Freshmen standouts like Javian Mallory and Somourian Wingo are fueling Miami’s high-powered offense as Shannon Dawson leans on rising talent to maintain the Miami Hurricanes' dominant scoring streak.
MIAMI, Fla. – In the Miami Hurricanes’ 2-0 start (ACC 1-0) to the 2026 college football season, several freshmen have played meaningful snaps, which means the coaching staff trusts them based on what they’ve seen at Greentree Practice Fields and Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility.
Running back Javian Mallory has been the biggest standout thus far. Despite joining a loaded veteran backfield, he’s carved out a rotational role. Wide receivers Somourian Wingo and Vance Spafford have each scored a touchdown, and tight end Gavin Mueller has caught at least one pass in each game.
In Monday’s media availability, offensive coordinator and playcaller Shannon Dawson elaborated on playing freshmen early into the season:
"When you see people play a lot, what that means is we trust them," he said. "Typically, coaches don't play people they don't trust. There's a lot of people that we trust to be in a game."
The Hurricanes don’t shy away from playing freshmen, especially if they prove themselves when everyone isn’t looking. Last season, Malachi Toney was an immediate starter, then went on to have a historic college football debut. Joshua Moore and Daylyn Upshaw had a handful of opportunities, but it led to expanded roles this year. In the last four games of the 2025 regular season, Girard Pringle Jr. stepped up while the running back room dealt with injuries.
As a new group of freshmen stepped into the program, it didn’t take long to show out on the field.
Mallory is currently fourth in the Atlantic Coast Conference for total rushing yards (173) and the only freshman featured in the top 10.
Dawson is looking to play several receivers a game, which means Wingo and Spafford will have opportunities to make plays. They will take pressure off Toney, Cooper Barkate, and the other veterans. Dawson revealed that Mueller had a setback in fall camp, but the number of snaps will progressively increase throughout the season.
The Hurricanes currently have the second-highest scoring offense in the Football Bowl Subdivision – a 61-point average. They have beaten Stanford and Florida A&M by an average of 54.5 points. As the competition progressively gets better, especially in ACC play, the more sharpened the freshmen need to be.
Wingo, Mallory, Spafford, and Spafford could start in some games. As they continue to thrive in reserve roles, the future of “The U” keeps shining brighter.
The Hurricanes are preparing for another ACC showdown this week against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at North Carolina. It could be the team’s first big test of the season. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. E.T. and will be televised on ESPN.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
