Miami Hurricanes most critical injury for Pinstripe Bowl is Gerald Willis
The Miami Hurricanes most critical injury for the Pinstripe Bowl is Senior defensive tackle, Gerald Willis. Willis is out for the game against Wisconsin with a hand injury.
Injuries have decimated the Miami Hurricanes at certain positions this season. Miami had to play without a tight end in the final game and a half of 2018. All four tight ends that began the season on the roster were out with injuries for the second half against Virginia Tech and the season finale against Pittsburgh.
Miami tight ends Michael Irvin II and Brian Polendey were lost early in the season. Irvin suffered a season-ending knee injury in training camp in August and Polendey injured his knee shortly after the season began to end his 2018 campaign.
Freshman Brevin Jordan stepped up and has had an outstanding year. Jordan is second on the Hurricanes with 30 receptions and four touchdown catches and third with 275 yards. Jordan can match the departed Jeff Thomas for the Miami team lead with five receptions in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Jordan’s classmate Will Mallory has taken more time to adjust. It seemed like he was going to get the opportunity to contribute when Jordan was hurt on the first play against Virginia Tech. Mallory suffered his own injury later against the Hokies. Jordan and Mallory are both expected to play against Wisconsin.
| Player | Status | Type | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gregory Rousseau | Out | Ankle | Rousseau had surgery to repair a fractured right ankle and there is no timetable for recovery. |
| Gerald Willis III | Out | Hand | Willis III suffered a hand injury and will not play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin. |
| George Brown Jr. | Out | Knee | Brown Jr. is sidelined with a torn MCL and there is no timetable for return. |
| De’Andre Wilder | Out | Neck | Wilder is suffering from a neck injury and will miss the remainder of the 2018 season. |
| Michael Irvin II | Out | Knee | Irvin II had offseason surgery to repair a right MCL injury and is expected to miss the entire 2018 season. |
| Brian Polendey | Out | Knee | Polendey sustained an injury to his right knee and is expected to miss the remainder of the 2018 season. |
| Lorenzo Lingard | Out | Knee | Lingard has a left knee injury and is expected to miss the remainder of the season. |
| Ahmmon Richards | Out | Neck | Richards has a neck injury and will miss the remainder of the season. |
| Mike Smith | Questionable | Knee | Smith missed the last game tending to a knee injury and his status is unclear for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin. |
| Jarren Williams | Questionable | Abdominal | Williams has been sidelined by an abdominal strain and it is unclear if he will play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin. |
| Will Mallory | Probable | Knee | Mallory has missed the last two games with a knee injury but is likely to return for the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin. |
| Brevin Jordan | Probable | Ankle | Jordan missed the last game with an ankle injury but it is likely he will be available to play in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl against Wisconsin. |
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 12/27/2018.
The most significant injury for the Miami Hurricanes in the Pinstripe Bowl is Defensive Tackle, Gerald Willis. Willis led Miami and is 14th nationally with 18 tackles for loss. He added four sacks and led Hurricanes defensive linemen with 59 tackles.
Expect Tito Odenigbo to start in Willis’ place with Nesta Jade Silvera and Jon Ford backing him up. The other noticeable absence for the Hurricanes has impacted Miami for the last two seasons. Wide Receiver Ahmmon Richards was Miami’s playmaker as a Freshman in 2016.
Richards battled lingering injuries as a Sophomore last season. After missing most of the season opener against LSU it was announced in October that Richard had to retire from football because of a neck injury.
Miami’s lone suspension is unofficial. The sexually explicit Snapchat video sent out by Hurricanes starting quarterback N’Kosi Perry been well documented over the last six days since it was reported on by the Miami Hurricane student newspaper.
Miami Head Coach Mark Richt announced Wednesday that Redshirt Senior Malik Rosier would start in Perry’s place. Richt gave the standard “Malik gives us the best chance to win” line. It’s hard to imagine that Perry’s repeated missteps didn’t at least play a part in his benching for the Pinstripe Bowl.
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Richt said that Perry is available to play against Wisconsin. The benching could be for a few series or the entire game. The flow of the game will likely determine that. There has also been an uprising among Miami Hurricanes fans who want to see True Freshman Jarren Williams play against Wisconsin.