The departure of former Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence to the NFL following the 2020 season makes first-team All-ACC attainable for multiple signal-callers this fall. D’Eriq King is expected to return to the Miami Hurricanes this fall fully rehabbed from a torn ACL suffered in the Cheeze-it Bowl loss to Oklahoma State.
King completed 64.1 percent of his passes for 2,686 yards, 23 touchdowns and five interceptions and ran for another 538 yards and four TDs in 2020. King also caught two passes for 16 yards. King was fourth in the ACC in passing yards per game in 2020, fifth in completion percentage and third in passer rating and TD passers.
In spite of Lawrence leaving for the NFL, the ACC still has QBs who can challenge to earn all-league honor. North Carolina QB Sam Howell is poised to take the mantle as the best QB in the ACC in 2021. Malik Cunningham of Louisville, Brennan Armstrong of Virginia and Kenny Pickett of Pittsburgh bear watching.
Devin Leary of North Carolina State helped improve the Wolfpack in 2020, but missed a lot of time with injuries. Clemson is replacing Lawrence with five-star QB D.J. Uiagalelei. Phil Jurkovec of Boston College and Sam Hartman of Wake Forest led potent passing offenses for the Eagles and Demon Deacons.
King should be the best all-around QB in the ACC in 2020. In addition to his passing numbers, King was fifth among signal-callers in the ACC in rushing yards per game in 2020. King will compete on the same field with Howell, Armstrong, Pickett and Leary in 2020. The quirk of the 2020 schedule has Miami playing NC Stat again.
The game against Howell and North Carolina is the biggest on the Miami Hurricanes ACC schedule in 2021. Miami has to prove itself against the Tar Heels after the 62-26 loss last season. The Hurricanes and Tar Heels get reacquainted on October 16 in Chapel Hill. That game could decide the ACC Coastal Divison title.