Hurricanes cross 85% vaccination threshold
CORAL GABLES — On the same day Miami Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz told reporters that the football team has crossed the 85% vaccination threshold, the Atlantic Coast Conference — the conference UM is a part of — stated that teams unable to play conference matchups this season because they don’t have enough players due to COVID-19 will be forced to forfeit the game.
The change, which was announced Thursday afternoon, was made as a part of the ACC’s updated COVID-19 game rescheduling policy, which will apply to football, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer and volleyball conference games for the 202122 season.
The ACC’s updated policy is in line with the other Power Five conferences.
As part of the ACC’s policy, the forfeiting team will be given a loss in the conference standings while its scheduled opponent will be awarded a win.
If a conference game can’t be played on its originally scheduled date because both programs aren’t able to play due to COVID19-related absences, both teams will be forced to forfeit the game and will be given a loss in the conference standings.
The changes to conferences’ rescheduling policies with COVID-19 are coming after over 130 college football games were canceled or postponed during the 2020 season.
The UM football team was one of the teams whose schedule was altered by the pandemic last year, with the Hurricanes missing several players for COVID19-related reasons throughout the season and having to reschedule the final phase of its season after a coronavirus outbreak on team.
The ACC also updated its COVID-19 testing guidelines, with fully vaccinated individuals not being required to participate in a surveillance testing.
Unvaccinated individuals must be tested a minimum of three times per week if they’re on a team with a vaccination rate less than 85%. If the team’s vaccination rate is 85% or greater, then unvaccinated individuals will only be required to be tested once per week.
Diaz told reporters after Thursday evening’s practice that around 87% of his players are fully vaccinated, adding “I would be much more concerned if we hadn’t crossed that threshold, which we have now. The number of guys who are left, it’s a pretty small number. We’ll still trying to chip away at it.”
With UM students moving onto campus ahead of classes starting on Monday, Diaz reiterated that the team has to be just as vigilant as it was last year.
“Our behavior can’t change from what it was a year ago, regardless of vaccination status,” he said. “There’s simply too much to lose. I think the team gets it.
“Some of the behaviors from the people on the outside aren’t going to be the same as they were a year ago. Society’s more open, which is fine. We have the student body coming in this weekend, [so] it’s very important for our guys to continue to protect the program in every way they can.”
Diaz’s entire football staff is fully vaccinated.
Potential starters absent
Defensive tackle Nesta Jade Silvera and left tackle Zion Nelson once again weren’t seen during the first 40 minutes of Thursday’s practice that was open to the media.
Nelson, who’s been playing as the left tackle with the presumed starting offense when available, was also limited during last Thursday’s practice and wasn’t seen during Tuesday’s practice.
Silvera, who started in 10 games last season, had been a full participant in every practice leading into this past Sunday’s intrasquad scrimmage.
Like Nelson, Silvera wasn’t seen during the portion of practice open to the media on Tuesday.
“Both guys are experiencing just soreness from previous situations,” Diaz said. “Being held out, precautionary. Both guys have a lot of experience. I’d expect when we start game prep next week that both those guys will be back with us.”
Defensive end Deandre Johnson, the Tennessee transfer who was seen practicing off to the side with an injured group of players on Tuesday, fully participated in the drills open to the media on Thursday.
Second-year linebacker Tirek Austin-Cave also returned to practice after being seen wearing a boot on Tuesday.
Second-year defensive end Chantz Williams, who was also in that group of injured players on Tuesday, went through some drills with the defensive linemen but didn’t participate in the 11-on-11 drills on Thursday.
“Chantz is like a day away or two,” Diaz said. “They expect him at the latest full go by next Monday.”
Freshman defensive end Jabari Ishmael, a Miami Christopher Columbus graduate, has rejoined the team for practice after being seen wearing a neck brace last week, with Diaz saying he’s “fine” after having a “knock.”
Running back Thad Franklin and defensive tackle Quentin Williams were working with trainers on the practice fields’ sand pits on Thursday.
Scrimmage looming
The No. 14-ranked Hurricanes will have their second scrimmage of preseason camp on Saturday, which will be exactly two weeks before the team’s season opener against No. 1 Alabama on Sept. 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“We’re kind of treating Saturday like the old three NFL preseason game where this is the one you’re trying to peak for,” Diaz said, “because after Saturday we’ll really kind of assess the roster and get into Alabama prep after that.”