"Miami hasn't actually been knocking on door": CFB insider drop intriguing take on Hurricanes after Carson Beck's arrival

On Thursday, On3’s J.D. PicKell analyzed Miami’s progress under coach Mario Cristobal, and the impact of transfer quarterback Carson Beck. PicKell believes the Miami Hurricanes are on the verge of a major breakthrough in the 2025 college football season.

While public perception often casts Miami as a program that has underperformed, PicKell argues the Hurricanes are approaching legitimate playoff contention.

“Miami hasn’t actually been knocking on the door,” he said. “They've been continuing to climb the mountain… Miami is just now I think getting to a spot where they can push for that hump push for the summit of the mountain.” [Timestamp - 1:13]

Instead, PicKell sees the program climbing steadily, moving from a 5–7 record to 7–6, then 10–3 last season, as evidence of a deliberate build.

“I think that's what Miami has done this off season… go get a quarterback, okay cool, we got that. Need a defense, gotta at least improve there… I think they've packed accordingly; I think they're properly equipped,” PicKell added.

“I love the urgency for Miami, I love the fact they're saying, won 10 games last year, we're not going to sit back and ride this thing in, we're going to take that momentum and try to capitalize here. Go get the Portal, go get Carson Beck, push to make our defense better, all those things.

The arrival of Beck, who transferred from Georgia in January, is central to that rise. Ranked the No. 4 overall transfer and as No.1 by 247Sports, Beck enters with high expectations.

In 2024, he threw for 3,485 yards and 28 touchdowns, completing 64.7 percent of his passes despite Georgia leading the nation in dropped receptions. Projections for 2025 suggest he could reach 3,700 yards and 32 touchdowns, with some analysts listing him as a Heisman contender.

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Does Carson Beck’s skill set fit Miami’s offensive system?

Carson Beck (15) jumps into the student section - Source: Imagn

According to reports, Carson Beck’s skill set fits Miami’s offensive system under coordinator Shannon Dawson, whose scheme emphasizes spacing and a balanced run-pass approach, similar to the system Beck excelled in at Georgia under Todd Monken.

J.D. PicKell noted that Mario Cristobal and his staff made targeted offseason moves to position the team for a playoff run. Those included the addition of defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman and further roster upgrades through the high school recruiting trail and the transfer portal.

Miami’s 2025 schedule includes non-conference games against Notre Dame and Florida. It ranks No. 36 nationally in strength, according to one metric, and is considered manageable if the Hurricanes stay healthy and the rebuilt defense performs well.