“‘Tis better to have tried to recruit and lost than never tried at all.” If Lord Tennyson were watching this season’s college football transfer portal, these might be his exact words, and Miami fans would be wishing Mario Cristobal lived by it. In the high-stakes NIL-fueled arms race of CFB, Miami is watching too many premium targets slip through its fingers. Cristobal was in pursuit of elite safety from Houston, but entered LSU. While the Hurricanes’ HC was busy calculating risks, Brian Kelly‘s team refused to play safe. And now the Hurricanes are left holding a defensive blueprint with one glaring gap.
Miami has restructured its roster, hoping to mend its defense that was gashed too often in 2024. And no one’s pretending that Miami didn’t face the hardest blow. Fans expected them to make a significant move. But time, tide, and recruiters wait for none. On Sunday, the top spring portal safety, A.J. Haulcy, committed to LSU. A prized recruit from Houston, Haulcy is a defensive machine. With a total of 259 tackles, 15 pass breakups, and 7 interceptions, he could have been the guy to anchor a revamped Miami secondary.
Haulcy is an asset for the defense. The 6-foot, 215-pound senior defensive back has started 32 games over his three college seasons at New Mexico (2022) and Houston (2023 and 2024). His stellar performance with 74 tackles, 8 pass breakups, and 5 interceptions in 2024 also got him All-Big 12 honors. And his potential is verified by the NFL scout Tom Luginbill, who said, “Haulcy is a prototypical hard-hitting safety who is a bit of a throwback player. He’s physical and loves to throw his body around. He’s an outstanding tackler, but also has the personality and leadership skills to be the heart and soul of a defense.” He’s also ranked 12th by ESPN analyst Max Olson’s list of the best players in spring college football transfer portal.
Andy Staples, from On3’s Andy and Ari podcast, talked about Coach Cristobal’s ordeal. “This Miami thing is very interesting. They were trying to get A.J. Haulcy from Houston, who was the safety that went from New Mexico to Houston. He was an all Big 12 safety at Houston last year. LSU beat them for Haulcy. So they were trying even further to bolster their secondary, but didn’t get that one. They’ve done a pretty good job, I think, filling the needs they had, and a lot of this is still going to come down to how good is that defense, because as you pointed out, massive liability last year.”
The optics? Not great. Especially when Miami insiders openly admitted the program was unwilling to match a rumoured $2 million NIL ask. Alex Donno from Locked On Canes broke it down bluntly, “Miami is not going to offer $2 million for a safety unless somebody cloned Sean Taylor.”
While Miami flirted with the safety talent, Kelly’s squad dove in headfirst. This was more than a recruitment loss; this was a dream fit that Mario Cristobal desperately needed but didn’t pay for. His vision for Miami hinges on building toughness and identity. But if the Canes keep bowing out of bidding wars for game-changers, they risk something far more dangerous than overspending. They might fall further behind on both sides of the ball.
Now, it’s not just the defense that is in question anymore, the offense and quarterback rooms are looking just as uncertain.
Carson Beck’s Miami move seems dicey
The QB who once led the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship eventually succumbed to his injuries. Carson Beck‘s move to Miami was supposed to be a reset. Instead, it’s raising more questions than answers. From shaky pocket presence to a healing elbow and an off-field breakup that stirred unnecessary speculation, Beck’s transition has been anything but smooth. And now, even Miami isn’t fully convinced he’s the guy.
“Guys, I’m going to be honest,” analyst Jake Crain said. “I almost left Carson Beck off this list, but I got him at eight. I got him at eight because I do respect what he was able to do in Georgia. Know how talented he was at Georgia, but I thought last year, you know, he looked a little bit shaky in the pocket.” The numbers offer no real defense. Beck threw for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He was sacked nine times across just two games. His confidence took a hit, and his elbow hasn’t let him fully participate this spring.
Credits – Imago
Crain seemed doubtful about this young star, but he is not devoid of supporters. Commentator and former Jets QB Greg McElroy stated, “What’s amazing to me, though, is that there are so many people who have pointed all of Carson Beck’s flaws out without acknowledging the inconsistencies of not just his wide receiver corps, which led the country in drops, but also his offensive line, I thought his offensive line was so leaky at times last year that it was almost hard for Carson Beck to be comfortable at all.”
Well, talent isn’t the issue. Trust is. And that might be harder to build than a sore elbow.
The post Mario Cristobal Faces Tough Reality Check as Miami’s Woes Deepen After Unexpected Blow From Brian Kelly & LSU appeared first on EssentiallySports.
