VOTE NOW: Hurricanes Bracket Voting By Fans To Determine All-Time Best Miami Offensive Lineman

CaneSport is billed as the ultimate fan site, and now we’re seeking to uncover the ultimate Miami Hurricane. Over the next several weeks we will be unveiling our all-time top eight Canes at each position … and then it’s up to you, the fan, to vote in our tournament-style bracket to advance players to the final round. In the end, each position will have a victor. And then we will pit those players against each other to determine the All-Time Miami Hurricanes GOAT.

QB GOAT NOMINEES … RB GOAT NOMINEES … WR GOAT NOMINEES … TE GOAT NOMINEES …

Along the way we’ll be figuring out our first- and second-team All-Miami Hurricanes Offense, Defense and Special Teams.

VOTE NOW: Miami Hurricanes GOAT OL

Each of our position breakdowns will include our top group, and those that didn’t make the cut but were highly deserving. We chose these after a CaneSport editorial meeting looking at all the top players over the years.

Now it’s your turn to decide the winner. We will wait 48 hours for everyone to get their votes in each round and then move along. Ties will be broken by an extended runoff.

Today’s voting is for the All-Time Miami Offensive Line GOAT. Below are your eight finalists, and those that came close to making the cut. You can vote for your choice BY CLICKING HERE. Each nominee is listed in alphabetical order, and selections are based on their Miami career only:

NOMINEE: VERNON CAREY

Making The Case: Vernon Carey (1999-2003) excelled as a guard and tackle, leading the team with 42 pancake blocks at right tackle in 2002. He was a key member of the 2001 national championship team, playing left and right tackle. In 2003 he switched to left guard and he was a second-team All-American, again leading Miami in pancakes. Carey was as solid a lineman as you’ll find, using a great combination of strength and athleticism to win battles up front.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Carey was a great Hurricane, and one fall camp we thought he was out of the year when we heard him screaming after he got rolled up on. We were sure it was broken, but it was just a sprain and he was back practicing the next week. Maybe not a high pain threshold, but boy did he have a high level of play.”

NOMINEE: DENNIS HARRAH

Making The Case: Harrah (1972-1974) played tackle and was picked for the Sporting News and Time All-American teams in ’74. During his playing days at UM, Harrah was described as “the best offensive lineman I’ve ever coached,” by Hurricane offensive coordinator Carl Selmer who had previously served as an assistant to Bob Devaney during the national championship era at Nebraska. He was notorious for his durability and toughness and was rarely on the sidelines for a single snap throughout his entire college career.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Supposedly he was bench pressing 500 pounds and could run the 40 in 4.8 at 6-5 and 259 pounds … pretty amazing back in the early ‘70s. Just a freak athlete.”

NOMINEE: KC JONES

Making The Case: Many former players and coaches insist Jones (1993-96) was the most ferocious blocker they ever saw at UM. A four-year starter at center, he was a semifinalist for the Outland and Lombardi awards and made the AP All-American first team as a senior. After a redshirt year as a freshman, he became one of the youngest centers in UM history, starting all 12 games at age 19. He earned All-Big East honors for three straight years. Jones used his size for great leverage and knew how to finish a block, equally dominating in run or pass protection. One of the quickest offensive linemen around, his speed allowed him to block down field after pass receptions. A fierce intense competitor, he once ripped the facemask off the helmet of a defensive teammate in practice.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “I remember hearing stories about KC biting players under the pile, which I know isn’t possible because he was wearing a helmet. But maybe he bit through the helmet to get at opponents?”

NOMINEE: FRANCIS MAUIGOA

Making The Case: The latest great Miami Hurricanes offensive lineman, Mauigoa dominated all three years as a Cane (2023-25). As a true freshman he earned All-ACC honorable mention, then this past season he was a first team All-American and the ACC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner. He started 42 games in his career, never missing one game, and earned an 87.0 pass-blocking grade over the course of last season from Pro Football Focus, which led all qualified FBS right tackles. He gave up just one sack in 205 true pass set snaps, according to PFF, and totaled a 93.7% win rate on those snaps – second-best among all 2026 NFL Draft-eligible tackles.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Mauigoa put his faith in Mario Cristobal and helped lead this team from the doldrums to where it is now.”

NOMINEE: BRYANT MCKINNIE

Making The Case: McKinnie (2000-2001), protector of Ken Dorsey (never allowed a sack in two seasons), won the Outland Trophy as the nation’s top lineman and was a consensus All-American on the 2001 national champions. He also finished eighth in Heisman Trophy voting that year. As a junior in 2000, he was named a first team All American by the Football News and made a name for himself in Miami’s 27-24 victory over archrival Florida State by shutting down the Noles’ Jamal Reynolds, the eventual Lombardi Award winner (Reynolds had just one assisted tackle in the game). Some of you may also recall when McKinnie shut down NCAA sack leader Dwight Freeney of Syracuse. He was simply dominant as a Cane.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Mt. McKinnie is one of my favorite Canes, mainly because I had trouble hearing him during media availabilities because his mouth was like a foot above my head.”

NOMINEE: JIM OTTO

Making The Case: The legendary Otto played on both sides of the ball at Miami from 1957-59 as a center and linebacker, but it was his play on the OL that really stood out. The Wausau, Wis., native might have been considered undersized at 6-2 and 256 pounds but he made a name for himself not just with his ability level but also his intense tenacity, grit and durability playing both ways. He played under legendary coach Andy Gustafson, but those teams went 2-8 and 6-4. Regardless, Otto is a big reason QB Fran Curci was able to have good protection and become an All-American. Of note: He wore No. 50 at Miami before famously wearing No. 00 with the Oakland Raiders.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Anyone who played during the black-and-white TV days I’m all in on voting for him. Didn’t those guys wear leather helmets?”

NOMINEE: BRETT ROMBERG

Making The Case: Romberg (1999-2002), a center, helped the Hurricanes win 35 of 37 games, including the 2001 national championship; he won the Rimington Award as the nation’s top center and was a consensus All-American in 2002. He also earned first team All-BIG EAST three times. Beginning with the 2000 campaign, he would become the anchor to arguably the greatest offensive line in college football history. He did not allow a sack throughout his Miami career. That’s a wow.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “My favorite Romberg story is how he hid buddy Joel Rodriguez’s clothes in the ceiling tiles during a workout and Rodriguez had to walk home wearing nothing but a towel.”

NOMINEE: LEON SEARCY

Making The Case: Searcy (1987-1991 including redshirting as a freshman), the guy with the size 17EEE shoes, started on the lines of the 1989 and 1991 national champions. A tackle, he earned first-team Football Writers Association All-American honors in 1991 and was on three second teams, including the AP. Among the most impressive feats recorded by Searcy was the fact that he started every game his final three seasons. He did a great job protecting quarterbacks like Gino Torretta and opening lanes for running backs.

Quote During Our Deliberations About Him: “Dude was on the team for three national titles, started every game for his final three seasons and was as consistent as they come.”

JUST MISSED THE CUT: Don Bailey, Jason Fox, Joaquin Gonzalez, Brandon Linder, Richard Mercier, Chris Myers, Greg Rakoczy, Eric Winston