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Coral Gables, FL — In the 80s and 90s the Miami Hurricanes were known as “Quarterback U.” Year after year the school produced NFL caliber quarterbacks which actually dates back to the 50s and 60s with pro QBs Franc Curci and George Mira. The moniker was solidified with former Canes quarterbacks Jim Kelly, Bernie Kosar, and Vinny Testaverde. Kelly arguably the quarterback with the most NFL success was a five-time pro bowler, Kosar helped Miami win its first national championship in the 83’ season, and Testaverde brought the first Heisman trophy to Miami.
The tradition would continue with Steve Walsh and Craig Erickson helping the Canes win championships in 87’ and 89,’ and Gino Torretta perhaps the most decorated quarterback in the history of the school, won another championship in 91’ and the Heisman trophy in 92.’
Quarterback play was quite mediocre in the later 90s until Ken Dorsey rejuvenated the position play and led arguably the best team in college football history to another national championship in 2001. After Dorsey, there were flashes of greatness from Brock Berlin, Jacorey Harris, and Stephen Morris but never quite the level of the 80s and 90s.
Then there was last year. Houston transfer quarterback D’Eriq King injected life into the position and was often in the Heisman conversation in 2020. King is currently ranked 5th to take home the coveted award for the 2021 season according to Draft Kings.
Miami quarterback D’Eriq King warms up before the Cheez-It Bowl college football game of Miami versus Oklahoma State at Camping World Stadium in Orlando on Tuesday, December 29, 2020, (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel)
In 2020, King passed for 2,686 yards, 23 touchdowns to only 5 interceptions. He also added 586 yards rushing and four touchdowns.
King ended his 2020 season with a torn ACL in the Cheez-It Bowl but serves as defacto quarterbacks coach to the young QBs in Spring practice. Second-year quarterbacks Tyler Van Dyke and Peyton Matocha along with true freshman Jake Garcia give reason to believe that a run of great quarterback play could be ahead.
“Despite D’Eriq being out he’s been very helpful,” said Van Dyke at Tuesday’s press zoom conference. “He’s always in the room watching film with us, getting us better, asking us questions to challenge us. And on the field, after he’s done with his treatment, he’ll ask us why he threw that ball or ask us what we saw. He’s very impactful for all of us.”
Van Dyke (6-4, 212), a four-star prospect in high school out of Connecticut, is a pocket passer that was ranked as the 7th pro-style passer in the nation by 247 Sports. Van Dyke will battle with fellow sophomore Matocha (6-4, 204), a three-star prospect out of the Houston Texas area, and Garcia (6-2, 195), a four-star pro-style passer from Georgia for the backup role assuming King is ready to go for game one.
In Garcia’s senior year of high school, he led his team to win the state championship for Grayson High School which was considered the second-best high school football team of the 2020 season just behind IMG Academy (Bradenton, FL). Just a few months removed from attending high school, Garcia found himself taking some first-team reps at the first scrimmage. Garcia was cleared to play in the scrimmage just before scrimmage day.
“Jake was not clear for team settings until the day before,” said Head Coach Manny Diaz. “Jake looked like a guy that day that’s been around a long time, that was just not in awe of the moment and was very comfortable [in the scrimmage].”
Miami will have their second scrimmage of the Spring season this week and after impressive quarterback play in scrimmage one, scrimmage two will be even more telling.
“Most of the quarterbacks played very well that day,” said Coach Diaz of the signal-callers in the first scrimmage. “I think It will be very interesting to see what happens at the end of this week and how it looks with scrimmage two, there will be more defense in and more stuff coming at you.”
Miami will have one of the most impressive quarterback rooms this century which project well for the future of the position.
“It’s a competitive quarterback room and we push each other,” said Garcia. “I felt good in the scrimmage. It was a good time to be able to put some stuff on film and just go back and review it and learn from it.”
The second scrimmage of the season will take place this Friday night. The Spring Game is scheduled for April 17th at Hard Rock Stadium.
Featured Images Courtesy of Tim Brogdon of Miami Athletics
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