If there was any concern about how Malachi Toney would adjust to a new quarterback this season for the Miami Hurricanes, it was put to rest on The U’s very first drive.
Taking on Stanford on Friday night, Miami QB Darian Mensah completed all three passes he attempted on the opening drive. All three went to Toney. They added up to 75 yards and ended up in the end zone for a touchdown.
Fittingly, Toney did the Heisman Trophy pose to celebrate the score.
Then later in the half, Toney scored a second time, this time from close range on a nice adjustment from Mensah after a bad snap.
Again, Toney hit the Heisman pose.
It was all part of one of the best receiving halves in recent college football history.
Just How Good Was Malachi Toney’s Half?
Toney had, by one measure, one of the five-best receiving first halves in the last decade.
The Associated Press’ Josh Dubow shared a stat on X to make his point: Toney is one of five college football receivers since 2015 with a first half that included at least 10 catches, 180 yards and two touchdowns.
Toney specifically had 10 catches for 182 yards and two touchdowns.
The feat had most recently been achieved by LSU star Malik Nabers in 2023 against Mississippi State.
Before that, DeVonta Smith had done it for Alabama against Ohio State in the 2021 postseason.
Elijah Moore achieved the feat for Ole Miss against Vanderbilt in 2020.
And in 2015, Josh Doctson did it for TCU against Texas Tech.
Nabers, Smith and Doctson were all first-round NFL Draft picks. Moore was a second-round pick.
That’s quite the company to keep, and while no one will be surprised if Toney is picked that high in his eventual NFL Draft year too, it’s still amazing to see him on such a list.
Is Malachi Toney Related To Kadarius Toney?
The question everyone has been asking since Malachi showed up as a freshman: No, he’s not related to Kadarius.
Kadarius was the former Florida star who never panned out in the NFL with the New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs or Cleveland Browns.
Malachi shares the last name, and he’s also a college football star in the state of Florida, but they aren’t related.
Malachi Toney’s dad is actually a former NFL player named Antonio Brown, but not the Steelers‘ Antonio Brown — rather, one from an earlier era who was mainly a return man.
So yeah, going down a Malachi Toney family tree rabbit hole leads to some fun places, even if they aren’t exactly what you’re expecting.
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