The first injury report for No. 5 Miami’s Friday matchup with Wake Forest didn’t bring any real surprises, but it did underline just how thin the Hurricanes are in the secondary.
Sophomore tight end Luka Gilbert is out, as he has been all season after suffering an undisclosed injury before fall camp. On defense, Miami will again be without several veteran cornerbacks.
Junior Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr. is out for the ACC showdown after injuring his left shoulder in the season opener against Stanford, when the shoulder appeared to dislocate on just the second play of the first drive. Head coach Mario Cristobal said he is hopeful Frederique Jr. can return toward the end of the regular season.
Junior cornerback Xavier Lucas is also out, missing his second straight game. He did not play in last Thursday’s 77-7 win over Florida A&M at Hard Rock Stadium, and Cristobal said after that game that Lucas was injured against Stanford. He is expected to be sidelined for “approximately a month.”
Another cornerback, Ja’Boree Antoine, remains out as well. He has not played this season after picking up an undisclosed injury during fall camp.
That leaves Miami looking for answers from the next wave of defensive backs. Byrce Fitzgerald, Damari Brown and Ethan O’Connor are among the players expected to step in.
There is one bit of good news on that side of the ball: junior safety Dylan Day is not on the injury report and appears on track to make his season debut.
Wake Forest’s report was lighter. The Demon Deacons initially had no players ruled out, though redshirt sophomore wide receiver Ny Carr is doubtful.
Carr spent two seasons at Coral Gables before moving on, but he had limited chances with the Hurricanes, catching four passes for 53 yards in seven games. He has not played for Wake Forest this season.
Redshirt junior quarterback Gio Lopez is listed as probable, and he brings the kind of challenge Miami’s defense has already been preparing for. Through two games, Lopez has completed 37 of 59 passes for 575 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing 20 times for 98 yards and two scores.
His ability to create with his legs will test the Hurricanes’ front seven, especially with star edge rushers Akheem Mesidor and All-American Rueben Bain Jr. unavailable. For defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman, it shapes up as another look at a dual-threat quarterback, and possibly the first major exam for Miami’s reshuffled defensive line.
In Other News...
Miami Suddenly Has A 5-Star Recruiting Fight It Can't Afford To Lose
A recruitment that once looked headed Miamis way has suddenly become a lot more complicated. Five-star wide receiver Brysen Wright, who had been widely expected to land with the Hurricanes, is now taking a harder look at Texas, Ohio State and Florida, with his recent trip to Austin helping the Longhorns make a stronger impression.
Miami is still pushing hard for Wright, and the Hurricanes have even had one of their own voices working on the case in public, with Malachi Toney urging him to join the program. For a team trying to keep elite South Florida talent from drifting elsewhere, this is exactly the kind of late tug-of-war that can reshape a class, and Miami now has to finish stronger than it started. [Read more 🡒]
Miami Faces A Tough Road Test With Its Secondary Under Pressure
The No. 5 Hurricanes head into their next test with a little more intrigue than a typical early-season road trip. Miami is 2-0 and will visit Wake Forest, which is also unbeaten, in a matchup that has already drawn attention inside the program because of the way the Demon Deacons play and the way their quarterback, Gio Lopez, has looked so far. Mario Cristobal and several Miami players have pointed to Wake Forests physical style as part of the challenge, and it is the kind of game that can demand patience, discipline and a clean night in the secondary.
That secondary is where the pressure is most obvious. Miami will be missing two starting cornerbacks because of injuries, which shifts even more responsibility onto a defense trying to hold up in a tough road environment. For the Hurricanes, the question is less about reputation than readiness, with both sides entering the game unbeaten and the margin for error likely to be thin from the opening series. [Read more 🡒]
Mario Cristobal Just Framed What Miami Built In The FAMU Win
Mario Cristobal spent the aftermath of Miamis win over FAMU talking less about style points and more about the habits the Hurricanes are trying to build. He pointed to the work, energy and execution that showed up in the game, along with a few individual performances that stood out, including JJ Dunnigan, Vance Spafford, Javian Mallory, Armondo Blount, Luke Nickel and Dereon Coleman. For a team still in the process of putting its identity together, those kinds of nights matter because they give the staff a clearer read on where the younger players are and how the group is coming together.
Cristobal also made it clear that the value of a game like this goes beyond the final result, especially when it comes to giving younger players real snaps and keeping the standard where Miami wants it. The Hurricanes came away with a better sense of their depth and camaraderie, but the bigger question is how much of that progress carries forward once the competition stiffens. [Read more 🡒]