Notre Dame HC Marcus Freeman won’t write off injured Miami star Malachi Toney

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The top-ranked Miami Hurricanes were already 5.5-point underdogs at the Notre Dame Fighting Irish before word of Malachi Toney’s injury pushed the line to 7.5 points. Toney is having surgery on a high ankle sprain and is expected to miss Saturday’s game, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Wednesday. Marcus Freeman took questions about it at his news conference on Thursday.

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That two-point move comes for a receiver with 73 of Miami’s 208 catches, 1,027 of its 2,659 receiving yards and 13 of its 28 touchdown receptions. Cooper Barkate is next on the team at 28 catches, 372 yards and four touchdowns. Toney also had six catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in last season’s 27-24 win over Notre Dame.

Sep 9, 2023; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman claps during the first half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Carter-Finley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports

Why is Notre Dame still preparing for Malachi Toney?

Notre Dame’s work on Toney was well underway by the time Freeman heard about the injury after Wednesday’s practice, and Miami’s statement that day acknowledged the injury without further detail.

“We started prepping on Sunday, and you’ve got to have a plan for a dynamic player like that. We’ll see if he plays or not. If he doesn’t, how we’ll adjust, they’ve got great players. … What’s the one person that’s going to come in [for Toney]? I don’t know. They’ve got a long list of guys that they can put on the field to be the 11th player. It’s not always the position as much as it is the player. Whatever it is their plan will be on Saturday, we have to be ready to adjust,” Freeman said.

 

No Miami receiver is within 45 catches of Toney, which squares with Freeman’s “I don’t know.” The team around him still averages 47.6 points and 202.5 rushing yards per game and has thrown only two interceptions in 259 attempts, which is the “great players” part of his answer.

Oct 24, 2026; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (1) breaks a tackle against Pittsburgh Panthers defensive lineman Isaiah Neal (2) and defensive back Josh Guerrier (14) during the second quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Who has to carry Miami’s passing game on Saturday?

Barkate came over from the Duke Blue Devils with quarterback Darian Mensah, and he has the most catches of anyone left. Daylyn Upshaw has 22 catches for 263 yards and tight end Elija Lofton has 20 for 236, which puts the next three pass catchers at 70 receptions combined, three short of Toney’s total alone.

Notre Dame has its own absences to work around. Safety Brauntae Johnson (foot), cornerback DJ McKinney (ankle) and linebacker Drayk Bowen (ankle) are out, and defensive linemen Francis Brewu and Jason Onye (knee) are questionable.

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