The Miami Hurricanes have undergone a massive reconstruction of the roster following Mario Cristobal’s first season as head coach. After a disappointing 5-7 season, Miami retooled much of the roster through the high school recruiting ranks as well as the transfer portal. While the Canes should be much improved at multiple position groups, one spot appears to have taken a bigger leap than the rest.
Miami’s offensive line was arguably the biggest weak spot on the Canes’ 2022 team but could be its biggest strength in 2023. The Canes’ starting offensive line will feature many new faces and should produce new results. In addition to developing players like Anez Cooper, Jalen Rivers and Matthew Mccoy, Miami also brought in arguably the best offensive line recruiting class and some of the top transfer linemen in the country.
Miami’s starting offensive line of Jalen Rivers, Javion Cohen, Matthew Lee, Anez Cooper, and Francis Mauigoa could be the best starting five the Canes have had in many years. Rivers started seven games for the Canes last season and was one of Miami’s highest graded linemen throughout the season before missing the end of the year with an injury. Now at left tackle, Rivers has received high praise from offensive line coach Alex Mirabal all off season and feels ready to hold down the blind side of Tyler Van Dyke.
Anez Cooper is the other returning starter along the UM offensive line. Cooper came to Coral Gables at nearly 400lbs, but quickly started reshaping his body. Cooper came on very strong at the end of last season, starting 4 of Miami’s final 5 games as a true freshman and performing very well. The sophomore looks poised to make a big jump after losing over 40lbs during the offseason.
Rivers and Cooper are the only two returning starters, but transfers Matthew Lee and Javion Cohen bring huge amounts of high-level starting experience to the Miami offensive line. Cohen spent his first three seasons at Alabama where he started 24 games over the past two seasons for the Crimson Tide. Cohen was second team All SEC last season and had not allowed a sack in roughly 1,600 snaps with Alabama. Cohen will be a massive asset at guard for the Canes and will be a big part of what could be one of the best interior offensive lines in the country.
In addition to Cohen, Miami also landed center Matthew Lee out of the portal, one of the most sought-after transfers in the nation. Lee was a three-year starter at UCF and was All-AAC in each of the last two years. Lee also has one of the highest PFF grades of any returning player in college football. The experienced center will anchor the Miami line and be one of the leaders on the team. Coaches and teammates alike have harped on his leadership and his intelligence, with many saying he’s one of the smartest players they have ever been around. Lee will give the Canes everything they want in the middle of their line both physically and mentally.
Last, but certainly not least among Miami’s starting five, is freshman phenom Francis Mauigoa. Mauigoa was the top offensive lineman coming out of high school last season and has lived up to the hype in every way possible. The IMG product was running with the first team within his first three days on the practice field and set a new Canes’ record for muscle mass at 6’6-342lbs. Francis’ size, strength, and athleticism as a true freshman are nearly unheard of. Every player on both sides of the ball immediately lights up when asked about Francis Mauigoa. Barring any injuries, Mauigoa certainly looks like a three-year starter and future top 10 pick in the NFL Draft.
College football is all about talent acquisition and the Canes have certainly followed that philosophy following last year’s disappointing showing. Miami attacked the portal and the high school recruiting ranks to completely overhaul and improve last year’s roster. Development, coupled with bringing in many stud transfers and freshman, has the Canes on path for a bounce back year and there’s no position that exemplifies that more than the offensive line.
