The future of the Miami Hurricanes offensive line might’ve taken a hit by losing out on 5-star tackle Mark Matthews, but immediate help could be on the way if Max Buchanan’s recovery continues on its current trend.
Mario Cristobal offered an optimistic update on Buchanan, who started at right guard for the first five games for the Hurricanes before suffering an injury against Clemson. He had surgery on his left knee in the following days and has been out since.
Knee surgery is a pretty serious thing, especially for a trench warrior, so the expectation would be that the sophomore would miss an extended time, but Cristobal said that Buchanan could return this season.
Mario Cristobal said Zechariah Poyser is fine after leaving the Notre Dame game late.
Also said Max Buchanan could potentially return for the regular-season finale vs Boston College and beyond “if we earn the right beyond that.”
— Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) November 9, 2026
“I would say he has a chance at returning more towards the last game of the year, and if we earn the right to go beyond that, then possibly… but that’s the timeline for him,” Cristobal said in his Monday media conference.
Miami’s OL would be significantly better with the return of Max Buchanan
Buchanan was solid at guard in his five games with a 72.4 run-blocking grade, and the Hurricanes were a much better run-blocking team with him on the field. The 43.8 pass-blocking grade from PFF is very concerning, but if Miami is going to make some noise in the postseason, they will have to get back to effectively running the ball…