Where things stand for two injured Miami Hurricanes who didn’t play in USF game
One of the Miami Hurricanes’ three notable injured players returned to action Saturday, with sophomore defensive lineman Armondo Blount getting 21 snaps on defense and contributing to a sack in UM’s 49-12 blowout win over the then-No. 18 USF Bulls at Hard Rock Stadium.
Two others who seemed primed to return in sophomore running back Jordan Lyle and sophomore wide receiver Joshisa “JoJo” Trader, however, did not see the field against USF.
Lyle, who started Miami’s season opener against Notre Dame and played five snaps before sustaining an apparent ankle injury, was part of Miami’s pregame warmups but didn’t actually take a snap. Trader, who played nine snaps in the Notre Dame game, was not spotted on the field. Neither played the week before against Bethune-Cookman but coach Mario Cristobal said ahead of the USF game that both were trending toward a return.
So how close were they to getting on the field, and is there a chance they play Saturday when the No. 4 Hurricanes (3-0) host the Florida Gators (1-2) for a 7:30 p.m. game that will be the site of ESPN’s College GameDay?
“Jordan was ready at game time, and because he hadn’t taken as much work as we felt comfortable with, he didn’t play, but he was ready to go,” Cristobal said Monday at his weekly news conference. “JoJo barely missed the cut to be ready, but he’s ready to play this week.”
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Now, the Hurricanes did just fine against USF without Lyle and Trader playing.
Mark Fletcher Jr. dominated in the run game, racking up 120 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. It’s the second time in Fletcher’s UM career that he has run for at least 100 yards and two touchdowns against a ranked opponent, also doing so on Nov. 18, 2023, as a freshman in Miami’s loss to then-No. 9 Louisville. The most recent Hurricanes player to accomplish the feat prior to Fletcher was the late Tyrone Moss back in 2005. CharMar Brown also had nine carries and true freshman Girard Pringle scored his second touchdown in as many weeks.
In the passing game, quarterback Carson Beck completed passes to seven different players on his way to throwing for 340 yards and three touchdowns, with two interceptions, on 23-of-28 passing before giving way to backup Emory Williams on Miami’s final drive of the blowout win.
Six players caught multiple passes in Keelan Marion (six catches, 81 yards), Malachi Toney (six catches, 66 yards), CJ Daniels (four catches, 56 yards), Josh Moore (three catches, 61 yards, two touchdowns), Tony Johnson (two catches, 64 yards) and Fletcher (two catches, 25 yards). Brown also had a 1-yard touchdown reception.
“We’re fortunate to have guys that work their butts off at those respective positions,” Cristobal said. “And as you get closer and closer game time, you want full speed players on that. No one’s going to be 100%. ... You make the best decision always to keep player health and safety at the forefront, and once that’s clear, it’s how effective can they be for the team? That’s kind of where it went with both those guys. In the meantime, we also have guys like Pringle who got more carries and continues to develop. Moore continues to develop at wide receiver. You saw how many guys got plenty of time outside and inside, so that’s the way you’d like it to be. As guys are on the mend and work their way back, the guys that are in there work hard, respond and perform at a level that’s progressing and getting better. They have miles to go, but also reminds the guys that are coming back from injury that they better come back and work their butt off to regain your playing time.”
This story was originally published September 15, 2025 at 3:26 PM.
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