Resilient Miami Hurricanes show impressive fight as they battle more than one opponent
The Miami Hurricanes have shown some extraordinary fight under extraordinary circumstances. And this week the Canes will need to continue that fight in order to keep the winning streak alive.
Just as the No. 12 Hurricanes are getting better, COVID-19 is getting worse.
Miami (7-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) has now won four consecutive games for the first time since 2018 and there’s no reason to think they won’t make it five in a row back home at 8 p.m. Saturday against Georgia Tech (2-5, 2-4) — except perhaps for the effects of COVID-19, which hit college football in a startling way this past weekend with at least 11 games postponed and four canceled.
Georgia Tech had to postpone its game with Pitt on Saturday because both teams reported they had coronavirus issues.
UM coach Manny Diaz was just thankful to get in Saturday’s come-from-behind 25-24 victory at Virginia Tech (4-4, 4-3), as the Hurricanes teetered on the edge of having the game canceled with 13 players — several of them starters or key backups — on the unavailability list. It’s not known how many of the 13 tested positive and how many are quarantining through contact tracing.
How both teams’ issues are abated or grow will obviously affect the coming week. UM’s unavailability list, reported by the school about an hour before each kickoff, has grown from six to 11 to 13 the past three games. If one position is in jeopardy of not having enough players, the game is postponed or canceled.
For UM, on Saturday the offensive line was that position, with the defensive line missing key players as well.
Soldiering on
“That’s kind of what 2020 is,’’ Diaz said after the game, when he revealed that UM was “right on the the brink’’ of not playing Saturday because of COVID-19 issues. “You come to work and you find out what you have to deal with that day. There are no easy days. There is always something that you have to adjust to and the players are the ones that have to play. This is their finite time in their careers and it’s the next-man-up mentality. They just soldier on and move on.’’
Diaz said the lack of offensive linemen this past week made it “hard to practice” and “hard to do anything.”
“But no one cares, right?” the coach said. “You go play a game and there are no excuses. The players came here to win the game. I told them I thought they won the game on Friday with their mentality and their attitude with all the things we had to go through this week.’’
Diaz said the COVID-related decisions on whether or not to play games are made “when you get your final ACC test,’’ which is a day before the game. “There’s always a scenario on that test that you could not play a game. ...That’s really the final hurdle to get you here.’’
The players are also tested within 48 hours after a game and 72 hours before the next game.
Defensive end Jaelan Phillips, one of several standouts in UM’s victory Saturday, was asked after the game the adversity the team had to face this past week not knowing if the game would be played or who would be healthy.
“I mean, obviously 2020 has been a hectic time for all of us, but really what it boils down to is controlling what you can control,’’ Phillips said. “I can’t determine whether or not you have a game. I can’t determine whether or not guys test positive or have guys out for contact tracing. All I can do and all my teammates can do is prepare for the game, clock in your daily deposits and just focus on what you can control. That’s the only way to maneuver around it.
“...I can worry about lightning striking me tomorrow,’’ Phillips continued, repeating the control-what-you-can-control mantra when asked if he worries about himself regarding the virus. “At the end of the day it definitely hurts to not have the depth, but you gotta be prepared. You gotta do what you can do. I wouldn’t say I sit around nervous about getting COVID [but] I definitely take precautions just like everybody else on the team. You gotta be smart.’’
Back at Hard Rock
The Hurricanes are happy to soon be home again at Hard Rock Stadium for another night game (ACC Network). “It’s a lot better to get back at 9 p.m. than 5 in the morning,’’ Phillips said.
ACC scenario
The Canes are now tied for second with No. 4 Clemson (7-1, 6-1) among the 15 teams (including undefeated No. 2 Notre Dame only for this season) lumped into one division vying to advance to the ACC Championship Game on Dec. 19 in Charlotte, North Carolina. But since then-No. 1 Clemson beat Miami on Oct. 10, the Tigers would get the nod to play the Irish in the league title game if both teams continue to win.
Miami needs to win out and hope that Clemson loses at least one more in its remaining schedule of Florida State, Pitt and Virginia Tech.
The Canes also would fare well if Notre Dame (8-0, 6-0) loses at least two games of their remaining matchups with North Carolina, Syracuse and Wake Forest.
This story was originally published November 15, 2020 at 12:57 PM.
