Freshman Ben Congdon making his family proud as he pushes for bigger Hurricanes role

University of Miami admin October 10, 2026 0 Comments

Freshman Ben Congdon making his family proud as he pushes for bigger Hurricanes role

Rebecca Congdon took a moment to ponder the question. Then a few minutes to build up to the answer.

When did she know that her son, University of Miami freshman offensive lineman Ben Congdon, had the potential that he is showcasing so early in his career with the fourth-ranked Hurricanes?

“I think it finally hit us last Wednesday,” she said.

That’s the day that Ben called to let his family know he would be making his first career start — five games into his college football career, on the road at Clemson in front of a sold-out crowd.

“I was crying,” Rebecca Congdon said in a phone interview with the Miami Herald on Thursday. “It’s very exciting.”

So, too, is how Ben Congdon has performed early in his UM career. While the Clemson game was Congdon’s first start, the freshman has been part of UM’s guard rotation all season.

But the 41-13 win that kept Miami undefeated at 5-0 (3-0 in Atlantic Coast Conference play) might be his true breakout moment.

Congdon played a season high 61 of 66 offensive snaps at left guard against Clemson and graded out well according to Pro Football Focus (70.2 run blocking grade, 63.6 pass blocking grade, just one quarterback pressure allowed on 31 pass blocking snaps).

“Tremendous amount of credit for him,” center Ryan Rodriguez said. “He didn’t let the adversity become a factor. He was even-keeled and poised. I’m glad he’s out there.”

He’ll most likely hold onto that starting role for at least the near future, both because of his performance in his biggest game yet and because it appears fellow guard Max Buchanan is slated to be out with injury for the foreseeable future.

“The moment,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said, “was not too big for him.”

‘Always had to keep up’

That’s how it has been Congdon’s whole life. With two older brothers (Drew and Dylan, the latter of whom is a sophomore for FCS-level Campbell) and growing up in the small town of Zoarville, Ohio, he’s used to playing against older and tougher competition.

He learned early what it took to stand out and make his mark even if it was earlier than anticipated. He started playing tackle football in sixth grade and, according to his high school coach, made the biggest jump in his development entering his junior year.

So, his mom said, it’s perhaps only natural that Congdon — a towering presence 6-8 and 330 pounds who was also a state finalist in wrestling as a junior — has already managed to play up to the level of competition he’s facing.

“He was always that young boy that never really like slowed down,” Rebecca Congdon said. “He always had to keep up with them. He always walked really quick. He always did everything really quick. And then because Dylan was a year ahead of him, we always moved him up to play on Dylan’s teams. So he was always ahead and very mature for his age because of that.”

That’s indeed carrying over as his collegiate career begins, and his small community back home is taking notice.

“It’s amazing,” said Cade Adams, Congdon’s coach at Tuscarawas Valley High School. “I’m gonna be quite honest, and I even told him I expected him to go down there and possibly redshirt for a year and let them develop him and grow. But man, what he’s doing now is amazing. Just what he has done, it’s unreal. And then the community here, everybody’s been talking about it. It’s pretty cool. He’s on national television for this community, and Zoarville — our small little town here — is getting put on the map.”

Congdon, a four-star prospect and the No. 19 offensive tackle prospect out of high school in the Class of 2026 according to the 247Sports composite ranking, has been impressing the Hurricanes’ coaching staff essentially since he stepped foot on campus in January.

But Congdon was also quick to admit in the spring that the game sped up on him when he went through his first practice with the Hurricanes.

“It’s a big difference,” Congdon said in April. “I feel like I’m doing pretty well. I mean, it’s hard, but I feel like I’m managing well.”

That latter part is his humble nature, Rebecca Congdon said. Both his mom and high school coach attest to his work ethic, which has been on full display during his early tenure with the Hurricanes. He came in with the size to hold his own in the ACC. It was a matter of how quickly he would forge his path and gain trust from Cristobal and offensive line coach Alex Mirabal.

Turns out it didn’t take all that long.

“He’s so hard on himself,” his mom said. “I’ll be like ‘How did you do today?’ and he’d go ‘Oh, I guess I did OK.’ He’ll never just say ‘Oh my gosh. I did good.’ … He always grades himself and he usually doesn’t give himself an A. It’s usually always a B, B-plus, B-minus.”

Added Adams: “I knew he would put in the work, so that doesn’t surprise me. But I do think it’s crazy, knowing he’s at the program that he’s at, and he’s an 18-year-old freshman out there. That’s probably the most surprising part.”

Working into the rotation

He’s providing what the Hurricanes hoped they would get out of Congdon, who chose Miami over offers from about 30 schools, most notably Penn State. Miami entered the season having to replace four starters from its offensive line that paved the way last season on Miami’s run to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

UM had a few spots that appeared to be penciled in heading into the season. Rodriguez was going to be Miami’s center. Samson Okunlola and Matt McCoy had the inside track to playing the two tackle spots.

The starting guard positions, however, were up for grabs.

By the end of spring, four main contenders emerged in sophomores Buchanan and SJ Alofaituli and freshmen Congdon and Jackson Cantwell. The sophomores got the nod to start through the first four games before Congdon supplanted Alofaituli against Clemson. With Buchanan sidelined, Congdon will most likely stay at left guard and Alofaituli logically would be the starting right guard.

“We’re going to do whatever gives Miami the best chance to win football games,” Cristobal said. “So every single week, we’re going to crank that thing up and put the best guys on the field.”

Congdon is doing his part to show the Hurricanes just how good he can be.

“Just mind-blowing,” Rebecca Congdon said. “Just disbelief, excitement, all rolled into one. … We’re very proud of him. Very proud of his the way he’s been handling himself and working so hard.”