The Miami Hurricanes are searching for a QB to lead the team and program forward. And while there are other options on the roster, redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry looks to prove himself to be the guy to lead the team to success in the 2019 season.

A former 4-star recruit from Ocala (FL) Vanguard, the 6’4” 195lb Perry has a wealth of talent and untapped potential. In high school, Perry shattered 20 year old records set by former UCF and NFL star Daunte Culpepper, so he has already shown his skills on the field.

Blessed with an incredibly strong arm, good height, and above-average athleticism, Perry fits many of the items on anyone’s QB checklist. And, at times, Perry has shown the ability to harness his many gifts to make some pretty incredible plays on the field.

So a record-setting QB who is tall and quick with a cannon for an arm. What’s not to like?!

Well, like most players, Perry redshirted in 2017 and struggled in 2018 with preparation and his development as a player wasn’t as strong as he, or the prior coaching staff, would have liked.

After redshirting as a freshman in 2017, Perry finally saw game action in 2018. And the results were a mixed bag, at best: a 50.8% completion rate, a middling 114.8 QB rating, 6 interceptions and an inability to distinguish himself from Miami’s returning, and quite bad, QB — Malik Rosier.

Perry was benched after throwing 2 INTs vs Virginia (though Mark Richt stated that the 2nd INT was the result of a wrong route from a WR), and rotated with Rosier throughout the rest of the year. That combination led to Miami having the worst QB play of any P5 team...and beyond. It was bad. BAD bad. BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD bad bad bad. And, Perry took more than half the snaps at QB last year, so a lot of that is on him.

And, there was that whole snapchat incident that.....wasn’t the best look for Perry, to say the least.

With all of that being the case — the good AND the bad — where does that leave things? To my mind, that uneven past, along with 2 other very talented, but unproven, players at the QB position for the Canes means one thing: it’s now or never for N’Kosi Perry.

Working with new OC/QB coach Dan Enos is a boon for every offensive player on Miami’s roster, but none moreso than Perry and the QBs. He has all the physical talent in the world, but can he turn potential into performance? That will be the key for Perry this season.

Ever since he was Mark Richt’s hand-picked QB1 in the 2017 recruiting class, Perry has been in the spotlight. No, he didn’t come in and start as a true freshman, and yes, he had moments of brilliance but struggled with consistency in his playing debut last year, but there are few players with Perry’s physical gifts. But, if he can’t use them well and consistently, then what good are they?

The point of fact is simple: either N’Kosi Perry takes a big step forward in terms of his maturity, preparation, and consistency for the Canes in 2019, or he will likely endeavor to do so elsewhere in 2020 and beyond.

We’ll have to wait until fall camp is going and the 2019 season to see which way things shake. But I, for one, hope that N’Kosi Perry finally puts it all together and plays the way that he did in high school, and showed flashes of in his action in 2018.

Go Canes