At least 16 Miami football players will not play in the spring game on Saturday as reported by head coach Manny Diaz in a Zoom meeting with reporters on Thursday. Several familiar names will be missing for Miami including multiple starters on offense and defense. The players have varying degrees of how long they will be out.
The most decimate position is tight end. None of the four scholarship tight ends on the Miami football roster are expected to be available for the spring game on Saturday. Projected starting TE Will Mallory is expected to be able to return for workouts in May and primary backup 2021 signee Elijah Arroyo during the summer.
Dominick Mammarelli is not expected to be ready to play until the season opener on September 4 against Alabama. Redshirt freshman TE Larry Hodges is missing a key opportunity on Saturday after being suspended due to what was reported as a violation of team rules. Six potential starters are out for the spring game.
Starting quarterback D’Eriq King is recovering from a torn ACL and expected to ready for training camp. Other projected starters recovering from injuries are safety Bubba Bolden from a toe injury suffered this spring, slot CB Te’Cory Couch a neck injury and Mallory and defensive tackle Nesta Silvera shoulder injuries.
Cornerback Al Blades Jr. has not competed since the last three games of the 2020 season after suffering myocarditis as a side effect from COVID-19. The Miami Herald reported that Blades has also been rehabbing from a stress fracture that was not stated where.
Back for workouts in May
- DB Bubba Bolden (toe)
- LB Sam Brooks (toe)
- OL Cleveland Reed (pectoral)
- TE Will Mallory (shoulder)
- WR Jeremiah Payton (knee)
Returning for Summer Workouts
- CB Al Blades Jr. (stress fracture)
- CB Marcus Clarke (jaw)
- CB Te’Cory Couch (neck)
- DB Brian Balom (neck)
- DT Nesta Jade Silvera (shoulder)
- TE Elijah Arroyo (knee)
Will return for August training camp
- OL Michael McLaughlin (knee)
- QB D’Eriq King (knee)
Ready for September 4 season opener against Alabama
- RB Don Chaney Jr. (shoulder)
- TE Dominic Mammarelli
Miami football injury information courtesy Inside the U
With 16 players out for the Miami football team for the spring game that creates opportunities for over a dozen players with a chance to excel. Quarterbacks Jake Garcia and Tyler Van Dyke have been impressive this spring receiving the majority of the snaps with King rehabbing but continue to work with the young QBs.
The only other TE on the official Miami roster is Robert Prosek. Prosek has spent the last two seasons on the practice squad. Miami has also used fullback Michael Parrott at TE this spring while limited by injuries at the position. Miami was thin at CB during the 2020 season and will have to adapt during the spring game.
...And now word on a 16th player out for UM's spring game, but not for health reasons: As 247 Sports reported, Larry Hodges has been withheld from team activities recently (and Saturday) for team rules violation, per source. Squandered good opportunity with UM short-handed at TE.
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) April 15, 2021
The addition of Georgia transfer Tyrique Stevenson and switch by Jalen Harrell from safety will help Miami at CB. D.J. Ivey and Isaiah Dunson will also be available with Stevenson and Harrell. Malik Curtis a 2021 signee was not an early enrollee but will help with depth at CB this fall.
Safety is the deepest position on the Miami football roster. The losses of Balom and Bolden for the spring game is a temporary setback. Avantae Williams who was the second-ranked safety in the Class of 2020 was out for all of last season but has been impressive this spring. Returning starter Gurvan Hall will lead the safeties.
Amari Carter who Diaz revealed has played a lot of striker this spring will be available on Saturday with freshman Keshaun Washington and 2021 signee Kamren Kinchens who has played maturely this spring. The remaining positions should be competitive for the spring game despite missing players.