Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz: ‘We are getting guys back’ after COVID-19 issues
The Miami Hurricanes were missing 11 players for their 44-41 win against the North Carolina State Wolfpack on Friday and at least a substantial chunk of those absences were because of COVID-19.
After Miami’s win in North Carolina, Manny Diaz revealed the week leading in had been even more dire. At one point, the Hurricanes only had 70 players available for practice. Graduate assistants and backup quarterbacks were filling in as scout-team defensive backs, and kickers were filling in as scout-team wide receivers. This week, Diaz hopes, can only be better
“We won’t have a backup quarterback playing on our dime defense like we had midway through last week,” the coach said.
While the Hurricanes’ policy is not to disclose whether players test positive for the coronavirus or if they are in isolation because of contact tracing, Diaz has been open about the broader issues No. 9 Miami is currently having with the virus and a source told the Miami Herald most of the absences in Raleigh were because of COVID-related issues.
Offensive lineman Issiah Walker Jr., who has not yet played this season while awaiting word from the NCAA on his eligibility status following his transfer from the Florida Gators in May, is the only player with another confirmed reason for his unavailability. Brevin Jordan also missed the previous two games with an apparent right shoulder injury, but Diaz said last Monday the star tight end was “healthy” after sitting out nearly a month.
The other players missing last week were quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, tight end Dominic Mammarelli, defensive lineman Elijah Roberts, linebacker Corey Flagg Jr., offensive linemen John Campbell Jr. and Ousman Traore, and wide receivers Xavier Restrepo, Michael Redding III and Keyshawn Smith. Van Dyke, Restrepo, Redding, Roberts and Flagg also all missed the previous game against the Virginia Cavaliers for COVID-related issues, a source told the Herald.
The Hurricanes’ policy and Diaz’s approach to discussing COVID-19 cases — plus practices being closed to the media because the pandemic — means it’s impossible to paint an entirely clear picture about when missing players might return. Diaz, however, said Miami (6-1, 5-1 Atlantic Coast) is making progress and had some players back for practice Sunday in Coral Gables.
“It’ll be better. We are getting guys back. It’s still incremental as the week goes on and again we’re still at the mercy of testing throughout the week,” he said. “We hope the lowest number of guys that we’ve had around available that we’ve passed that, but we don’t assume anything in 2020. But we did have some more guys out there last night and as the week goes on we hope to get some more guys cleared, but we’re still waiting on medical clearance.”
Donald Chaney has minor injury
Donald Chaney Jr. has been arguably the most impressive players in the Hurricanes’ promising freshman class. The tailback ranks third on the team with 180 rushing yards and he has steadily assumed a greater role as the season has gone on, even logging more carries than fellow running back Cam’Ron Harris in Miami’s win against the Virginia Cavaliers last month.
On Friday, Chaney appeared headed for another big role. He was the first running back off the bench and logged the Hurricanes’ first three carries, totaling 14 yards to move Miami into the red zone and set up the Hurricanes’ opening touchdown at Carter-Finley Stadium, and then he vanished for the rest of the game.
While Rhett Lashlee didn’t dive into specifics, the offensive coordinator did reveal Chaney had a minor injury, which kept him out for the rest of the game.
“The plan was for him to play, obviously, quite a bit,” Lashlee said. “I don’t think it’s anything major. He just took a little hit and was not quite 100 percent, and so obviously Cam and [Jaylan Knighton] were able to step up for us.”
Chaney is less than a year removed from a shoulder injury, which he sustained in the All-American Bowl in January while representing Miami Belen Jesuit. The injury required surgery and kept him out of spring practices.
This and that
▪ Lashlee has occasionally mentioned Will Mallory is playing through some sort of injury this season. The tight end said Friday it’s just a minor injury to his ribs.
▪ Jared Harrison-Hunte earned the starting nod over Jonathan Ford on Friday and defensive coordinator Blake Baker said the decision was made because the redshirt freshman has simply been more productive this season. The two are now listed as co-starters opposite fellow defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera.
▪ Safety Gurvan Hall Jr. is now listed as a co-starter at punt returner with Restrepo and wide receiver Mike Harley is now listed as a co-starter at kick returner with Knighton, who fumbled a kickoff Friday.
