Miami’s young, ‘businesslike’ leader thriving under Dan Enos and is recognized by ACC

University of Miami quarterback Jarren Williams continues to thrive, and quarterbacks coach/offensive coordinator Dan Enos praised him again Monday.

Williams, a redshirt freshman out of Central Gwinnett High in Lawrenceville, Georgia, was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Week on Monday.

Williams completed 79.2 percent of his passes in UM’s 63-0 drubbing of Bethune-Cookman University. Williams now ranks 12th nationally and first in the ACC with his 73.1 completion percentage after three games.

The Canes (1-2, 0-1 ACC) meet Central Michigan at 4 p.m. Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium.

Williams ranks fifth in the ACC with 777 passing yards. He still hasn’t thrown an interception and has passed for six touchdowns. His pass efficiency rating is 164.6, the third best mark in the conference.

“I kind of felt like a little bit at first, I don’t want to say we weren’t taking them serious, but we were just kind of dragging our feet,’’ Williams said after the BC-U game, in which UM only scored once in its first four drives. “But we turned it around. We realized we needed to step it up.’’

Said Enos on Monday: “I agree with Jarren’s assessment. I think he started out a little tentative if you will. Maybe first game at home or whatever... That’s the way we started as an offense.

“But I did think he played very well, especially [the way] he finished very strong. ...I’ll give him credit. On the last two drives before the half we scored. And that’s a real positive for him to be able to put those things behind him and just play the next play...

“Then he came in the second half and took them down on the first drive for a touchdown. He did a real good job responding to a little adversity. Because as we all know, every game is not just, ‘Here we go: completion, completion, completion.’ There is adversity, there are ups and downs.

“Thus far Jarren has been very grounded and showed a lot of maturity with the way he has at least presented himself around me every day and [to] his teammates. He comes over here hungry every day. He has done a better job preparing. We’re trying to help him with that. We’ve given him some tools as a staff to help him be more diligent in his preparation throughout the week.

“I’ve noticed a very focused, businesslike Jarren Williams, really since he has been the starter. And that has continued.”

Williams wasn’t the only quarterback who excelled Saturday.

Enos also praised redshirt sophomore backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry, who replaced Perry late in the third quarter and completed 7 of 10 passes for 79 yards and a touchdown.

“We wanted to try and get N’Kosi as many plays and reps that we could get him since he had not played at all this year,’’ Enos said. “New offense for him as well. I thought N’Kosi played very well.

“His first play, he went in, he had a boot and he had a guy open. He got a little greedy and threw the ball down the field. But besides that he did a really nice job — good feet. The eyes were good, ran the team very, very effectively, got them in and out of the huddle. In a couple of our RPOs he made really good decisions.”

Regarding true freshman scholarship quarterback Peyton Matocha, from Houston St. Thomas Catholic, Enos was asked if his philosophy is to try to get someone as young and inexperienced as that into the game.

He said he would have liked to, but indicated that it was prudent to get Perry more snaps.

“I think it would be nice if we could do that,’’ Enos said. “It depends how the flow of the game is dictating everything. But really we discussed that Saturday, too — Coach [Diaz] and I.”

▪ Regarding injuries from Saturday’s game, Diaz said Monday that tight end Brevin Jordan, who according to the coach had hydration issues, “is fine.’’

“He practiced last night,’’ Diaz said of Jordan.

Diaz said he’d know more about receiver Mark Pope (left ankle/foot) on Tuesday. “Just kind of letting the swelling calm down. Fingers crossed [that] we will have him for this weekend.’’

Striker Romeo Finley also left the game in the second half with an unspecified injury and Diaz only said, “We’ll know more [Tuesday] with him.’’

This story was originally published September 16, 2019 at 5:38 PM.