Injuries pile up for Canes in ugly loss
The Miami Hurricanes already knew they’d be missing Zion Nelson
when they got to Miami Gardens on Saturday to face the Middle Tennessee State Blue Raiders.
By the end of warmups, they also lost Lou Hedley
to an injury and then Tyrique Stevenson at some point in the first half.
Nelson did not dress and Stevenson was out of uniform when the Hurricanes came out of their locker room after halftime at Hard Rock Stadium. Hedley dressed and played as a holder, but did not punt.
Miami did not immediately specify what any of the three injuries were.
With Nelson out, offensive lineman John Campbell Jr. started his fourth straight game at left tackle. With Hedley limited, punter Will Hutchinson
made his debut. Stevenson started for Miami, but cornerback Daryl Porter Jr. replaced him to start the second half.
Nelson, Stevenson and Hedley are three of the Hurricanes’ best players, with Nelson garnering preseason All-America recognition, Hedley getting a first-team AllAmerica nod back in
2020 and Stevenson gaining some preseason AllAtlantic Coast Conference recognition.
On the surface, Nelson’s injury is the most concerning, since he’s still less than three months removed from July knee surgery. The star tackle missed the first game of the season Sept. 3, then played in a reserve role in each of the past two weeks, finishing the Hurricanes’ loss to the thenNo. 24 Texas A&M Aggies. Fellow offensive lineman DJ Scaife Jr.
Saturday following an injury. The junior has yet to start this year after making 32 starts in his first three seasons at Miami
left
and earned preseason All-America recognition from Athlon, The Athletic and College Football News.
Hedley’s injury occurred during warmups, WQAM reported, and wasn’t enough to keep him from holding. Stevenson exited in the second quarter and moved around on the sideline with a slight limp as he watched the second half.
The injuries only added to an abysmal first half for Miami. The Hurricanes fell behind by three touchdowns before scoring late to go into halftime down by 14. They entered the game as a massive favorite against the Conference USA opponent.
MIAMI’S WIDE RECEIVER WOES
It was the No. 25 Hurricanes’ last game before their only bye weekend of the season, and they’ll return to action with eight straight Atlantic Coast Conference matchups to finish the regular season.
It means this weekend
It got worse 42 seconds later.
Van Dyke’s second pass, on second-and-10 from the UM 20, was picked off at the 15-yard line by defensive end Zaylin Wood, who sprinted to the end zone for a 10-0 Blue Raiders lead with 10:04 left in the opening quarter.
Miami took over and Van Dyke’s third pass was caught by teammate Frank Ladson for an 11yard gain. But alas, on the very next play, Jaylan Knighton rushed two yards — then fumbled.
The Blue Raiders recovered.
Finally, a UM hero was the last chance for Miami to find some answers at wide receiver before the games start to really matter in October.
In the past two weeks, the Hurricanes have lost Xavier Restrepo to a foot injury and fellow wide receiver Jacolby George to a hand injury, and both wide receivers are expected to miss at least a month.
Throw in “six or seven” drops last weekend, according to offensive coordinator Josh Gattis, and the situation quickly got dire for Miami.
“It was obvious that room has a ways to go, and Xavier Restrepo is far and above the leader
[and] alpha in that room and is missed tremendously,” Cristobal told WQAM Monday. “The bottom line: He’s not going to be back for awhile, so guys have to step up. You gotta run the right routes, catch the football, block when you’re called upon and you gotta work hard at it.”
On Saturday, Restrepo emerged, as safety Kamren Kinchens intercepted Chase Cunningham on the next play. The Hurricanes took over at their own 32 and drove to the 21-yard line, thanks in part to a 6-yard rush on fourth-and-1 from the Middle Tennessee 43. UM got as far as the 21-yard line, before three incomplete passes by Van Dyke brought out Andy Borregales for a 39-yard field goal.
Middle Tennessee 10, UM 3.
But the Blue Devils’ barrage was far from over. On their ensuing drive. Cunningham hit DJ England-Chisolm with a 71yard wore a boot on his left leg, up to his knee, and carried around crutches.
Aside from Restrepo and George, the Hurricanes have wide receivers Michael Redding III, Key’Shawn Smith, Romello Brinson, Frank Ladson, Isaiah Horton
and Brashard Smith.
Redding has 105 yards and one touchdown off eight catches through three games, good enough to lead Miami’s active receivers. Key’Shawn Smith has 91 yards and one touchdown off six catches through three games. Brashard Smith has 79 yards off nine catches. Brinson has 28 yards off three catches. Ladson has 33 yards off two catches.
Restrepo, for reference as to what Miami is missing, had 172 yards and one touchdown on 11 catches in his two games..
Tight end Will Mallory
led the team last weekend in receiving yards with 56 on six catches and has 77 yards on the season. The Hurricanes also hope to completion that he caught at his own 39. Tyrique Stevenson, who was sidelined and wearing shorts in the second half with an apparent injury, dove at England-Chisolm’s ankles but couldn’t quite bring him down as he ran into the end zone to make it 17-3 with 4:21 still left in the first quarter.
Miami took over at its own 33, drove to the Middle Tennessee 6-yard line, then, on fourth-and-4,
Van Dyke’s pass to Mallory skimmed off his hands at the goal line. The Blue Raiders took over, and, naturally, scored on a quarterback keeper to work true freshman tight end Jaleel Skinner into their passing scheme. Mallory called his teammate a “stud athlete” and “physically freakish.”
A REVENGE GAME FOR STOCKSTILL
As a player for the Florida State Seminoles, Middle Tennessee coach Rick Stockstill went 0-2 against Miami.
In 1980, the Hurricanes and coach Howard Schnellenberger foiled the Seminoles’ hopes of an undefeated season, when they dealt FSU and Stockstill, led by head coach Bobby Bowden, 10-9 loss — their only regular-season loss that year. The Seminoles went on to play in the Orange Bowl, where they fell
18-17 to Oklahoma.
In 1981, FSU fell to Miami, 27-19, en route to a 6-5 season with Stockstill under center.
David Wilson: 305-376-3406, @DBWilson2 make it 24-3 early in the second quarter.
The Canes ended the scoring on Van Dyke’s first and only touchdown, a 6-yard-pass to Henry Parrish, with 1:20 left in the half to leave it at 2410 when the teams ran into their locker rooms.
Middle Tennessee made it 31-10 on a 69yard touchdown pass from Cunningham to Elijah Metcalf at 8:01 of the third quarter, beating freshman cornerback Jaden Harris on the play.
Susan Miller Degnan: 305-376-3366, @smillerdegnan
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