Miami Hurricanes offense very dangerous with D’Eriq King per PFF
Pro Football Focus stated that “D’Eriq King makes Miami’s offense a very dangerous one” in a review of college football week two. The Miami Hurricanes travel to Louisville Saturday.
The Miami Hurricanes totaled 495 yards of total offense, 337 rushing in their 31-14 victory over UAB on Thursday in the season opener. In their second of 10 points about week two, Pro Football Focus stated that “D’Eriq King makes Miami’s offense a very dangerous one.” King had 224 yards of total offense against UAB Thursday.
King was 15-23 for 141 yards and a touchdown passing against the Blazers and ran 12 times for 83 yards and another TD in the 31-14 victory in the season opener. The rushing and passing TDs extended King’s FBS record to 16 consecutive games with one of each in the same game. King is the 11th ranked QB per PFF.
King had a grade of 80.3 in the victory over UAB. The 80.3 grade is significantly below the 91.2 grade that King had in 2018 during his last full season with Houston. King earned a run grade of 76.4 and a passing grade of 69.8 in his Miami Hurricanes debut. Expect his passing grade to improve as the season progresses.
King and new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee are just starting to get comfortable with each other. Miami lit up Louisville last season for six TD passes behind former offensive coordinator Dan Enos and QB Jarren Williams. King and Lashlee should have a strong game against the Cardinals on Saturday.
"2. D’Eriq King makes Miami’s offense a very dangerous oneD’Eriq King looked like a star in the making just a couple of years ago. Doing damage both through the air and on the ground, King produced a 91.2 PFF grade in 2018, second among FBS quarterbacks.Then things went south when Dana Holgorsen took over in 2019. King would play in just four games before opting to redshirt, and while he still made big plays with his legs when on the field, he struggled to move the ball as a passer, recording a passing grade of just 59.9.Instead of returning to the Cougars, he went to Miami to join forces with Rhett Lashlee. And in his Miami debut, he looked just like he did just a few seasons ago. King produced a 76.4 passing grade for the game, making impressive plays inside and outside of structure.King’s mobility was on full display and helped him turn four of five scrambles into 10-plus-yard gains. He also managed to break five tackles on those five scrambles, too.His ability to extend and make plays long after the snap was the root of his success in 2018. It made Houston’s offense one of the best in the Group of 5, and it’s looking like it will do the same for the Hurricanes in 2020.I’m not saying they are a CFP or even ACC darkhorse by any means, but with King at the helm, they could put a team like Clemson or Notre Dame on upset alert.”"
The Miami Hurricanes rushing offense has the potential to be dominant this season. King and running backs, junior Cam’Ron Harris and freshmen Jaylan Knighton and Don Chaney Jr. combined to be the only Power Five team in 2020 with three of at least three runs of 30 or more yards. King’s longest run was 31 yards.
The dimension that King adds to Miami enhances the Hurricanes running the football in 2020. Harris had the longest run of the night on a 66-yard touchdown in the first half. Harris broke through the UAB short-yardage defense and sprinted for the TD on four and one to tie the game at seven.
King is one of only 17 players with two runs over 20 yards this season. Six of the other players have played two games. The Miami offense should be exciting to watch this season. King proved he is a better fit in the Lashlee offense than he was last season under Holgersen with Houston when they asked him to redshirt.
King kept Miami out of more than two sacks in the season opener. The Hurricanes were 128th in sacks allowed in 2019. The two sacks Miami allowed against UAB puts the Hurricanes right in the middle, ranked 21st out of 41 teams that have played so far in 2020. As the season progresses expect the sacks to be down from 2019.
It has been a long time since a Miami offense has the potential that they have in 2020. The Hurricanes need their WRs to continue to improve. The running game should continue to be elite. With King running the Miami offense, the Hurricanes have one of the best QBs in the country for the first time in almost 20 years.