Miami running back DeeJay Dallas goes down with gruesome arm injury against FIU
The Miami Hurricanes’ day as a 20-point favorite was already going poorly enough in the third quarter. With one run up the middle by DeeJay Dallas, it went from bad to worse.
Dallas, who Manny Diaz has called “the heart and soul” of Miami, went down with a gruesome left arm injury on the Hurricanes’ second offensive play of the second half and headed back to the locker room at Marlins Park. It was a dislocated left elbow, WQAM reported soon after. He would not return.
The running back had been one of the few bright spots for Miami against the FIU Panthers with 50 yards on nine carries. The Hurricanes were being shut out when the junior exited. He walked to the visitors’ clubhouse at Marlins Park flanked by a pair of trainers with his left arm tucked up against his upper abdomen. A pair of FIU players patted his chest as he walked past the Panthers’ bench. The crowd in Miami gasped when a close up of Dallas’ arm was shown on the big screen following the play.
Dallas has been the Hurricanes’ most consistent offensive player this season. He leads Miami with 693 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 117 carries.
The Hurricanes also played Saturday without another of their best offensive players. Star tight end Brevin Jordan missed his second straight game with a lower left leg injury. Fellow tight end Will Mallory started in Jordan’s place for Miami.
Shaquille Quarterman ties Miami ‘Ironman’ record
Shaquille Quarterman made some history in an otherwise bleak game against a crostown rival.
Quarterman, who joined the Hurricanes from Orange Park Oakleaf High as an All-American and early enrollee in 2016, started the 50th straight game, tying former defensive lineman William Joseph’s consecutive start record.
Consider it a formidable feat, especially considering the intensity of his position, the injuries he’s played through and the level at which he has played.
Quarterman, who was one of four captains Saturday, is tied for the second-longest active FBS start streak behind Ethan Reed of Louisiana Tech. He came into the FIU game tied for 11th in the nation with 14 1/2 tackles for loss, and led Miami with 78 tackles. He also has a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries as well as a team-leading seven quarterback hurries.
“To have any record at this school, you have to be doing something right,’’ Quarterman said Wednesday. “I don’t think many people are able to do that, so it’s definitely a blessing.”
Before Saturday, Quarterman already had 327 career tackles, 45 1/2 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, two forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and one interception to accompany 13 pass breakups.
Quarterman was asked this week how tough it is to deal with the physical nature of his position. “Didn’t you play a whole season with a separated shoulder?” a reporter asked
“Torn,’’ he responded. “It wasn’t separated. Separated sounds super bad. That was my freshman year. We played North Carolina about the fourth, fifth game of the season and I played the rest of the season with it.’’
Brevin Jordan misses second straight game
The Hurricanes called Brevin Jordan’s status “a game-time decision” heading into their game FIU. The final decision, even after Jordan went through pregame warm-ups, was to hold out the star tight end.
Jordan went down with a lower left leg injury in Miami’s win against the Florida State Seminoles on Nov. 2. He was not in uniform for the Hurricanes’ home finale at Hard Rock Stadium on Nov. 9 and instead roamed the sidelines wearing a boot on his left foot. A bye week immediately followed, and Jordan was back on the practice field ahead of the Panthers game.
The injury uncertainty didn’t deter the John Mackey award from naming Jordan a semifinalist for the award handed out annually to the nation’s best tight end. Jordan entered Saturday as the Hurricanes’ leader with 495 receiving yards and his 35 receptions are second most on the team. The receiver also has two touchdown catches this year.
