Florida State senior safety Nate Andrews will miss the rest of the season following surgery to repair a torn right pectoral muscle.
Andrews was injured in Saturday's 20-19 win over Miami, and Seminoles coach Jimbo Fisher announced the season-ending surgery Tuesday. Fisher told reporters the school will look into obtaining a medical redshirt for Andrews, who has played in only four of six games this season because of a preseason leg injury.
"He's got heart and soul and he does a great job, and I hate it for him and I hate it for us. Nate's everything you want," Fisher told reporters Tuesday. "Whatever you say as a coach, whatever you do, he reinforces those values in his comments and everything he does. He's what's right about being a teammate and helping guys along. He's a phenomenal human being."
A starter at safety, Andrews has played in 45 career games for the Seminoles, missing only two games over his four-year career. He had a team-high four interceptions during their 2013 national championship season.
Converted junior receiver Ermon Lane replaced Andrews in the Miami game, and sophomore A.J. Westbrook is listed as Andrews' backup at free safety.
"[Ermon] is big, he's long, he's athletic, he can judge the ball, he's physical," Fisher said Monday. "He's shown that he can be physical and change directions, so we thought, we need some guys over there [on defense], we want to give him a look."
Miami didn't come away unscathed from the matchup of in-state rivals, as Hurricanes quarterback Brad Kaaya suffered an injury to his shoulder in the loss.
Although Miami coach Mark Richt said he planned to hold out Kaaya for a couple of days, Kaaya was back practicing Tuesday.
"He threw a lot better than I thought he'd throw. I wouldn't have known that his arm was bothering him -- and I don't know if it was, I didn't even ask him. I was just watching him throw it, and he zipped the ball well," Richt told reporters Tuesday. "So I didn't really think there was an issue. He practiced the whole day. He did a good job."
However, Miami starting right tackle Sunny Odogwu will undergo surgery to repair a broken lower left leg Wednesday. Richt said it will "be a while" before he could return.