Star Miami Linebacker Returning for his 8th Season of College Football
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The Miami Hurricanes' linebacker position was one of the minor weaknesses last season during their National Championship game run.
Highlighted by Wesley Bissainthe and Mohamed Toure, the Canes rotated players in and out of the lineup depending on needs.
Bissainthe has declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after spending all four years as a Hurricane, witnessing the good and the bad of the Mario Cristobal era.
Toure is returning for what will be is eighth season of college football.
First, how is he still elgible to play?
It's simple, actually. Starting his career at Rutgers in 2019, he took a redshirt year as a freshman, giving him an extra year. Following was his COVID year, giving him another year that he didn't play. He then finally got on the field during his 2021 season, where he racked up 51 tackles and another 4.5 sacks.
During 2022, he suffered a season-ending injury, tearing his ACL. He returned healthy and played in 2023, earning All-Big 10 honors, and the following season, he tore his ACL again.
This season with Miami is only his second full season of playing, earning the rare eighth year in college football.
During his first season with Miami, it started out slow. He was great with run defense but when he dropped in coverage he seemed a bit slow. That can happen coming off of two ACL tears, btu during the College Football Playoff, he was faster than ever and ready to put his body on the line at all times.
Against the Texas A&M Aggies in the first round, he made a game-saving hit at the goal line, allowing the Canes to win. Against Ohio State, he was one of many players with multiple tackles and tackles for loss. Against Ole Miss, his job was to contain Trindad Chambliss, and while he wasn't succesful some times, he was often in the right spot at the right time.
Against the Indiana Hoosiers, he was elite on all levels. Toure's return also allows some veteran leadership from a run to the national championship to be important as the Canes rebound for the future.
He can also help guide the young linebackers in the room to the future. The Canes have some depth issues at the position because of youth, but that won't change what Toure will be for the team next season.
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.