The extra year of eligibility granted to all 2020 fall sports athletes could create roster management issues for the Miami Hurricanes football program according to athletic director Blake James. James spoke to the Miami football announcing team Joe Zagazki and Don Bailey Jr. on WQAM Friday morning.
Susan Miller Degnan of the Miami Herald transcribed extensive parts of the interview. James went into detail that the seniors who return to the Miami Hurricanes football program will not count against the scholarship limit of 85. In 2021 through potentially 2024 is when Miami might have issues with roster management.
Miami has a small senior class with only nine players. Several Miami Hurricanes football players will have decisions to make about whether or not to return for 2021. The player on almost everyone’s mind is quarterback D’Eriq King. The entire outlook for Miami in 2021 will change if King decides to return.
King will be hindered in the draft process by his height around 5’9. King could decide to return to Miami for his second season which would be sixth in college. King entered Houston in 2016 and redshirted in 2019 before transferring to Miami. It seems more likely currently that King would leave for the NFL Draft.
“The seniors that decide to come back won’t count against that 85 number. So, look at the most obvious one. If D’Eriq King were to decide that it’s the right decision for him to come to the University of Miami for the 2021 football season, his one scholarship doesn’t count against our number.
Some of it will be taken care of from that perspective — that you have the seniors that don’t count against your number…I don’t think it will be as big of an issue as you illustrated, although I do think there could be some roster management issues…
If King does leave for the NFL Miami seems likely to look for a QB in the transfer portal again. Freshman Tyler Van Dyke probably needs another year to mature beyond this season. Miami also has redshirt junior N’Kosi Perry and redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha on the roster at QB.
Harley has improved significantly this season to become the go-to receiver for King since Brevin Jordan missed three games earlier in the year. Another season in college of being a productive receive can only help Harley’s draft status. Carter and Ford are borderline NFL Draft picks who would need huge 2021s to move up.
