Mario Cristobal provides updated timeline on Don Chaney Jr's return from injury

Miami coach Mario Cristobal expects running back Don Chaney to return from injury at some point this season, but not any time soon. Speaking with reporters Monday, Cristobal provided a timetable for when Hurricanes fans can expect to see the redshirt freshman make his season debut.

“He’s been coming along well,” Cristobal said of Chaney. “I ain’t gonna give you an exact date, (but) I think he’s probably still six, seven, eight weeks away. He will be back at some point this season. I’d go conservative eight and pushing it a little bit six.”

Don Chaney suffered an unknown lower-body injury in fall camp has missed the first three games of the season already. Injuries have been an issue for him the past two years, as he also suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the second game of 2021.

Should he make the quickest possible recovery and be ready to play in six weeks, Chaney’s first game of 2022 would come Nov. 5 against Florida State. If the eight-week timeline turns out to be true, he wouldn’t see action until Nov. 19 against Clemson. Sandwiched in between those two contests is a Nov. 12 matchup against Georgia Tech.

A former four-star recruit and No. 13 running back in the 2020 class according to On3 Consensus, Chaney showed as a true freshman the potential he has when healthy. He played in all 11 games that season, finishing third on the team with 322 yards rushing on 68 carries.

So far this season, Ole Miss transfer Henry Parrish leads the backfield with 302 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Jaylan Knighton has also been getting plenty of looks behind him, and it will be interesting to see how the return of Chaney affects the rotation.

For now, Miami will continue to lean on Parrish and Knighton as it heads into a matchup against Middle Tennessee at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday.