Rhett Lashlee success with transfers influenced D’Eriq King

Graduate transfer quarterback D’Eriq King became interested in the Miami football program because of the history. The hiring of spread offensive guru Rhett Lashlee was the decisive factor in King matriculating in Coral Gables.

The signing of graduate transfer quarterback D’Eriq King from Houston and the hiring of offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee during the 2020 offseason is expected to provide the Miami offense with a huge upgrade this fall. King became interested in the Miami football program because of the history and five national championships.

The decisive fact in D’Eriq King choosing Miami for his final season of college football was the hiring of spread offensive guru Rhett Lashlee as the Hurricanes new offensive coordinator. Lashlee and King are a seemingly perfect fit. Lashlee has had success before with transfer QBs in his offense.

Appearing on the Packer and Durham show on the ACC Network on Wednesday, Miami head coach Manny Diaz discussed the decision by King to transfer to Miami. Diaz brought up SMU QB Shane Buechele who did not join the Mustangs until June 2019, just a couple of months before the start of training camp.

Lashlee also had success at Auburn with junior college transfer QBs Nick Marshall and Cam Newton. Lashlee was the Tigers offensive coordinator in 2013 when Auburn lost to Florida State in the National Championship game with Marshall. In 2010, Lashlee was a graduate assistant when Newton led Auburn to a national title.

"“That was a big part in D’Eriq coming here. Not just the scheme, but also the success Rhett had a year ago in a similar circumstance with bringing Shane Buechele in as a transfer quarterback and he didn’t arrive until June and he still threw for [a lot of] yards and all the touchdowns at SMU a year ago.D’Eriq knew it was a system where he could come in and it was easy to master and easy for the guys around you to play in and have a lot of success…He is special…He is a special person first and foremost.He has been through a lot of adversity this year and I think he is a guy that has the respect of everybody in the locker room because he can always make something happen. Just his humility and the way he connects with all his teammates I think is what has drawn all our guys to him.His accuracy with throwing the football I think is underrated and then you have to defend two plays with him: the play that is called and then the play he can create with his feet if that first play breaks down. It is a very, very stressful proposition for the defense.”"

King is a much smaller version of Newton in that he can win games with his arms and his legs. Buechele is more of a pocket passer, while Marshall was a more traditional running QB. As Diaz mentioned, the ton of yards Buechele threw for in 2019 was 3,929 with 34 TDs and 10 interceptions.

Buchele added 105 yards rushing and two TDs. During his last full season in 2018, King threw for 2,982 yards, 36 TDs and six interceptions, while running for 674 yards and another 14 TDs. The combination of King and Lashlee running the Miami offense should create new heights for the Hurricanes in 2020.

King has completed a solid 61.8 percent of his passes in his collegiate career. Miami QBs were 83rd in FBS in 2019 completing 58.4 percent of their passes. The quick and decisive spread offense Lashlee prefers should improve those numbers in 2020. SMU was 45th in completion percentage in 2019 at 62.2 percent.

The leadership that King brings to the Miami locker room could be the most critical part of his addition to the Hurricanes locker room. Diaz frequently spoke about the lack of leadership Miami had at QB in 2019. The departure of former starter Jarren Williams and addition of King should help elevate the leadership for Miami at QB.