No. 17 Miami missing multiple offensive contributors for top-25 showdown in Louisville
The Miami Hurricanes are down a handful of contributors for their top-25 showdown against the Louisville Cardinals on Saturday.
Jeremiah Payton and Larry Hodges are both unavailable for undisclosed reasons, Miami announced an hour ahead of its 7:30 p.m. kickoff in Kentucky.
The Hurricanes’ policy is not to disclose whether players have tested positive or been exposed to COVID-19, but at least one player did not travel to Louisville because of a COVID issue, a source told the Miami Herald on Friday, and at least two players were exposed to the coronavirus in recent days.
The No. 17 Hurricanes are also once again without Tate Martell, who was suspended for Miami’s season-opening 31-14 win against the UAB Blazers on Sept. 10 and has since opted out of the season, the Herald reported Friday. Miami announced Martell as out for the game on its pregame unavailability report last week and shifted him to the out-for-the-season list Saturday, confirming the quarterback’s plans.
Martell, who was not even Miami’s third-string quarterback this season, joins star defensive end Gregory Rousseau, and offensive linemen Kai-Leon Herbert and Zalon’tae Hillery in opting out of the season. Safety Avantae Williams is also out for the year for undisclosed medical issue.
Backup punter Matias Gasc is also unavailable for the second straight game, as is offensive lineman Issiah Walker Jr., who is awaiting word from the NCAA on the possibility of a waiver to play immediately after transferring from the Florida Gators in May.
Payton’s absence leaves the Hurricanes shorthanded at wide receiver against the No. 18 Cardinals. Payton is Miami’s No. 4 receiver and had one catch for 13 yards in the Hurricanes’ opener against the Blazers.
With Payton out, Miami will have to lean even more heavily on starting wide receivers Mike Harley, Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins, and could call upon freshman wide receivers Xavier Restrepo, Michael Redding III, Dazalin Worsham and Keyshawn Smith to contribute after playing sparsely in Week 1. Former walk-on Marshall Few was the Hurricanes’ No. 5 wide receiver against UAB, followed by Redding and Restrepo. Neither Worsham nor Smith played a snap on offense last game.
Hodges is the Hurricanes’ No. 3 tight end, although he played only six snaps in the opener because Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory are both among Miami’s most talented offensive weapons. Freshman Dominic Mammarelli is the No. 4 tight end on the Hurricanes’ depth chart.
This story was originally published September 19, 2020 at 6:36 PM.
