Miami is set to get two key pieces back just in time for Clemson.
Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said Monday morning on WQAM’s “The Joe Rose Show” that running back Mark Fletcher Jr. and defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. are expected to play in Saturday’s primetime matchup.
Both were held out of last week’s blowout win over Central Michigan. Cristobal said after that game the decision was precautionary after the pair picked up minor injuries against Wake Forest on Sept. 18.
Fletcher has been one of Miami’s most productive players through three games. The preseason AP All-American leads the team with 230 rushing yards, is tied for the team lead with three rushing touchdowns and is averaging 6.4 yards per carry. Pro Football Focus has given him a 74.9 rushing grade so far this season.
“We feel Mark is healthy and ready to go,” Cristobal said after the win over Central Michigan. “He was banged up to the point where it may not have been the best choice to put him in there tonight, especially with his running style.
He kind of runs hard. so he’s excited. It was more holding him back.
… He’s ready to roll.”
Moten also appears on track to return after leaving the Wake Forest game early. He was hurt on the first drive, came back for the second and finished with 27 snaps.
This season, he has three tackles and half a sack. Pro Football Focus lists him with a 58.9 defensive grade.
“Ahmad did get a little bit nicked up last week,” Cristobal said after beating CMU. “And we felt, again, just his processes, getting him ready to roll.
He’s such a physical player. He’s right there.
He’s right there and he’s ready to roll.”
In Other News...
Miami Suddenly Has A Real RB2 Debate Before Clemson
Chris Wheatley-Humphrey gave Miami something to think about in the win over Central Michigan, turning 11 carries into more than 100 yards and a touchdown while Mark Fletcher Jr. was held out to get ready for Clemson. The timing matters because the Hurricanes have been searching for clarity behind their feature back, and the latest outing only sharpened the conversation. When a reserve back puts together that kind of performance, it changes how a depth chart looks heading into a much bigger stage.
Mario Cristobal said Fletcher was rested with Clemson in mind, and Miami appears headed toward a committee approach for the RB2 role anyway. Wheatley-Humphrey, Girard Pringle and Jordan Lyle are all in the mix, which gives the Hurricanes options but also leaves the pecking order unsettled. Against a defense like Clemsons, the question is not just who gets the next carry, but who can earn the staffs trust when the game gets tight. [Read more 🡒]
Cristobal Put Miamis Clemson Focus On Two Issues After Blowout Win
After Miamis 52-3 rout of Central Michigan, the focus inside the program quickly shifted from the lopsided final to the details that matter next. The Hurricanes piled up 572 yards and forced three turnovers, with Darian Mensah sharp through the air and Malachi Toney continuing to give the offense a big-play presence, but head coach Mario Cristobal spent his media time zeroing in on how the game was managed and how the roster was rotated.
Clemson is the real measuring stick ahead, and Cristobals message after the win centered on two issues that will shape how prepared Miami looks when that one arrives. The matchup is already looming as a major test for a team that handled Central Michigan with ease, and the attention now is on whether the Canes can keep the same edge while tightening the pieces that matter most in a bigger game. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Heads Into Clemson With A New Look Fans Will Notice
Miamis 52-3 rout of Central Michigan pushed the Hurricanes to 4-0 and kept the momentum rolling into a marquee trip to Clemson, but the more immediate buzz around the program is the lineup getting healthier at just the right time. Several key pieces are expected back from injury, including Mark Fletcher Jr., Ahmad Moten Sr., Armondo Blount and Damari Brown, giving Mario Cristobals team a different look as it prepares for one of its biggest tests of the season.
The timing matters even more after Miami climbed to No. 4 in the AP Poll following Ole Misss loss, a sign that the Hurricanes have gone from early-season riser to a team with real weight in the national conversation. Between the reinforcements on the roster, the latest poll jump and a program still getting solid visibility from its players in the NFL, this is one of those stretch-point moments where the details around the game start to matter almost as much as the game itself. [Read more 🡒]