Jacory to have surgery on his thumb

Written by Manny Navarro

University of Miami quarterback Jacory Harris will have surgery to repair torn ligaments on his right thumb and will be out at least a month, likely leaving him out of passing drills during spring football, according to a source close to the situation.

Late Monday night, Harris sent out this message through his Twitter account: ``Bad news I guess. . . . A.J. and Stephen have fun.''

A.J. Highsmith is UM's backup quarterback. Stephen Morris is the quarterback from Miami Monsignor Pace expected to sign with the Hurricanes in February.

By Tuesday morning, Harris' Twitter message was no longer posted. But according to a source, Monday afternoon was when Harris learned he would need surgery. It is believed he had an MRI on Monday.

Harris was on crutches for at least a couple days after the Hurricanes' 20-14 loss to Wisconsin in the Champs Sports Bowl. Harris also strained ligaments in his ankle and knee. He slightly injured the foot on his other leg during the game when a Wisconsin defender stepped on it. The source said none of those injuries, however, will require surgery.

Harris injured the thumb on his throwing hand when he banged it against a helmet during the first quarter at North Carolina on Nov. 14. He threw a season-high four interceptions in the 33-24 loss to the Tar Heels.

His thumb bothered him the rest of the season.

Harris still became the first quarterback at UM since Ken Dorsey in 2002 to throw for 3,000 yards in a season. He finished the year 242 for 406 with 3,352 yards, 24 touchdowns and 17 interceptions and was named a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien Quarterback Award.

If expected signee Morris does not graduate from Pace in two weeks, the Hurricanes will have only one scholarship quarterback at full strength when spring football begins the last week of February. Walk-on Spencer Whipple, the son of offensive coordinator Mark Whipple, is the scout team quarterback.

Pace, a private school, does not usually permit its students to graduate early.

Miami Herald sportswriter Susan Miller Degnan contributed to this report.