“Oh, we’re just getting started,” Mario Cristobal says, and you gotta admit, the man’s got a vision. He’s talking about “sustaining greatness” and “winning championships on a yearly basis.” Sounds good, especially after a decent 10-win season, right? But here’s the catch—he had Cam Ward, the best QB in the nation, and still, some of those in-game decisions and that shaky DC situation left fans scratching their heads. Now, with Carson Beck under center and a fresh defensive coordinator, Miami is going full throttle, ready to flip the script.
Last season, the offense was electric, but the defense? Not so much. And now, Cristobal’s got a different kind of challenge—a double threat. It’s not just about X’s and O’s; it’s about nailing coaching hires, working the transfer portal, and locking in top-tier talent. On top of that, a proposed new CFP format!
On March 6th episode of On3, J.D. PicKell dropped a bombshell on Cristobal’s squad. With the spring transfer portal serving as the final chance to reload before 2025, he broke down Miami’s biggest roster concerns—and he didn’t hold back. “For Miami, let’s go get some help on the back end, because Cam Ward had the best single season a Miami quarterback has ever had, and he’s probably going to go be the first pick overall in the NFL Draft because of it. But with him not coming back, you got to find a way to offset what you were defensively last year because, I mean, Cam Ward was a safety net. Carson Beck, I think, is still going to be pretty good. I don’t know that he’s going to be as good as Cam Ward,” PicKell said.
That’s the reality check Miami fans needed. Ward was different—straight-up special. In 2024, he torched defenses, completing 67.2% of his passes for 4,313 yards and 39 touchdowns. His command, efficiency, and playmaking ability made Miami’s offense unstoppable. Carson Beck? Solid, but not quite at that level. He put up respectable numbers—3,500 yards, 28 TDs, and a 64.5% completion rate—but he’s stepping into big shoes.
If Miami wants to stay in the playoff conversation, they need more than just Beck—they need help at the back. “I’m excited about Miami though. Your underdue management as a defense overall specifically—you got a new DB coach in Will Harris, snagged him from Florida. Now in Coral Gables, he is a great coach. The label that’s tied to him though is, he is also an elite recruiter…..So, I think that Miami is going to go to work here in the spring portal,” PicKell added.
And let’s not forget—Cristobal and Co. pulled off a major coup, luring Beck away from Georgia with a hefty $4 million NIL deal. But even with that, Miami’s secondary remains a glaring issue. Last season, they ranked somewhere in the 60s or 70s nationally in passing yards allowed per game—not exactly championship material.
Why does this matter so much? Because the ACC is loaded with offensive firepower. Winning the conference—and securing a College Football Playoff spot—means stopping elite passing attacks. And PicKell pointed out a harsh truth about Miami’s CFP path compared to powerhouse conferences like the SEC: “They are in a conference where who you have to beat to win the conference and have an automatic bid to the college football playoff.”
Translation? The margin for error is razor-thin. Clemson may not be on Miami’s regular-season schedule, but if the Hurricanes want a ticket to the dance, they’ll likely have to take down the Tigers in December. “Like, Clemson’s not on the schedule right now, I don’t believe, but you’re probably going to have to beat them in the conference title game to go play for the College Football Playoff berth,” PicKell stated.
The road ahead? No cakewalk. SMU, Louisville, and Syracuse are all lurking, ready to test Miami’s mettle. But there’s hope. As PicKell put it, “You’ve got a second chance now with Carson Beck. You’re probably not going to get a ballistic level of offense like you did last season, but it still should be good enough to get it done here in 2025.”
Beck doesn’t have to be Cam Ward—he just has to be good enough to keep Miami in the fight. But make no mistake, the Hurricanes still have work to do, and their head coach knows it.
Carson Beck under the microscope
With Cam Ward heading to the draft and a wave of talent walking out the door, Miami faces a tough reality. Well, the numbers don’t lie—10 Miami earned invites to the Combine, including star WR Xavier Restrepo. That’s a lot of firepower gone. And CFB insider Chip Patterson didn’t shy away from the big question—“What is your concern level? Obviously, we know what we’re doing with the quarterback position with Carson Beck stepping in. What about the rest of that group and Miami’s talent coming back? How much concern is there?”
“A lot of concern over leadership on offense,” Bud Elliott said bluntly. And that’s where the real problem starts. What exactly is Carson Beck stepping into if Miami’s offense lacks a true leader? See, Cam Ward wasn’t just a quarterback—he was the heartbeat of this team. He arrived from Washington State and instantly turned the Canes into an ACC contender. And then a fourth-place Heisman finish. That’s the standard Beck is expected to follow.
As of now, all eyes are on Carson Beck. And the message? ‘Alright, bro… your turn.’ But is he built for it? According to Bud Elliott, whispers from camp say Beck isn’t that leader Miami needs. And Chip Patterson didn’t sugarcoat it either and said, “The Cam Ward story was how all-in he got everybody else on that offense. As soon as he got to Miami, he was the biggest voice. He was driving people, inspiring people. And that’s something that, sure, is gonna be missed.” Can Carson Beck step up and be that guy for Miami?
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