Latest news with #FrancisMauigoa
Miami Herald
2 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
As Hurricanes prepare for 2025 season, look for offensive line to ‘set the tone'
Francis Mauigoa understands what's expected of him and the rest of the Miami Hurricanes' offensive line. They're the veterans of this team. They're the most established unit on a team that is looking to take yet another step forward this season. 'The O-line, we like to set the tone for the whole team,' Mauigoa said last week at the Atlantic Coast Conference's Football Kickoff in Charlotte, North Carolina. 'We like to set the standard. [Offensive line] coach [Alex] Mirabal always pounds on us every day to set the standard for the team, and we're the type of guys that go out there and try to dominate everybody.' That's the standard that has to be set if Miami wants to build on its 10-win season in 2024, the first time UM has won double-digit games since 2017. Coach Mario Cristobal always harps that the game begins in the trenches, and the Hurricanes have done their part through recruiting and development to make sure that their offensive line is among the best in the country. That should be the case this season. In addition to Mauigoa at right tackle, the Hurricanes return three other starters from last season in left tackle Markel Bell (who filled in early when Jalen Rivers was hurt and continued getting playing time when Rivers returned), left guard Matt McCoy and right guard Anez Cooper. Miami also added veteran center James Brockermeyer through the transfer portal. Combined, the Hurricanes' projected starting offensive line has a combined 85 starts. 'Any time you have an offensive line that can perform at a high level, you're going to have a chance to win a lot of games,' Cristobal said, 'and we feel like we are going to be able to field an offensive line that could play eight to 10 guys, and maybe even more, of winning football. We're going to find out during camp. We cross train everybody so everybody's getting reps on the other side as well. We have multiple guys taking reps at center, but we're big and we're physical. Our strength room numbers have been off the charts. It's a hungry, driven group and they know that we are led by the trenches.' And inside that group, Mauigoa is expected to lead the charge individually. The right tackle has been named a preseason All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation (first team), Athlon (first team), Lindy's Sports (second team) and Phil Steele (third team). According to Pro Football Focus, Mauigoa was the only tackle at the Football Bowl Subdivision level last season with two or fewer knockdowns allowed on 500-plus pass-blocking snaps. He made all-around strides in his game, allowing just one sack last year compared to five as a freshman and allowing fewer quarterback pressures (19 in 2024 compared to 23 in 2023). Mauigoa also committed just five penalties in 2024 compared to nine his freshman season. 'We strive to get better every year,' Mauigoa said. 'Every offseason, we work to get better at something. We practice hard every time that we get a chance to. We're just trying to be the best that we can be. The stats don't even matter to us. It's being able to be out there and being able to be the best you can be, not only as a player but as a character as well.'
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)
Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Vikings fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Minnesota. Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Vikings, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Vikings fans can be the most informed fans. So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall. Player Information Player: Francis Mauigoa School: Miami (FL) Height/Weight: 6-6/315 lbs. Player Background - 5-Star Recruit - Member of Feldman's Freak List - Just Turned 20 in June, Will Be 20 When He is Drafted - Second-Team All-ACC in 2024 Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season - 26 Career Games - 26 Career Starts Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season - 69.4 PFF Run Blocking Grade - 68.6 PFF Pass Blocking Grade - 726 Run Blocking Snaps - 1,054 Pass Blocking Snaps Player Traits - Athletic ability to handle anyone who tries and face him - Powerful hands both in his leverage but also his strength - Great anchoring ability with a strong base - Quick feet to handle speed on the edge, doesn't lose balance - Can take defenders out of plays Player Summary Francis Mauigoa will be this year's Will Campbell in the sense that his size will dictate the conversation. That being said, he is twice the athlete that Campbell was, in my opinion, and because of that, I see him as a tackle. At worst, he will be a Pro Bowl-level guard from day one for a team that lands him. I love his athletic ability, but he also plays with a physical edge that not many tackles play with anymore. He has strong hands, a good punch, and a good base, and that trio of qualities spells trouble for most anyone who lines up across from him. He will be a must-watch again this Fall in a fast and tough ACC.
