Manny Diaz likes 2021 Miami football QB signee Jake Garcia leadership ability

Head coach Manny Diaz likes the leadership ability in 2021 Miami football signee quarterback Jake Garcia. Garcia had a long road to Miami and during his senior year in high school that has been well documented during his recruitment. Garcia was the 46th ranked signee, fifth-ranked pro-style QB and overall player in Georgia in 2021.

Garcia is the third highest-ranked signee for Miami in 2021 and highest-ranked offensive player. Garcia is a high-level QB with the ability to make all the throws and has the mobility to escape pressure. The leadership that Garcia immediately brings to any team he joins is what separates him as an elite QB.

Garcia will have an apprentice season as a true freshman in 2021 with the return of starting QB D’Eriq King. King stabilizes QB for Miami in the 2021 season. In 2022, Garcia will likely compete with redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha and freshman Tyler Van Dyke to be the starting QB.

Garcia will likely redshirt in 2021. Matocha and Van Dyke will compete to be the backup to King with N’Kosi Perry expected to transfer despite removing his name from the portal earlier this month. The 2022 season will be the first time since 2019 that Miami will enter the season with a largely inexperienced QB as the starter.

"“From a football standpoint, you can pop on his film on the Internet and see all the great throws and things he can do with his feet, all the quarterbacking stuff. I love all that stuff, and it’s really valuable.  What I like about Jake is who he is as a person. Look at the adversity Jake has gone through in 2020.They basically canceled high school football in California, he moved to Georgia, moved to a big-time program in Valdosta. You got to walk in that locker room and say, ‘I’m a kid from California here to be our starting quarterback.’ He ends up ineligible due to some political-type rules, then [enrolls in] Grayson in the northern part of the state.You’re going from one powerhouse to another; they are halfway through the season. They already have a starting quarterback. They have friendships on that team. To walk in that locker room and say ‘I’m Jake Garcia, quarterback.The courage, the self-confidence but then the ability to capture the spirit of those teams and have them follow you. That shows he’s got something about him that people want to follow.”"

Diaz was quoted by Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald. Garcia generated more excitement in a Miami recruit than anyone in recent memory. He said last week that the Garcia to the U hashtag made him feel wanted by the Miami football fanbase and played a role in his decision to sign with the Hurricanes.

If Miami has spring practice the quarterback position will be the center of attention with King sidelined with a torn ACL. Garcia, Matocha and Van Dyke will all have a chance to assert themselves and be the first-team QB, at least during the spring. The future at QB is bright for the Miami football program.