Senior linebacker Zach McCloud will play Saturday for the Miami football team versus Pittsburgh. McCloud can play in one more game this season and maintain his redshirt.
Zach McCloud has played in three games in 2019 for the Miami football team. McCloud can play Saturday versus Pittsburgh but would have to sit out the remainder of the 2019 season to keep his redshirt and play in 2020. After practice, Wednesday, Miami head coach Manny Diaz stated Michael Pinckney is doubtful for Saturday.
McCloud will get the start against Pittsburgh at Heinz Field in place of Pinckney at weak or WILL linebacker. Pickney exited Saturday’s loss to Georgia Tech with 6:17 remaining in the third quarter according to Inside the U with an undisclosed injury. Pinckney finished Saturday’s game with two tackles and one tackle for loss.
Pinckney was replaced by redshirt freshman walk-on transfer Ryan Ragone. Ragone was a defensive back at Arkansas State last season. When asked why Ragone played over freshman LB Sam Brooks, Diaz informed the media that Brooks and Ragone play different positions. Brooks is being groomed to replace Shaq Quarterman at MLB.
Pinckney who was not at practice for the Miami football team on Saturday has 38 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks in the 2019 season. Ragone and Brooks both have six tackles and one TFL in 2019 and McCloud three tackles.
Manny Diaz said the reason we didn’t see Sam Brooks Jr. and the reason walk-on Ryan Ragone replaced Michael Pinckney was because Brooks backs up Shaq Quarterman and Ragone backs up Pinckney. Also, Zach McCloud going for a redshirt.
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) October 19, 2019
The question has to be with thin LB depth, why isn’t Miami giving Brooks practice reps at all three LB positions. Ragone might be talented, but he is still a walk-on. That’s not why Miami lost to Georgia Tech, but it speaks to larger questions for the Miami football team. Why jeopardize McCloud’s redshirt season?
McCloud was part of an All-true Freshman LB corps with Pinckney and Quarterman that has started since 2016. McCloud’s snaps have diminished in the last two seasons because of the addition of the striker position. Romeo Finley has become a starter there. Striker has nearly eliminated the strongside or SAM LB for Miami.
The decision was made last month to redshirt McCloud to bolster what will be an extremely inexperienced LB corps for the Miami football team in 2020. McCloud now has one more game he can play before losing an entire season of eligibility. Diaz previously stated the hope was for McCloud to be available for a bowl game.
At 3-4, the bowl hopes for the Miami football team are in serious jeopardy. The Hurricanes have to win three of their last five games this season with only one at home. One of those road games is against FIU at Marlins stadium next month. The thinking might be to play McCloud and try and get a win at Pittsburgh.
Nothing was said what the plan was with McCloud beyond Saturday. It will likely depend on Pinckney’s health. It is clear that the Miami coaching staff doesn’t have enough confidence in Ragone or Brooks to start in place of Pinckney. Otherwise, why risk the possibility of taking McCloud out of a redshirt.