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Following Wednesday’s practice, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz gave an injury update going into this week’s matchup vs. Pitt, including discussing the status of TE Brevin Jordan, who left the Clemson game with a shoulder injury.
“The only guy that would be questionable (for Pitt) is Brevin,” Diaz said. “Everyone else has been practicing, good to go. We’ll see as the week goes on with Brevin… I think we know we have two really outstanding tight ends. Will (Mallory) has really made some big improvements this year in terms of his physicality, blocking, doing things the tight end position requires. His ability to spread out, his body size across the middle of the field for a quarterback, it gives the quarterback such confidence because he’s such a humongous target to throw the ball to.”
OL Navaughn Donaldson has sat out the first four games of the season thus far as he works his way back from a knee injury, but Diaz has left open the possibility he could return at some point this season.
“Navaughn has an appointment later this week to assess his progress and where he’s at,” Diaz said. “There are two things going on, his overall fitness trying to get that right, and getting the clearance on the actual injury itself. Those go hand in hand, we’ll hear more on that later on this week. Right now, he’s able to take reps in no contact, walkthrough, jog-through type settings. We’re still hoping to have him, but I couldn’t say one thing for sure.”
Heading into the game against the Panthers this weekend, does Diaz anticipate any lineup changes?
“I think there may be snap counts (changed), but I don’t think anything dramatic,” Diaz said. “Sometimes you have to get into a game (to figure that out). Get in a game, see who the minutes go to at some spots. But no, we’re still battling. Have to watch film from today and see who is doing best, who gives us the best chance to win.”
QB D’Eriq King told the media earlier on Wednesday that Miami just put together their best back-to-back practices all year, a sentiment Diaz was less hesitant to declare.
“I’d have to watch the film to know, I’m on the defensive side, not watching the offensive practice,” Diaz said. “I do think we’ve got great leadership, the guys are helping push through. We did some discipline running for our penalties this past weekend, had to repeat a couple. Normally guys get discouraged, it was the opposite - guys were excited to put their hands on the line and run again. I do think it’s encouraging that we do have a good bit of leadership on this team.”
Much of that leadership has stemmed from King, who also mentioned the team has been open and honest with each other this week on what they need to improve going forward.
“Obviously D’Eriq has such a quiet confidence about him, is never rattled,” Diaz said. “When he wasn’t playing well in the game (at Clemson), there was never a sense of panic on his face. Internally, as a staff and football team, we were all able to put our hands up and say `These are places we could have been a lot better.’ And to be able to own it, move on, you have to tell some harsh truths after a game like that. Once you own them, have leaders being accountable, it’s encouraging.”
Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, who leads the nation in passing yardage, is dealing with an ankle injury suffered last week, but Diaz said the team is preparing as though he will play this weekend; Pickett defeated UM as a true freshman back in the 2017 season finale.
“His toughness has never been in question,” Diaz said of Pickett. “We would expect him to play, certainly he has burned us on some long runs in the past. He’s got a cannon for an arm, can throw some real darts down the field. If he finished the game last week we’d expect him to play us this week.”
Speaking on if LB Avery Huff could earn more snaps with the struggles at LB, Diaz said he still wants to see more from the sophomore before giving him significant playing time.
“Avery has to learn - not having spring practice, those reps. We were short 4-5 practices in training camp,” Diaz said. “Those are reps Avery Huff needed because this is going to be his big developing year. He’s still developing, doing a nice job on special teams. But understanding the assignments, run fits - he’s learning on that and gaining more confidence in that.
“What we want in Avery, Tirek Austin-Cave, Sam Brooks, Corey Flagg - we’re super excited about what we have developing in that linebacker room.”
“The only guy that would be questionable (for Pitt) is Brevin,” Diaz said. “Everyone else has been practicing, good to go. We’ll see as the week goes on with Brevin… I think we know we have two really outstanding tight ends. Will (Mallory) has really made some big improvements this year in terms of his physicality, blocking, doing things the tight end position requires. His ability to spread out, his body size across the middle of the field for a quarterback, it gives the quarterback such confidence because he’s such a humongous target to throw the ball to.”
OL Navaughn Donaldson has sat out the first four games of the season thus far as he works his way back from a knee injury, but Diaz has left open the possibility he could return at some point this season.
“Navaughn has an appointment later this week to assess his progress and where he’s at,” Diaz said. “There are two things going on, his overall fitness trying to get that right, and getting the clearance on the actual injury itself. Those go hand in hand, we’ll hear more on that later on this week. Right now, he’s able to take reps in no contact, walkthrough, jog-through type settings. We’re still hoping to have him, but I couldn’t say one thing for sure.”
Heading into the game against the Panthers this weekend, does Diaz anticipate any lineup changes?
“I think there may be snap counts (changed), but I don’t think anything dramatic,” Diaz said. “Sometimes you have to get into a game (to figure that out). Get in a game, see who the minutes go to at some spots. But no, we’re still battling. Have to watch film from today and see who is doing best, who gives us the best chance to win.”
QB D’Eriq King told the media earlier on Wednesday that Miami just put together their best back-to-back practices all year, a sentiment Diaz was less hesitant to declare.
“I’d have to watch the film to know, I’m on the defensive side, not watching the offensive practice,” Diaz said. “I do think we’ve got great leadership, the guys are helping push through. We did some discipline running for our penalties this past weekend, had to repeat a couple. Normally guys get discouraged, it was the opposite - guys were excited to put their hands on the line and run again. I do think it’s encouraging that we do have a good bit of leadership on this team.”
Much of that leadership has stemmed from King, who also mentioned the team has been open and honest with each other this week on what they need to improve going forward.
“Obviously D’Eriq has such a quiet confidence about him, is never rattled,” Diaz said. “When he wasn’t playing well in the game (at Clemson), there was never a sense of panic on his face. Internally, as a staff and football team, we were all able to put our hands up and say `These are places we could have been a lot better.’ And to be able to own it, move on, you have to tell some harsh truths after a game like that. Once you own them, have leaders being accountable, it’s encouraging.”
Pitt QB Kenny Pickett, who leads the nation in passing yardage, is dealing with an ankle injury suffered last week, but Diaz said the team is preparing as though he will play this weekend; Pickett defeated UM as a true freshman back in the 2017 season finale.
“His toughness has never been in question,” Diaz said of Pickett. “We would expect him to play, certainly he has burned us on some long runs in the past. He’s got a cannon for an arm, can throw some real darts down the field. If he finished the game last week we’d expect him to play us this week.”
Speaking on if LB Avery Huff could earn more snaps with the struggles at LB, Diaz said he still wants to see more from the sophomore before giving him significant playing time.
“Avery has to learn - not having spring practice, those reps. We were short 4-5 practices in training camp,” Diaz said. “Those are reps Avery Huff needed because this is going to be his big developing year. He’s still developing, doing a nice job on special teams. But understanding the assignments, run fits - he’s learning on that and gaining more confidence in that.
“What we want in Avery, Tirek Austin-Cave, Sam Brooks, Corey Flagg - we’re super excited about what we have developing in that linebacker room.”
