Diaz updates injuries, talks recruiting ahead of VT

Diaz updates injuries, talks recruiting ahead of VT

Stefan Adams
After yesterday’s practice, Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz was asked about the status of TE Brevin Jordan, who has now missed UM’s last three games.

"I don’t want to get into the individuals," Diaz said. "But there is a hope he could be back. That’s the truth, but that’s all I can say at this point.”

OL Navaughn Donaldson has also been working his way back into playing shape after a knee injury suffed at the end of last year, and Diaz said that Donaldson has been progressing towards his season debut.

“Navaughn is getting closer to coming back,” Diaz said. “I don’t have a definitive time to say this Saturday or next Saturday, but we’re getting to that point, which is good.”

With the NCAA ruling that all student-athletes won’t lose a year of eligibility this season due to COVID-19 complications, that means players from Miami’s senior class could return next year despite playing this season. While how the scholarship numbers will be impacted due to the implications of that rule is still unclear, Diaz said his plan is still to take a full recruiting class in 2021.

“As you’re going through recruiting, I don’t think you can anticipate with who will be back with the rule,” Diaz said. “You have a signing day that will take place before the season ends. You never sign a class to replace the departing class anyway. You recruit, go full speed ahead. And if the initial (counter) rule changes in the springtime, you address that when the time comes.”

Diaz was also asked about how the staff was approaching QB recruiting with still no gunslinger committed in the 2021 class.

“First of all, the guys we have on campus we like,” Diaz said. “We are still looking to sign a high school quarterback and every year we’ll look to improve the football team - if it’s a need - in the transfer market. It’s so wide open right now. We are certainly recruiting a high school quarterback and certainly like the guys we have in the quarterback room behind D’Eriq (King).”
 

Comments (101)

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There’s a hope Brevin plays ≠ there’s an expectation Brevin plays. God forbid our reporters ask a follow up question.

You must not listen to the press conferences. Every single one of them asks a "follow-up" question every single time. Especially SMD, who ends every single question with "and I have a follow."
 
I hate to write this but I sincerely think Brevin's presence or lack thereof over the next 4 games is the difference between 3-1/4-0 and 2-2. I think he is that impactful when playing, and equally impactful in his absence. Not to knock Mallory, but the ability to play with 2 tights ends of high caliber is almost impossible for college defenses. One of them is always matched up against an overmatched safety or a slow linebacker when both are on the field. Kind of like when the Patriots were using Hernandez and Gronk at the same time. It's a matchup nightmare.

I hope I am wrong because King has the potential to carry the team, but it's a lot to ask of King as the competition improves.
 
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Unfortunately for Brevin, some players have great talent for the game but their bodies simply can't hold up.
 
I hate to write this but I sincerely think Brevin's presence or lack thereof over the next 4 games is the difference between 3-1/4-0 and 2-2. I think he is that impactful when playing, and equally impactful in his absence. Not to knock Mallory, but the ability to play with 2 tights ends of high caliber is almost impossible for college defenses. One of them is always matched up against an overmatched safety or a slow linebacker when both are on the field. Kind of like when the Patriots were using Hernandez and Gronk at the same time. It's a matchup nightmare.

I hope I am wrong because King has the potential to carry the team, but it's a lot to ask of King as the competition improves.
The competition still sucks, so there's no excuse for not winning out. Brevin's a helluva player, but those other teams will be missing guys too, and they have less material overall than we do.
 
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I hate to write this but I sincerely think Brevin's presence or lack thereof over the next 4 games is the difference between 3-1/4-0 and 2-2. I think he is that impactful when playing, and equally impactful in his absence. Not to knock Mallory, but the ability to play with 2 tights ends of high caliber is almost impossible for college defenses. One of them is always matched up against an overmatched safety or a slow linebacker when both are on the field. Kind of like when the Patriots were using Hernandez and Gronk at the same time. It's a matchup nightmare.

I hope I am wrong because King has the potential to carry the team, but it's a lot to ask of King as the competition improves.
It's more than that. You can't expect to hit home run balls consistently week after week, and the offense isn't really built to sustain long drives without Brevin. He's the best YAC guy on the team and the best target against zone - although Pope has shown a lot of growth in that area too.

And yeah VT is a team you can run on so having 12 personnel available would be very helpful.
 
"I don’t want to get into the individuals," Diaz said. "But there is a hope he could be back. That’s the truth, but that’s all I can say at this point.”

Coachspeak Translation- Jordan is a pu$$y and could play through whatever is ailing him if he really wanted to; whether he sacks up and plays depends on how motivated he is feeling on Saturday morning. Maybe the other players can convince him since I'm not having any luck.
 
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Jordan has played a total of 22 out of 33 possible games in 3 seasons. Freshman year 9 Sophomore 9 and 4 Junior year. In comparison, the Njoku played in 25 games in his 2 seasons and he was considered a 1st round pick in which he eventually would be drafted in. Brevin has got the body but needs to put in the work on the field to show his stock. This isn't a Greg Rousseau situation with him either where the NFL is looking over the lack of body of work.
 
Jordan has played a total of 22 out of 33 possible games in 3 seasons. Freshman year 9 Sophomore 9 and 4 Junior year. In comparison, the Njoku played in 25 games in his 2 seasons and he was considered a 1st round pick in which he eventually would be drafted in. Brevin has got the body but needs to put in the work on the field to show his stock. This isn't a Greg Rousseau situation with him either where the NFL is looking over the lack of body of work.
Rouseau won’t go in the 1st either
 
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