The excitement for D’Eriq King in 2020 has been building for the Miami Hurricanes since he announced his transfer to Coral Gables in January. The competition to succeed King in 2021 will be fierce and somewhat unknown.
The prevailing thinking regarding the successor to D’Eriq King is that the competition will come down to 2021 redshirt senior N’Kosi Perry and Tyler VanDyke who is expected to redshirt as a true freshman in 2020. The possibility exists that the Miami Hurricanes could pursue a graduate transfer again for 2021.
If a graduate transfer signs with Miami for the 2021 season expect Perry to seek a graduate transfer of his own. When King signed with Miami in January it led to the transfer of redshirt freshman Jarren Williams who was the Hurricanes’ primary starter in 2019. Perry shared time with Williams last season.
Perry has struggled throughout his Miami career with accuracy. In two seasons, Perry has played in 19 games, making nine starts. Perry has completed just 52.0 percent of his passes for 2,136 yards, 21 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Although not as dynamic as King, Perry has added 213 yards rushing and three TDs.
In addition to Perry and Van Dyke, Miami also has 2020 rising redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha and 2019 transfer portal darling, rising redshirt junior Tate Martell. Like King, Matocha is from Houston. There have been some speculations without King that Van Dyke would have been the Hurricanes starting QB in 2020.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald quoted a scout who observed the four practices Miami held during the first week of March stating that Van Dyke would have been the starter without King on the roster because of his accuracy. VanDyke and Perry are both 6’4, but the freshman is already 35 pounds heavier than the fourth-year junior.
"“If King hadn’t come here, I think Van Dyke would start this year. His passes are crisp, accurate.”"
Per Jackson, the scout also praised Van Dyke for his demeanor. The reports on Van Dyke have been better than his status as the 220th ranked player and seventh-ranked prostyle QB in the class of 2020. As a multi-sport athlete who also played baseball and basketball in high school, Van Dyke will be capable in the spread offense.
The Connecticut native is expected to be able to be capable in run-pass options and he played in a spread offense in high school. The reports on Van Dyke’s demeanor are critical in the up-tempo offense than Miami will run with Rhett Lashlee as the new Miami Hurricanes offensive coordinator.
It seems likely that if Perry remains with the Miami Hurricanes through the 2021 season that Martell would likely transfer. The only possibilities could be that Martell loves being at Miami and that if the Hurricanes do not add a transfer for the 2021 season that he could compete with Perry and Van Dyke to be the starter.
Jackson was told by his source that Perry was just OK (is not OK) during spring practice and Martell also struggled with his accuracy during the four sessions that commenced March 2. Although Matocha is likely on the Miami Hurricanes roster to add depth he could bear watching over the next season plus to challenge in 2021.