Miami’s leading tight end reveals he’s returning in 2022. And about those fake injuries...
During fall camp, Miami Hurricanes tight end Will Mallory said it was his turn to lead the Hurricanes tight ends into the 2021 season.
“It’s my shot, my turn, I’m ready for it,’’ Mallory said in August. “I’ve got a great group of guys behind me, too, that can contribute. I’m excited for the opportunity to step up for this team.”
On Wednesday, Mallory, a fourth-year junior, revealed he will have another shot in 2022.
The NFL Draft can wait another year.
“Yeah, I’m coming back,’’ Mallory said Wednesday, when asked during a Zoom videoconference if he thinks for sure he’ll be back next year and where his head is at with the decision-making process. “I kind of think even before the season I had that predetermined. So, yeah, I plan on coming back for another year.’’
The 6-5, 245-pound Mallory now has 19 catches for 214 yards and two touchdowns as UM’s fifth-leading receiver and most productive tight end. He missed the spring recovering from shoulder surgery after catching 22 passes for 329 yards and four touchdowns in 2020 behind current Houston Texans rookie Brevin Jordan.
Mallory has had nine catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns the past three games, including three clutch catches against NC State that included the third-quarter touchdown that gave UM a 21-17 lead, and the third-and-16 catch that allowed UM to run out the clock and secure a 31-30 win.
The Hurricanes still have three regular-season games left, and a bowl game if UM (5-4, 3-2 Atlantic Coast Conference), which faces FSU (3-6, 2-4) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN), gets its sixth victory.
“Overall I’m feeling better, feeling more confident,’’ he said. “As a team we’re out there playing our game and we’re having fun, so I’m kind of feeding off that energy as well. I’m coming back to myself. I’m playing better, I’m helping the team.
“I’m excited about that. Whatever I can do to help the team win.’’
Fake injuries
Coach Manny Diaz was asked how the team handles situations that involved opponents trying to slow down the game’s tempo by “hitting the field” with what could be fake injuries. It appeared Georgia Tech did that several times at Hard Rock Stadium last Saturday.
“Yeah, that’s a slippery slope,’’ Diaz said. “That’s another thing we’ve spoken about as a conference and as a coaching collective. Diaz said videos are sent out “to try to shame the coaches that allow that.”
“There may be some rules that come in the future. We’ve heard some suggestions about if you’re hurt you have to miss a series. You can’t come back in for the remainder of that series. But there are some down sides to that.
“The officials are in the hardest spot. They are in no position to decide whether an injury is real or not, because God forbid they thought it wasn’t and it was. I’m glad we have got [strength and conditioning coach] David Feeley. I’m glad that we’re a stronger team in the fourth quarter and our guys can compete and be in great condition to go fast or whatever tempo we need to.’’
Running rotation
Diaz said UM was still evaluating this week’s practice competition between backup freshmen tailbacks Cody Brown and Thad Franklin “to see who will be the second guy in the game — both what they do with the ball in their hands and what they do without the ball in their hands.”
Diaz said the biggest emphasis “always with young guys” is “first and foremost pass protection. Gotta protect our quarterback, right? That’s the crucial thing.
“It’s usually details. Guys know how to run. They’ve been usually great running backs since the time they were in pee-wee football. Sometimes it’s the nuances of footwork, the steps, the patience of how to get the ball and let the holes develop...We really think Cody and Thad are both talented. So it’s kind of who can process the little details like that and go in and function in the game. And then the last thing above all is ball security. Who can we trust to protect the football.’’
Brown has 27 carries in nine games for 104 yards (3.9 yards a carry) and three touchdowns. Franklin has eight carries for 91 yards (11.4 average) in only two games.
Starter Jaylan Knighton has 464 yards and five touchdowns in five games, for 4.5 yards a carry and 92.8 yards a game.
This story was originally published November 10, 2021 at 1:23 PM.
