Miami Hurricanes starting QB not guaranteed to Malik Rosier in 2018
Speaking at the Orange Bowl kickoff press conference Miami Hurricanes Head Coach Mark Richt indicated that despite the return of starting quarterback Malik Rosier in 2018, there would be an open competition for the position.
Rosier has been inconsistent at times this season. His performance in the Miami Hurricanes final two games has the fan base wanting a change under center next season.
In a poll Canes Warning conducted via twitter at the outset of the season, 76 percent of the fanbase wanted Freshman N’Kosi Perry under center. Perry redshirted this season.
Rosier has had an outstanding season leading Miami to a 10-2 record and their first ACC Coastal Division title this year. He threw for 2,908 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Rosier also ran for 427 yards and five touchdowns.
In addition to Perry, Miami has received a commitment from Four-Star quarterback Jarren Williams for the Class of 2018. The Hurricanes also return Cade Weldon and Evan Sheriffs for next season.
Asked if there was going to be an open competition for starting quarterback in the spring, Richt said:
"“We’re always competing, Every position in the spring we hook it up. Everybody knows they’ve got to keep performing and doing well. You’ve got to keep recruiting, too. Everybody knows that. Those kids know that…We do that every spring, at every position.”"
Rosier’s struggles in the last two games of the season likely cemented the speculation about the security of his position under center. He completed just 46 percent of his passes for 289 total yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the losses to Pittsburgh and Clemson.
Richt pulled him in each game. Evan Sheriffs came in against Pittsburgh. The redshirt Sophomore was incomplete on both his pass attempts in just one series played.
In the ACC Championship against Clemson, Richt brought DeeJay Dallas in to run the Wildcat offense. Dallas was a high school quarterback. It worked briefly, but Miami was already trailing significantly at that point.
Rosier will be entering his fifth and final season with Miami next season. He mostly sat for two seasons after redshirting as a Freshman before being named the starter for this season. Rosier is going to have to work on his accuracy in the offseason to keep his job.
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He tied for the ACC lead in touchdown passes, was fourth in yards and fifth in passer rating. He also tied for the league lead with 11 interceptions and his 54.8 completion percentage was the second lowest in the conference.
Rosier’s performance was influenced throughout the season by injuries. The Hurricanes were missing running back Mark Walton for the last eight games of the season and tight end Christopher Herndon IV and Ahmmon Richards for the ACC Championship game. Richards battled through injuries all season.
Rosier told the Palm Beach Post he knows he has work to do in the offseason to keep continue being the starting quarterback next season.
"“There’s a lot I have to fix personally…Whether I play good or bad, all I care about is winning.”"
Richt is not adverse to playing his Freshmen. Fifteen Miami Freshman contributed this season and eight redshirted. If Perry or Williams is the best quarterback in spring practice or training camp, Richt won’t hesitate to start one of them.
Next: Miami Hurricanes get commitment from QB Jarren Williams
In his first season as a Head Coach at Georgia Richt played David Greene as a redshirt Freshman in 2001. Greene threw for 2,789 yards, 17 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He prepped a South Gwinnett High School. Williams is from Central Gwinnett. Perry will be a Redshirt Freshman just like Greene was.