Injuries to CharMar "Marty" Brown and Mark Fletcher Jr. cloud the Miami Hurricanes' backfield, forcing Mario Cristobal to the running back room against upcoming opponents.
En route to a 33-20 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Allegacy Federal Credit Union Arena, the Miami Hurricanes left with extra bruises and injuries, potentially depleting the running back depth.
In the second quarter, CharMar “Marty” Brown exploded for a 32-yard dash and was brought down at the goal line. What was a moment of celebration and excitement quickly turned to sadness and worry. Brown appeared to have hyperextended his right knee as he was being tackled. After hobbling to the sidelines with assistance, the redshirt junior was carted to the locker room.
The moment Brown was injured against Wake Forest.Mark Fletcher Jr. was on a roll for most of the game. He finished with 85 yards on 16 carries and scored a second-quarter touchdown. However, in the fourth, when the Hurricanes’ offense went three-and-out on three consecutive drives, Fletcher Jr. was limited with an upper-body injury.
The team’s secondary entered the game depleted, missing three cornerbacks, including two starters. If the running back room takes a similar hit, it’s a “next man up” mentality for the group.
Following the game, head coach Mario Cristobal didn’t have a proper update on either Brown or Fletcher Jr. They will both have further evaluations upon returning to Coral Gables, he mentioned. Fletcher Jr. and Brown were the Hurricanes' top running back options last season. They were the only ones on the team with at least 100 rushing attempts.
If the Hurricanes lose either or both running backs for any period of the season, the rest of the room should be capable of filling the voids.
Freshman Javian Mallory has proven to be an immediate factor. He currently has 196 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Mallory is listed at 5-11 and 210 pounds, and has shown to be a dynamic playmaker. He’s capable of running up the field and breaking tackles. Mallory could be called upon to absorb more snaps to take the workload off the other veterans.
Sophomore Girard Pringle Jr. has seen limited playing time to start the season; given the current injured state of the running back room, more opportunities could present themselves. He has 38 rushing yards on 14 attempts thus far. Last year, Pringle Jr. showed flashes of being impactful in a rotational role. In the final four games of the 2025 regular season, he rushed 48 times for 302 yards and scored two total touchdowns.
Junior Jordan Lyle has yet to play a game this season. He was primarily absent because of a legal case, which involved allegedly fleeing from the police. Lyle was with the team against Wake Forest, but didn’t play. It’s unclear how much on-field activity he’s allowed, given that the case is still undergoing its process.
Redshirt sophomore Chris Wheatley-Humphrey could be called upon to absorb some snaps.
The Hurricanes entered this season with a loaded running back room. As Brown and Fletcher Jr. wait for further evaluations, it could be the best time to use the rest of the depth chart more to prevent more injuries. The Hurricanes will face Central Michigan at Hard Rock Stadium next Saturday.
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
