Former Duke QB Darian Mensah talks about his move to Miami, starting anew with the Hurricanes
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Darian Mensah played a big role in helping Miami make a run to the College Football Playoff national championship game last season. The Hurricanes' new quarterback is hoping to do the same this season.
If Mensah and Duke, his now-former school, hadn't beaten Virginia in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game last December then it's likely that the Hurricanes wouldn't have had a shot at getting into the CFP field. But Duke got that win to help Miami get its at-large berth, and the Hurricanes won again when Mensah — maybe the most-coveted quarterback in the transfer portal this past winter — picked Coral Gables as his next home. “Duke had a lot of great players, don’t get me wrong," Mensah said.
"I think that if I had to say anything about the two different types of people, I think the people here are just special people off the field, which makes them so much easier to work with on the field as well. So, it’s just a good feeling to be around a good group of guys. ” He'll make his spring game debut with Miami on Saturday.
“A complete professional,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of Mensah. “Has ownership of the system, great command, personality, arm talent, escapability, pocket presence. Accurate, knowledge and a great energy about him as well.
” Mensah — whose mother came with him to Miami, something he said that has helped him get comfortable in new surroundings — is with his third team in as many years. He threw for 2,723 yards and 22 touchdowns for Tulane in 2024, then had 3,973 passing yards and 34 touchdowns — both best in the ACC — for Duke while leading the Blue Devils to a surprise conference title last season. He'll be the main attraction at the spring game.