Miami is ‘optimistic’ quarterback Tyler Van Dyke will be ready for Florida State game
Tyler Van Dyke is continuing to make progress in his recovery from an apparent right shoulder injury, Mario Cristobal said, and the Miami Hurricanes are “optimistic” he’ll be able to play Saturday against the Florida State Seminoles.
The quarterback is practicing this week, both Cristobal and Will Mallory said, and Miami will make an official decision on his status for this weekend closer to game day.
“He’s getting better every single day, so we’ll have a decision closer to the game,” Cristobal said. “We’re certainly optimistic.”
Van Dyke, who was the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Rookie of the Year last season, exited the Hurricanes’ loss to the Duke Blue Devils last month after getting sacked and landing hard on his throwing arm. The redshirt sophomore did not return in the game and missed Miami’s 14-12, quadruple-overtime win against the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday, with fellow quarterback Jake Garcia starting in his place.
Van Dyke, however, did travel to Charlottesville, Virginia, and Cristobal said Van Dyke’s throwing ability doesn’t currently seem to be affected by the injury.
“Everything that we’ve seen, it looks absolutely normal and strong,” the coach said, ”so we feel good about it.”
The Hurricanes (4-4, 2-2) never provided any real clarity about the severity of the injury, but last week The Athletic did report Van Dyke was wearing a sling on his right arm and On3.com reported he was likely to also miss the Florida State game before being reevaluated.
Cristobal, though, always downplayed the severity and even insisted Van Dyke participated in some practice last week, then Mallory on Tuesday said Van Dyke was back out at practice this week “and looking good.”
“It’s good to see him getting back out there and progressing and looking good,” the tight end said. “It’s always good to have him out there and doing well, which is good to see, especially because that was a scary moment a couple weeks ago.’’
Van Dyke, who is eligible for the 2023 NFL Draft, has thrown for 1,728 yards, 10 touchdowns and four interceptions, while completing 64.1 percent of his passes at 7.4 yards per attempt. He has also lost two fumbles, including one on the play when he got injured.
Garcia, a redshirt freshman, has appeared in five games — twice in garbage time, once after Miami benched Van Dyke midway through its stunning loss to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders, once after Van Dyke got hurt against Duke and finally as a first-time starter last week — and thrown for 595 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions, while 60.3 percent of his passes a 7.2 yards per attempt. He also ran for the game-winning two-point conversion to beat the Cavaliers on Saturday, but has lost two fumbles, too.
Donald Chaney Jr. resumes running
Donald Chaney Jr. has resumed running on land and should be back by the end of the season, Cristobal said.
Although the running back likely won’t return this week or next, Chaney should be back in the lineup by the end of the regular season, perhaps as early as Nov. 19 when the Hurricanes go on the road to face the No. 4 Clemson Tigers in Clemson, South Carolina, for their penultimate game of the regular season.
“We watched him run yesterday out there on land. He looked really good,” Cristobal said. “When is that actual playing date? I can’t say he would play this week or next, but, man, he looks like he’s getting really, really close. I guess I’d throw out there, conservatively speaking, within three weeks he’s got a chance to play.”
Chaney, who played in 13 games across his first two seasons in Coral Gables, has yet to play this year after sustaining a lower-body injury in the preseason. The redshirt freshman also played in just two games last year before tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and has dealt with a shoulder injury in the past, too. He expected to compete for a starting job with fellow running backs Jaylan Knighton and Henry Parrish Jr. before going down with yet another injury.
Although Parrish has seized the starting job, Knighton’s fumble issues have cost him playing time and now there’s an opening for Chaney to make meaningful contributions whenever he returns.
“The whole team’s incredibly happy for him,” Cristobal said. “It’s been a tough stretch for him, a tough couple of years, and he looks good.”
Chaney logged 11 carries for 44 yards and a touchdown in his abbreviated 2021 season, and has 79 carries for 366 yards and three touchdowns, plus 11 catches for 143 yards, in his career.
This story was originally published November 2, 2022 at 12:19 PM.
