D’Eriq King gets UM’s first historic new contract. And Diaz assesses late roster addition
UM quarterback D’Eriq King made history just after midnight on Thursday morning, becoming the first Hurricanes athlete to agree to a sponsorship deal under new NCAA legislation that permits players to benefit financially from their name, image and likeness.
King agreed to a deal to promote two Tampa-based companies: College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving and Murphy Auto Group.
King received a combined $10,000 signing bonus from the two companies and will receive monthly compensation as well. The value of the deal tops $20,000, according to Omar Soliman, the co-founder of College Hunks.
College Hunks had 150 franchises nationally; the idea for the company was hatched in a UM student business plan competition in 2004. Murphy owns five car dealerships in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Former UM receiver Ahmmon Richards has a relationship with Murphy Auto Group and informed King of the opportunity.
“I did research into [the companies’] core values,” King said by phone late Wednesday night. “It was a perfect fit.”
Soliman said King was appealing because “he embodies the core values of our company. The work he has done advocating for student-athletes [is impressive]. Everyone has the right to be an entrepreneur. This will usher in a new wave of entrepreneurship.”
Soliman said King’s initial responsibilities will primarily involve social media.
“He will drive computer awareness and ongoing social media posts promoting the brand,” Soliman said. “One of our challenges is recruiting employees. He’s a student athlete brand ambassador.”
Also Soliman said, “we’ve talked about doing a TV commercial with his offensive line. We’re looking to sponsor more student athletes, male and female. It’s cool to make history.”
And this won’t be the only way that King is capitalizing on the new NCAA policy.
King confirmed that he and FSU quarterback McKenzie Milton are co-founders of Dreamfield, which will schedule bookings of live events for college athletes, including speaking appearances and autograph signings. King and Milton will be the faces of the new venture but will recruit other student-athletes to participate.
As part of the deal, King and Milton will have digital sports trading cards, a business that Dreamfield also will pursue with college athletes.
King also struck a deal with The Wharf Miami -- an eating/drinking establishment on the Miami River - to make paid appearances for them.
What’s more, King created his website — deriqkingshop.com — where he will sell apparel and signed memorabilia.
The NCAA approved a name, image and likeness policy on Wednesday in the wake of nearly a dozen states - including Florida - passing their own such legislation.
Coach Manny Diaz said the new policy will benefit UM.
“Like we told our guys, they don’t put professional franchises in small towns,” Diaz said. “If you want to maximize your brand, you generally want to go where the people are. That can be a great advantage for our guys. I’m excited for our guys. This is one of the great advantages we can use with our community, our city.
“We’ve had different team meetings to educate our guys. Like most things, we’ve been figuring it out as we go along. Will there be a federal law? We’ve had to stay fluid on this. Whatever it ends up being, what’s important is that Miami dominates.”
King said his surgically-repaired knee is doing well and he will be ready for the opener Sept. 4 against Alabama in Atlanta.
THIS AND THAT
▪ Diaz was pleased to add running back Cody Brown as the final member of the 2021 recruiting class; he committed to the Canes three weeks after being released from his letter of intent with Tennessee.
“Cody is a tough runner, great size,” Diaz said at Paradise Camp. “He can run through tackles and then have the ability if you watch film, has the ability to run through tackles and go all the way. We felt with Robert Burns leaving the program we were short maybe at running back. We’re happy to be bringing in Thad Franklin” also. We just felt we were maybe a guy short. The situation just kind of presented itself.
“We had a relationship with Cody through the recruiting process. And everything went sideways with Tennessee. He went into the portal and we had the ability to contact him and I think the prior relationship we had with coach [Eric] Hickson, there already were a lot of good feelings from him to us and from us to him and it kind of worked out. We’re really happy he’s here.”
Brown becomes the second tailback in Miami’s 2021 class, joining four-star Hollywood Chaminade-Madonna running back Thad Franklin, who signed with the Hurricanes last year.
A top-250 prospect in the 247Sports.com composite rankings, Brown ran for 1,527 yards and 12 touchdowns on 212 carries as a senior at Parkview in Lilburn, Georgia. The senior added eight catches for 39 yards and went 1 of 1 for 35 yards as a passer.
He enrolled at UM earlier this month.
▪ It was heartening to see so many former Canes return as guest instructors at Paradise Camp.
The full group: Michael Irvin, Edgerrin James, Jon Beason, Calais Campbell, Brett Romberg, Joaquin Gonzalez, Duane Starks, Deon Bush, Sean Spence, Trent Harris, KJ Osborn, Greg Rousseau, Jaelan Phillips, Lamar Miller, Brian Monroe, Antrel Rolle, Javaris James, Kenny Phillips, David Njoku, Jose Borregales and Sheldrick Redwine.
What does it say about the program that so many distinguished former Canes return even when the program isn’t winning at the highest level?
“We want to win but our legacy is our legacy,” Campbell said. “What made us special in the first place is the fraternity. That builds a winning program. Usually, good players want to be part of that family.
“This is an excuse for us to get together and connect and bond and inspire and teach and help kids understand football at our level. Hopefully, some of them will end up Canes.... No matter how many games we won or lost, it doesn’t change the fact this is a fraternity. The brotherhood we had here, especially the guys who go through the NFL, it’s very special.”
▪ The fact UM had two defensive linemen drafted in the first round this year (Jaelan Phillips, Greg Rousseau) should help in recruiting.
“Having two first-round picks is great to see,” said Campbell, a former first-round defensive lineman who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens. “I hope it inspires more players to come to school. It’s good to see.. putting guys in the league and turning guys into superstars and see the potential is there. Both those guys will have monster careers and that’s really good for the program.”
And Campbell said new (and former) defensive line coach Jess Simpson “has a great resume. He’s coached a lot of great D-lineman and his d-linemen do well. If you come to Miami, you know you’re going to get NFL-level coaching, especially at the d-line position.”
Campbell was close with Rousseau and helped mentor him. Has he identified another young Canes lineman to help in the same way?
Campbell is open to that but noted “Greg is so similar with his body type and the way he moves, I saw a unique opportunity to share some tools I know for a fact works with his style. It was a unique situation to allow me to give more knowledge.
“I usually come back at least once a year to talk to guys on the team and let them to use me as a resource to understand technique better and watch tape better.”
On the state of the program and Diaz, Campbell said: “When he first got hired, I had high expectations but it was going to take a couple years. We had some big games and big opportunities. It takes a couple years recruiting to get your guys in. Now we’re ready to take that step up. As a coach, he checks all the boxes as a leader and a guy people want to follow. I love that we open up with a huge game in Alabama.”
Here’s my Wednesday piece with the Senior Bowl director’s feedback on the Dolphins rookie class.
Here’s my Wednesday Dolphins podcast with Armando Salguero.
Here’s my Wednesday UM football notebook.
Here’s my Wednesday Heat notebook with lots of nuggets.
This story was originally published July 1, 2021 at 12:34 AM.
