Miami TE Jordan nicked again, but Mallory sets career high in receiving in first half
He was distinguished this past week as one of the three best tight ends in the nation as a finalist for the John Mackey Award that will be announced Dec. 11.
But on Saturday at Duke, Miami sophomore Brevin Jordan, who sat out the past two games with a left foot/ankle injury, returned to the lineup — for UM’s first offensive play and then the next series. Jordan appeared to hurt his left leg on that first play before leaving the game.
No worries. Jordan’s roommate and biggest supporter — fellow sophomore Will Mallory — to the rescue. The 6-5, 230-pound Mallory, out of Jacksonville Providence School, started with Jordan in a two-tight-end set Saturday. He then broke out with a career-high 93 yards receiving on a career-high-tying four catches — in the first half.
Despite his injury, Jordan came into Saturday with a team-high 495 receiving yards. He has 35 receptions and two touchdowns. Mallory came into the Duke game with eight catches for 158 yards and two touchdowns.
Mallory, who started in place of Jordan last week against FIU, said he doesn’t think “anyone in the country deserves’’ the Mackey Award “more than’’ Jordan. “He’s a playmaker. ... He’s versatile. He can do it all. Since he’s [been] a freshman he makes the big blocks, he makes the big plays and his energy carries on and off the field.
“... I’m a little biased because that’s my teammate, that’s my roommate, that’s my brother,’’ Mallory added. “He’s the best tight end in the country and he deserves it.”
Injury report
Miami offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson injured his right knee, reported WQAM, at 2:42 of the first quarter on a Duke sack of UM quarterback Jarren Williams. ... Donaldson was replaced by John Campbell, who later got injured at 3:58 of the second quarter. ... Campbell was replaced by Jakai Clark, who moved from right guard. ... And Kai-Leon Herbert came in to right tackle. DJ Scaife slid over from right tackle to right guard.
Williams had been sacked six times by the third quarter.
Entering the second half, WQAM reported that Campbell, Jordan and Donaldson would not be back and that tailback Cam’Ron Harris (undisclosed injury in second quarter) was unlikely to return.
Starting senior linebacker Michael Pinckney sustained an injury at 7:18 of the second quarter but returned late in the second quarter.
Tate Martell’s late-night message
Miami reserve quarterback Tate Martell, the high-profile Ohio State transfer who is on his second leave of absence to work out personal issues, left a message for fans on an Instagram story he posted after midnight Friday.
Martell’s message:
“for those asking: I’m not transferring from the university of miami. my leave of absence is due [to] person[al] reasons. at this time, i don’t think it’s appropriate for me to discuss these reasons.
“there might be a time, down the road, when i believe it is appropriate to talk about this publicly.
“for the time being, i need some time to focus on these issues.
“i wish my boys nothing but the best tomorrow against duke. #gocanes.”
Martell, a nationally popular redshirt sophomore and the 2016 Gatorade Player of the Year out of Las Vegas Gorman Bishop High, transferred to UM from the Buckeyes in January. He did not have to sit out the customary transfer year after the NCAA approved his waiver request to play immediately.
But Martell lost the quarterback starting race to Jarren Williams and backup N’Kosi Perry during fall camp and in 11 games has never thrown a pass for the Hurricanes.
UM coach Manny Diaz said this past Monday that Martell “reiterated that Miami is where he wants to be, doesn’t want to leave. But he’s got to resolve these issues and we support him in that.”
Quarterman sets record
Hurricanes senior linebacker Shaq Quarterman set Miami’s all-time consecutive start record Saturday at Duke — his 51st straight start since his first game as a true freshman. After last week’s game against FIU, Quarterman was tied with former Canes defensive lineman William Joseph.
Quarterman is tied for the second-longest active FBS start streak behind Ethan Reed of Louisian Tech. He entered the Duke game tied for 14th nationally with 15.5 tackles for loss. He leads Miami with 90 tackles and also has two forced fumbles.
Going into Saturday’s game, Quarterman had 339 total tackles, 46.5 tackles for loss, 13 sacks, five fumble recoveries, one interception and 14 pass breakups to accompany the two forced fumbles.
Return to site of 8-lateral miracle
Hard to believe it’s already been four years, but Saturday was UM’s return for the second time to the site of the eight-lateral kickoff return miracle that set off a national firestorm on Oct. 31, 2015.
The amazing lateral for the winning touchdown as time expired resulted in the officiating crew being suspended by the Atlantic Coast Conference for what it deemed as “a series of errors’’ on that play.
Duke coach David Cutcliffe insisted after the controversial play that former UM running back Mark Walton, recipient of the third lateral, had his knee down on the ground and that the play would have ended there.
Cutcliffe said “the most difficult part” of the 2015 ending “was walking in the locker room and looking at a bunch of crushed young people that I didn’t have an answer for. “That probably will live with me forever.’’
This and that
Receiver Jeff Thomas, who Diaz said Wednesday had been dealing with a back injury, played Saturday. ... The captains for UM were linebacker Shaq Quarterman, punter Lou Hedley, receiver K.J. Osborn and safety Amari Carter. ... Redshirt freshman defensive end Greg Rousseau had 2 1/2 sacks by late in the third quarter. DE Jon Garvin had two sacks by end of third quarter.
