Miami football depth chart has several changes for North Carolina State

The depth chart for the Miami football game against North Carolina State on Saturday has several changes. Injuries and (lack of) production are the impetus for the changes on the Miami depth chart. The loss of running back Cam’Ron Harris for the season and return to health of linebacker Keontra Smith are the biggest changes.

Head coach Manny Diaz announced on Monday that Harris is lost for the season after suffering what was an apparent knee injury against North Carolina on Saturday. Harris is leading the Miami football team with 409 yards rushing and five touchdowns and with six total TDs. Jaylan Knighton moves up to first-team RB.

Knighton returned two games ago against Virginia after being suspended for the first four contests this season. Knighton led Miami with 17 carries for 92 yards and two TDs and tied for the team lead with 73 receiving yards on two receptions with another TD in the Hurricanes 45-42 loss at North Carolina.

Harris is the second RB the Miami football team lost this season. The depth chart for the Miami football game against North Carolina State on Saturday has several changes featuring young players. Second-year freshman Don Chaney junior who backed up Harris early in the season was lost last month with a torn ACL.

True freshmen Cody Brown and Thad Franklin have been elevated to co-second team RBs behind Knighton for North Carolina State. Another noticeable change on the Miami depth chart was the elevation of true freshman wide receiver Jacolby George to second-team behind starter Charleston Rambo.

Dee Wiggins who was listed behind Rambo on the depth chart for North Carolina was not listed. Diaz expects Mark Pope and Wiggins to transfer. After missing several games last month, Smith returned on Saturday against North Carolina. Smith and his replacement Waynmon Steed are listed as the co-starters for N.C. State.

Steed is third on Miami with 27 tackles and has added two tackles for loss and one sack. Smith has 11 tackles, two TFLs and two sacks. Another newcomer to the Miami depth chart is second-year freshman defensive lineman Elijah Roberts.

Roberts is listed third on the depth chart at defensive end behind starter Zach McCloud and Chantz Williams. Roberts provides Miami with versatility on the defensive line as an end or tackle. The other two significant changes came in the secondary.

Second-year freshman Marcus Clarke is listed as the co-starter with Te’Cory Couch and D.J. Ivey after not being listed on the depth chart at all last week. Clarke has two tackles and two TFLs in 2021. Couch is fourth on Miami with 26 tackles and first with four pass breakups.

Five-star true freshman safety James Williams has earned his spot on the first-team over fourth-year junior Gurvan Hall. Hall started 11 games as a true sophomore in 2019 and three in 2020. Williams tied for third on Miami with six tackles against North Carolina and was one of the most active players on defense.

The young Miami players are making a big impact this season. With the veterans not producing, Diaz has committed to providing young players more snaps. Nine freshmen in eligibility are first on the Hurricanes depth chart for North Carolina. If they produce, Miami will have a very experienced team in a year or two.