Former Aquinas standout Bruce suspended 3 games

MIAMI GARDENS — Hurricanes wide receiver Sam Bruce won’t be making his Miami debut for a fewweeks.

The freshman, a former standout at St. Thomas Aquinas, is suspended for the Hurricanes’ first three games, Miami announced hours before kickoff of its season opener against Florida A&M.

While the school said only that Bruce’s suspension was for an undisclosed violation of team rules, Bruce found himself in trouble earlier this year that forced him to leave St. Thomas after a photo surfaced of him allegedly holding a gun. No charges were ever filed in the incident, but Bruce left St. Thomas and finished his senior year at Westlake Prep, where he graduated before enrolling at Miami. An Under-Armour All-American, Bruce had more than 1,300 receiving yards in high school and helped lead St. Thomas to a second consecutive Class 7 A championship last year.

Bruce was not the only Hurricane sidelined for the opener because of a suspension.

Defensive tackle Gerald Willis, a Florida transfer, was given a onegame suspension to start the season, also for violating an undisclosed team rule, Miami said. He is expected to return next week when the Hurricanes host FAU at Hard Rock Stadium.

Welcome to ‘The U’

It wasn’t exactly unexpected, but for what is believed to be the first time in program history, the Hurricanes started three true freshmen at linebacker.

Shaquille Quarterman, Zach McCloud and Mike Pinckney — all of whom enrolled in January and impressed during both spring football and preseason camp — took the field for the Rattlers’ first offensive possession.

The trio was effective early, with Quarterman notching four tackles in the first half, Pinckney picking up three and McCloud registering one.

Redshirt freshman linebacker Jamie Gordinier made his Hurricanes debut on Miami’s second defensive series. He registered a tackle in the first half before leaving the field with an undisclosed injury.

Welcome, Part II

Miami’s linebackers weren’t the only freshmen to make their debuts early against FAMU.

Former Wellington receiver Ahm mon Richards, who has been dealing with a turf toe injury, had a 16-yard catch in the first half, and defensive end Pat Bethel blocked a punt that set up a Miami touchdownin the first quarter.

Also seeing action in the first half were defensive end Joe Jackson, running back Travis Homer and corner back Malek Young.

And though he’s not a freshman, another newcomer needed little time to make an impact for Miami. Fullback Marquez Williams, a transfer from Mars Hill, scored on his first touch, a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brad Kaaya on the Hurricanes’ first offensive possession.

Walk-on QB arrested

Tucker Beirne, a Miami walkon quarterback, was charged with driving under the influence and cocaine possession, according to Monroe County jail records. The redshirt freshman, who transferred to Miami after one year at Bryant, was being held early Saturday morning on $1,500 bond at the Plantation Key Detention Center, records indicated.

Beirne was not scheduled to dress for Saturday’s game and was not among the four quarterbacks competing to be Kaaya’s backup during camp.

Beirne played three seasons at Miami’s Christopher Columbus High, where he set a school record with 7,957 career passing yards.

A Miami spokesman said the school had no comment on the arrest.

Back where he left off

Running back Joe Yearby, who last season became just the 10th 1,000-yard rusher in Miami history, scored on a 64-yard run in the second quarter to give the Hurricanes a 28-0 lead.

Itwas the longest run of Year by’s career, besting a 62-yard carry he had against Cincinnati in 2014.