After sustaining a rash of accidents of their last sport earlier than the bye week final month, the Miami Hurricanes anticipate to have a number of starters again Saturday after they host the North Carolina Tar Heels in Miami Gardens.
Running backs Jaylan Knighton and Henry Parrish Jr and defensive backs Tyrique Stevenson and Daryl Porter Jr. all practiced at full pace this week, and coach Mario Cristobal mentioned all 4 will likely be able to go this weekend when the Hurricanes open Atlantic Coast Conference play.
Offensive sort out Zion Nelson, nevertheless, will stay a game-time determination after lacking three of the primary 4 video games this season.
“Henry and Jaylan are good. They practiced full speed,” Cristobal mentioned. “Tyrique and Daryl Porter are also good.”
Parrish, who has began all 4 video games this season after transferring from the Ole Miss Rebels in January, went down with an unspecified harm within the second half of Miami’s 45-31 loss to the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in September, however received’t miss any time, with the bye coming at an opportune time for the working again to get wholesome. The similar goes for Knighton, who left the Middle Tennessee sport with a left ankle harm and has principally performed a extra restricted position to this point this yr due to an harm within the preseason.
Parrish leads the Hurricanes (2-2) with 67 carries and 359 yards, and is tied for the workforce lead with 5 touchdowns — 4 speeding, one receiving — and likewise has caught six passes for 47 yards. Knighton, the first backup working again, has run for 97 yards on 22 carries.
At cornerback, Stevenson missed all the second half of Miami’s loss to the Blue Raiders with a decrease extremity harm, which opened the door for Porter to have his finest sport as a Hurricane. However, Porter, who transferred from the West Virginia Mountaineers in February, additionally later left with a shoulder harm.
Stevenson has began all 4 video games to this point this yr and has seven tackles, one interception and one move defended. Porter has 5 tackles and one sort out for loss in a reserve position.
Nelson’s standing, nevertheless, stays unsure, which might be one other blow for Miami. Even although he hasn’t began a sport this season, Nelson earned preseason All-America recognition from Athlon, College Football News and The Athletic, and has principally slid in to a reserve position as a result of offseason knee surgical procedure compelled him to overlook most of coaching camp, in addition to the primary two video games of the common season. The star sort out lastly debuted within the Hurricanes’ loss to the then-No. 24 Texas A&M Aggies in Week 3 and contributed at each sort out spots, with Miami hoping to ease him again right into a beginning position as he competed with fellow offensive linemen John Campbell Jr. and DJ Scaife Jr. — the beginning left and proper tackles, respectively.
The junior, nevertheless, had a setback, Cristobal mentioned, and didn’t play in Week 4. Although he mentioned he’s “optimistic” about Nelson’s standing for this week, Cristobal acknowledged the offensive lineman nonetheless not totally cleared to return to motion.
“Zion will be a game-time decision,” the coach mentioned. “He has gotten work and does look good, but, again, we’ll rely on the medical staff to give us the final decision on him. We’re very optimistic about him and his chances.”
This story was initially revealed October 5, 2022 12:18 PM.
David Wilson, a Maryland native, is the Miami Herald’s utility man for sports activities protection.
