Keionte Scott’s injury ‘serious,’ Cristobal said. What it means for Hurricanes
Mario Cristobal said star nickel cornerback Keionte Scott’s injury that sidelined him for the No. 15 Miami Hurricanes’ 41-7 rout of NC State on Saturday is “serious.”
Scott, a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award given annually to college football’s top defensive back, was seen with a boot on his right foot pregame. CBS Sports reported Thursday, the day Miami formally ruled him out for the NC State game, that Scott’s status for the rest of the status is up in the air.
“Man, it’s gut-wrenching,” Cristobal said. “That guy, he means so much to this team. And as good of a player as he is — he wants to win; that’s all he cares about. He’s up for so many awards, right? And he’s a big part of the heart and soul of our team.”
Scott only played 37 of Miami’s 71 snaps on defense against Syracuse last weekend. He entered last week having played 467 of the Hurricanes’ 517 defensive snaps — 90.3%. The Auburn transfer entered this week leading the Hurricanes with 10 tackles for loss and five pass breakups to go along with 43 tackles (second on the team), three sacks (tied for second on the team) and an interception returned for a touchdown in the first half against Syracuse.
Now, he’s relegated to the sideline — but is still doing what he can to help the Hurricanes despite not being able to contribute on the field.
“I think having him on the sideline as a coach, as a leader [with] his enthusiasm, his voice, was very impactful and powerful,” Cristobal said. “And the guys that stepped in did a really good job.”
True freshman Bryce Fitzgerald started at nickel cornerback in Scott’s absence on Saturday, playing 23 of his 36 snaps as the slot cornerback. Isaiah Taylor was the primary player in that spot against Syracuse when Scott wasn’t on the field.
“Keionte is one of my best friends, and I say it every day: He’s probably the greatest teammate I’ve ever had in my life,” said safety Jakobe Thomas, who like Scott transferred to Miami after spring practices ended and had two interceptions against NC State. “He takes care of all those young guys. Bryce had to step in at nickel this week, and Keionte made sure that he knew every call, helped him everything. He was the most juiced on the sideline on every play. He’s a great guy.”
This story was originally published November 15, 2025 at 8:14 PM.
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