There is injury news from the Miami Hurricanes’ Tuesday practice media viewing
By Susan Miller Degnan and
David Wilson
The Hurricanes returned to practice Tuesday, four days before their noon game at Pittsburgh, and here’s some of what we saw in the 20 or so minutes open to the media at Greentree Field:
▪ N’Kosi Perry, who offensive coordinator Dan Enos said separated his shoulder — the left one — in the loss to the Yellow Jackets, was out there on Greentree taking snaps. Perry briefly left the game before returning. Perry finished 16 of 28 with 188 yards and two touchdowns, while playing through injury for most of the second half. The redshirt sophomore also ran for a touchdown in the first half.
▪ Jarren Williams, who has battled a right shoulder injury of his own since Miami’s win against the Central Michigan Chippewas, also practiced. Williams entered early in the third quarter Saturday when Perry was briefly sidelined and played less than one series.
▪ Receiver/quarterback Tate Martell was working as the third-string quarterback during practice.
▪ Starting running back DeeJay Dallas, a junior, was not at practice. Tuesday. Dallas sustained what appeared to be a knee injury at 9:14 Saturday in the first quarter of UM’s loss at home to Georgia Tech. He limped off the field and didn’t return to the game.
Dallas, who rushed for 617 yards and six touchdowns last season for a 5.7-yard-per-carry average. This season in seven games, Dallas has 73 carries for 486 yards and six touchdowns for a 6.7-yard average.
▪ LInebacker Michael Pinckney also was not at Tuesday’s practice. Pinckney, who went down with an apparent knee injury in the third quarter of the Hurricanes’ loss to the Yellow Jackets, did not return to the game.
Senior Zach McCloud, who UM coach Manny Diaz said a few weeks ago had requested to redshirt this season so he could return next year, was working with the first-team during drills.
Pinckney ranks third on the team with 38 tackles and is tied for the team lead with 7 1/2 tackles for loss. Pinckney also has three sacks, four quarterback hits and two pass breakups while starting all seven games. Last year, Pinckney had 74 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3 1/2 sacks and an interception, and opted to return for his senior season rather than enter the 2019 NFL Draft.
▪ Junior cornerback Trajan Bandy, who went down in the third quarter against Georgia Tech with an unspecified injury and did not return, was back at practice. Bandy has started all seven games, has 17 tackles, three tackles for loss, three sacks and a team-high five pass breakups. Bandy also has forced and recovered a fumble.
▪ Junior receiver Jeff Thomas, who was suspended for Georgia Tech, was back at practice. His status has not been revealed for Pittsburgh.
▪ Diaz spent the entire media viewing portion of practice working on tackling techniques with the defense. Pro Football Focus reported that the Hurricanes missed 29 tackles against Georgia Tech.
The Pittsburgh Panthers are 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They are in the same Coastal Division as the Hurricanes, who are 3-4 and 1-3 and need to win at least three more games to qualify for a bowl.
This story was originally published October 22, 2019 at 10:30 AM.
Miami Herald sports writer Susan Miller Degnan has been the Miami Hurricanes football beat writer since 2000, the season before the Canes won it all. She has won several APSE national writing awards and has covered everything from Canes baseball to the College Football Playoff to major marathons to the Olympics.
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