UM down to 3 running backs after losing Chaney to injury; and CB enters transfer portal

The Miami Hurricanes’ once-deep group of running backs is suddenly a lot thinner.

After TreVonte’ Citizen went down with a significant injury in Miami’s first scrimmage of training camp Saturday, Donald Chaney Jr. is also now sidelined with an injury, Mario Cristobal said.

“He suffered an injury,” the coach said. “There’s no update on it, and hopefully he’ll be better sooner than later.”

Chaney was a participant in the early portion of practice Thursday in Coral Gables, but sustained the injury later in the session, a source told the Miami Herald. The injury is not to the same knee he hurt last season, The Athletic reported.

“He will be fine,” another source told the Herald when asked about the situation.

The running back, who’s still just a redshirt freshman, has played in 13 games across two seasons so far with the Hurricanes, and rushed for 366 yards and four touchdowns on 79 carries in his career.

Cristobal did not give specifics on Chaney’s injury, but injuries have plagued the 5-foot-10, 208-pound tailback throughout his career. Chaney sustained a shoulder injury after his first season, which hampered him throughout last offseason, and then tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Week 2 last year.

At the time, Chaney was Miami’s No. 2 running back behind Cam’Ron Harris and was one of five halfbacks competing for playing time this preseason. Now, the Hurricanes are left with just running backs Jaylan Knighton, Henry Parrish Jr. and Thaddius Franklin Jr.

Chaney was a four-star prospect out of Miami Belen Jesuit in the Class of 2020, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, and the Hurricanes’ fourth highest-ranked addition in the cycle. Citizen, a freshman, was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2022 and also Miami’s fourth highest-ranked addition in the cycle.

Miami expects Jordan Miller back

After missing practice with an unspecified injury at least Tuesday and Friday, defensive lineman Jordan Miller should be back by the early part of next week, Cristobal said.

The defensive lineman could be back as soon as Saturday, when the Hurricanes have their second scrimmage of camp.

“If not tomorrow, by Tuesday of next week,” Cristobal said. “That’s the expectation.”

A redshirt junior, Miller has played in 36 games across his four seasons at Miami and started twice.

The latest on Zion Nelson

Zion Nelson has yet to be a full participant in practice this preseason, but Cristobal still is not yet ready to rule him out for Week 1 against the FCS Bethune-Cookman Wildcats.

The coach said there’s no minimum number of practices he needs to see from the star tackle before he feels comfortable playing him in a game.

“I don’t think you put a number on that,” Cristobal said. “You’ve got to see what he looks like. I remember trying put a number on how many snaps Penei Sewell needed to start [as a freshman with the Oregon Ducks]. He needed like one.

“We’ll see where he is. Conditioning is a different element.”

Nelson has started at left tackle since the first game of his freshman year back in 2019 and earned preseason All-America recognition from Athlon last month.

With Nelson sidelined, fellow offensive lineman John Campbell Jr. has taken the vast majority of snaps at left tackle with the first-team offense.

Nelson got surgery on his left knee early last month and said Aug. 2 he expected a six- to eight-week timetable to return. Friday marked six weeks since Nelson’s surgery and the eight-week mark will be one day before Miami’s opener.

Clarke to transfer

The last UM player to earn the turnover chain has entered the transfer portal.

Third-year sophomore Marcus Clarke, a 5-10, 190-pound cornerback from Winter Park, on Friday announced on Twitter lthat he has “officially entered the transfer portal,’’ and that “[direct messages] are 100 [percent] open for recruitment.” Clarke finished his UM career with 29 total tackles (24 last season), a fumble recovery and two interceptions, including one in UM’s 2021 regular-season finale against Duke. He started four games last year.

Though Clarke had improved last season, his playing time would likely have been reduced with NFL prospect Tyrique Stevenson expected to start on one side and others, such as West Virginia transfer Daryl Porter Jr., excelling in fall camp. UM also has veterans DJ Ivey and Al Blades Jr, Te’Cory Couch, Isaiah Dunson and Malik Curtis, as well as freshmen Khaumari Rogers and Jaden Harris.