5-star CB Ellis Robinson IV expected back at Miami this weekend
Miami head coach Mario Cristobal has worked hard to improve the offensive line.
The Hurricanes struggled on the line of scrimmage on offense, allowing 5.75 tackles for loss per game, which ranked 70th best in the country.
Pro Football Focus graded Miami as the No. 58 pass blocking team in the country and the run blocking grade checked out at No. 107 nationally.
This offseason, Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal attacked the talent acquisition phase of building the offensive line by adding two of the top transfers available on the line of scrimmage in UCF center Matt Lee and Alabama guard Javion Cohen.
UM also signed two five-star offensive linemen in Francis Mauigoa and Samson Okunlola in the 2023 recruiting class with both players participating in spring football and Mauigoa earning first team snaps.
This 2023 Miami Hurricanes offensive line should be the best group UM has featured in a long time when factoring those additions on the line of scrimmage along with returning talented players like Zion Nelson, Jalen Rivers, and Anez Cooper.
Cristobal is betting big on improving the offensive line and recent history in the ACC highlights
You could make the argument that one of the consistent reasons why Miami has never experienced a sustained high level of success since joining the ACC in 2004 is due to average or below average play on the offensive line.
Miami has not featured a First Team All-ACC player on the offensive line since Brandon Washington was selected as a guard in 2010. The previous year, Jason Fox was selected as a tackle.
The Hurricanes have not produced a NFL Draft pick on the offensive line since Danny Isidora was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 draft.
Here is a look at the ACC Champion of the last ten seasons and the First Team All-ACC offensive linemen they featured:
– 2013 Florida State: Cameron Erving, Tre’ Jackson, Bryan Stork
– 2014 Florida State: Cameron Erving, Tre’ Jackson
– 2015 Clemson: Eric Mac Lain
– 2016 Clemson: Mitch Hyatt, Tyrone Crowder, Jay Guillermo
– 2017 Clemson: Mitch Hyatt, Tyrone Crowder, Justin Falcinelli
– 2018 Clemson: Mitch Hyatt
– 2019 Clemson: Tremayne Anchrum, John Simpson
– 2020 Clemson: None
– 2021 Pittsburgh: None
– 2022 Clemson: Jordan McFadden
Over the past ten seasons, the ACC Champion has featured at least one First-Team All-ACC selection on the offensive line in eight seasons. In five of those seasons, the champion has featured multiple offensive linemen on the first team.
Lee arrives from UCF after receiving Second Team All-AAC honors in 2022. Pro Football Focus graded Lee as the third best center in the country last season. Cohen arrives from Alabama after earning Second Team All-SEC honors in 2022. PFF credited Cohen with allowing only six pressures and zero sacks in 2022.
From 2017-21, Cristobal coached three offensive linemen at Oregon that were First Team All-PAC-12: Tyrell Crosby (2017), Penei Sewell (2019), and TJ Bass (2021).
Will Miami end their drought of First Team All-ACC offensive linemen in 2023? Mario Cristobal and Alex Mirabal have made moves to bring significant improvement to the UM offensive line year over year—and if that improvement happens, the Hurricanes will take a big step forward in 2023.
