CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. walked out of the Hurricanes’ locker room wearing a sleeveless T-shirt with the words “Long Live” and photos of his late father emblazoned on the front.
He was smiling. And that’s probably the big news.
Fletcher — whose father, beloved within the Hurricane family, died last fall — might be playing the best football of his college career. He has rushed for two scores in two straight games, the most recent of those coming Saturday when then-No. 5 Miami rolled past then-No. 18 South Florida 49-12 and moved to 3-0 on the season.
“Everything is good right now,” Fletcher said.
It took Fletcher a long time to get to that place.
Mark Fletcher Sr. died last October, days before Miami played its annual rivalry game against Florida State. The whole team attended the funeral, and Fletcher not only played that weekend against the Seminoles but scored a touchdown in that game — taking a knee in the end zone afterward.
“It feels like yesterday, if I had to be completely honest,” Fletcher said earlier this season, when asked how he’s coping. “But I feel like there’s other people who feel like me as well, other people dealing with loss. And honestly, you just have to keep on going. I just keep on going, tapping in more to my faith. Either I can sit and be quiet, or I can do something and use it as motivation. I’m going to choose the second option always.”
This Miami roster is filled with big names and big personalities. Quarterback Carson Beck is an early Heisman Trophy front-runner, defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. is widely perceived to be a top draft prospect for next year and wide receiver C.J. Daniels has made highlight-reel catches in each of the season’s first three games.
But the most-liked guy in the locker room, if such a ranking existed, might be Fletcher.
“I think Mark is the best human on this football team,” Miami backup quarterback Emory Williams said. “I look at Mark, and if I haven’t made this point super clear to him, I’d tell him, ‘I want to be the kind of man you are.’ To be the person he is each and every single day, to be leader he is, I mean, that’s a man. He knows. He gets it. Any father figure would want their son to be like Mark, and any person would want to be like Mark. He’s the best human on the team.”
In many ways, Fletcher set a tone for Miami coming into this season.
Like all players now in this transfer-portal era of college football, Fletcher had options after last season. The Miami running back room has plenty of talent. Having a big-time transfer like Beck to follow No. 1 draft pick Cam Ward at quarterback means the Hurricanes will be throwing the ball often. Fletcher isn’t going to get 20 or 25 carries a game like he possibly could have elsewhere.
But he stayed. Teammates took notice.
“As steady as he is as a person, as a leader for our team, for our group, I don’t know if words can put that into any perspective or do it any justice,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “He just is who he is. And everybody sees it. He’s very genuine. What he went through last year and to keep playing was really inspirational.”
Fletcher is one of 14 players at the FBS level with multiple games of at least two rushing touchdowns so far this season. With 18 career rushing touchdowns, he is four away from cracking Miami’s all-time top 10 list. He’s helped Beck — who is completing nearly 80% of his passes — get off to a flying start and is a huge reason why No. 4 Miami is looking very much like a contender in the early going.
“The sky’s the limit for this team,” Fletcher said. “Sky’s the limit. Just stay disciplined, play for each other, not worry about individual success. Do that and man, this team could definitely make it to the top.”
And he knows his father would be proud.
“That’s my why,” he said.