After more than three months removed from a devastating national championship loss, over 5,000 fans gathered at Cobb Stadium on Saturday morning for a first look at Miami football’s 2026 squad.  

The annual spring game offered exactly that: a mix of evaluation and entertainment. Miami structured the day differently this year, using the first half for position drills, including passing, red zone and agility work, before transitioning into a live scrimmage in the second half.  

Much of the attention centered on new quarterback Darian Mensah, a transfer from Duke. While he started slow, Mensah quickly settled in and showed why he’s expected to lead the Hurricanes this fall.   

Mensah connected multiple times with familiar target Cooper Barkate, his former teammate at Duke. The duo picked up right where they left off, highlighted by a 29-yard touchdown to the back corner of the end zone. Mensah added a 33-yard touchdown pass to Daylyn Upshaw and a five-yard score to Cam Vaughn, another transfer addition.  

Calm in the pocket and effective under pressure, Mensah extended plays and delivered accurate throws, flashing the kind of playmaking ability Miami fans have been eager to see.  

With several returning starters such as wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher seeing limited action, opportunities opened for younger players to contribute. RB Jordan Lyle capitalized, breaking off multiple strong runs and showing quick footwork in the open field.  

Behind Mensah, Miami showcased its quarterback depth. Judd Anderson, Luke Nickel and early enrollee Dereon Coleman all saw snaps, with Nickel making a strong case for the backup role. Coleman flashed potential but remains a longer-term development piece.  

Defensively, Miami may have delivered the most impressive performance of the day.  

Despite losing key contributors such as Ruben Bain and Akheem Mesidor to the NFL, the Hurricanes controlled the line of scrimmage and limited offensive production. Defensive lineman Damon Wilson, a transfer from Missouri, along with tackles Justin Scott and Jarquez Carter, consistently disrupted plays. Scott’s quickness stood out against the run, while Wilson applied steady pressure off the edge.  

In the secondary, Boston College transfer Omar Thornton, along with JJ Dunnigan and Xavier Lucas, contributed to multiple stops with tight coverage and physical tackling.  

The offensive line, featuring several new faces and only one returning starter, showed flashes but remains a work in progress. Freshman Jackson Cantwell has big shoes to fill with Sisi Mauigoa declaring for the NFL draft. At 6-foot-8, 330 pounds, Cantwell acted as a brick wall protecting his QB and winning the battle at the line. However, the second team offensive line had some struggles, with two bad snaps in a row.  

For many in attendance, however, the spring game was about more than just performance. It served as a rare opportunity for families and fans to connect with the program in a more personal setting, celebrating players beyond what they show on the field.  

“It’s him fulfilling his dream and doing what he wants to do,” said the grandmother of wide receiver Milan Parris. “He’s my oldest grandson, and I’m just over the moon. I’m extremely proud of him.” 

While the defense may have controlled much of the action, the day ultimately served as an early glimpse into a team balancing new talent, developing depth and high expectations.  

With nearly five months until the season opener against Stanford on Sept. 4, Miami leaves the spring with promise and plenty to still refine.  

Argentine forward’s brace included the match winner against Colorado Rapids in front of over 75,000 fans in Denver.

Lionel Messi scored a brace and ‌German Berterame headed another as Inter Miami earned a ⁠3-2 win over ⁠the Colorado Rapids in Major League Soccer (MLS) on Saturday in Denver.

Messi scored the go-ahead goal in the 79th minute. He started a run just inside midfield and went ⁠unchallenged until the box, where he blasted into the upper left corner for a 3-2 lead.

Rafael Navarro and Darren Yapi each scored for Colorado (4-4-0, 12 points) in front of 75,824 at Empower Field, the second-largest crowd in MLS history.

Miami (4-1-3, 15 points) took a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute after Colorado goalkeeper Zack Steffen’s pass was intercepted by Yannick Bright. Josh Atencio offered a hard challenge ‌and was shown a yellow card after video review.

Messi took the resulting penalty and rolled his shot straight down the middle as Miami took a 1-0 lead.

Colorado had a solid look at the goal when midfielder Wayne Frederick attempted a one-touch lob. Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was out of position and well beyond the penalty arc after heading away a loose ball, but Frederick’s attempt sailed ⁠over the open net.

In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage ⁠time, Miami extended their lead to 2-0, connecting on a series of passes deep in their attacking third. Messi got the run of play started with a tight touch pass to Rodrigo De ⁠Paul.

De Paul sent Mateo Silvetti on a run to the boundary line. His inward-spinning cross floated to the front of ⁠goal, where Berterame rose above the Colorado defence and ⁠tucked a header under the bar.

Navarro’s goal cut Miami’s lead to 2-1. He started a run in midfield and used a step-over move to get an open shot a few steps into the ‌box that tucked inside the left post past a diving St. Clair in the 58th minute.

In the 62nd minute, second-half substitute Yapi settled on a direct pass from Lucas ‌Herrington ‌and sizzled a shot past St. Clair for the equaliser.

Miami closed the win playing a man down as Yannick Bright was sent off with a red card in the 87th minute.

The Cleveland Browns traded for an extended right tackle, former Houston Texan Tytus Howard, at the start of free agency as they began their rebuild of the offensive line that was awful in 2025. But Howard has played every position on the offensive line except for center, so if it’s all about getting your best five on the field, which it should be, there’s a chance Howard doesn’t play at right tackle in 2026.

While doing a mock draft on Peter Schrager’s podcast, former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon had the Browns drafting Miami (FL) right tackle sixth overall. He talked about the issue with Howard, but said Mauigoa could either take over the tackle spot or be a really good guard.

Carthon said he knows that Mauigoa would be one of their best five, whether it is at guard or tackle. Some will say that a guy who may be best at guard isn’t worth the sixth overall pick, and I have to disagree. You should draft the best football players, and Francis Mauigoa is my highest-rated offensive lineman and seventh overall. It might be at guard, but I have a good feeling that Mauigoa will find a home in the NFL as a high-quality offensive lineman.