He’s back: Miami Hurricanes quarterback Jarren Williams named starter for FSU
He started the first five games, was the backup the next three, and now he’s back.
Miami quarterback Jarren Williams will start for the Hurricanes (4-4, 2-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) at Florida State (4-4, 2-3) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in a nationally televised game at Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee, coach Manny Diaz said Wednesday after practice.
“You may be interested to know that Jarren Williams will be our starting quarterback Saturday at Florida State,’’ Manny Diaz said. “I’ll pause to let you all tweet that out.”
Williams, a redshirt freshman who had been recovering from an injured throwing shoulder, entered Saturday’s game at Pittsburgh midway through the fourth quarter and led Miami to the winning touchdown with 58 seconds left.
“My head is clear. I’m feeling good,’’ Williams said Wednesday. “You can just tell that the focus and intensity is different. It’s a business trip, so I’m fired up. I can’t wait to get out there on the field.’’
Redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry, who lost the starting race to Williams during fall camp but started the past three games, sustained a separated left shoulder Oct. 19 in UM’s loss to Georgia Tech. But Perry nonetheless won the start at Pitt after Williams missed last week’s Wednesday practice.
“Quite simply, Jarren Williams has been our starting quarterback,’’ Diaz said. “And as I mentioned, what happened a week ago, as with any starting position on the team there is still a standard for preparation. Jarren was beat out that week by N’Kosi. That’s why N’Kosi was our starter vs. Pitt.
“Again, as I’ve mentioned all year, I think it’s important for the University of Miami to have a guy at quarterback. Jarren has been our guy. But we also have to reserve the right to make sure that everybody is competing on Greentree Practice Field in meeting rooms, in everything that we do to the standard of the University of Miami.”
Williams numbers this year after playing in seven games and starting the first five: 94 of 135 (69.6 percent) for 1,136 yards and eight touchdowns, with three interceptions.
Perry has played in five games, completing 77 of 136 passes (56.6) for 975 yards and eight touchdowns, with two interceptions.
Diaz again was asked if Williams’ status as a starter was just reserved on a game-to-game basis.
“No, what I’m saying is… [I] have never wavered from the fact that Jarren Williams is our starting quarterback. No different than Shaq Quarterman is our starting middle linebacker. However, there are things that you can do in practice to lose your job, or there are things that can happen if another guy outworks you or out-exceeds you. If you don’t do that then you lose all credibility.
“That’s simply what the lesson from last week was all about.”
Was Williams better much better this week?
“Outstanding,’’ Diaz said. “Outstanding week, yes.”
Tate Martell update
As for third-string quarterback Tate Martell, Diaz confirmed that Martell, who was previously converted to a receiver and missed last week’s game on a “medical leave of absence,” is now “working in our quarterback room. “
“He has the flexibility to go in there [as a receiver][ if we want him, but he’s spending his time primarily right now with the quarterbacks,’’ said the coach, who added that Martell was switched full time to quarterback because of his “progress as a wide receiver and where we felt he could help the team best was actually still having his feet in the QB room.
“He’s doing much better this week. When he’s around us, it’s been really good. He’s been really positive, a very hard worker, so [he’s] doing a good job.”
Martell has no catches this season and has not thrown a pass.
▪ In other UM news, as expected, running back DeeJay Dallas (right knee) and linebacker Michael Pinckney (unspecified injury) will be back for FSU after getting hurt against Georgia Tech and missing the Pittsburgh game.
“They both look great,’’ Diaz said. “Excited to have both those guys on Saturday.’’
This story was originally published October 30, 2019 at 11:34 AM.
