UM has no plans to raise attendance
Phase 3 of Florida’s COVID-19 reopening plan, Gov. Ron DeSantis’ office clarified Wednesday, means stadiums can welcome back fans at maximum capacity. Up in Gainesville, Dan Mullen hopes it means a packed crowd next Saturday when the Florida Gators host the LSU Tigers. In South Florida, the Miami Hurricanes don’t expect to change their game-day protocols, potentially for the rest of the season.
“At this time, I do not see us changing any of the protocols we have put in place for the rest of the season,” Miami athletic director Blake James said in a text message. “With that said, we will have Band and Cheer for the 2 [October] games only.”
Those protocols have meant 20 percent capacity, no students in attendance and no alcohol sales.
Hard Rock Stadium has maxed out at 12,806 fans so far this season — roughly 20 percent of maximum capacity — to properly enforce social-distancing measures in Miami Gardens.
The Hurricanes did not have the band or cheerleaders in attendance for either of their home games in September, but James said it will change this month when they host the Pittsburgh Panthers next Saturday and the Virginia Cavaliers on Oct. 24.
The Miami Dolphins have also limited the stadium to 20 percent capacity so far this season. Their next home game is Oct. 25 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel said the team is continuing to monitor the situation.
“We’ll continue to follow CDC guidelines and put everyone’s safety first and monitor things as we go,” Garfinkel said in a statement Wednesday. “Right now with positivity rates where they are, we feel that we can keep people safe in a socially distanced environment, which is our 13,000 capacity manifest.”
UM AT FULL STRENGTH
Miami isn’t missing anyone from its two-deep depth chart as it tries to upset the No. 1 Clemson Tigers Saturday night.
Issiah Walker Jr. is the only player listed on the Hurricanes’ pregame unavailability report. The offensive lineman is still awaiting word from the NCAA whether he’ll receive a waiver to play at some point this year after he transferred back home from the Florida Gators in May.
Miami returned to full strength in its last game against FSU after wide receiver Jeremiah Payton and tight end Larry Hodges missed the win against the Louisville Cardinals for undisclosed reasons.
Miami is not disclosing when players test positive for COVID-19 this season.
Offensive lineman John Campbell Jr. and Will Mallory are both available after battling minor, undisclosed injuries, which limited both against Florida State. Campbell is listed as a co-starter at left tackle with fellow offensive lineman Zion Nelson and Mallory is the co-starter at tight end with Brevin Jordan. Campbell started the first two games of the season, while Mallory started against the Seminoles as the Hurricanes opened with a two-tight end set.
DRAFT IMPLICATIONS
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit was assigned to call a Hurricanes game for his third time this season, and he hasn’t been shy about his admiration of Canes quarterback D’Eriq King, who is small in stature but plays huge.
On Thursday, Herbstreit was asked during a Zoom video conference what his thoughts were on King in terms of the upcoming NFL Draft and if the high-profile No. 7 Miami at No. 1 Clemson game could have an impact on his status. The fifth-year senior can stay another season if he chooses, but if he continues to excel he may enter the draft.
“Anytime you play in a game like this, where a lot of people are going to be watching and you’re playing a perennial power, and maybe the most respected defensive coordinator in college football, it’s an opportunity. I really don’t think that D’Eriq will look at it that way. I sure hope not.
“Anybody who thinks about that would put too much added pressure on their play than they probably need to deal with. ... But it’s definitely one of those — what do you call ‘em, like a Mel Kiper/ Todd McShay game, right? — where next April or whenever the draft is next year, this would be one of those games if he were to play well that they’ll be pulling film out and showing people, ‘Look what he did against Clemson’ and ‘Look at this play’ and ‘Look at that play.’ ”
Herbstreit praised King’s “skill-set,’’ insisting that he’s a skilled passer, despite critics saying he’s too small (about 5-10 and 202 pounds) to play the position in the NFL. “He’s a quarterback — when I watch him going back to Houston — that happens to be athletic. He is not an athlete that’s trying to figure out how to be a quarterback. ... Let’s see how he plays. And if he plays well, it’s definitely going to help his stock, that’s for sure.”
WET MESS
Herbstreit pondered the heavy rain that hit Clemson Saturday morning and was forecast to continue throughout the game.
“I know talking to [Clemson’s] Trevor Lawrence, they haven’t had a ton of wet games since he’s been QB there, but he has large hands and he handles a wet ball pretty easily ... “I’m a big believer that it helps the offense more than hurts the offense.’’