Hurricanes notes: Bye gives Miami extra prep time for No. 2 FSU
No. 2 Florida State looms next on the schedule, but the latest matchup in the storied rivalry isn't in Miami's periphery yet.
With the game shaping up to be the Hurricanes' biggest of the season, UM has one clear advantage: an off week.
After opening the season with seven straight contests, the Hurricanes can rest up with their second break over the past four weeks. In the first instance, however, Miami didn't have a full 14-day stretch between games because the team visited Virginia Tech for a Thursday night affair.
''We're going to alter everything that would be a normal practice week for sure,'' coach Al Golden said Monday morning on a teleconference. ''Priority No. 1 is getting the team healthy and rested up. No. 2 getting stronger. No. 3 making sure that any academic work that we have moving forward for the next couple weeks that we devote a lot of our scheduled time to academics, actually yield that time to them so we can get that stuff done. No. 4 we need to improve and No. 5 -- and obviously as a staff -- we need to move on to Florida State.''
If the Seminoles win this Saturday against Virginia they will enter Sun Life Stadium with 25 consecutive victories, poised for another run at a national title. They have won four straight in the series against the Hurricanes, seeking their first five-game streak against UM since 1995-99. On Monday, the ACC announced that the FSU-Miami game would start at 8 p.m.
Asked whether there is a fine line between resting and getting extra work in, Golden said ''not really.''
''I think from our standpoint this week is going to be about -- like I said -- taking care of the academics, getting rested up, getting stronger, doing all of those things and once we get into game week we'll focus on Florida State,'' Golden said. ''This whole week is going to be about us taking care of the things we need to take care of, our plan. And once we get to Florida State we'll go from there.''
INJURY UPDATES
Three players' statuses remain uncertain for the upcoming Florida State game, but Golden remains optimistic concerning their returns.
Sophomore Alex Gall (back) would provide much-needed depth for an offensive line already without freshman Kc McDermott, sophomore Taylor Gadbois and junior Ereck Flowers. Gall appeared in the final 11 games of 2013 and made his 2014 debut against Florida A&M.
''We hope Gall will be back next week,'' Golden said. ''Again, it's an incredible opportunity for him to play. We've missed him tremendously because he has played, he does have experience. Individually, he'll never get a better opportunity than right now, so hopefully we can get him back.''
Flowers, who sustained a knee injury at Virginia Tech, missed the first game of his collegiate career this Saturday. Senior Jon Feliciano took his place as the team's left tackle, while freshman Trevor Darling moved into Feliciano's spot on the right side.
''Ereck is making progress,'' Golden said of his availability for the FSU game. ''I don't know what that means. No one knows what that means.''
Sophomore running back Gus Edwards left Saturday's game with an ankle injury and did not return. He had rushed three times for 22 yards. His progress is still to be determined.
''We're going to take care of him this week and see where his injury goes,'' Golden said. ''I really have no idea where he's at right now and haven't asked him to do anything.''
TO ANOTHER LEVEL
Senior Clive Walford continues to make a case for the Mackey Award, given to the nation's top tight end.
On Saturday, he became the first UM tight end to catch a pair of touchdowns in the same game since Greg Olsen in 2005. With six catches for 89 yards against the Tar Heels, Walford now ranks ninth in receptions (29) and fifth in yards (395). He stands atop the leaderboard standings with Iowa State's E.J. Bibbs with six touchdowns.
But over the past few weeks with a run-heavy attack, Walford has shown his ability to block and open holes for the backs. When brought up by a reporter, Golden called it a ''great'' observation, something that his staff has noticed on film of Saturday's game.
''He is finishing blocks really well,'' Golden said. ''He's being very unselfish. Him and Stan (Dobard) and (Walter) Tucker through this stretch of running the ball -- those guys have been really unselfish. Those guys are doing a great job led by Clive. The other area where Clive is really showing success is his avoidability or his run after catch. He's making people miss now for a big guy. If he can continue to add that element to his game he can go to another level with that.''
RECEIVING CREDIT
Junior running back Duke Johnson earned another honor Monday morning as he was named a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, handed out to the nation's most outstanding player.
Johnson has rushed for 100-plus yards in five straight games. He ranks sixth in the country with 1,213 rushing yards and second behind Nebraska's Ameer Abdullah in all-purpose yards (1,486).
Senior linebacker Denzel Perryman is a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award, given to the top defensive player.
Perryman leads the Hurricanes with 72 tackles (51 solo). He has tacked on five tackles for a loss, two sacks, four breakups, five passes defended, one interception and two forced fumbles. Perryman has made 33 starts in his career and is also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, an honor bestowed upon the top linebacker.
You can follow Christina De Nicola on Twitter @CDeNicola13 or email her at cdenicola13@gmail.com.
