Miami QB Williams declines to discuss ‘in-house’ issues but says he is committed to Canes
It’s anybody’s guess who the University of Miami starter will be for the Florida State game next weekend in Tallahassee, but Hurricanes coach Manny Diaz wouldn’t even hint at that answer Saturday after the Hurricanes defeated Pittsburgh 16-12 on the road.
Redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry started his third consecutive game despite a separated left shoulder injury that he sustained last week in an overtime loss against Georgia Tech. He didn’t do exceptionally well, completing 10 of 24 passed for 104 yards and no touchdowns, with one interception.
It was redshirt freshman Jarren Williams who became the hero Saturday when he entered the game midway through the fourth quarter and led the Canes on a nine-play, 62-yard touchdown drive — despite missing Wednesday’s practice for unspecified reasons.
UM’s radio broadcast on WQAM reported that Williams missed practice Wednesday but didn’t reveal the reason.
Williams, who has been recuperating from his own shoulder injury of his throwing arm, started the first five games of the season. He almost transferred near the end of last season in frustration over not getting what he believed was a fair shot by former coach Mark Richt, and some believe the frustration was building again.
But after Saturday’s victory at Heinz Field, Williams assured that he is “committed’’ to the team.
“Yeah, I mean, like I say, you know, I’m committed to this team and this program and what happened Wednesday we’re going to try to keep that in house,” Williams said in a post-game news conference. “It means a lot,’’ he said of the victory. “I’m committed to this team. I’m committed to this program and I’m just trying to be the best quarterback I can be.”
Williams completed four of his eight passes Saturday for 50 yards and that pretty, 32-yard deep completion to K.J. Osborn that gave Miami the victory.
“Coach Diaz talked to me a lot this this past week,’’ said Williams, who noted that his arm felt fine. “He said to me, ‘Just stay ready, be ready because I feel you’re a guy who can come in and help us win.’ I just took that into account and did everything that I could do to help this team win.”
Diaz said he replaced Perry with Williams because UM “needed a spark.”
When Diaz was told that ESPN’s broadcast reported that Williams was no longer injured and Perry had won the starting job, Diaz said “Jarren was going to be our starter” but that “without getting into specifics, N’Kosi just had a much better week... And that’s why we went for the decision to go with N’Kosi.
“As far as what it means tomorrow and the next day, I’ll deal with that tomorrow.’’
Cam’Ron Harris starts
Sophomore running back Cam’Ron Harris stayed patient and positive through the Hurricanes’ recent woes. On Saturday, Harris got his first career start at Pittsburgh after usual starter DeeJay Dallas sustained an apparent knee injury last week against Georgia Tech.
Through the first half, Harris rushed eight times for only 21 yards, but he scored UM’s lone touchdown in that half on a 1-yard run at 12:00 of the second quarter. He finished with 60 yards and the touchdown.
“I really didn’t care if I played my heart out,’’ Harris said heading into the Pitt game of his 136-yard rushing performance (and one receiving touchdown) last week in UM’s demoralizing loss to Georgia Tech, “because there’s no I in team. I care about the team. I believe all of us will play our hearts out for the Pitt game.”
Harris played in all seven games leading to Saturday, rushing 57 times for 282 yards for a 4.9-yard-per-carry average behind Dallas’ 486 yards and 6.7-yard-per-carry average. Harris also has two rushing touchdowns.
Harris, listed as 5-10 and 205 pounds, played at Miami Carol City High, where he was a consensus four-star recruit and rated as the nation’s seventh best tailback by 247Sports.
Dallas started the first seven games of the season for the Hurricanes before going down in the first half of an overtime loss to the Yellow Jackets last week. He didn’t participate in practice Tuesday during a portion of the session open to reporters, but traveled with the team to Pittsburgh. He warmed up ahead of the game at Heinz Field, wearing a black brace on his right knee while running and cutting.
While it was not immediately clear whether Dallas is available in any capacity, ESPN reported the junior would not play.
McCloud gets first 2019 start
Senior Zach McCloud, one of UM’s defensive leaders, asked UM coach Manny Diaz in late September if he could redshirt this season so he could return next year and make his mark.
He had played in three games this season coming into Pitt, limiting him to one more game to preserve that redshirt.
McCloud, who started 31 times in his first three seasons with the Hurricanes but has not played in the past four games, got that game Saturday, starting for the first time this season at weakside backer.
And McCloud made an almost immediate impact Saturday when he deflected a pass that D.J. Ivey intercepted with 1:18 left in the opening quarter. He finished with five tackles.
Fellow senior linebacker Michael Pinckney, who is third on the team with 38 tackles and has a team-leading 7 ½ tackles for loss along with three sacks, two breakups and four quarterback hurries, sustained an apparent knee injury last week against Georgia Tech and did not travel to Pitt.
The reason the 6-2, 235-pound McCloud (four tackles in previous three games played) has played sparingly is that Miami’s defensive scheme now uses a striker (cross between a safety and linebacker) and usually only has two linebackers on the field at one time.
Now the question becomes whether Diaz will play McCloud more this season, which would end his college eligibility. After the game, McCloud indicated he still plans to return next season if possible.
NOTABLES
The UM captains for Pitt were receiver Mike Harley, tight end Brevin Jordan, defensive end Trevon Hill and linebacker Shaq Quarterman...Redshirt junior tight end Michael Irvin II got his third career start and first start this season. He started three games as a sophomore in 2017...Transfer Bubba Bolden, a sophomore, started his first game at safety Saturday and forced a fumble in the first quarter.
This story was originally published October 26, 2019 at 7:28 PM.
