Miami’s Bolden to miss rest of year after freak celebration injury. Star TE also injured
University of Miami safety Bubba Bolden’s third-quarter interception at Florida State will be his last play of 2019.
Bolden, the former USC Trojan and first-team Parade All-American who transferred to UM this season, will no longer be available because of an ankle injury.
“We will not have Bubba for the rest of the year,’’ UM coach Manny Diaz said Monday afternoon at his press conference. “Unfortunately, he’ll be out for the season, which is tough on our defense, because he was really, really starting to play at a very high level.’’
Hurricanes offensive coordinator Dan Enos also said Monday after Diaz spoke that sophomore tight end Brevin Jordan, who is the top tight end in the Atlantic Coast Conference in catches (35), receiving yards (495) and yard-per-game (55), is “day-to-day’’ with an undisclosed injury.
Jordan played high school football with Bolden and quarterback Tate Martell at Las Vegas Bishop Gorman High.
The Hurricanes (5-4, 3-3 ACC) are preparing to face Louisville (5-3, 3-2) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium in their last home game of the season.
“Yeah, Brevin I think is... I think he’s day-to-day, so we’ll find out a lot more tomorrow,’’ Enos said. “But obviously we’re very hopeful he’ll be able to play. ...When he went out, I will say Will Mallory and Michael Irvin did a really, really good job in there blocking. I don’t think they had opportunities for any catches, but we use both those guys on routes. We don’t have any reservations either one of those guys in the passing game.
“And even Brian Polendey came in and did some stuff in our 22 personnel package and did a really good job of blocking at the point of attack as well. So, really happy with Brevin. Obviously we think he’s a difference maker, but those other guys continue to come along.’’
Bolden’s injury occurred after he got his first career interception as a Cane. In celebrating the pick, Bolden and fellow UM safety Gurvan Hall had a chest bump that finished awkwardly and left Bolden with what appeared to be a badly injured ankle.
Bolden, 20, is a redshirt sophomore who has played in five games and has 11 tackles, a pass breakup, a forced fumble last week at Pittsburgh and his interception in Tallahassee. His first start was at Pitt.
Picking up the slack will be safeties Hall, Amari Carter, Rob Knowles and freshman Keontra Smith.
“Obviously, it’s a huge loss,’’ Canes defensive coodinator Blake Baker said Monday. “As I stood up here pretty much every week and was asked about him, he kept getting better and better and better and was becoming more and more a part of what we were doing defensively, so losing him, especially the way we lost him, is very unfortunate.
“It’s just one of those freak deals. It wasn’t intentional. I don’t foresee it being an issue. I’m sure Gurvan feels bad about it, but... I think Gurvan will be fine.’’
WQAM’s Joe Rose asked Diaz earlier Monday about the celebration that led to the injury.
“The Bubba Bolden celebration was about as strong and powerful a chest pump as I’ve ever seen,’’ Rose said. “Is he going to be OK? He couldn’t enjoy the celebration, man.’’
Diaz in that radio interview: “I know. That was definitely unfortunate. You hate to see things like that happen. It’s just unlucky. But guys are enthusiastic. You want guys to be excited for their teammate. Gurvan and Bubba in essence play the same position. At times they’re battling for playing time on the field and to see the two of them celebrate together like that is really what you want to see as a coach. You don’t want to see a guy limping off after that.
“Bubba has really been coming along. He has been a really important part of our defense the last few weeks. And a really great interception… where one guy breaks up a pass and another guy gets it. This is what I love about football — last week it was Bubba breaking up a pass or forcing the fumble that led to Gurvan getting the ball. This week it was DJ Ivey with the great pass breakup to let Bubba get the ball. And that’s what great secondaries do. “
▪ Diaz said Wednesday that the Canes “are rolling with walk-on Camden Price’’ as their new starting kicker — unless “something happens from a preparation standpoint during the week where that wouldn’t be the case.’’
Price made both of his extra-point attempts at FSU and hit field goals of 29 and 32 yards, with one miss from 37 yards out between the ones he made. The previous week he hit a 22-yard field goal and an extra point.
“What I really loved about Camden, though, is that the one that he missed — I don’t know if we’ve had this at all this year — that he went back in there and made the next one. And that was not just a small kick. That was a kick that made it a three-score game and really kind of ended the contest.
“And he didn’t [just] make it, it went right down the clown’s mouth, high [and] right through the middle between the sticks. And you’ve got to remember, it’s in Tallahassee. These are high-pressure situations going out there and kicking. I was very proud of Camden for finishing.’’
This story was originally published November 4, 2019 at 1:21 PM.
