Transfer portal whirling toward Miami? And Hurricanes coach leaving for Penn State
The transfer portal could be whirling its way to the University of Miami again — and a Miami coach is leaving.
Wide receivers coach Taylor Stubblefield is leaving Miami to join the staff at Penn State.
And former Houston quarterback D’Eriq King, one of the most prolific quarterbacks in college football, according to The Athletic, has told an unnamed “UM staffer” he is “set to transfer’’ to Miami and will be on campus to begin school by Tuesday. The report came out after the recruiting website CaneSport posted a story, also through a source, that the Canes “are going to be very happy this week in Miami,’’ and to “expect good news.’’
“Excited to welcome @CoachStubbs to the #PennState football family!’’ Penn State Football posted on Twitter.
“It’s been a blessed year both personally and professionally,’’ Stubblefield posted on Twitter after the news. “I am appreciative of the opportunity to have belonged to such an illustrious institution...’’
This past season, UM did not have one player ranked among the top 200 players in the FBS for receiving yards, though tight end and Mackey Award finalist Brevin Jordan, injured at the end of the year, was 197th in receiving yards per game (45).
Regarding the quarterback King reports, Houston-based @MarkBermanFox26 posted on Twitter that King told him he still hasn’t made a final decision. “I haven’t committed to anybody yet,’’ Berman posted, per King. “I’m still looking at my options. I visited Miami. I liked it, but there are other options I’m still trying see too... Arkansas, I’m still talking to those guys.’’ Re LSU: “I’m still talking to them,’’ per Berman. “It’s tough. I’m trying to find the right place to go.’’
Berman also posted that King said he was still planning to visit Maryland.
However, for King to participate in spring practice, he would need to transfer to UM by Tuesday, the deadline for enrolling this semester. He is eligible to play immediately as a grad transfer.
King, who visited the Miami campus on Friday, announced last Tuesday night that he had entered the transfer portal. Listed as 5-11 and 195 pounds, his transfer would be a huge get for Miami, which recently hired offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee to change UM’s offense to a fast-paced, no-huddle spread system.
King set the American Athletic Conference touchdowns-responsible-for-in-a-season record for Houston in 2018 with 50 — 36 passing and 14 rushing. He was listed as one of only three quarterbacks in FBS history with at least 35 passing touchdowns and 13 rushing touchdowns.
If King or Miami confirms the news publicly, the Canes would have six scholarship quarterbacks on the team: rising redshirt sophomore Jarren Williams, redshirt junior N’Kosi Perry, redshirt junior Tate Martell, redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha, incoming true freshman Tyler Van Dyke and King.
One or more of the aforementioned quarterbacks would likely transfer at some point, likely after spring practice ends, if not sooner.
King was a senior this past season, but decided on his own to cut short his season after four games so he could use it as a redshirt year and either return to Houston in 2020 or transfer. At that point Houston, which finished 4-8, was 1-3.
King finished 58 of 110 in 2019 for 663 yards and six touchdowns, with two interceptions. He rushed 55 times for 312 yards (5.7 yards per carry) and another six touchdowns.
In 2018, King was 219 of 345 (63 percent) for 2,982 yards and his 36 touchdowns, with six picks. He also had 111 carries for 674 yards (6.1 yards per carry).
His Houston career numbers: 4,925 yards passing with 50 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and 1,421 yards rushing with 28 touchdowns.
This story was originally published January 19, 2020 at 2:01 PM.
