CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Miami tight end Michael Irvin II will be sidelined for most of the upcoming season with an injury.
Irvin injured the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and is expected to be sidelined for four months, team spokesman Camron Ghorbi announced Wednesday.
Ghorbi said Irvin will undergo surgery this week at the UHealth Sports Medicine Institute at the Lennar Foundation Medical Center. He is expected to make a full recovery.
"It's tough to see a kid go down, no matter who it is, especially one at your position," tight ends coach Todd Hartley said. "Michael was having a great camp. He had a great spring camp and he really, really had a great summer. I was really looking forward to seeing what he was going to do this fall."
Irvin is the son of former Hurricanes wide receiver Michael Irvin, who helped Miami win a national title in 1987. He went on to star for the Dallas Cowboys when they won three Super Bowls in four seasons.
The younger Irvin played in 12 games last season, catching nine passes for 78 yards.
There is a chance that Irvin could redshirt this season while he recovers from his injury and still play in a bowl game for the Hurricanes. That's because of the NCAA's new redshirt rule that allows redshirt players to participate in up to four games without losing their eligibility.
Irvin's injury opens up playing time for four other tight ends on the roster -- freshman Brevin Jordan, redshirt sophomore Nicholas Ducheine, freshman Will Mallory and sophomore Brian Polendey.
"Now you're going out there with kids that you think are capable, but there's no substitute for game experience," Hartley said. "Then it kind of hurts you in practice, a little bit, from a rotation standpoint. But those young guys have to grow up. Now it's sink or swim."