Miami Canes QB D’Eriq King and two other UM leaders talk spread, season opener with UAB
D’Eriq King is ready, and on Tuesday he said his offense is, too.
Say hey to the spread.
Rhett Lashlee’s hurry-up, no-huddle offense — and the quarterback who will lead it — will finally come into view at 8 p.m. Thursday in the University of Miami’s home opener against Alabama-Birmingham (1-0) at Hard Rock Stadium.
“We have a lot of great players, a lot of guys that can make plays,’’ graduate transfer King, UM’s seasoned, record-breaking quarterback said on Zoom during the Canes’ final media availability before the opener. “It’s just about getting those guys the ball and letting them do what they do. It’s very encouraging, especially after the last couple practices and the last scrimmage.”
In that scrimmage late Friday, closed to the public and media, King was exceptional, completing 24 of 34 passes for 330 yards and six touchdowns and adding 84 yards rushing on nine carries.
According to UM, King’s scoring drives included longer ones of 10 plays for 75 yards and 11 plays for 55 yards, as well as a six-play, 51-yard drive and shorter, three-play, 76-yard burst.
“There’s still a bunch of stuff we have to correct coming back into this week of practice,’’ King said, “but I think it went really, really well. A lot of people knew what to do — that was encouraging.“
Fellow senior Mike Harley, who will start Thursday in the slot, said King “looks real comfortable’’ running the spread, which he formerly ran as a star for Houston. “He took everything he learned from the classroom to the field. He’s just being that great leader he’s been since Day One and we all follow his lead.’’
This is Harley’s third year with a new offensive coordinator in his four-year career. First came former coach Mark Richt, then last year it was Dan Enos. Now, of course, Lashlee.
“It’s a process with everything,’’ Harley said. “If God blesses me to go to the next level, it could be the same way. ...This offense is more smooth, easier to learn. A lot of guys, once they learn, they play fast. And once you play fast you have your confidence.’’
Harley praised each of the quarterbacks he has worked with at UM, but indicated he is most compatible with King.
“D’Eriq King, I would say we have the advantage because out of every quarterback I’ve played with, we have chemistry,’’ Harley said. “My senior year with King, this is probably the closest I’ve ever been with a quarterback, on and off the field — just talking about football, staying after practice, getting extra routes.
“If there’s an overthrown ball in the beginning of practice, we stay after practice working on that rep, communicating more. ...It’s a bond.’’
Coronavirus testing
UM senior linebacker Zach McCloud, also on the Zoom call, was asked about the Atlantic Coast Conference protocol of testing players three times during game weeks — 72 hours before, one day before and the day after the game. Is it worrisome waiting for the results? While UM has supposedly done very well so far in testing, many programs across the nation have had to postpone games because of the virus.
“It can be if you let it bother you,’’ McCloud said, “but you’ve just got to take the steps and do all the things right — be safe as possible. Wear your mask, stay away from people as much as you can, be clean. And all that will take care of itself hopefully.
“If anything happens then you know you did your best.”
▪ McCloud’s thoughts on the impressiveness of 6-5, 270-pound defensive end Jaelen Phillips, who previously played for UCLA and was the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school in 2017:
“One of the most impressive things about him is his just crazy relentless pursuit to the ball. [On] every play, every scrimmage after the whistle blows, he’s still sprinting, getting the last little burst in. It’s crazy to see somebody that big just be able to be that consistent all throughout practice, all throughout the game. His effort is something else.’’
This story was originally published September 8, 2020 at 1:50 PM.
