CLEMSON
Brooks out for season
One of Clemson's candidates to start at running back has been lost for the season because of a foot injury.
Zac Brooks, a junior from Jonesboro, was hurt in the team's final fall camp practice Monday night.
"Zac was having an outstanding camp and was ready for a terrific year," Coach Dabo Swinney told the Charleston (S.C.) Post Courier. "This is a big loss because he is such a reliable player in all phases of the game. He knows the offense inside and out."
Brooks will redshirt this fall and retain two years of eligibility. He has 365 yards on 74 carries with 2 touchdowns in 18 career games for the Tigers. Brooks finished third on the team last season with 246 rushing yards and two touchdowns, and was one of four players battling to become a starter this season.
Brooks suffered a right shoulder injury in 2010 as a junior at Jonesboro, which continued to flare up as a senior in 2011. He hurt it again in fall camp during his freshman year at Clemson and reinjured it last season against Maryland.
TENNESSEE
Malone struggles early
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee freshman wide receiver Josh Malone won't get a chance to sneak up on the rest of the SEC.
After being rated among the nation's top receiving recruits in his class, Malone gained even more attention by catching six passes for 181 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game.
That performance has created plenty of anticipation about what Malone could accomplish this fall. It also has Malone's coaches wondering how their prize pupil will deal with the adversity he inevitably will encounter.
Malone had an inconsistent training camp in which he battled minor injuries, but he stepped up over the last week. Receivers coach Zach Azzanni believes Malone's struggles early "forced him to work on some habits on the field that I think he's improved on."
MIAMI
Heaps returns to practice
CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- Jake Heaps was back at practice with Miami on Wednesday, and back in the race with Brad Kaaya to become the Hurricanes' starting quarterback.
A sore elbow kept Heaps from a Monday scrimmage. The Hurricanes do not believe the issue is serious.
"He wanted to go," Coach Al Golden said. "Sometimes you've got to say, 'It's not worth it.'"
Heaps and Kaaya have been the front-runners throughout training camp for the starting job, which became a wide-open competition in the spring when presumed first-stringer Ryan Williams tore a knee ligament. Williams has been practicing throughout camp, though it remains unclear when he will be able to participate in a game.
Heaps transferred to Miami during the offseason, after stints at BYU and Kansas. Kaaya is a true freshman.
"It's pretty heated," Miami offensive coordinator James Coley said of the Heaps-Kaaya race. "It's pretty close, absolutely."
The Hurricanes have not said when they will decide on starters for their Sept. 1 season- and Atlantic Coast Conference-opener at Louisville. Miami lost to the Cardinals last season in the Russell Athletic Bowl, though both teams will have a decidedly different look this fall.
Heaps said it was a difficult decision to miss the scrimmage, although he also knows it was the prudent move.
"If it was up to me I would have been out there and that probably wouldn't have been a good thing," Heaps said. "The fact that my coaches care about me enough to sit there and think about my well-being, that's a good thing and I think I'm very grateful for that."
NEBRASKA
Out and ailing
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Coach Bo Pelini isn't feeling sorry for himself after seeing as many as three players lost for the season because of injuries and a bunch of others ailing.
Pelini said after practice Wednesday that "there's nothing you can do about it" and that other teams are in the same situation.
Nickel back Charles Jackson and linebacker Michael Rose are out with season-ending knee injuries, and running back Adam Taylor broke his ankle and probably won't make it back this season. Defensive tackle Kevin Williams is day to day with an ankle injury.
No. 1 right offensive tackle Zach Sterup and long snapper Gabe Miller are among other players who are hurt.
Pelini also announced defensive tackle Aaron Curry has quit the team.
Sports on 08/21/2014