Miami receiver Malachi Toney to have surgery for ankle sprain
The 73-catch sophomore will miss Saturday’s game against Notre Dame and beyond, as Miami prepares for a major test without its leading receiver.
Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney has a high ankle sprain and will have surgery after being injured at practice on Wednesday, Nov. 4, ESPN reported, citing sources who spoke to Pete Thamel. Toney will miss Saturday’s game against Notre Dame and beyond, a significant loss for the No. 1-ranked Hurricanes ahead of their biggest regular-season matchup.
Miami said Toney was hurt during Wednesday’s practice; ESPN’s report attributed the diagnosis and surgery plan to its sources, not to the university statement. CBS Sports separately reported that sources told Matt Zenitz Toney was expected to have surgery and that there was hope within the program he could return for a potential College Football Playoff run. Neither report gave an individual recovery estimate or return date.
How much Miami relies on Toney
The sophomore has 73 receptions for 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns this season. CBS Sports calculated that he accounts for 35.1% of Miami’s catches, 38.6% of its receiving yards and 46.4% of its receiving touchdowns. He has topped 100 all-purpose yards in six of the Hurricanes’ eight games, ESPN reported.
Cooper Barkate is next on the team in catches, receiving yards and touchdowns, with 28 receptions for 372 yards and four scores, according to CBS Sports. Miami also has a productive ground game, averaging 202.5 rushing yards per game and 5.49 yards per carry. CBS Sports said Toney’s threat downfield affects how defenses can allocate attention between the pass and the run, so his absence could alter the choices Notre Dame makes against Miami’s offense.
The Hurricanes average 47.6 points per game, the most in the nation, with Duke transfer Darian Mensah at quarterback and Toney, Barkate and Daylyn Upshaw among the leading receivers, ESPN reported. Miami entered the College Football Playoff’s first rankings at No. 1. The Notre Dame game is therefore a test of how the offense functions without the receiver who has produced nearly half its receiving touchdowns.
Toney’s Notre Dame history and possible return
Toney had a breakout game against Notre Dame last season, catching six passes for 82 yards and a touchdown in Miami’s 27–24 season-opening win, CBS Sports reported. ESPN said a typical recovery from this type of ankle sprain takes at least four weeks, but that general timeframe is not a player-specific prognosis. The College Football Playoff’s first round is six weeks away, leaving Toney’s availability for a possible playoff run unresolved.
Read in depth: Sports
Rays face payroll and rotation questions after World Series loss to Brewers
Tampa Bay’s 98-win season ended in five World Series games. Its new ownership group faces questions about spending and retaining a rotation that helped carry the club to the...
Lamar Jackson practices fully as Ravens assess his return for Bills game
The quarterback’s full participation on Wednesday gave Baltimore reason for optimism, but coach Jesse Minter said the team would assess how he responds before Sunday’s game in...
Sources and context
- Sources: Miami star WR Malachi Toney to have surgery for high ankle sprainESPN
- Malachi Toney expected to undergo surgery after injuring ankle in practice ahead of showdown with Notre DameCBS Sports
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.