Next revenue frontier for UM athletics emerges. And football personnel nuggets

A six-pack of Hurricanes notes on a Thursday:

▪ UM’s historic new deal with Nike — the most lucrative in the apparel company’s history — isn’t the only new revenue stream available for the Canes’ athletic program.

Read more ‘A soul of service,’ Herald publisher, U.S. ambassador Richard Capen dies at 92

Miami is open to striking a deal with a company to place a logo on a patch on football (and other players’) jerseys, but only if it can find what it considers the right fit.

Several other schools quickly struck deals after the NCAA Division I Cabinet voted to allow commercial logos on uniforms beginning with the 2026 fall sports season.

Among the notable patch deals so far:

Notre Dame with technology/digital financial services company SoFi (for $18 million or so a year), Ohio State with JP Morgan Chase (for $17 million annually) and Tennessee with another financial services company, First Horizon (for $12 million a year). Florida State partnered with Kin Insurance in a deal; terms were undisclosed.

Teams can wear up to two sponsor patches on their uniforms during regular-season games and conference championships. Each patch is limited to a maximum size of four square inches. Schools are permitted to allocate some of the money on revenue-sharing deals with athletes.

For the past few years, the Canes have relied on university revenues and deep-pocketed donors to help fund NIL/revenue sharing deals to finance one of college football’s most expensive rosters.

In a study released by The Athletic this week, UM’s football roster this season is estimated to cost between $44 million and $50 million.

That ranks sixth behind Ohio State ($49 million to $54 million), Oregon ($48 million to $54 million), Texas ($45 million to $55 million), LSU ($47 million to $50 million) and Texas A&M ($45 million to $50 million).

▪ Luke Nickel has so far made a strong case to end the Canes’ three-year cycle of adding a pricey top veteran quarterback in the transfer portal. That decision won’t be made until after the regular season, but UM has strongly suggested that it’s very open to using its own recruits at the position next season.

Nickel impressed coaches by completing all eight of his passes for 144 yards and three touchdowns against Florida A&M.

“Luke really played well, from his reads to his command of the offense, handling things at the line of scrimmage, making those throws,” Mario Cristobal said on his coach’s show on WQAM. “Really positive day for him.”

Nickel had a solid training camp, according to a UM source.

If UM opts to go with its own recruits at the position next season, Nickel would compete with freshman Dereon Coleman and possibly Illinois-based UM commitment Israel Abrams, who is ESPN’s No. 4 quarterback and 83rd overall prospect.

▪ Offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson loves what he has seen from freshman tight end Gavin Mueller, who has emerged as Elija Lofton’s primary backup:

Read more Wildfire expands to 1,000+ acres in Yosemite National Park, moves toward Badger Pass

“He’s got all the tools, great body control. Hands are elite. He had a little [injury] setback in camp. Ultimately, that kid is going to keep playing. The number of snaps he plays every game will continue to increase. The sky is the limit for him. A really talented guy who has made a lot of strides since he’s been here, especially route running.”

▪ Freshman receiver Vance Spafford’s incredible touchdown catch against Florida A&M still has people buzzing.

“I slowed that play down many times and I don’t know how the hell he caught it,” Dawson said. “The defender was between him and the ball. Two defenders there. He practices his tail off every day. He’s a very talented guy. Everybody on that sideline was excited to see him score his first touchdown.”

▪ ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. predicted last week that UM, Texas and Oregon will dominate the 2027 NFL Draft.

Kiper mentioned injured cornerback OJ Frederique, defensive tackles Ahmad Moten and Justin Scott, quarterback Darian Mensah, running back Mark Fletcher Jr., Lofton, defensive ends Armondo Blount, Marquise Lightfoot and Damon Wilson II and nickel cornerback Omar Thornton.

He also mentioned that Fletcher could be the highest-drafted Canes running back since Willis McGahee went 23rd in 2003.

“Fletcher likely won’t go that high — I have a second-round grade on him,” Kiper said. “But he should get picked earlier than the likes of Frank Gore (No. 65, 2005), Lamar Miller (No. 97, 2012) and Duke Johnson (No. 77, 2015).”

Kiper noted that Fletcher’s yards per carry jumped from 5.1 during the 2025 regular season to 6.8 in the College Football Playoff.

“At 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, he can dish out punishment on contact,” Kiper said. “But he’s also agile for his size and has the explosion to break off big runs. He went for 10-plus yards 36 times last season, tied for 11th in the country. Fletcher will run you over, but he also has the change-of-direction skills to find open lanes.”

▪ Quick stuff: Cristobal, on Blount: “He’s the standard for effort. If you are looking for a guy to do it for the way it’s supposed to be done – a maniacal, get-after-it guy – that’s Armondo Blount.”…

ESPN assigned Mike Monaco and Jordan Rodgers to Friday night’s game at Wake Forest. Those two called UM’s opener at Stanford…

During an Orange Bowl luncheon this week, Brady Quinn picked UM, Texas, Ohio State and Notre Dame for college football’s final four this season; Urban Meyer agreed on Texas, Ohio State and Notre Dame but wasn’t sure if UM will be the fourth, though he didn’t criticize the Hurricanes.

Read more ‘A soul of service,’ Herald publisher, U.S. ambassador Richard Capen dies at 92

This story was originally published September 17, 2026 at 12:46 PM.