D’Eriq King talks Jake Garcia, Miami QBs and why he’s improving so fast from torn ACL
University of Miami fans everywhere probably stopped breathing a few ticks last Dec. 29 when star quarterback D’Eriq King lay on the ground with an apparent right-knee injury sustained while running with 4:06 left in the first half of the Cheez-It Bowl.
Turns out it was as bad as many imagined, a torn ACL just three days after announcing he would return to UM instead of entering the NFL Draft.
But like seemingly everything else he tackles in his life, King is apparently mastering the rehabilitation process as well. On Saturday, after the Hurricanes spring game and less than four months after reconstructive surgery, King showed up on the sideline of Hard Rock Stadium in street clothes to be there with his teammates and even call the plays during the fourth quarter.
King spoke of being impressed with young quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke and Jake Garcia, both battling for the backup job, and his journey back thus far. His intent, as affirmed by UM coach Manny Diaz several times, is to start against defending national champion Alabama in the Sept. 4 season opener at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Here is most of King’s Q&A session from Saturday:
What’s the next step for you?
“7-on-7 is coming pretty soon. I’m still taking it day by day. You never know. I might have a setback but so far I haven’t had any setbacks. I started running. That’s a big step for me. I’ve been doing that every single day now.”
Who impressed you in the spring game?
“We had a bunch of younger guys step up this spring. Tyler and Jake had a really good spring, even Peyton Matocha... That was good to see. We had a new guy [receiver Charleston] Rambo coming in. He made a bunch of plays this spring.”
Jake Garcia seems pretty rare and comfortable as an early enrollee (right out of high school). Why is that?
“Jake is a good player. He studies. He knows the playbook, which is always big for guys that are younger. Usually when they get to college it’s kind of tough to learn the playbook. Jake knows the playbook in and out. That’s why when you see him play in practices and scrimmages he looks [good]. He’s just got to keep taking little steps like that and just keep getting more reps. With more reps he’ll keep getting better. He’s a really good player.”
You’ve been supposedly smashing every benchmark. What has left you most inspired in your rehab progress?
“Anytime you get hurt it’s always hard. Me wanting to be back with my teammates, wanting to do everything with those guys. When I first got back earlier in the winter I was pretty much working out by myself. As of recently I started working out with the team, which is good for me just to be back with those guys, be around them. The next big step is when we come back for summer workouts I’ll pretty much be full go, doing everything pretty much. That’s the next big step for me. I take it day by day and just keep going.”
Take us inside your daily rehab and what it is that is helping you so quickly come back
“I start everyday with a 5:45 [a.m.] lift, just working on a lot of stuff besides my knee: upper body strength, core, and I take 45 minutes out of that to work on my knee. After I get done with that I do a rehab… focus on my knee, focus on quad strength, control and balance, focus on strengthening back up. Then we might have meetings or practice, whatever. After practice I come back and do another rehab. I think they’ve had a really good plan for me ever since I had surgery. I’ve just been following the plan to the T, working on my nutrition, working with [trainer] Vinny Scavo... The whole training room, they have a really good plan and I just follow it — two times a day most of the day. That’s really helped me get back to the point I’m at now.”
Aside from physical work, what else are you doing to improve yourself?
“I’ve been watching a ton of film. I’ve watched every single game from last year, trying to pick up little things I can get better at. [Offensive coordinator Rhett] Lashlee has pointed out everything I need to work on. I try to focus on that mentally. When I can do it physically I’ll do it physically. Just being here for the summer is really important for me because I missed spring ball. Just getting extra throws in with my guys, being around the team, kind of getting chemistry back. That’s going to be a huge step for us and I’m excited to do it.’’
This story was originally published April 18, 2021 at 11:09 AM.
