Hurricanes excited to debut all-black ‘Miami Nights’ jerseys for ACC opener
The Miami Hurricanes will be dressed in all black for their prime time matchup with Georgia Tech on Saturday night.
Miami will debut its “Miami Nights” alternate uniforms, which some players have been looking forward to.
“I’m excited for the uniforms, man,” linebacker Francisco Mauigoa said. “We’ve got a little changeup … and we’re just excited to wear that uniform, represent the U, represent the logo and the sponsors.”
All-American safety Kam Kinchens, who missed two games with an injury, is returning for the game against the Yellow Jackets. The Miami native said he would have been upset if the team had worn the new uniforms without him on the field.
“I’d have been too mad if they wore them before I came back,” Kinchens said. “It’s an alternate uniform, you know? You only get one time to wear it a year, so I want to be a part of it.”
By wearing the uniforms on Saturday, the Hurricanes also get the chance to show off the alternate jerseys to a large group of recruits who are visiting South Florida for the game.
Tight end Cam McCormick, who transferred from Oregon, is no stranger to alternate uniforms. The Ducks made their mark on the college football scene by wearing a wide variety of uniforms, so the veteran knows how to have fun with new jerseys while still keeping things businesslike on the field.
“Obviously, the jersey’s a cool thing,” McCormick said. “At the end of the day it’s something we wear. I’m excited to wear a different uniform, obviously. First year out here, so everything is a new experience for me, and I’m excited to wear it. But at the end of the day, it’s just a uniform, and we’ve still go to go out there and play football.”
Miami coach Mario Cristobal said wearing the uniforms was not specifically his decision, but the players wanted to debut the jerseys.
“Adidas did a fantastic job with those uniforms, the players wanted to do it and our leadership council, along with some other players on the team, it’s something they really wanted,” Cristobal said.
“We have one rule: Make sure when you wear something different you make it look good.”
Freshman offensive lineman out for the year
The Hurricanes’ offensive line depth took a hit during the bye week.
Touted freshman offensive lineman Samson Okunlola suffered a potentially season-ending injury, according to 247Sports.
Okunlola, who was a five-star prospect coming out of high school, has played sparingly in his first year at Miami. He played 30 offensive snaps but performed well in that time, earning a 74.5 offensive grade from Pro Football Focus.
Key players poised to return
Miami tight end Elijah Arroyo and defensive lineman Branson Deen warmed up with the team before the Hurricanes’ game against Georgia Tech.
Arroyo has been out since the middle of the 2022 season with a knee injury. He played four games and had five catches for 66 yards.
“I love that kid’s demeanor,” offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson said. “He’s obviously a big-bodied, talented kid, right? I’m eager to get him on the field because I think he can add an element in a lot of different ways to our offense.”
Deen has been out with an injury since the Hurricanes’ win over Texas A&M on Sept. 9.
Center Matt Lee and running back Henry Parrish Jr., who both left Miami’s win over Temple with injuries, were also participants in pregame warmups on Saturday.
