ESPN: Miami football setup at QB for next three years

The Miami football program is set up well at quarterback according to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN. In an article examining “College football’s top 25 future quarterback power rankings” and transcribed by David Lake of Inside the U, Miami has the 13th best QB situation for the future.

The return of D’Eriq King at QB for the 2021 season was huge for the Miami football program. The Hurricanes will be able to buy another year with redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha, freshman Tyler Van Dyke and 2021 signee Jake Garcia while King plays in 2021. King will miss spring practice after tearing his ACL in December.

King missing spring will provide Matocha, Van Dyke and Garcia a chance to compete for first-team reps and assert themselves to be the second-team QB this fall. The improvement Miami had on offense in 2020 with King at QB and Rhett Lashlee in his first season as offensive coordinator impressed Adam Rittenberg of ESPN.

Rittenberg was also impressed with Miami signing Matocha, Van Dyke and Garcia in the last three recruiting classes. King is the first true dual-threat QB in recent Miami history. King showed the ability to threaten defenses passing and running. Matocha, Garcia, and Van Dyke are not the true dual-threat how King pressures a defense.

"“Miami’s improvement on offense and at quarterback in 2020 drove the team’s overall uptick in performance. Coordinator Rhett Lashlee had an immediate impact along with King, the Houston transfer who energized Miami’s offense with both his arm and legs.King passed for 2,686 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions, and he added 538 rush yards and four touchdowns on a career-high 130 carries. He completed more than 64% of his attempts and set a school record for single-season quarterback rushing.King tore his ACL in Miami’s bowl game — the same knee where he tore a meniscus in 2018 — but is expected back for the start of the 2021 season. His response from surgery and rehab largely will shape Miami’s outlook on offense…But the Hurricanes are also set up well beyond 2021 thanks to a recruiting uptick.In 2020, Miami signed Tyler Van Dyke. The Hurricanes also landed Jake Garcia, the onetime USC commit, in the 2021 class, who completed his prep career at two Georgia high schools because of California’s COVID-19 restrictions.”"

ESPN ranked Miami as the third-best QB unit in the ACC. Clemson tops the ACC and is ranked second nationally. The Tigers start a new era at QB in 2021 with D.J. Uiagalelei. North Carolina is behind the Tigers and seventh nationally with Sam Howell entering his junior and likely final season.

Behind Howell, North Carolina has 2020 signee Jacolby Criswell and 2021 signee Drake Maye. Oklahoma was ranked by ESPN as having the best QB situation for the next three seasons. Spencer Rattler is entering his redshirt sophomore season and will be eligible for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The Sooners signed the number one QB in the 2021 Class, Caleb Williams. Williams is from Gonzaga prep in Washington D.C., the same high school as Miami point guard Chris Lykes. With Lashlee on the Miami football staff, the Hurricanes should continue to sign highly ranked QBs.