The Miami football team will be missing its great amount players in their Saturday night game at Duke.
Fifteen Miami football players are not playing on Saturday night at Duke. Miami was missing 13 games in their last game against Virginia Tech three weeks and ago and 11 in the previous game at North Carolina State the previous week. The Hurricanes will be extremely thin at cornerback without junior Al Blades Jr.
Starters D.J. Ivey and Te’Cory Couch will receive the majority of the snaps with freshmen Marcus Clarke and Isaiah Dunson backing them up. Miami will lack experience in the nickel packages. Duke is more adept running than they are passing. Striker Gilbert Frierson could see time in the nickel if necessary.
Frierson has played 169 snaps in the slot this season. The Miami defense is far more impacted than the offense with missing players on Saturday night. In addition to Blades, Miami will be missing starting linebacker Zack McCloud and backups, Avery Huff and Sam Brooks. Defensive tackle Jared-Harrison Hunte is also out.
Junior starting middle linebacker Bradley Jennings Jr. is likely to see an increase in snaps. Freshmen Corey Flagg and Tirek Austin-Cave will see a great increase in their snaps. Head coach Manny Diaz and defensive coordinator Blake Baker could choose to use Frierson’s backup Keontra Smith by playing two strikers.
Miami will be missing 15 players tonight vs #Duke: pic.twitter.com/4ZREVeaHqw
— Embrik Eyles (@EmbrikEyles) December 6, 2020
Senior DT Jon Ford who had the best game of his Miami football career with six tackles staring in place of Harrison-Hunte is also out Saturday. Junior starting DT Nesta Silvera will take on an increased role with Harrison-Hunte and Ford out. Junior Jordan Miller and redshirt freshman Jalar Holley will receive more snaps.
Miami is not missing any starters on offense. The most significant names who will be out on offense are backup running back Robert Burns and wide receiver Jeremiah Payton. Tight end Larry Hodges is also out. Burns led Miami in carries against Duke last season. Freshmen Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton should get more carries.