Miami star receiver and Heisman Trophy candidate Malachi Toney has a high ankle sprain and is said to have surgery. He will not play Saturday when the top-ranked Hurricanes visit No. 11 Notre Dame. However, he is expected to return at some point for the College Football Playoff.
Toney has battled ankle problems at times this season without missing a game.
Toney’s absence now will be a massive blow for Miami (8-0, No. 1). College Football Playoff) against Notre Dame (7-1, No. 11 CFP) — which has the nation’s top-ranked defense. Among all Football Bowl Subdivision players entering this week, Toney is second with 73 catches, tied for second with 13 receptions and third with 1,027 receiving yards. Before the injury, Toney had the second highest odds to win the Heisman Trophy at +300.
“He’s as good as anybody you’re going to see,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said earlier this week.
This Miami-Notre Dame game — a Week 1 matchup a year ago won by Miami, a result that ultimately gave the Hurricanes the final spot in the CFP field and kept the Irish out of the playoff — has been billed for months as a showdown between big teams. It was also supposed to be a matchup of elite talent, especially the supposed matchup between Toney and the Notre Dame cornerback Leonard Moore.
Toney is responsible for 35% of Miami’s catches, 39% of its receiving yards and 46% of its touchdown receptions this season. An All-American last year as a freshman, he and Miami quarterback Darian Mensah are among the Heisman favorites this season with the Hurricanes among the national leaders in a number of offensive categories.
Toney hadn’t missed a game in his Miami career, appearing in all 24 of the Hurricanes’ contests since signing. He led the nation with 109 catches last season and is now just 18 shy of reaching Miami’s all-time record of 200 – set by Xavier Restrepo over five seasons. Toney is only in his second year at Miami.
He broke the Hurricanes record for receiving yards in a game with 234 in the season-opening win at Stanford, then broke the school record for receptions in a game with 16 against Pitt last month. Toney’s 2,238 receiving yards rank sixth all-time at Miami, and his 23 career receiving yards are three shy of tying Michael Irvin’s school record.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
