MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Hurricanes had little trouble finding the end zone Thursday night.

They had even less trouble finding running room.

But after piling up a school-record 856 yards in a 77-7 rout of Florida A&M at Hard Rock Stadium, the Hurricanes made it clear they weren’t interested in treating the blowout as the finished product.

“We’re not satisfied,” Hurricanes right tackle Matthew McCoy said. “We hold ourselves to a higher standard.”

That standard has produced two lopsided victories to open the season.

The Hurricanes followed a 45-6 win at Stanford with an offensive explosion against the Rattlers, improving to 2-0 while continuing to show the depth and versatility coach Mario Cristobal has emphasized throughout the offseason.

“Efficient, really, really efficient,” Cristobal said.

Miami was rarely forced into difficult situations.

Cristobal said the Rattlers did not have many opportunities to get Miami into third-down situations, while the Hurricanes consistently created explosive plays through the air and on the ground.

The result was a record-setting night.

Quarterback Darian Mensah completed 14 of 15 passes for 252 yards and three touchdowns in the first half before giving way to the reserves. The Duke transfer has now thrown eight touchdowns with only four incompletions through two games.

“We wanted to play well,” Mensah said. “That’s what I came here to do, and I’m doing it.”

Mensah opened the scoring by finding Josh Moore for a 55-yard touchdown on Miami’s second possession. Mark Fletcher Jr. added two first-quarter rushing touchdowns, including a 46-yard burst that moved him further up Miami’s career rushing lists.

The Hurricanes led 21-0 after one quarter and never slowed down.

Malachi Toney continued his strong start to the season, making a contested 52-yard catch before hauling in a 19-yard touchdown from Mensah. When asked about a separate deep ball he underthrew, Mensah gave Toney credit for making him look good.

“He kind of bailed me out right there, but, you know, that’s what he does,” Mensah said. “He’s an awesome player.”

Miami’s depth became increasingly apparent as the night progressed.

Girard Pringle Jr. contributed as a runner and receiver before scoring, while freshman running back Javian Mallory broke out for 142 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries. The two scores were the first of Mallory’s college career.

“I was just very happy,” Mallory said. “Coming into this game, I knew I was gonna get the opportunity. I should make the most of it. That’s what I did.”

Mallory said earning an opportunity so early in his career carries added meaning because of the trust Miami’s coaches have placed in him.

“When I committed, I said that’s what I was gonna do, and I have to keep my word,” Mallory said. “I came in here, put my head down to work, and that’s all we do here at Miami is work hard.”

The Hurricanes took a 49-0 lead into halftime before Cristobal turned the game over to his younger players.

Backup quarterback Luke Nickel continued the offensive barrage, throwing three touchdown passes while completing all eight of his attempts for 144 yards. Dereon Coleman also saw action at quarterback.

The scoring allowed Miami’s younger players to showcase themselves, something McCoy said was one of the most enjoyable parts of the night.

He described himself as a “proud uncle” watching freshmen and other younger players make plays, adding that Miami’s expectations don’t change based on a player’s experience.

For Cristobal, that mentality was evident when the coaching staff considered leaving a starter on the field long enough to reach an individual statistical milestone.

Malachi Toney, Cristobal said, was told he needed a few more yards to reach 100 receiving yards. Rather than pursue the personal accomplishment, Toney wanted his teammates to get on the field.

“He’s like, coach, I want to see my teammates play,” Cristobal said. “I want to see them get better.”

Cristobal said the Hurricanes’ ability to play different combinations on defense also has become increasingly important as injuries have forced younger players into expanded roles.

Freshman safety JJ Dunnigan made his first collegiate start Thursday and was among the defensive backs who stepped up as Miami continued to keep opponents out of the end zone.

“It means a lot cause that’s our standard,” Dunnigan said. “That’s something we want to live by is keeping people out of the end zone, protecting Cane nation.”

Cristobal pointed to Dunnigan’s work since arriving at Miami as one reason the freshman was ready for the opportunity.

“It’s as simple as they earn the opportunity to play,” Cristobal said.

The secondary has already had to navigate several injuries. Starting cornerback Xavier Lucas, who was injured in the season opener against Stanford, is expected to miss “approximately a month,” Cristobal said.

“Hopefully that’ll be it,” Cristobal said. “And we’ll get him back.”

Lucas’ absence adds to a growing list of injuries in Miami’s secondary, with O.J. Frederique Jr. and Ja’Boree Antoine also sidelined long term.

Miami adjusted by giving Bryce Fitzgerald more responsibility at outside corner, moving Dunnigan into a starting safety role opposite Zechariah Poyser and keeping Omar Thornton at nickel.

Cristobal said the versatility Miami has developed in the secondary gives the Hurricanes multiple options.

“We have a couple of different combinations that we feel strongly about,” he said.

The defense has been just as dominant as the offense through two games. Miami has not allowed a touchdown this season, and Florida A&M managed only 37 rushing yards on 21 attempts Thursday.

Still, Cristobal was already looking ahead to Wake Forest.

The Hurricanes will have an extra day to prepare for their next opponent, but Cristobal said the benefit only matters if Miami continues to get better.

The starters played roughly 28 to 31 snaps Thursday, he said, enough for them to perform at a high level while allowing the coaching staff to get younger players meaningful reps.

“When it was time to come out, there was no pushback,” Cristobal said.

That response may have mattered as much to Cristobal as the final score.

Miami has scored 122 points in its first two games and outgained its opponents by a wide margin. The Hurricanes have also established themselves as one of the deepest teams in the early portion of the season.

But the message coming out of the locker room was not celebration.

It was expectation.

“Every single week you better get better,” Cristobal said. “And I think we, you know, in some respect, we did that tonight.”

Miami will take its undefeated record to Wake Forest on Friday, Sept. 18.

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