Malachi Toney isn't the Only Superstar Freshman At Miami
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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — At the start of the 2025 season, only one freshman was known as a sure-fire star for the Miami Hurricanes.
Malachi Toney was Miami's "little secret," but now, he is on pace to win several freshman awards this season and set a few freshman records for the Hurricanes. What was unexpected was the other players in the 2025 recruiting class.
The Hurricanes have now found a new star who has unlocked the full offensive capabilities of the run game. Freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. has been a bolt of lightning for the Hurricanes' offense, and he continues to gain more snaps as games go on.
""I have a lot of faith in those guys," Cristobal said. "We have a lot of great backs. You have to pride yourself on showing it. With what he did last week, it wouldn't be professional to not give him an opportunity and see what he could do. He did not disappoint. We blocked well and opened up some lanes and other ones he made happen. He earned it. That guy last week was with the scout team and it is another example of working your tail off and then performing when your number is called."
Read More: Everything Miami's Mario Cristobal said after the Final Home Game of the 2025 Season
Against NC State, Pringle showed what the Hurricanes loved about him during his recruiting. He has incredible balance, can get low and find a hole, and he has lightning speed that gives him the full combination of what the Hurricanes have been missing from the position.
He finished the game with 17 carries for 116 yards and narrowly missed a touchdown catch from his freshman counterpart, Toney. Through the air, he finished with two catches for 32 yards.
Toney almost finds Pringle for the TD pic.twitter.com/8nmNe9MmKD
— Grant Speaks (@GrantSpeaks1) November 15, 2025
This opportunity arose due to the injuries in the Hurricanes' backfield. Junior back Mark Fletcher Jr. has been out for the past two games, and more snaps have become available. Pringle took advantage of that, and now he can be an important part of this offense as the season draws closer to the end.
The Hurricanes will now be on the road for the final two games of the season. They will travel to play the Virginia Tech Hokies in the penultimate game of the season.
Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University and is the site lead for the Miami Hurricanes on SI. He can be reached at Twitter @Justice_News5.
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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.
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