Miami Football Looks to Clean Up Guard Issues That Linger Before ACC Play

When No. 6 Miami hosts Central Michigan on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, the skill-position injuries will grab headlines. The more telling story sits in the trenches.

Miami’s rebuilt offensive line has four new starters and one returning veteran after last year’s group produced three NFL Draft picks and an undrafted free agent. Three games in, a clear pattern has emerged.

The tackles and center have held up, but the guards have not.

Left tackle Samson Okunlola and right tackle Matthew McCoy have delivered consistent performances. Center Ryan Rodriguez has been a quiet stabilizer, allowing zero pressures on 88 pass-blocking snaps through three weeks, according to PFF. Those three positions have been good enough for a 3-0 start and are getting the recognition they have earned from their head coach.

After the win at Wake Forest, Cristobal had some insightful commentary about the offensive line.

“Tackles and center had solid games," Cristobal said. "Guards had some positive moments and some growing-pain moments.”

The interior of the line has not lived up to the standard they were expected to meet at the start of the season.

Sophomore Seuseu “SJ” Alofaituli has started every snap at left guard and has caught a lot of criticism over three games. The former Bishop Gorman standout and highly regarded 2025 recruit has the strength and football IQ that make him an intriguing player, as he is known as a run blocker.

He has also been the weakest link in pass protection.

Against Wake Forest, he posted the lowest pass-blocking grade on the line by a wide margin and allowed a pressure.

SJ Alofaituli versus Wake Forest⬇️⬇️⬇️

58.6 PFF overall grade
22.8 PFF pass blocking grade

If this is the type of production we will get from him with an opponent with a pulse, I rather take lumps with Cantwell/Congdon and fast track their development and get some mass in that…
— Rollo (@SportsRollo) September 21, 2026

Right guard Max Buchanan has not consistently won his one-on-ones either. Both of them played every offensive snap against Wake Forest.

Buchanan has been putting out better tape than Alofaituli but still has some work to do.

That combination may be questionable against better fronts, as we saw against the Demon Deacons. Central Michigan (2-1) is a physical MAC team that will test the interior by moving a lot across the line, as Shannon Dawson alluded to.

This is a big game for the Hurricanes' offensive line to get things right, as it does not get easier after Saturday.

Seven days later, Miami travels to Clemson, and the Tigers’ defensive line has the talent to expose the interior if they continue to struggle in certain areas.

Miami does have options for a potential fix.

Five-star freshman Jackson Cantwell has played a few snaps to begin the season at right guard despite his natural position being left tackle. Ben Congdon and Georgia transfer Jamal Meriweather are also options to consider if they can find the right combination between them.

Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal and Mario Cristobal have emphasized versatility all offseason, and nearly every lineman has taken reps at multiple spots. They can shuffle some guys around if they need to, but it also comes with a risk, as there are certain guys playing at a high level at their current spots.

Saturday is the last low-stakes chance to experiment. Central Michigan will not bring the same edge rush or interior power Clemson or any of the other ACC opponents will. If the current five stay intact and the guards again struggle in pass protection or fail to create consistent movement in the run game, the Hurricanes will walk into Death Valley with some questionable spots that can be exposed.

The tackles and center have done their part. The guard spots, especially Alofaituli’s, have not.

The talent is there in that offensive line room with all the players. Now they have to piece the puzzle together to maximize it.

Miami needs a settled, functional combination before the schedule gets serious. Saturday is when they have to start finding it.

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