Does Miami Hurricanes’ Elija Lofton Deserve More National Recognition?

MIAMI, Fla. – Initially, the Miami Hurricanes' explosive offense didn't feature much tight end action from a playmaking perspective, but junior Elija Lofton has seen an increase in opportunities over the last six games.

In last Saturday's 38-35 win over UNC at Chapel Hill, the 21-year-old caught three passes for a season-high 48 yards. He showed athleticism and power in a much-needed moment. In the fourth quarter, following edge rusher Marquise Lightfoot's forced fumble and defensive tackle Justin Scott's recovery, the offense needed to score to extend the lead to double digits.

On a second-and-seven situation, behind the sticks, Lofton caught a short pass from quarterback Darian Mensah, hurdled over redshirt sophomore safety Greg Smith III, then forced a couple of missed tackles on linebackers Derek McDonald and Peyton Seelmann, before being brought down by safety Jaiden Patterson. He created a gain of 12 yards for a crucial first down.

The Hurricanes went on to finish the drive with a nine-yard touchdown by rising star wide receiver Malachi Toney.

In Monday's media availability, offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson called it "the play of the game."

"If he gets tackled, that's a third-and-long," he said. "It puts us in a situation where that gets a little sticky. That play, making that guy miss and getting the first down, really jump-started us to score on that drive."

Lofton has taken full advantage of being the Hurricanes' top tight end and the leading veteran in the position room. After playing behind Elijah Arroyo and Alex Bauman over the last couple of seasons, he's been rewarded for waiting patiently to be elevated into an expanded role. It's almost like the old-school fashion of college football before the transfer portal and N.I.L. took a deep turn.

Despite not being the flashiest tight end, Lofton has been effective and impactful for the top-ranked program in the nation. He started to see more targets since the Hurricanes' 33-20 win over Wake Forest on Sept. 18. Lofton caught five passes on seven targets for 39 yards and scored a touchdown.

Fast forward a couple of weeks to Clemson at Death Valley (Memorial Stadium), the Las Vegas (Nev.) native had a few physical plays. Late in the third quarter, Lofton made a 13-yard play, which required nearly six defenders to bring him down. He still moved the chains. A couple of weeks later, against Pitt, Lofton hurdled over Panthers cornerback Shawn Lee Jr.

The former four-star recruit has shown growth in production and muscle. Lofton has improved as a blocker with playmaking opportunities coming around consistently. The trend will need to continue as the Hurricanes enter the biggest matchup on the regular-season schedule: Notre Dame.

Kickoff at South Bend, Indiana, is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. E.T. and will be televised on NBC and Peacock.

More Miami Hurricanes News:

- "Could Mississippi State Star Emerge as Miami Hurricanes' Quarterback Portal Target?"

- "Miami Hurricanes' Malachi Toney Reportedly Signs Third N.I.L. Deal This Season"

- "Shannon Dawson on Miami Hurricanes' Girard Pringle Jr. and Lack of Opportunity"