QB Van Dyke returns as starter after being out for two weeks with injury
Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke returned as the starter Saturday against archrival Florida State, just 14 days after leaving the game against Duke with a shoulder injury.
Van Dyke was in uniform, throwing passes at Hard Rock Stadium and taking snaps from starting center Jakai Clark before the 7:30 p.m. nationally televised game.
It is his first start since injuring his shoulder Oct. 22 against Duke.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jake Garcia, who got his first career start last week in Miami’s quadruple-overtime win at Virginia, was also on the field warming up, as was true freshman quarterback Jacurri Brown.
Third-year sophomore Van Dyke, the 2021 ACC Rookie of the Year, hurt his throwing shoulder after he was sacked in the second quarter against the Blue Devils. He came out of the game and didn’t play at Virginia, but traveled to Charlottesville to help Garcia.
Miami was 4-4 and 2-2 in the Atlantic Coast Conference heading into the game. FSU was 5-3 and 3-3.
UM coach Mario Cristobal said earlier this week that Van Dyke was “looking better and better every single day” and that UM entered this week “with preparing him to play, with preparing Jake to play and preparing Jacurri to play.”
Going into the FSU game, Van Dyke was 152-of-237 (64.1 percent) for 1,728 yards and 10 touchdowns, with four interceptions in seven games this season. He had been sacked 12 times
Garcia was 47-of-78 for 595 yards and two touchdowns in five games, with three interceptions. He has been sacked eight times.
Brown has been used mostly in wildcat situations and is expected to play in some capacity today, which would burn his redshirt eligibility.
CAMPBELL SEEN LIMPING
Hurricanes offensive lineman John Campbell Jr. was seen limping off the field at the end of pregame warmups. The fifth-year senior has started all eight games this season for Miami at left tackle.
UM-FSU RECRUITING MAGNET
Cristobal was asked this week how important games such as Miami-Florida State are for recruiting. Dozens of high-impact prospects from multiple future classes — including 2023 five-star UM commits Cormani McClain and Francis Mauigoa — were expected to attend Saturday.
“Everybody has their own opinion, and I don’t think anyone should judge anybody for their opinion on how they value each and every game,” Cristobal said. “We value every game as the most important thing in the world . ... In terms of recruiting, there’s a lot of value in a lot of different things.”
CLAY JAMES SEMIFINALIST
UM fifth-year redshirt junior longsnapper Clay James was one of 12 college players announced this week as semifinalists for the 2022 Wuerffel Trophy.
The Wuerffel Trophy, college football’s gold standard for community service, is presented each February in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Named for 1996 Heisman Trophy winner Danny Wuerffel, the trophy “honors players who serve others, celebrate their positive impact on society, and inspire greater service in the world,” according to a Miami release.
Among several community service initiatives, James helped start a fundraiser to benefit the local Grove Outreach Food Bank. He also has also spent time volunteering with Best Buddies, Operation Christmas Child and the Lotus House.
“That guy does so much for so many people,” Cristobal said.
“He affects people in so many ways and he’s extremely smart — super-high football IQ guy, great teammate . ... Man, you couldn’t ask for a better representative.’’
THIS AND THAT
● BetOnline reported that Miami is a college-football worst 1-7 against the spread this season. The Hurricanes were a 7 ½-point underdog to Florida State on Saturday.
● FSU running back Treshaun Ward, who missed the Seminoles’ past two games with an unspecified leg injury, warmed up pregame and was expected to return to action. Ward entered the game as FSU’s leading rusher with 488 yards and three touchdowns on 72 carries.