College football’s transfer portal opened for business at 12:01 a.m. Friday, and the Canes are seeking a high-end veteran quarterback for the third consecutive year.
According to a source, Miami has made an offer to Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby, who’s considered by some to be the top QB in the portal. The Canes also continue to be linked to Arizona State’s Sam Leavett.
Sorsby, a dual-threat quarterback, is considering UM, LSU and Texas Tech, the source said. LSU and Texas Tech have among the highest NIL budgets in the country, and UM has a big one, as well.
After throwing 15 touchdowns and five interceptions in 10 games for Indiana in 2023, Sorsby transferred to Cincinnati and blossomed.
He threw for 2,813 yards, with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 2024, then took a major step this past season, throwing for 2,800 yards, 27 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 61% of his passes. He also ran 100 times for 580 yards in 2024.
He has 60 touchdowns in the air and 22 on the ground in his college career.
LSU, Oregon and UM have all been linked to Leavett, who underwent season-ending foot surgery on Oct. 31.
Before that, he threw 10 touchdowns and three interceptions and averaged 4.2 yards on 73 carries in guiding ASU to a 5-2 start. In 2024, he threw 24 touchdowns and six interceptions in guiding the Sun Devils to an 11-2 record.
Other quarterbacks in the portal include TCU’s Josh Hoover, USF’s Byrum Brown, Iowa State’s Rocco Becht, and UF’s DJ Lagway, among many others.
Top veteran quarterbacks are now commanding $4 million or more in the portal.
Canes offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson has high regard for backup Emory Williams, but the program at this point is interested in adding a high-end veteran starter after going that direction with Cam Ward and Carson Beck the past two years. Sorsby fits that bill.
Beck’s eligibility will expire after UM’s final playoff game. Besides Williams, other quarterbacks on Miami’s roster with remaining eligibility include Luke Nickel, Judd Anderson and incoming freshman Dereon Coleman.
Portal players at other positions who have drawn UM interest include, among others, Auburn receiver Cam Coleman (93 catches for 1,306 yards and 13 touchdowns) and NC State receiver Terrell Anderson (39-629).
On Thursday, three Hurricanes leaked plans to enter the portal, bringing the total of UM departures to six since the end of the regular season.
Praise for Hurricanes
Praise for the Canes this week has poured in from the dean of college coaches, several UM football luminaries and even one of the program’s recent detractors.
Yes, that was ESPN’s Joey Galloway calling the Canes the favorite to win the championship, weeks after downplaying UM’s season and advocating for Notre Dame to make the playoffs ahead of Miami.
ESPN analyst Nick Saban, who had Mario Cristobal on his staff at Alabama, praised how Cristobal constructed his roster during an interview Thursday.
“You really built this program a special way, in my opinion, in terms of your team on the line of scrimmage,” Saban said. “Whether it’s a defensive line or the offensive line; I think that’s how you win games this time of year. When you can dominate the line of scrimmage, and your guys have done that tremendously.
“In both games, against Texas A&M, you ran the ball at will, and last night, Ohio State, who’s supposed to be a really physical team, you guys dominated the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. You built the program that way.
“The thing that impressed me the most is how relentless Miami competes in a game. When Ohio State came out and answered the bell in the second half, Miami just kept playing, and they just drove through the smoke, and they made the plays they had to make when they needed to make them. Had a couple of third-down conversions in that last drive, which was critical.
“These guys are the real deal, and they’re peaking at the right time. They’re playing their best ball of the season right now, which is a tribute to the coaching staff and the players’ commitment to a standard which they’re playing to.”
Cristobal, responding to Saban’s comments on “ESPN GameDay” on Thursday, said: “It was one of the greatest lessons under you at Alabama, right? You used to tell us all the time, mass kicks ass, right? So we did get some big, massive guys…. We’re just getting better. We’re getting better quality football players, better quality human beings, elite competitors, and we’re starting to stack them up.
“And the best part of our team right now are the guys that got here year one when we’re getting our faces kicked in, in 2022, we’re getting beat by Middle Tennessee out there. We’re getting smacked around by teams by 30, 40 points. And they’re the foundation, and they’ve been through that. So they’re great leaders. They set the tone on a daily basis, and they sure as hell don’t let people slip you.”
Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman and former UM star Calais Campbell said:
“Can’t believe the CFP committee almost kept us out!!! Glad they made the right decision and put us in this tournament!!! This is a team no one wants to see. Big Win
“Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor are crazy elite. You don’t want to have to pass the ball to beat us. Bc them boys are hunters!!! [Marquise] Lightfoot too! Even our interior rushers hunt too! Love our DL! Jason Taylor has done a great job getting these ballers ready.”
PFF feedback
▪ Tidbits from Pro Football Focus on UM’s offense in the 24-14 win against Ohio State: UM’s three best high-usage players in the game were right tackle Francis Mauigoa, left guard Samson Okunlola and Beck.
Okunlola, making his first start, played 33 snaps, and left guard Matthew McCoy played 36. They were both on the field together for a handful of plays…
Tight end Alex Bauman (48 snaps) returned to play more than Elija Lofton (28), which had been the case until the Texas A&M game…
Jojo Trader (five snaps) and Joshua Moore (eight) got the receiver snaps that didn’t go to Malachi Toney, Keelan Marion and CJ Daniels..
PFF said UM allowed five pressures — four against left tackle Markel Bell and one against Mauigoa.
▪ Tidbits from Pro Football Focus on UM’s defense against Ohio State: PFF’s top three high-usage players on defense: defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr., cornerback Keionte Scott and defensive end Akheem Mesidor…
With an injury limiting Ahmad Moten to 19 snaps, UM gave 31 snaps to David Blay and 23 to Armondo Blount. Justin Scott played 35.
With OJ Frederique leaving with an ankle injury late in the third quarter (he was on crutches after the game), Xavier Lucas played 44 snaps. Frederique played 41 and Ethan O’Connor 39. Nickel corner Keionte Scott played a team-high 60 snaps…
PFF says Jeremiah Smith caught three of four passes for 55 yards against Frederique, three of three for 88 against Lucas and one for one for 14 against Ja’Boree Antoine.
UM will play Mississippi in a national semifinal at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Glendale, Arizona.
This story was originally published January 2, 2026 at 9:22 AM.
Barry Jackson
Miami Herald
Barry Jackson has written for the Miami Herald since 1986 and has written the Florida Sports Buzz column since 2002.
