The No. 1 Miami Hurricanes are heading into their biggest game of the season without their biggest offensive weapon.
Star wide receiver Malachi Toney won’t play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday night after suffering a high ankle sprain in practice on Wednesday. Toney, who entered the week as a Heisman Trophy favorite, had surgery on Thursday and did not travel to South Bend.
It’s a brutal blow for an undefeated Miami team, but there is some good news on the horizon.
Here’s everything you need to know about Toney’s injury, who will step up in his absence, and when the Hurricanes expect to get him back.
Why Malachi Toney Isn’t Playing vs. Notre Dame
Toney got hurt during Wednesday’s practice, and Miami released a brief statement saying he was being evaluated by the team’s medical staff.
At first, there was some hope he could play through it. ESPN’s Pete Thamel initially reported that Toney’s status was uncertain but that he would “press” to play given the magnitude of the game.
However, further testing revealed a high ankle sprain that required surgery. Thamel then reported that Toney would miss the Notre Dame game and likely several more weeks.
That’s a massive loss. The sophomore leads the ACC in catches (73), receiving yards (1,027), and receiving touchdowns (13). He also burned Notre Dame in his college debut last season, catching six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 27-24 win.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said he didn’t learn about the injury until after practice on Wednesday, but the Irish had already started preparing for Toney.
“We started prepping on Sunday, and you’ve got to have a plan for a dynamic player like that,” Freeman said Thursday. “We’ll see if he plays or not. If he doesn’t…they’ve got great players.
“I’m not saying one person’s going to replace Malachi Toney, but they have got a lot of great players on their team and they’re going to find ways to get the best players on the field. And so we’re going to have a good plan and be able to adjust to whatever happens on Saturday and whoever we see.”
Who Will Replace Malachi Toney in Miami’s Lineup?
There’s no replacing a player of Toney’s caliber, but Miami does have some solid options.
Duke transfer Cooper Barkate is the most obvious candidate to take on a bigger role. He ranks second on the team with 28 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns. He followed quarterback Darian Mensah from Duke last season, where he caught 72 passes for 1,106 yards, and seven touchdowns.
Wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw and tight end Elija Lofton should also see more targets, as Barkate is likely to draw plenty of attention from All-American cornerback Leonard Moore, who’s expected back after missing two of Notre Dame’s last four games.
It also helps that Miami has another Heisman candidate under center. Mensah has thrown 25 touchdown passes and just one interception this season, so the Hurricanes still have a QB who can elevate the players around him.
Freeman isn’t expecting one player to fill the void either.
“What’s the one person that’s going to come in [for Toney]? I don’t know,” Freeman said. “They’ve got a long list of guys that they can put on the field to be the 11th player. It’s not always the position as much as it is the player.
“There’s players all over. There’s great running backs, there’s good tight ends, there’s good young wide receivers who can step up. Whatever it is their plan will be on Saturday, we have to be ready to adjust.”
When Will Malachi Toney Return?
The good news for Miami is that Toney’s season isn’t over.
The early expectation is that he will miss four to six weeks after surgery, according to CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz. That would keep him out for the rest of the regular season, but he could be back in time for the ACC Championship Game.
Whether Miami would even want to risk playing him in that game is another question. After Notre Dame, the Hurricanes close the regular season with home games against Duke, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. If they win out, they could take the cautious approach and save Toney for the College Football Playoff.
Even if his recovery lands closer to the six-week mark, the timeline still works. The first round of the CFP doesn’t start until Dec. 18, and if Miami earns a top-four seed and a first-round bye, it wouldn’t play until Dec. 30 at the earliest.
Is Malachi Toney Playing vs. Notre Dame? Latest Update on Miami WR’s Ankle Injury