combined 85 starts.
'Any time you have an offensive line that can perform at a high level, you're going to have a chance to win a lot of games,' Cristobal said, 'and we feel like we are going to be able to field an offensive line that could play eight to 10 guys, and maybe even more, of winning football. We're going to find out during camp. We cross train everybody so everybody's getting reps on the other side as well. We have multiple guys taking reps at center, but we're big and we're physical. Our strength room numbers have been off the charts. It's a hungry, driven group and they know that we are led by the trenches.'
And inside that group, Mauigoa is expected to lead the charge individually. The right tackle has been named a preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Athlon (first team), Lindy's Sports (second team) and Phil Steele (third team).
According to Pro Football Focus, Mauigoa was the only tackle at the Football Bowl Subdivision level last season with two or fewer knockdowns allowed on 500-plus pass-blocking snaps. He made all-around strides in his game, allowing just one sack last year compared to five as a freshman and allowing fewer quarterback pressures (19 in 2024 compared to 23 in 2023). Mauigoa also committed just five penalties in 2024 compared to nine his freshman season.
'We strive to get better every year,' Mauigoa said. 'Every offseason, we work to get better at something. We practice hard every time that we get a chance to. We're just trying to be the best that we can be. The stats don't even matter to us. It's being able to be out there and being able to be the best you can be, not only as a player but as a character as well.'
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