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Miami Herald
4 hours ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Miami Hurricanes land two players on preseason All-ACC team. Here's who made it
The Miami Hurricanes had two players named to the preseason All-ACC team, as voted on by media during the conference's football kickoff in Charlotte last week and announced by the league on Thursday. The duo: Right tackle Francis Mauigoa and defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. Miami is one of seven teams in the 17-team ACC to have multiple players selected to the preseason team. Clemson led the way with a conference-high 11 selections, including the preseason player of the year in quarterback Cade Klubnik. Pittsburgh had three players named to the 27-player preseason team, while Miami, Duke, Georgia Tech and SMU each had two. Florida State, N.C. State and Syracuse each had one player selected to round out the team. Mauigoa and Bain, both juniors, are cornerstones in the trenches for the Hurricanes. Mauigoa has started all 26 games in his UM career at right tackle. He was a freshman All-American in 2023 and was All-ACC second team in 2024 as a sophomore. 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. As for Bain, the edge rusher was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2023 after logging 12.5 tackles for loss and seven-and-a-half sacks. He played through injury as a sophomore, but still managed 23 tackles, five-and-a-half tackles for loss and three-and-a-half sacks in nine games. Additionally, quarterback Carson Beck was one of five players to receive multiple votes for preseason player of the year, being selected on four ballots. Clemson's Klubnik was the runaway winner, getting 146 of 183 votes. Georgia Tech's Haynes King (nine), SMU's Kevin Jennings (five) and Virginia Tech's Kyron Drones (four) were the others to get multiple votes. The Hurricanes were voted by the media to finish second in the ACC, as announced by the league on Wednesday. UM went 10-3 and 6-2 in conference action last season. The full preseason All-ACC team is below, with the total number of votes received in parenthesis. Offense QB: Cade Klubnik, Clemson (148) RB: Isaac Brown, Louisville (99); Jamal Haynes, Georgia Tech (85) WR: Antonio Williams, Clemson (143); Bryant Wesco Jr., Clemson (66); Chris Bell, Louisville (51) TE: Justin Joly, NC State (92) AP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (73) OT: Francis Mauigoa, Miami (99); Blake Miller, Clemson (99) OG: Keylan Rutledge, Georgia Tech (93); OG: Walker Parks, Clemson (51) C: Ryan Linthicum, Clemson (44) Defense DE: T.J. Parker, Clemson (152); Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (92) DT: Peter Woods, Clemson (142); Darrell Jackson Jr., Florida State (56) LB: Kyle Louis, Pitt (98); Wade Woodaz, Clemson (77); Sammy Brown, Clemson (76) CB: Avieon Terrell, Clemson (129); Chandler Rivers, Duke (106) S: Isaiah Nwokobia, SMU (86); Terry Moore, Duke (81) Specialists PK: Collin Rogers, SMU (67) P: Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse (70) SP: Desmond Reid, Pitt (68)
Miami Herald
3 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
As Hurricanes prepare for 2025 season, look for offensive line to ‘set the tone'
Francis Mauigoa understands what's expected of him and the rest of the Miami Hurricanes' offensive line. They're the veterans of this team. They're the most established unit on a team that is looking to take yet another step forward this season. '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.'
Miami Herald
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
College Football Rankings 2025: CFN Preseason Top 10 - True National Title Contenders
The College Football News preseason rankings are based on how good the teams appear to be going into the has the most talent, the best depth, and the parts in place to make the strongest run to a national title? Last year was a breeze - it was Ohio State. This year?Go ahead and make your case for any of the ten teams on this list, and you'll probably be right. With all of that said, Florida State and Utah were both in our preseason top ten last year, and ... we keep saying, this isn't supposed to be predictive. Before it all gets going, the ten best teams in college football appear to be ... CFN Preview 2025 Rankings101-136 | 76-100 | 51-75 | 26-5011-25 | @ColFootballNewsCFN Previews of All 136 TeamsOne thing to note. The Player You Need To Know isn't always the star. It's usually the top guy outside of the skill parts who'll get the spotlight. 10 Miami Miami PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowFrancis Mauigoa, OT Opener: Notre Dame2024 Preseason Rank: 132024 Final Rank: 232023: 33, 2022: 622021: 49, 2020: 202019: 60, 2018: 60 9 Clemson Clemson PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowTJ Parker, EDGE Opener: LSU2024 Preseason Rank: 122024 Final Rank: 242023: 20, 2022: 132021: 16, 2020: 32019: 3, 2018: 1 8 LSU LSU PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowWhit Weeks, LB Opener: at Clemson2024 Preseason Rank: 142024 Final Rank: 222023: 9, 2022: 152021: 35, 2020: 292019: 1, 2018: 10 7 Oregon Oregon PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowIsaiah World, OT Opener: Montana State2024 Preseason Rank: 62024 Final Rank: 22023: 6, 2022: 192021: 31, 2020: 282019: 7, 2018: 31 6 Georgia Georgia PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowChristian Miller, DT Opener: Marshall2024 Preseason Rank: 22024 Final Rank: 52023: 5, 2022: 12021: 1, 2020: 82019: 4, 2018: 4 5 Notre Dame Notre Dame PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowLeonard Moore, CB Opener: at Miami2024 Preseason Rank: 112024 Final Rank: 32023: 22, 2022: 112021: 8, 2020: 52019: 12, 2018: 7 4 Ohio State Ohio State PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowSonny Styles, LB Opener: Texas2024 Preseason Rank: 12024 Final Rank: 12023: 11, 2022: 42021: 4, 2020: 22019: 2, 2018: 3 3 Alabama Alabama PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowKaydyn Proctor, OT Opener: at Florida State2024 Preseason Rank: 42024 Final Rank: 162023: 4, 2022: 72021: 2, 2020: 12019: 15, 2018: 2 2 Texas Texas PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowAnthony Hill Jr., LB Opener: at Ohio State2024 Preseason Rank: 32024 Final Rank: 62023: 3, 2022: 222021: 20, 2020: 182019: 29, 2018: 13 1 Penn State Penn State PreviewPlayer You Need To KnowDani Dennis-Sutton, DE Opener: Nevada2024 Preseason Rank: 72024 Final Rank: 42023: 12, 2022: 52021: 32, 2020: 562019: 5, 2018: 26CFN Preview 2025 Rankings101-136 | 76-100 | 51-75 | 26-5011-25 | @ColFootballNewsCFN Previews of All 136 Teams © 2025 The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved.
