Miami starting offensive guard Jakai Clark recuperating from surgery after car accident
Another University of Miami football starter is on the mend — and is doubtful for the Sept. 4 season opener against defending national champion Alabama.
The Miami Herald learned Saturday through multiple sources that Hurricanes left guard Jakai Clark, who started 21 games on the offensive line the past two seasons, was in a car accident the night of the April 17 spring game. Clark started in the spring game.
Clark, listed as 6-3 and 305 pounds, had surgery earlier this week to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder and was told he would be out three to four months.
A UM source confirmed that Clark was recuperating from surgery after the car accident.
Likely starting in his place would be 6-5, 325-pound second-year freshman Jalen Rivers out of Jacksonville Oakleaf High, who did very well during spring practice and was battling Clark for the starting job.
At the spring game, the Canes started, left to right, tackle Zion Nelson, Clark, center Corey Gaynor, guard Navaughn Donaldson and tackle DJ Scaife. Last year’s starting right tackle Jarrid Williams did not play and also is believed to be nursing an injury.
The Canes could be in the hunt for 6-3, 325-pound UNLV lineman Justice Oluwaseun, who started all six games last season and played in 11 games in 2019 and recently named Baylor, Houston and Miami as his three finalists. He has played tackle, guard and center.
Heading into the spring game, UM coach Manny Diaz reeled off 15 Hurricanes who wouldn’t play in that final scrimmage because of injuries and rehab. The list included second-year freshman running back Don Chaney, who sustained a shoulder injury in the second spring scrimmage and also is in jeopardy of missing the Alabama game because the injury required surgery.
▪ Diaz also said before the spring game that safety Brian Balom was out rehabbing with a neck injury from a car accident, obviously not the same one as Clark’s.
This story was originally published April 24, 2021 at 2:07 PM.
