Miami's Offensive X-Factor Against Texas A&M
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All focus will be on Malachi Toney this weekend as the Miami Hurricanes will kick off Saturday morning against Texas A&M. Toney, rightfully so, has been the Hurricanes' No. 1 receiver all season as a true freshman.
“They’ve got some talented skill players," Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko said. "The little freshman slot they’ve got is an elite skill player.”
With that, everyone knows who the ball is going to, leaving other question marks on the offensive side of the ball. That is when the former All-American punt returner at BYU looks to make a statement in the biggest game of his career.
The Other Wide Receiver X-Factor
Keelan Marion entered Coral Gables this season as one of the best return men in the country, but he hasn't been able to get off the way he did at BYU. Most have either kicked it away from him, or it goes flying over his head.
However, that wasn't going to stop him from finding a way to be productive. Marion started as a player who could work well as a WR 3/4, but as the season continued and more players went down with injury, he became one of Carson Beck's most reliable targets.
Marion started the season on the slower side. He had moments against No. 18 USF, but it slowed down again. Then, in a loss to SMU, it started to click for him. In the game against the Mustangs, he finished with five catches for 77 yards.
In the four games since, he has averaged nearly five catches a game for 75 yards. He has been the Hurricanes' most consistent second option, but he has gone unnoticed. The Aggies could do the same with him, as all attention will be focused on Toney and a returning CJ Daniels. Moreover, Miami still has another player who could be an x-factor as well.
Another Talented Freshman
Girard Pringle Jr. jumped on the radar for the Miami Hurricanes halfway through the regular season. The former 4-star ESPN 150 freshman was the fourth running back on the depth chart, but continued to keep his head down and work. That work has allowed him to be one of the best players for the Hurricanes during the second stretch of the season.
Pringle brings an additional juice that had not been in the back field all season for the Canes. Junior back Mark Fletcher Jr. was a strong runner, but the speed and all-around quickness weren't there. Pringle is the 1A to Fletcher's 1B for this dynamic, capable run game.
In the final three games of the season, Pringle has gotten at least 10 carries a game, going for 116 yards in the first game and finishing the final start with ten rushes and 82 yards. He will be leaned on heavily during this massive game against the Aggies.
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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.