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 draft scouting first look: Miami OL Francis Mauigoa
Next up in the preliminary draft evaluations for 2026 ahead of the 2025 college football season is a player who calls to mind a very appropriate song. Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and his game film are best consumed with Metallica's "Seek and Destroy" cranked in the background. Mauigoa embodies the spirit of the song with his power chord-like arm extension and shoulder lock. He thrives as Miami's right tackle at attacking the man directly across from him, quickly firing out and using his strong grip and very impressive upper-body strength to control the situation. He doesn't have but average arm length, and coupled with his inconsistent reaction time and hand placement, Mauigoa seems almost certain to be destined for right guard duty at the next level. The biggest areas for improvement entering the 2025 college season are his initial hand placement and staying balanced and squared with his shoulders and hips aligned. Mauigoa's initial punch can be devastating, but sometimes he's too high, others too wide, still others too narrow. Craftier power rushers like Ashton Gillotte were able to set him up and swat away the ill punches, though Mauigoa did have some nice reps in that battle, too. Mauigoa made the Bruce Feldman "Freaks" list for his impressively explosive athleticism, and that does show on tape. His quickness out of his stance in any direction belies his thick 315-pound frame. He can certainly seek and destroy in space in the run game, which portends well for the seeming inevitable move inside at the next level. He will reach outside his frame and compromise his balance when he can't reach his blocking mark with that first step, however, notably in pass protection. It leads to penalties (16 in two years) and whiffs to his inside shoulder. One definite thing to watch is the change in quarterback behind Mauigoa at Miami in 2025. He's gone from protecting No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward to the less athletic and less patient Carson Beck, who during his time at Georgia wasn't as cognizant of his drop points or escape angles from pressure as Ward was in 2024. Mauigoa is a prospect whose draft stock could go in either direction in 2025, and a big rise into the top 30 or a big fall out of the top 150 seems equally possible. Just judging him in the 2025 NFL Draft class, I wouldn't have had Mauigoa in the top 100, but again--the potential is there.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
New York Giants select OL 'on the rise' in Matt Miller's 2026 NFL mock draft
Is it too early for 2026 NFL draft talk? The simple answer is yes, but in the NFL, that's par for the course, and ESPN's Matt Miller is already diving in head-first. After digging through early film, Miller decided it was time to compile his first 2026 mock draft. In it, he has the New York Giants selecting second overall based on ESPN's Football Power Index. It predicts the Giants finish with a record of 6-11, only fractionally better than the Cleveland Browns, who end up picking first overall. So, following another lost season, who do the Giants target in their latest attempt to turn things around? Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa enters his third college season as a player on the rise. After allowing five sacks during his true freshman season in 2023, the 6-foot-6, 315-pound right tackle didn't allow a sack last season and drew only three penalties. Mauigoa is best as a run blocker in a zone scheme, with quick feet and the agility to get to the second level. He'd serve as a replacement for disappointing 2022 first-rounder Evan Neal and join a youthful offense which also features 2025 first-round quarterback Jaxson Dart, star second-year receiver Malik Nabers and emerging running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. Francis is not to be confused with his brother, linebacker Francisco Francis Mauigoa, who was selected by the New York Jets in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL draft. Mauigoa may finish the 2026 campaign as the top offensive line prospect in the country, which is precisely what the Giants are likely to be looking for. With Neal moved to guard and his fifth-year option declined, and Jermaine Eluemunor in the final year of his contract, Big Blue will again be in the market for an offensive tackle next offseason. The one problem with this scenario is that if the Giants again finish with one of the worst records in football, general manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll are likely on their way out of town.
