A sidelined star and a depleted depth chart leave Mario Cristobal searching for answers as the Miami Hurricanes’ secondary faces a critical test of resilience and youth.
In the No. 7 Miami Hurricanes’ opening drive against the Stanford Cardinal, junior cornerback Romanas “OJ” Frederique Jr. appeared to have suffered a dislocated left shoulder injury; he went to the locker room and didn’t return for the rest of the game.
Following the 45-6 win, Mario Cristobal didn’t have an update or provide a potential timeline.
“We got to check him out,” he said postgame. “Obviously, he got banged up and had to pull him out of the game. Hopefully, it’s not too bad.”
Frederique Jr.’s left shoulder made contact with Stanford junior tight end Benji Blackburn’s left knee as he was going for a tackle.
The Hurricanes entered Friday’s matchup with a thin secondary. Sophomore cornerback Ja’Boree Antoine was initially ruled out of the game, and then safety Dylan Day was ruled out on the Atlantic Coast Conference injury report. Redshirt junior Damari Brown filled in for Frederique Jr. for the rest of the game.
Ahead of Friday’s kickoff, from spring practices to fall camp, the Deerfield Beach, Florida, native was projected to have a breakout season. Injuries derailed Frederique Jr.’s sophomore campaign. In 10 games (nine starts), he logged 19 total tackles, 12 solos and seven assists, and seven passes broken up.
Depending on how long Frederique Jr. is sidelined, if that becomes the case, it’s next man up for the Hurricanes’ secondary. An opportunity for expanded playing time could be presented for other corners, such as freshman Camdin Portis, redshirt junior Ethan O’Connor, and freshman Chris Ewald Jr.
Brown would likely be the liable option to start in Frederique Jr.’s place, but the Plantation, Florida, native has an extensive injury history. However, the 21-year-old is coming off a productive season: 13 games (five starts), 24 total tackles, 16 solos and eight assists, and a pass broken up.
The Hurricanes will have a short week to prepare to face the Florida A&M Rattlers on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium. Frederique Jr. is likely to be ruled out when the initial injury report is released. It’s another unfortunate setback for the star cornerback who received first-to-third-round projections in the 2027 NFL Draft.
It’s unclear how close Day and Antoine are to returning to football action. However, the Hurricanes will lean heavily on those who are available, including the freshmen. If the worse case comes and Frederique Jr. is out for the season, he technically has two more years of eligibility remaining, given the NCAA’s new five-by-five rule.
An update should arrive this week.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes, Miami Heat, and Miami Marlins for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
