South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Hurricanes suspend WR Thomas
Junior is held out of Ga. Tech game for violating rules
MIAMI GARDENS — The Miami Hurricanes suspended junior receiver Jeff Thomas for their 28-21 overtime loss to Georgia Tech on Saturday due to a violation of team rules, UM announced before the game.
Thomas found himself in trouble again after he was dismissed last November — although he disputed on social media his departure was a “mutual decision” — toward the end of previous coach Mark Richt’s tenure, but was allowed to rejoin the Hurricanes when Manny Diaz took over the program.
Thomas entered Saturday’s contest second on the team in receptions (24) and third in receiving yards (270). He had his best game of the season against Virginia Tech on Oct. 5, bringing in six passes for 124 yards and his two touchdowns on the year.
Sophomore wideout Dee Wiggins started with Thomas, who had started all of Miami’s first six games, out. Redshirt senior K.J. Osborn filled in on Thomas’ kick and punt return duties.
Thomas had intentions of transferring to Illinois before Diaz brought him back on at UM.
Dallas injured
Miami star junior running back DeeJay Dallas went down with an apparent knee injury during the Hurricanes’ second drive on Saturday.
He was helped off the field with the assistance of trainers in the middle of the first quarter.
According to the radio broadcast on WQAM, Dallas was having his knee iced on the sideline and, after undergoing further evaluations at halftime, did not return. Dallas was shown on the ACC Network telecast on a stationary bike on the sideline pedaling with just his right leg. Before halftime, he was escorted into the locker room with his right knee wrapped.
Also injured and not returning on Saturday were senior linebacker Michael Pinckney and junior cornerback Trajan Bandy.
Diaz did not have updates on any of the three after the game.
Hill starts
Miami redshirt senior defensive end Trevon Hill started opposite of Greg Rousseau for junior Jonathan Garvin.
The Hurricanes, over the past two weeks, have started two different defensive ends other than the combination of Garvin and Scott Patchan they started for the first five games of the season. Rousseau got his first career start for Patchan against Virginia.
It was Hill’s first start for UM after he was a regular starter during his time at Virginia Tech, where he transferred to Miami from in the offseason.
Garvin was back in beginning with the Hurricanes’ second defensive series following the initial three-andout forced by the Miami defense.
With starting junior safety Amari Carter serving a first-half suspension for the targeting call against him in the second half against Virginia last week, the Hurricanes’ two starting safeties were Gurvan Hall and Robert Knowles.
Donaldson sees the bench
Junior left guard Navaughn Donaldson, the most experienced offensive lineman for the Hurricanes, watched parts of the first half from the bench.
Donaldson was in on Miami’s first drive, but redshirt freshman John Campbell, who has also played right tackle, came in for him after that opening series resulted in quarterback N’Kosi Perry getting sacked and fumbling for a Yellow Jackets touchdown.
Donaldson and Campbell rotated in and out for the rest of the first half.
Kicking duties
Redshirt sophomore walk-on Turner Davidson started off with place kicking duties for Miami on Saturday after handling them over struggling sophomore Bubba Baxa last week against Virginia.
Davidson made all three first-half extra points, but missed a 34-yard field goal attempt to the right that would’ve barely gone over the crossbar had it been between the uprights.
Following that miss, Diaz went to Baxa for a fourthquarter miss and then back to Davidson for the Hurricanes’ final field goal attempt with 26 seconds left in regulation, which was blocked.
Diaz said last week the kicking duties came down to pregame warmups against the Cavaliers. In pregame on Saturday, Davidson and Baxa were seen going kick for kick with makes until Baxa hit a 52-yarder, which fell short on Davidson’s attempt.
With greater kicking power from his right leg, Baxa has remained on kickoffs and would be expected to be brought on for a long field goal, if necessary.
Fellow kicker Camden Price, who was unavailable for unspecified reasons the past two games but expected back on Saturday, was not seen participating in warmups.
Banner season
In past years, Miami fans have been known to fly banners over Hard Rock Stadium, voicing their displeasure during rough seasons, namely the final two seasons of Al Golden’s tenure in 2014 and 2015 before he was fired following a 58-0 loss to Clemson in 2015.
A banner flew over Miami Gardens pregame on Saturday morning, but it had quite a different tone.
“WE SUPPORT MANNY DIAZ & OUR HURRICANES #BEATGT,” the banner read.