Local star Mark Fletcher Jr. fuels the Miami Hurricanes' home championship quest, chasing a dream he once thought impossible.
The Miami Hurricanes have a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to win a National Championship at home, which is a special situation for star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. He's one of the local natives to help successfully rebuild the program, bringing it back to its elite status.
The 21-year-old has played a critical role in the Hurricanes' success all year, especially in the College Football Playoffs, rushing 58 times for 395 yards and scoring a receiving touchdown in the previous three bowl games. He was named the Offensive Player of the Game in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
In addition, Fletcher Jr. set a new first-round record with 172 rushing yards against the Texas A&M Aggies.
The Hurricanes will have an opportunity to finish the job where it all started, at Hard Rock Stadium. It's also a relief for Fletcher Jr.'s mother, who drives to every road game due to her fear of flying.
"I'm happy she just gets a nice little 15-minute drive," he said.
The run game has played a critical role in the Hurricanes' success all season, with Fletcher Jr. at the helm. He grew up watching the program and being a fan under the influence of his late father, Mark Fletcher Sr. This rare situation of winning a National Championship at home is a "dream come true."
"If you would asked little Mark if he'd be here right now," he added. "He'd probably be like, 'No way.' It's a blessing and grateful for this opportunity. I know there's a lot of kids who would want to be in this position. The fact that I'm one of the very few [who is] able to do this at this level, I'm extremely blessed."
Fletcher Jr. is the head of the snake in the Hurricanes' run game, but redshirt sophomore CharMar Brown is behind him, who has stepped up in the College Football Playoffs. Despite limited time on the field towards the end of the regular season, instead of taking the easy route and entering the transfer portal, he was patient and made the most of his opportunity.
In the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals against the Rebels, Brown rushed five times for 26 yards, finishing with 31 total, and scored a touchdown, all coming in the fourth quarter to solidify the victory. He was acquired in the transfer portal, same as quarterback Carson Beck, wide receivers CJ Daniels and Keelan Marion, and defensive backs Keionte Scott and Jakobe Thomas.
Fletcher Jr. was part of the recruitment process for his partner in the backfield.
"I told him, 'Hey, we need you and you'll really help us out,'" he said. "With Marty [Brown], there wasn't hesitation. I was able to speak to him, told him how he could help, and he was on board."
Fletcher Jr. was part of the Hurricanes' 5-7 team in 2022, which was Mario Cristobal's first season as head coach. However, the junior running back made it an emphasis to deal with adversity and stayed loyal through thick and thin. He's seeing the bright end of the tunnel, with a National Championship within grasp.
"The fact that we're able to have an opportunity to come back and bring 'The U' back," Fletcher Jr. said. "We're going to be the ones to bring 'The U' back. We want to do this because we cared as little kids. We trusted that process."
The Hurricanes' ability to establish the run game will be important against the Indiana Hoosiers, who've had an excellent running defense. They accomplished that against the Buckeyes, who have similar qualities. Fletcher Jr., Brown, and even freshman running back Girard Pringle Jr. carry a lot of responsibility ahead of the National Championship game.
The stage is set for Monday night, Jan. 19th, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
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