Miami’s freshmen brought the swagger that helped bring “The U” back

On Monday Night, the Miami Hurricanes will look to climb one last mountain as they face the undefeated Indiana Hoosiers for the College Football Playoff National Championship. Winning would be the cherry on top for this Miami program in a season that has seen the Miami Hurricanes bring "The U" back.

It's not just that Miami's back on the brink of winning a National Championship that has everyone feeling that "The U" is back; it's the mentality and swagger that this team has. When you think about this resurgence from Miami, it's not the big-name transfers like Carson Beck or even the monsters in the trenches driving the swagger; it's two electric freshmen.

Malachi Toney and Bryce Fitzgerald are just what The U needed to make a comeback

Even in the down seasons for Miami, the Hurricanes have had electric playmakers at the wide receiver position. While Miami had playmakers at the wide receiver position, none of them in the 2000's have come close to being as electric as True Freshman Malachi Toney.

Coming out of the High School ranks. Malachi Toney was ranked as a 3-star recruit because he reclassified. When the High Schoolers he's supposed to be playing against watch what he can do to the best cornerbacks in the Country, they're likely thanking their lucky stars that they don't need to figure out how to stop him as no one has.

This season, Malachi Toney has caught 99 passes for 1,089 yards and 9 touchdowns averaging 11.0 yards per reception. He doesn't just get it done as a receiver either with 113 yards and a touchdown rushing and 82 yards with 2 more touchdowns as a passer.

The swagger that Malachi Toney plays with is incredible and the closest any player has come to fitting that style of the Canes dynasty. When you watch plays like Malachi Toney's incredible touchdown

Toney is a Miami native who's still supposed to be in High School, yet he makes opposing defenders look like they belong at that level. This is the type of player that recruits, and transfers swarm to play with, and the type of player who will have an impact well beyond his time playing for "The U".

Then you look at the Miami defense, and they don't make the total turnaround as a unit that they've had without freshman Bryce Fitzgerald. Like Malachi Toney, Bryce Fitzgerald is another Miami native making an immediate impact for the hometown team.

The Canes may not even be in the National Championship without Fitzgerald who saved the day against Texas A&M in the opening round with a game sealing interception.

This season, Bryce Fitzgerald has been targeting just 20 times, allowing 9 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, but he also has 6 interceptions. In the College Football Playoff, Fitzgerald has only been targeting twice with no completions allowed, while intercepting Marcel Reed in the biggest moment of the Playoff opener.

When you think back on those dynasty teams that Miami had, one of the first things that comes to mind is all the dominant defensive backs they had. Bryce Fitzgerald looks to be cut from that same cloth as he's been the best defender in the College Football Playoff, and hasn't gotten the credit for it.

Whether Miami wins or loses on Monday Night, it's undeniable that The U is back as a brand that matters in College Football. While everyone's responsible for getting the team back on that stage, it's the two freshmen who have driven this team to a place where Miami is cool again.