Cristobal updates on Toure’s status, Hurricanes’ kicking situation for Cotton Bowl
Miami Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said he is optimistic about three key defensive players who sustained injuries in their 10-3 win over Texas A&M on Saturday in the first-round of the College Football Playoff.
If all works out, linebacker Mohamed Toure, defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. and safety Zechariah Poyser will all suit up when the No. 10 Hurricanes (11-2) play the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1) in the quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
“They were all on the plane in great spirits and moving around really well,” Cristobal said Monday morning during his weekly appearance on WQAM’s The Joe Rose Show. “You have a couple extra days [to recover between games]. Brother, it’s December and it’s the playoffs. Who’s not hurting, right? Football hurts. These guys are tough. You know what? It’s easy to be tough with somebody else’s body. We do take care of our players to the best of our ability.”
Toure, Miami’s starting middle linebacker all season, was hurt on the second-to-last play of the game when he broke up a Marcel Reed pass intended for Rueben Owens II on second and goal from the 5-yard line. Freshman safety Bryce Fitzgerald recorded his second interception of the game one play later to seal Miami’s win. Toure leads the Hurricanes with 62 tackles and also has two tackles for loss, one sack and four pass breakups on the season.
“Tremendous reaction and the level of physicality jarred the ball loose,” Cristobal said of the play. “Call it what it is. That play and the play right after it. ... That’s how Mo plays. Mo since the day he got here has been nothing but a team guy and his level of play was exemplified, epitomized in that one particular play. That’s what he is. We feel really good about him getting healthy pretty quickly.”
Poyser left early in the game but returned. He played 63 of the Hurricanes’ 75 defensive snaps, logging six tackles. He is fourth on the team with 53 tackles and also has six pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble.
Moten played just 33 of Miami’s 75 defensive snaps, recording one tackle. After missing games against SMU and Syracuse with injury, Moten had a strong finish to the regular season with six tackles, four-and-a-half tackles for loss and three-and-a-half sacks in wins over NC State, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh.
Meanwhile, cornerback Damari Brown, who did not play Saturday, is questionable for the Cotton Bowl, Cristobal said Monday afternoon.
Carter Davis still starting kicker
Cristobal also said Monday that Carter Davis will remain the Hurricanes’ kicker despite his worst outing of the season — missing three of four field goals from 47, 40 and 35 yards. His one make was from 21 yards.
Cristobal noted how the wind at Kyle Field had a major impact on both the kicking and passing games on Saturday.
“Just look up at the flagpoles, man,” Cristobal said. “I mean, it looked like there was a hurricane out there.”
David was 14 for 16 on field goals this season entering the College Football Playoff.
This story was originally published December 22, 2025 at 6:58 AM.
.JPG)