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Miami Hurricanes fifth-year senior defender will return to Canes for sixth season

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Zach McCloud was once a member of the hard-hitting trio that made headlines nationally in 2016 as the only starting linebacker corps to play together as true freshmen.

Linebackers Shaq Quarterman (Jacksonville Jaguars) and Michael Pinckney (New England Patriots practice squad) are long gone. McCloud, however, isn’t leaving anytime soon.

McCloud, who was switched to defensive end before the Cheez-It Bowl, announced Saturday on Instagram his decision to return to UM for a sixth season in 2021 with a simple graphic that said, “LET’S RUN IT BACK,’’ taking advantage of an NCAA rule that will allow all players to have an extra year of eligibility next season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Let’s Run it Back’’ is the new, go-to phrase, first used by fifth-year senior quarterback D’Eriq King on Dec. 26, for UM football players who have become part of a new trend to return to the Hurricanes rather than enter the NFL Draft. McCloud is the fourth senior to announce he’s returning, along with defensive tackle Jon Ford, receiver Mike Harley and King.

UM redshirt junior safety Bubba Bolden, redshirt junior punter Lou Hedley and junior running back Cam’Ron Harris previously announced they’re returning.

The Canes (8-3 in 2020) face national champion Alabama to open the 2021 season in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta, and the veterans will be valuable.

The 6-2, 235-pound McCloud surprised many in September 2019 when he announced he would redshirt that season and return to play in 2020. He was converted to defensive end last month to play as a substitute in the bowl game after starters Jaelan Phillips and Quincy Roche opted out of the game to train for the NFL Draft.

“Believe it or not, I think Zach’s got a future at defensive end,’’ Diaz said before the bowl.

He finished the bowl game with 1 1/2 tackles. His 2020 statistics were likely not what he had expected when he returned for the season: Eight starts in his nine games, with 27 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, 2 sacks, 1 pass breakup, 1 forced fumble and 1 fumble recovery.

McCloud’s UM career numbers: 164 tackles, 4 1/2 sacks, two forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 4 passes deflected.