Five-star Miami freshman OT gets first-team spring debut. And Thursday practice news

It took only three days for Francis Mauigoa, the five-star cornerstone of the Miami Hurricanes’ highly touted 2023 recruiting class, to get his shot with the first team offense during spring practice.

Mauigoa, considered the nation’s No. 1 offensive tackle when he signed with UM as an early enrollee, lined up at right tackle Thursday to start practice on Greentree Field. He had previously lined up with the second team behind Chris Washington and opposite fellow five-star freshman Samson Okunlola, who was still at second-team left tackle on Thursday.

More offensive news: Veteran receiver Frank Ladson, who missed the first two sessions of spring, was back practicing with a black sleeve over his left leg.

The starting UM offensive line Thursday from left to right: tackle Jalen Rivers, guard Javion Cohen, center Matt Lee, guard Anez Cooper and Mauigoa.

Cohen, the Alabama transfer who missed Saturday’s opening spring session because he was attending a seminar as a guest at the NFL Scouting Combine, made his spring debut at first-team left guard during Tuesday’s UM practice session.

Although it’s still early in the spring and star tackle Zion Nelson is still out after missing most of last season with a knee injury, it’s still evident Mauigoa is impressing coaches.

The rest of the first-team offense Thursday included quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, tight end Cam McCormick, running back Henry Parrish Jr. and receivers Colbie Young, Jacolby George and Xavier Restrepo.

Parrish returned to the first-team offense after Donald Chaney Jr. lined up their Tuesday.

The second-team offense Thursday: quarterback Jacurri Brown, tight end Jaleel Skinner, tailback Chaney, receivers Brashard Smith, Isaiah Horton and Nathaniel “Ray Ray” Joseph — and offensive linemen (left to right) Okunlola, Laurance Seymore, Ryan Rodriguez, Logan Sagapolu and Washington.

▪ Joseph was still wearing a red, noncontact jersey but still appearing to play full-speed. Also in a red jersey for the second consecutive session was receiver Robby Washington.

▪ On defense, lineman Jacob Lichtenstein wore a red jersey. The defensive linemen practice at the far end of Greentree.

▪ Former LSU coach and former UM assistant Ed Orgeron was walking the sidelines at practice with legendary Miami Booker T. Washington coach (and former UM assistant) Ice Harris. Harris’ son, Tim Harris Jr., was busy coaching the running backs nearby.

▪ A less chaotic practice provided a chance to get a good, comprehensive rundown of who was in and who was out of practice Thursday, at least during the portion open to reporters. Those missing included running back TreVonte’ Citizen; wide receiver Michael Redding III; tight ends Elijah Arroyo, Dominic Mammarelli and Riley Williams; offensive linemen Jonathan Denis, Matthew McCoy and Nelson; defensive linemen Akheem Mesidor, Jahfari, Harvey, Leonard Taylor, Jared Harrison-Hunte, Thomas Davis and Collins Acheampong; linebackers Malik Bryant and Chase Smith; and safety James Williams.

▪ Mesidor, Harvey, Taylor and Harrison-Hunte all being out means the Hurricanes may be missing their entire starting defensive line right now. Taylor is pretty much a lock to start, and Mesidor and Harvey were starters last season, while Harrison-Hunte is a high-upside defensive tackle with starting experience, too.

▪ Riley Williams, Bryant and Acheampong were all blue-chip freshmen and All-Americans from the Class of 2023. Early-enrolling freshmen often wind up sitting out spring to deal with nagging injuries they may have sustained, and not properly treated, when in high school.

▪ Continued absences from Citizen, Arroyo, Nelson and James Williams aren’t a surprise. Citizen missed his entire freshman season last year due to an injury, Arroyo hurt his knee last season, Nelson played in just one game after getting offseason surgery last year and Williams is rehabbing from offseason shoulder surgery.