In October 2024, Miami RB Mark Fletcher Jr. lost his father, Mark Fletcher Sr., at the age of 53, just as the Canes were preparing to face in-state Florida State. Even in that moment of ultimate grief, the RB played against the Noles and even scored a touchdown. Since then, he has found ways to keep his father’s legacy alive, remembering him after every achievement on the field. More importantly, the loss now drives him to pursue the game his father loved.

“Doing it for my pops. Definitely gave me new motivation doing it for my pops because, truly, he laid everything out on the line for me, and I probably didn’t notice that as a kid,” Fletcher Jr. said on the episode of Next Up with Adam Breneman on June 13. “Not saying I was disrespectful, I didn’t appreciate anything that he ever did for me, but now that I’m growing into a man, I’m 21 now.”

“I noticed a lot of things that he did for me that were hard, and he never showed that it was hard, like he was always smiling, and he wasn’t rich at all; he didn’t have it all. So everything I do now is just for him and the family. I’m keeping his legacy alive. So my dad, he’s my why,” he added.

Mark Fletcher Sr. was loved not just by his son but also by the Miami family. He even shared a close bond with HC Mario Cristobal, who used to call him ‘Big Mark.’ When Fletcher Jr. heard the news of his father’s sudden passing, the grief took over, and he even collapsed outside the facility.

This is where Miami showed that it’s not just a team but a family; every member of the Hurricanes attended his father’s funeral. They even honored his legacy with T-shirts dedicated to him during game week. For Fletcher Jr., his father was the anchor of his football career. After his death, he even thought about ending his career. But he decided to honor his father’s memory and pushed through. He mentioned that before every game he plays, he texts his father, “I love you. Be with me.”

The running back was crucial to Miami’s run to the national championship game. In their first-round matchup against Texas A&M, he notched up 172 rushing yards on 17 carries. He followed that with 133 rushing yards against Ole Miss. Even in the Canes’ loss in the final, Mark Fletcher Jr. had 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns. There were rumors that he’d go to the pros after last season, but the RB is back for another season with Mario Cristobal’s team.

Why did Mark Fletcher decide to return to Miami for one more year?

If Mark Fletcher Jr. had declared for the draft, there was a chance that he could have been a second-round pick. However, he felt he had some unfinished business in Miami, especially after their season ended with a loss to Indiana. Moreover, it gives him another chance to cement his legacy at Coral Gables.

“That’s all I see. You know, privilege, it’s a blessing. You know, you have that privilege to be called a Hurricane, be looked at as the face of this program right now. And no, it’s no weight on my shoulders. I just have to come here, do my job, and I just love doing it. And I’ll do anything for the school. And I believe they know that. It’s just a blessing. There’s no stress at all,” Mark Fletcher Jr. said.

After their playoff run, Miami is on a real high right now. However, for them to be truly back, the Canes will have to at least repeat some of their 2025 heroics. It can start with winning the ACC.