Malachi Toney injures ankle in practice: Miami star WR's status unknown for massive showdown vs. Notre Dame

The No. 1 ranked Miami Hurricanes got some concerning injury news on Wednesday when star receiver Malachi Toney suffered an ankle injury in practice. Sources told CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz that the hope is the injury isn't serious and he has not been ruled out for Saturday's game yet but is still being evaluated. 

Toney is the Hurricanes biggest offensive weapon with 73 catches, 1,027 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, and his production for the nation's top team has made him one of the Heisman Trophy favorites alongside his quarterback, Darian Mensah. 

Losing Toney the week of Miami's biggest game would be a disaster for the Hurricanes, but even if he's able to go but he's limited in any way it will make life that much more difficult for the Miami offense to create explosive plays against a talented Notre Dame defense. 

Toney's importance to the Miami offense

Last year's win over Notre Dame was Toney's breakout performance as a freshman, as he caught six passes for 82 yards and one touchdown in Miami's 27-24 victory to open the season. Toney is the top threat the Irish have to game-plan and account for with multiple defenders, and any limitations on his ability to get downfield or move in space would be a significant loss for Miami. 

Toney accounts for 35.1% of Miami's receptions, 38.6% of receiving yards and 46.4% of receiving touchdowns this season. Cooper Barkate is second on the team in all of those categories with 28 catches for 372 yards and four touchdowns, and while talented, doesn't provide the same dynamic as Toney.

The Hurricanes use Toney in myriad ways, and his ability to move around formations and alignments allows Shannon Dawson to attack different soft spots of defenses and prevents easy adjustments to what Miami is doing because of their variation. If Toney isn't as dynamic (or isn't in the lineup), it allows the defense to focus more on slowing down Miami's run game. 

The Hurricanes are 21st in the country in rushing offense at 202.5 yards per game and are 10th in yards per attempt at 5.49. Mark Fletcher Jr. and Javian Mallory make up one of the nation's best running back tandems, but they're made all the more effective by the respect defenses have to give to the big-play threat the passing game always presents when Toney is on the field. 

Notre Dame's defense figured to face the difficult choice of sending more bodies into the box to slow the run or keep help over the top to prevent Toney from getting loose. If Toney isn't as effective or cannot play, the ripple effects extend well beyond the Hurricanes' passing game. 

Heisman Trophy implications

Beyond the impact Toney's injury could have on Miami's biggest game of the season, Saturday's game against Notre Dame figured to be Toney (and Mensah's) best opportunity to author a Heisman moment on a big national stage. 

Toney was second in the Heisman Trophy odds coming into the week at +290 at FanDuel Sportsbook -- only trailing Mensah at +170. After the injury news was reported on Wednesday, Toney dropped all the way to +800, which is now fourth on the odds sheet. Toney's injury could also impact Darian Mensah's Heisman chances, as his passing productivity would likely take a hit if his best receiver can't play or is limited. 

As a result, Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith is back to the top spot in the odds at +170, Mensah has slipped a touch to +200, and Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr jumps to +700 as the Irish have moved out to a 6.5-point favorite over the Hurricanes. 

CBS Sports will continue to provide updates on Toney's status as the week progresses and more information becomes available. 

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