Miami QB Tyler Van Dyke out with injuries for Clemson. Freshman will make first start
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke is still injured and will not play Saturday night against Clemson, a source told the Miami Herald, adding that Van Dyke’s back has been hurting in addition to his other injuries.
The AP first reported the news of Van Dyke not playing.
True freshman quarterback Emory Williams, who has played sparingly in three games but has been the only backup to play, will get his first college start.
Van Dyke, who was hit hard and hobbled last Saturday at North Carolina after being sacked a season-high three times, was seen by the Miami Herald on Monday limping heavily and unable to bend his right leg, which was wrapped with an ace bandage to above his knee. The source told the Herald that Van Dyke did not actively practice this past week.
Van Dyke is at the game, but did not come out on the field to warm up with Williams and fellow backup Jacurri Brown.
The 6-5, 220-pound Williams, from Milton, Florida, is 12 of 15 (80 percent) for 144 yards, with no touchdowns and no interceptions. He played in UM’s season-opening 38-3 win against Miami of Ohio (3 of 3 for 42 yards), UMs 48-7 third-game win against Bethune-Cookman (9 of 11 for 102 yards) and the Canes’ 41-7 fourth-game win at Temple (0 of 1). He has been sacked twice.
The Canes (4-2, 0-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) are still seeking their first ACC home win under coach Mario Cristobal, who has lost five ACC home games in a row since last season. When asked by the Miami Herald about Van Dyke’s injury during a Monday news conference, Cristobal said, “I keep telling you I don’t talk about injuries. I just told one of our guys that he’s ready to go. ...Next question.’’
Clemson (4-2, 2-2) has the nation’s No. 5 total defense, allowing 261.8 yards a game. This would be the second year in a row that Van Dyke misses the Clemson game because of injury.
Sophomore quarterback Brown has not played this season, but would also be available — in particular if coaches choose to use both young signal callers in an attempt to keep Clemson’s vaunted defense off balance. Brown played in five games last season and started two, including UM’s 40-10 loss at Clemson. He is a speedy, elusive runner who has struggled with accuracy in the passing game.
Last season, the 6-4, 220-pound Brown was 27 of 45 (60 percent) for 230 yards and three touchdowns, with three interceptions. At Clemson in UM’s penultimate 2022 game, Brown was hit hard and sacked three times, completing 6 of 13 passes for 53 yards and no touchdowns, with one interception. He was sacked six times in 2022.
Brown, from Valdosta, Georgia, had a great performance last season in his first start at Georgia Tech (14 of 19 for 136 yards and three touchdowns, with 87 yards rushing), a 35-14 UM victory.
Van Dyke, a 6-4, 230-pound fourth-year junior who was the 2021 ACC Rookie of the Year, entered the week ranked 10th nationally in passing efficiency and No. 8 in passing touchdowns. But he has struggled with injuries since last year. He spent the last half of the 2022 season with a third-degree AC joint sprain of his throwing (right) shoulder, sustained in a loss to Duke. This season he is 129 of 183 passing (70.5 percent) for 1,721 yards and 16 touchdowns, with six interceptions.
Van Dyke acknowledged after last week’s loss at UNC that he had torn three ligaments in a finger on his throwing hand during fall camp. He wore a splint on that hand in early games this season, but said last week that the hand was fine.
Cristobal was asked by the AP on Monday about Van Dyke’s hand and if there were any concerns.
“For him playing? Zero,’’ Cristobal said. “Was he banged up in the game? Yeah. He got banged up. But is he tough? Absolutely. He’s really tough and he wants to win, and he’s ready to roll.’’
More injuries
The Hurricanes were once again down multiple starters on the defensive line Saturday for their showdown with the Clemson Tigers.
Akheem Mesidor and Nyjalik Kelly both sat out with injuries, leaving Miami without its two starting defensive ends for the third time in five games. Mesidor has missed five straight games, since going down with an injury in the Hurricanes’ upset of then-No. 23 Texas A&M last month, and Kelly has missed 3 of 5 since also getting injured against the Aggies.
Kelly missed the final two games of September after the Texas A&M game, but returned to play in Miami’s first two Atlantic Coast Conference games earlier this month before going out of the lineup again this week.
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., and wide receiver Frank Ladson, a former Clemson Tiger, also did not dress.
This story was originally published October 21, 2023 at 7:30 PM.
