OT Zion Nelson Out For Miami vs. North Carolina
Fourth-year offensive tackle Zion Nelson did not warm up for the Hurricanes and will be unavailable for Miami's Week 6 contest against North Carolina.
Nelson's availability was left to be a game-time decision by head coach Mario Cristobal, who described what the offensive tackle was dealing with on Monday.
"There was a setback," Cristobal said about Nelson, who had been working his way toward a full recovery from a cleanup procedure he had on his knee before fall camp. "We expect it to be close."
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The junior offensive lineman did not play in the Hurricanes' season opener against Bethune-Cookman or their recent home loss to Middle Tennessee State. Nelson appeared in games versus Southern Miss and Texas A&M, coming off the bench in both contests.
The absence of Nelson shortens the depth at offensive tackle for Miami. True freshmen offensive linemen Matthew McCoy and Anez Cooper are slated to step into bigger roles if anything happens to the Hurricanes' starters. Junior John Campbell Jr. and senior DJ Scaife Jr. are expected to start for UM.
Nelson started all 12 games for Miami's offensive line last season. He was recognized for his good play as an All-ACC Honorable Mention. In 2019 and 2020, he started in 20 of the 23 contests he appeared in.
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Luke Chaney is a contributing writer for Sports Illustrated-FanNation's AllHurricanes.com, covering recruiting and Miami Athletics. You can also find Luke on WVUM 90.5 FM as a play-by-play broadcaster. He is also the Sports Editor for The Miami Hurricane. Follow Luke on Twitter @luke_chaney4.