Miami RB Donald Chaney Jr. has ACL injury, will miss rest of season

Miami will have to move forward without one of its top running backs. Sophomore Donald Chaney Jr. suffered a torn ACL during the Hurricanes’ 25-23 win over Appalachian State on Saturday and will miss the rest of the season, a source tells On3.

Chaney, Miami’s No. 2 back behind starter Cam’Ron Harris, ran for 21 yards on four carries against Appalachian State before the injury, including a 1-yard touchdown run that gave the Hurricanes an early 7-0 lead.

A former four-star recruit from Miami Belen Jesuit Prep, Chaney was one of the highest-ranked players in Miami’s 2020 recruiting class. He ranked third on the Hurricanes with 322 rushing yards last season as a freshman; Chaney also had three rushing touchdowns, including two in a rout of rival Florida State.

With Chaney out, Miami will be without two of its top three running backs when it faces Michigan State (2-0) on Saturday. Fellow sophomore backup Jaylan Knighton, a four-star recruit who started twice last season, has two games remaining on a four-game suspension for a team rules violation.

It leaves the Hurricanes dependent on four-star freshmen Cody Brown and Thad Franklin for depth behind Harris against Michigan State, which is 2-0 and has been an early-season surprise. Neither has had a college carry.

Knighton can return for the fifth game, an important ACC matchup against Virginia on Thursday, September 30. Game 4 is against FCS member Central Connecticut State.

Harris, a junior who led Miami with 643 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns last season, has run for 128 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries through the Hurricanes’ first two games. That includes 91 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries during the victory over Appalachian State.

Michigan State has allowed 284 rushing yards in victories over Northwestern and FCS member Youngstown State. That has the Spartans ranked 75th nationally in run defense entering the matchup with Miami.