Mark Richt makes another quarterback change for Miami Hurricanes before Pinstripe Bowl

Malik Rosier will end his 2018 redshirt senior season how it began — as the starting quarterback for the Miami Hurricanes.

Mark Richt named the quarterback his starter for the Pinstripe Bowl on Thursday against the Wisconsin Badgers. The coach announced his decision at the coaches’ pregame press conference Wednesday in the Bronx. His decision comes in the wake of another social media-fueled controversy involving N’Kosi Perry, who started the final three games of the regular season for Miami.

“Malik’s going to start for us,” Richt said. “He’s had really good practices. He’s been working in that spot for the majority of the bowl practices and we’re ready for him to do a good job.”

Perry is not suspended for the game, at least not “right now,” Richt indicated.

“He’s not suspended,” Richt said. “He is available to play as of right now, but we feel like Malik was the guy that’s going to give us the best shot.”

Perry, who was previously suspended for the Hurricanes’ season-opening loss to the LSU Tigers in September, got caught up in a handful of social media controversies throughout the season. In October, the quarterback took a photo of himself holding wads of cash in his car, which led to a reprimand from Richt, although no suspension. On Friday, The Miami Hurricane, the university’s student newspaper, reported on a sexually-explicit video the redshirt freshman shared on Snapchat in September before he took over as Miami’s starter.

On Saturday, an Instagram Live video filmed by defensive back Gilbert Frierson showed Perry saying, “I’m suspended, bro.”

While Richt didn’t specify a reason for Perry’s benching, the third-year coach has frequently lauded Rosier’s maturity throughout the season. Rosier started the first four games of the season, guiding the Hurricanes to a 3-1 record, but the loss came against LSU, the only team he faced from a Power 5 Conference. Perry started the next three, but Rosier replaced Perry in the first half of a loss to Virginia Cavaliers in October. Rosier remained the starter for the next two games — going 0-2 against the Boston College Eagles and Duke Blue Devils — before Richt turned back to Perry for the final three games, beginning with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in November.

Rosier will now get a chance to finish an up-and-down career on a positive note. As a first-year starter in 2017, Rosier led Miami to its first 10-win season since 2003 and an appearance in the Orange Bowl. His final season in Coral Gables wasn’t quite as smooth. In seven games this year, Rosier is 77 of 144 with 1,007 passing yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions. The veteran has also ran for 210 yards and six touchdowns on 54 carries. The Hurricanes went 0-3 against Power 5 opponents in games Rosier started.

While Richt’s leash for Perry was shorter, the underclassman was better than Rosier in most statistical categories. Perry went 96 of 186 with 1,089 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions. He also ran for 158 yards and a touchdown on 57 carries, and had a negative-15 yard catch. Miami went 4-1 against Power 5 teams with Perry starting.

This story was originally published December 26, 2018 at 12:39 PM.