Mark Fletcher and Damien Martinez are in the top five among the highest-graded returning ACC Running Backs per Pro Football Focus. Fletcher is recovering from a Lisfranc injury and Martinez transferred to Miami in late April from Oregon State during the spring portal window.
Fletcher ran for 514 yards and five touchdowns as a true freshman in 2023 while sharing carries with Ajay Allen, Don Chaney Jr. and Henry Parrish. Allen is the only one of the three returning to Miami for 2024. Chaney Jr. transferred to Louisville and Parrish returned to Mississippi after two years with Miami.
Martinez ran for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns in 2023. Martinez was 19th nationally averaging 98.75 rushing yards per game in 2023. Omarion Hampton who received the second-highest grade among returning RBs led the returnees averaging 115.69 rushing yards per game in 2023.
Martinez would have been second in the ACC in rushing YPG in 2023. Pittsburgh transfer Desmond Reid who rushed for 1,723 yards and 17 TDs with 42 receptions for 495 yards and a score in the last two seasons at Western Carolina is the highest-graded 2024 ACC returning RB.
Highest Graded Returning ACC Running Backs💨 pic.twitter.com/SY5UHwddd9
— PFF College (@PFF_College) May 19, 2024
Jadyn Ott of California is third ahead of Fletcher and Martinez. Ott had 1,315 yards rushing and 12 TDs in 2023. Ott led the Pac-12 in rushing in 2023 and Martinez was second. PFF grades RBs on “combination of yards after contact, avoided tackles, and fumbles.”
Miami finished seventh in the ACC averaging 173.15 rushing yards per game in 2023. The Hurricanes were eighth averaging 153.88 rushing yards per game versus ACC opponents. Miami needs to be more consistent versus conference opponents on the ground in 2024.
Miami had five games in 2023 rushing for over 200 yards. The Hurricanes were held under 100 yards rushing twice in 2023 and had less than 125 four times. Martinez should help Miami be more consistent on the ground in 2023. If Fletcher is healthy, Miami projects to have the best RB tandem in the ACC in 2024.