USA Today
21-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
NFL Draft Summer Scouting Report: Francis Mauigoa, OT, Miami (FL)
Summer is here, and it is everyone's favorite time of the year, scouting time. Every year, we do Summer Scouting to preview college football for Bucs fans, but also give them an idea of names to follow and watch in the fall as needs pop up for Tampa Bay. Are we going to write about quarterbacks? You know it, but why? Because other NFL teams will draft them, just as they will draft every other position. It all matters whether these players end up on the Bucs, the Bears, or the Steelers. We write these so Bucs fans can be the most informed fans. So if you are still with us, enjoy our latest Summer Scouting report as we prepare you for the Fall. Player Information Player: Francis Mauigoa School: Miami (FL) Height/Weight: 6-6/315 lbs. Player Background - 5-Star Recruit - Member of Feldman's Freak List - Just Turned 20 in June, Will Be 20 When He is Drafted - Second-Team All-ACC in 2024 Career Stats Heading into the 2025 Season - 26 Career Games - 26 Career Starts Notable PFF Numbers Heading into the 2025 Season - 69.4 PFF Run Blocking Grade - 68.6 PFF Pass Blocking Grade - 726 Run Blocking Snaps - 1,054 Pass Blocking Snaps Player Traits - Athletic ability to handle anyone who tries and face him - Powerful hands both in his leverage but also his strength - Great anchoring ability with a strong base - Quick feet to handle speed on the edge, doesn't lose balance - Can take defenders out of plays Player Summary Francis Mauigoa will be this year's Will Campbell in the sense that his size will dictate the conversation. That being said, he is twice the athlete that Campbell was, in my opinion, and because of that, I see him as a tackle. At worst, he will be a Pro Bowl-level guard from day one for a team that lands him. I love his athletic ability, but he also plays with a physical edge that not many tackles play with anymore. He has strong hands, a good punch, and a good base, and that trio of qualities spells trouble for most anyone who lines up across from him. He will be a must-watch again this Fall in a fast and tough ACC.
USA Today
03-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
2026 draft scouting first look: Miami OL Francis Mauigoa
Next up in the preliminary draft evaluations for 2026 ahead of the 2025 college football season is a player who calls to mind a very appropriate song. Miami offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa and his game film are best consumed with Metallica's "Seek and Destroy" cranked in the background. Mauigoa embodies the spirit of the song with his power chord-like arm extension and shoulder lock. He thrives as Miami's right tackle at attacking the man directly across from him, quickly firing out and using his strong grip and very impressive upper-body strength to control the situation. He doesn't have but average arm length, and coupled with his inconsistent reaction time and hand placement, Mauigoa seems almost certain to be destined for right guard duty at the next level. The biggest areas for improvement entering the 2025 college season are his initial hand placement and staying balanced and squared with his shoulders and hips aligned. Mauigoa's initial punch can be devastating, but sometimes he's too high, others too wide, still others too narrow. Craftier power rushers like Ashton Gillotte were able to set him up and swat away the ill punches, though Mauigoa did have some nice reps in that battle, too. Mauigoa made the Bruce Feldman "Freaks" list for his impressively explosive athleticism, and that does show on tape. His quickness out of his stance in any direction belies his thick 315-pound frame. He can certainly seek and destroy in space in the run game, which portends well for the seeming inevitable move inside at the next level. He will reach outside his frame and compromise his balance when he can't reach his blocking mark with that first step, however, notably in pass protection. It leads to penalties (16 in two years) and whiffs to his inside shoulder. One definite thing to watch is the change in quarterback behind Mauigoa at Miami in 2025. He's gone from protecting No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward to the less athletic and less patient Carson Beck, who during his time at Georgia wasn't as cognizant of his drop points or escape angles from pressure as Ward was in 2024. Mauigoa is a prospect whose draft stock could go in either direction in 2025, and a big rise into the top 30 or a big fall out of the top 150 seems equally possible. Just judging him in the 2025 NFL Draft class, I wouldn't have had Mauigoa in the top 100, but again--the potential is there.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Miami Star Named Top Five OL in CFB Heading Into 2025 Season
At 6-foot-6, 315 pounds, Miami Hurricanes star Francis Mauigoa is ranked among the top five offensive linemen in college football for 2025, according to Blake Brockermeyer of In addition, Mauigoa is the only Atlantic Coast Conference lineman ranked among the Top 10 offensive linemen. Advertisement Mauigoa earned second-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors after opening huge holes for the Hurricanes' offense. Miami averaged 43 points and 537 yards per game with Mauigoa at the right tackle position. With Mauigoa leading the way, the Hurricanes gained over 500 yards of total offense in 11 of 13 games last season. Miami gained over 700 yards of total offense hung 62 unanswered points on Ball State. Mauigoa started 13 games last season as the Hurricanes finished 10-3. As Mauigoa lined up to Cam Ward's right side, he allowed just 2 sacks on 534 snaps. Pro Football Focus gave Mauigoa a pass-blocking grade of 72.7. Advertisement This season, Mauigoa will be tasked with keeping the pressure off signal-caller Carson Beck. Rest assured, Mauigoa has all the tools and the technique to further master the position and be a dominant lineman in college football in 2025. Related: Miami Hurricanes Well-Represented in CFB Top 150 for 2025
