Mallory steps in for Jordan.

MIAMI GARDENS — Miami Hurricanes junior tight end and leading receiver Brevin Jordan missed UM’s 31-19 win over Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

Jordan suffered a shoulder injury in last week’s loss at No. 1 Clemson and was listed as questionable by coach Manny Diaz this week. The team announced his absence in its pregame unavailability report.

Jordan’s 18 receptions for 243 yards and three receiving touchdowns led the Hurricanes (4-1, 3-1 ACC) entering Saturday’s game.

Will Mallory, listed as a co-starter at tight end on the depth chart, picked up the slack, scoring on a 6-yard touchdown catch from the flat in the second quarter and again on a 45-yard touchdown over the middle in the third.

“When you have a player like Brevin who’s out for the week, someone’s got to fill those big shoes,” Mallory said.

Added quarterback D’Eriq King, who had four touchdown passes on Saturday, “We know Brevin’s a big part of our team, so we just had to step up. [Saturday] was just about getting the win, anyway possible — pretty, ugly. We just wanted to win.”

Miami, again, did not have any COVID-related absences. The only other player listed on the unavailability report before kickoff was freshman offensive tackle Issiah Walker, who is still awaiting clearance from his offseason transfer from Florida.

No Pickett for Pitt

Pittsburgh was without starting quarterback Kenny Pickett on Saturday.

The standout senior did not travel to Miami as he recovers from an ankle injury.

Joey Yellen started for Pitt, while fellow redshirt freshman Davis Beville briefly saw action in the first half. Yellen finished 22 of 46 for 277 yards and a touchdown, with no interceptions and lost a fumble.

Pickett completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,389 yards, with eight touchdowns and three interceptions in Pitt’s first five games. As a freshman, he beat a 10-0 Miami team in the 2017 regular-season finale. Pickett, however, did not throw a touchdown against UM in 2018 or 2019, losing both games.

Lineup adjustments

The Hurricanes started sophomore Zion Nelson at right tackle over sixth-year senior Jarrid Williams, who had a hand injury and “could’ve gone in an emergency,” according to Diaz. Nelson, who started against Florida State at left tackle in place of John Campbell, also played some at right tackle the previous week at Clemson.

Despite making an early exit in the loss at Clemson, the redshirt sophomore Campbell remained at left tackle. He committed a holding penalty on Miami’s first drive that eventually led to a punt.

Freshman running back Jaylan Knighton got his first college start, in a two-back set with lead back junior Cam’Ron Harris. Knighton got the first touch, on a short reception, but also dropped a pass later on the drive. Harris ended up catching a touchdown on UM’s second series.

Knighton ran for 25 yards on seven carries, while Harris got 12 attempts and netted 24 yards as Miami averaged 2.6 yards per carry.

Safety Bubba Bolden, who has been named ACC Defensive Back of the Week twice this season, didn’t start but played throughout. Miami rotates its three top safeties, Bolden, Amari Carter and Gurvan Hall. Hall had a teamhigh eight tackles Saturday. Bolden and Carter both had six — Bolden had one tackle for loss and a pass breakup.

Youngsters get more reps

Miami continued to get freshman middle linebacker Corey Flagg and sophomore weakside linebacker Sam Brooks plenty of early work behind starters in redshirt junior Bradley Jennings Jr. and fifth-year senior Zach McCloud.

Brooks had three tackles and Flagg two on Saturday.

“We thought both those guys played well [at Clemson] and will continue to push for more playing time,” Diaz said earlier this week. “Corey is just so instinctive and has a great feel. ... Corey Flagg didn’t look out of place at all, which was really encouraging for us. We’ve seen it on the practice field, but just to get a chance to get him in there and do that.

“Sam has just been hampered by a foot problem that he’s been gutting it out. I think it’s taken some time from him, but we all know what Sam can do, and he’s going to be an important part of our rotation going forward.”

Defensive coordinator Blake Baker called McCloud and Jennings’ “up and down” early this week.

The Hurricanes also went deeper into their wide receiver rotation, as was thought could be the case after upperclassmen

Michael Harley, Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins were ineffective at Clemson last week.

Redshirt freshman Jeremiah Payton and true freshman Keyshawn Smith saw action on the second offensive series, which resulted in the King-to-Harris touchdown. Freshman Michael Redding III also got in later and drew a pass interference on a corner route. Fellow freshman wideout Xavier Restrepo continues to return punts and drew a kick-catch interference on a punt he fielded.

South Florida to Pittsburgh

The Panthers have 10 players on their roster from South Florida that made a homecoming on Saturday afternoon.

Cornerback Marquis Williams, out of Cardinal Gibbons had an interception he nearly returned for a touchdown, getting down to the 1-yard line. Defensive end Rashad Weaver, from Cooper City, had four tackles, 1 for loss and two pass deflections. Fellow defensive end and Deerfield Beach grad Deslin Alexandre registered four tackles, one for loss, and a pass deflection.

Other South Florida products for the Panthers: Running backs Vincent Davis (Cardinal Gibbons) and Daniel Carter (St. Thomas Aquinas), defensive linemen Calijah Kancey (Miami Northwestern) and Sam Williams (Calvary Christian), cornerback Jahvante Royal (St. Thomas Aquinas), wide receiver Aydin Henningham (Deerfield Beach) and linebacker Leslie Smith (Miami Northwestern).

Sixteen players on Pitt’s roster are Florida natives, second only to the Panthers’ 35 players who hail from Pennsylvania.