The latest on Jalen Rivers. And Mario Cristobal talks impact of Miami’s freshman class

Offensive lineman Jalen Rivers did not play in the Miami Hurricanes’ 56-9 rout of Florida A&M on Saturday due to an unspecified injury, but coach Mario Cristobal said he does not anticipate the team’s starting left tackle to be out too long.

The only specifics Cristobal gave postgame regarding the injury was that Rivers, a fifth-year junior, was “a little bit banged up” and that does not think the injury is “too serious.”

He reiterated those thoughts Monday morning during his weekly segment on WQAM’s “The Joe Rose Show.”

“He really is day-to-day,” Cristobal said. “His deal is not very serious, but we’re going to to do right by him and make sure that he is ready to go when he does play. We’re getting close. It’s not going to be too much longer.”

Whether that means Rivers will play when the No. 10 Hurricanes (2-0) host Ball State on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. is unclear.

Rivers has played in 31 career games with Miami, starting 22. He was second-team All-ACC last season.

With Rivers sidelined against FAMU, Markell Bell started at left tackle against the Rattlers to complete an offensive line that included left guard Matt McCoy, center Zach Carpenter, right guard Anez Cooper and right tackle Francisco Mauigoa. The five played all of Miami’s first 49 offensive snaps on Saturday before Cristobal went to his second team offense late in the third quarter of the blowout win.

Impact of freshman class

One of the benefits of a blowout win like the Hurricanes had on Saturday: Cristobal gave a slew of younger players valuable game action.

In total, 22 of Miami’s 26 true freshman from its 2024 recruiting class that ranked No. 4 in the country saw the field against Florida A&M.

On offense, the group accounted for seven carries for 47 yards, with Jordan Lyle scoring a 1-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, along with four catches for 15 yards. The defensive players tallied 10 tackles, one sack (by defensive lineman Justin Scott), two interceptions (by linebackers Cam Pruitt and Adarius Hayes), four pass breakups (by Hayes, Pruitt, and defensive backs Zaquan Patterson and OJ Frederique) and one quarterback hurry (by defensive lineman Marquise Lightfoot). Kicker Abram Murray also hit a 38-yard field goal and made an extra-point attempt in the fourth quarter.

“It’s the foundation of the program,” Cristobal said. “It’s all about the starting point. We signed the two best classes in program history, but we also walked into a starting point that wasn’t layered with a ton of juniors and seniors, and when that’s the case, you go make it work. You go to Canada, you go overseas, you go to the portal, you go wherever you’ve got to to find those dudes. And we found the right ones. That’s the best way to put it.

“We’re counting on them to be guys this year. We really are,” Cristobal continued about his freshman class. “We met as a staff [Sunday] and flat out put the pressure on ourselves, like we need to continue to push the envelope on developing and increasing the amount of accountability, availability of our young players to do something now, to contribute now, help us win football games now. We’re in the transfer day and age of football, and we want our guys here. We want great retainment and development, and it starts with getting those guys right and ready. So it was a great, great Saturday for those guys.”