‘TIME IS RUNNING OUT’ FOR IRVIN II
TE missed last year with a knee injury
MIAMI — Michael Irvin II is starting to feel the urgency to make an impact before his time as a Miami Hurricane runs out.
Irvin, the son of the former UM great and NFL Hall of Famer by the same name, missed nearly all of the 2018 season after undergoing knee surgery to repair a medial collateral ligament in his right knee. His career numbers to that point were nine receptions for 78 yards — all as a sophomore in 2017, when he played in 12 games at tight end and started three.
A healthy Irvin heads into his redshirt junior campaign eager to contribute.
“I’m trying not to take anything for granted. That did show me that this doesn’t last forever,” said Irvin II at a community outreach event at a Miami Boys & Girls Club on Thursday morning. “I’m going to have to make something happen.”
It was a notion backed up by his father when he spoke to reporters last month at Paradise Camp, Miami’s annual marquee recruiting event.
“The injury was probably the best thing for him,” the elder Michael Irvin said. “It focused him in on the seriousness of time and that time is running out. And when you get on the field, or every time you’re out there, you have to squeeze that opportunity. You never know if you’ll get another opportunity or when you’ll be back on the field. And I mean, he’s just taken his work ethic … it’s skyrocketed onto another level.”
With Irvin II missing months and only making a four brief appearance without recording any stats in the Pinstripe Bowl loss to Wisconsin, the Hurricanes relied on their two freshmen tight ends last season — Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory.
Jordan had 32 receptions for 287 yards and four touchdowns, while Mallory had five catches for 37 yards and a touchdown.
“It’s the same. We all push each other,” Irvin II said. “Very talented guys in Will and Brevin, but we also have other guys that are talented and that are pushing Will and Brevin to be better for themselves, and Will and Brevin are pushing everybody else in the room to be better.”
Irvin’s spring culminated in him catching a touchdown from Ohio State transfer quarterback Tate Martell on a corner route in the spring game at Orlando’s Camping World Stadium, where Miami will kick off its season against Florida on Aug. 24.
“For the most part, yes, I was pleased, but I can’t ever be satisfied,” Irvin said. “Brevin was out for most of the spring, so me and Will had to take a lot of the reps. It was hard on us, but we got a lot better.”
Irvin, listed at 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, said he has gotten stronger after dropping body fat during summer workouts.