South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Harley, Rambo break UM records
Hurricanes without starting CB, DT and punter at Duke
DURHAM, N.C. — With his 9-yard catch in the first quarter of the Miami Hurricanes’ win over Duke on Saturday in their regular-season-finale at Wallace Wade Stadium, receiver Mike Harley became UM’s all-time receptions leader.
Charleston Rambo also broke UM’s single-season receptions record in the second quarter against the Blue Devils with a 12-yard touchdown catch before breaking the program’s single-season receiving yards record with a 14-yard touchdown in the third quarter.
Harley entered the game five catches shy of breaking Reggie Wayne’s record (173 catches from 1997-2000), with 169 receptions heading into Saturday’s game.
He had two catches for 9 yards on Miami’s first drive, which ended with an Andy Borregales 35-yard field goal, moving him within three catches from breaking Wayne’s record.
Starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke completed a 9-yard pass to Harley on third-and-5 from UM’s 43 in which a Duke offsides penalty was declined to get Harley one catch away from tying the record.
Harley reached 173 career receptions, tying Wayne’s record, with a 4-yard catch on second-and-10 before breaking the record on UM’s next play.
One play after taking sole possession of the all-time receptions record, Harley had a 1-yard reception that ended with Duke being penalized 15 yards for unnecessary roughness to move UM from Duke’s 36 to the 21-yard line. Van Dyke connected with Xavier Restrepo on a 21-yard touchdown on the ensuing play to tie the game, 10-10, with 5:05 left in the first quarter.
Rambo, an Oklahoma transfer, entered Saturday with 71 receptions for 1,071 yards — two catches short of breaking Leonard Hankerson’s single-season receptions record (72 catches in 13 games in 2010) and 92 receiving yards away from surpassing Allen Hurns’ 2013 single-season record of 1,162 receiving yards in 2013.
Rambo caught a 44-yard pass from Van Dyke on Miami’s first drive to tie Hankerson’s record and put him at 48 yards shy from breaking Hurns’ record.
In addition to giving the Hurricanes a 17-10 lead early in the second quarter, Rambo’s 12-yard touchdown catch gave him sole possession of UM’s single-season record for receptions at 73.
His touchdown catch to give the Hurricanes a 40-10 lead with 7:15 left in the third quarter gave him 1,163 receiving yards on the season, breaking Hurns’ record by 1 yard.
Harley also broke the single-game receptions record with a 2-yard catch early in the fourth quarter for his 13th reception. Willie Smith (1984 vs. Maryland),
Phillip Dorsett (2012 vs. USF) and Rambo (2021 vs. Michigan State) were previously tied for the record at 12 entering Saturday.
Harley finished with 13 catches for 96 yards to give him 182 receptions for his UM career, while Rambo had eight receptions for 101 yards to put him at 79 catches for 1,172 yards on the season.
UM missing starters
Hurricanes starting defensive tackle Jon Ford, punter Lou Hedley and cornerback Tyrique Stevenson were sidelined for the matchup against Duke.
Stevenson was limited during Miami’s win over Virginia Tech last Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, playing between 12-14 snaps due to a shoulder injury.
He appeared to have originally injured his shoulder during UM’s home win over Georgia Tech on Nov. 6.
Stevenson walked out of the locker room an hour before the game talking on the phone while wearing a white jersey and black sweatpants, which other injured/non-active UM players were wearing.
Coach Manny Diaz said during the week that there was a chance Stevenson would be available against the Blue Devils, but he was officially ruled out 25 minutes before kickoff.
Hedley has been dealing with a “nagging injury,” according to UM sideline reporter Josh Darrow. Redshirt freshman Nelson Foley started in place of Hedley, who had started 35 straight games as Miami’s punter the last three seasons.
Ford has been dealing with an ankle injury since the Florida State game on Nov. 13.
Stevenson, a third-year sophomore who transferred from Georgia during the offseason, has been Miami’s top cornerback, recording 40 tackles (24 solo), five pass breakups, 2 tackles for loss and one interception.
Ford, a fifth-year senior, has been rotating as a starter throughout the season, along with Nesta Jade Silvera and Jared Harrison-Hunte.
Hedley, a 2020 Ray Guy Award finalist and 2021 Ray Guy Award semifinalist, has averaged 44.7 yards per punt this season.
DJ Ivey and Marcus Clarke started at cornerback against the Blue Devils with Stevenson out. With true freshman safety James Williams out for the season due to a muscle injury, second-year freshman Avantae Williams and true freshman Kam Kinchens were UM’s starting safeties. Amari Carter, who started at safety along with Kinchens last weekend, moved back to starting striker against Duke.
True freshman quarterback Jake Garcia, who has been sidelined for most of the season after having ankle surgery following UM’s win over Central Connecticut State on Sept. 25, was seen on UM’s sideline not wearing a boot on his left foot for the first time since sustaining the injury.