Another Miami Hurricanes starter ruled out for home game against Syracuse
Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal has on Monday had said two starters in wide receiver CJ Daniels and cornerback OJ Frederique Jr. would be out for No. 18 UM’s home game against the Syracuse Orange on Saturday (3:30 p.m., ESPN).
However, one of them is listed as a possibility for the game according to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s availability report and another starter is confirmed to be sidelined.
Running back Mark Fletcher Jr., who left with injury in the fourth quarter of Miami’s overtime loss, is listed as out on the ACC’s initial availability report for Saturday’s game, which was released Thursday night.
Daniels, meanwhile, is listed as questionable despite Cristobal on Monday saying the veteran wide receiver would be out a couple weeks.
Additionally, defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. and linebacker Wesley Bissainthe are listed as questionable.
Wide receiver Tony Johnson is also listed as being out.
Fletcher has been Miami’s workhorse at running back this season. He leads the team in carries (125), rushing yards (636) and rushing touchdowns (nine). His nine rushing touchdowns are tied for fourth in the ACC and tied for 21st nationally.
With Fletcher unable to go, CharMar “Marty” Brown and Jordan Lyle would be UM’s primary running backs against Syracuse. Brown, a transfer from North Dakota State, plays a similar style to Fletcher — a bruiser, physical, run-up-the-middle running back. He has 280 yards and four touchdowns on 74 carries. Lyle, who missed time after an injury in the season opener against Notre Dame, has more potential for explosive plays but has just 91 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries this season.
“Would like to see us continue to improve in the run game,” Cristobal said. “I think those guys are really good players. We’ve seen them play good football. I think it’s an opportunity for Girard Pringle, Chris Wheatley-Humphrey. I think it’s an opportunity for all those guys. But certainly, Mark is a special player for us. He has set the tone a bunch, but we’ve seen really good play from both Marty and from Jordan, and we expect those guys to play really good football. They’re ready.”
Moten, who has started alongside David Blay at defensive tackle, has 16 tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack through seven games. Sophomore Justin Scott started in Moten’s place and played 46 snaps — the most among Miami’s interior defensive linemen. Armondo Blount also played 28 of his 32 defensive snaps at defensive tackle on Saturday, and true freshman Donta Simpson played 14 snaps against SMU.
“Progress,” Cristobal said. “You saw some things that get you really excited, and then you also see the opportunities of areas of improvement. Young players, talented players. That position requires a ton of just being callous — being tough, being gritty. Those are the areas that I think those guys will continue to improve in, but I think overall, them getting in there and giving us quality snaps, certainly it is some of the brunt of not having Ahmad in there. Ahmad has been playing at a high level. He and the combination of David Blay have been a big reason why we have been so good against the run. So we’re going to continue working with those guys.”
Breaking down the ACC’s availability reports
The ACC this season began requiring teams to submit three availability reports before conference football games. The first is released two nights before the game (Thursday in this case), the second the night before the game (Friday in this case) and the third two hours before kickoff (so 1:30 p.m. Saturday in this case).
Reports submitted before game day will have four potential designations: Available, probable, questionable and out. The league defines those four designations as follows...
Available: “Fully available to play in the game.”
Probable: “Likely to play; greater than 50% chance.”
Questionable: “Uncertain to play; less than 50% chance.”
Out: “Will not play in the game.”
The report released on game day have three status designations for players: Available, game time decision and out and are defined as follows
Available: “Fully available to play in the game.”
Game Time Decision: “Final decision will be made closer to the game.”
Out: “Will not play in the game.”
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 8:07 PM.
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