'It's A Great Time For A Bye Week': Mario Cristobal Gives Injury Updates After Clemson Win
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Every time you looked at No. 4 Miami at Clemson, a Hurricane was down on the field with the training staff around them.
That has been the story for the first five games of the year. The Miami Hurricanes (5-0, 3-0 ACC) are undefeated and are thankful for a bye week to heal and prepare for the remaining portion of the season.
However, Miami lost many players in the 43-13 victory over the Tigers, and head coach Mario Cristobal remains optimistic about some while cautious about others.
"Well, we'll see," Cristobal said Monday morning on the Joe Rose Show. "You know, I mean, they're gonna be evaluated throughout the course of the week. They went back in the game except for Marquise [Lightfoot] and there were a couple guys that ended up not playing that we do expect back as well.
"But, you know, let's see what this week does, man. We're working at it, we're in the training room, day and night, and it's a great time for a bye week. Wish you had about six of them in a row, but it is what it is. Let's roll."
Thankfully for the bye week, the Hurricanes are expecting players back against Florida State. Miami's secondary could get a boost with Xavier Lucas returning and getting healthy at the right time, while also putting players in the right spot around the field.
However, the bigger concern is Lightfoot, who didn't return to the game. He was starting to take over the game by blowing up offensive linemen, and without him, Miami's elite pass rush takes a bit of a dip, even with several players around.
Nevertheless, the Hurricanes also know the difference between players being really hurt and just dealing with some pain. Some are in pain, and others are really hurt, but the team knows when to fight.
"One of our biggest goals of training camp is to become a more callous football team, and you also, there's a very clear line between being injured and hurting," Cristobal said. "It's our duty and obligation to prepare these players for what this is their life they choose. It comes with it at the next level; sometimes you gotta just, you know, bite down on the mouthpiece a little bit harder, and you got to roll, man, you know, because that's the expectation."
Miami exited the game against the Tigers with some nicks, but responded well against a team with fight.
"We went in there with a lot of confidence," Cristobal said. "Some guys were banged up, but you know, it's you always look at right the eyes never lie. Everybody had the right look in their eye. The focus was strong . We knew were playing a really good team, and a team that had tremendous success in the second half. We knew that that was going to be their best punch, their best shot, and we got our guys responded really well."
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Justice Sandle is a graduate of Mississippi State University earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science in Communications with a concentration in Print and Digital Journalism. During his time in Starkville, he spent a year as an intern working for Mississippi State On SI primarily covering basketball, football, baseball, and soccer while writing, recording, and creating multimedia stories during his tenor. Since graduating, he has assumed the role of lead staff writer for Miami Hurricanes On SI covering football, basketball, baseball, and all things Hurricanes related.
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