Does D’Eriq King Come Back For 2021?

One of the biggest topics for conversation at the moment for the Canes, is whether or not D’Eriq King will return to Miami for the 2021 season. While there are other players who will have to make that same decision, King’s decision will have the biggest impact.

In his only year at Miami so far, King has thrown for 2,086 yards, 17 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions, completing 63% of his passes. King has also ran for 421 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground. The difference that King has made to the Miami offense and team as a whole, is hard to fully understand if you’re not a Canes fan.

However, this is King’s 5th season of college football, but since 2020 doesn’t count towards players eligibility, it makes this conversation a whole lot more interesting.

While King has been electric in college at Houston and Miami, he isn’t projected as a high draft prospect. Because of his height and “lack” of arm strength, many believe King won't be used as a quarterback in the NFL. Unless King had a Heisman caliber season in 2020, those predictions wouldn’t have changed much.

All season long, I always said that King wouldn’t come back, but in this case, my opinion may be changing.

While Miami has struggled in recent years with players leaving for the NFL early, King strikes me as the opposite, and someone who’d come back for the team, as well as improving his draft stock. Another season with King as their QB and leader, would do wonders for UM. With King back in 2021, in his second year with Rhett Lashlee, Miami could be a top-10 team, without question.

Also, if King decided to come back, who’s to say Brevin Jordan or Jaelan Phillips wouldn’t do the same? You have to think too, Will Mallory would be back, along with Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins, hopefully all three running backs, and the majority of the offensive line. You lose Mike Harley and Jarrid Williams, but the list of returning starters outweighs the two leaving.

As Manny Diaz and his staff continue to try and build up the culture at Miami, no player will help that cause more in 2021 than D’Eriq King. In the 8 games he’s played for the Canes, he’s been the guy that gave Miami the confidence needed, in order to win.

Say he doesn’t come back, the 2021 season for the Hurricanes is looking a lot different potentially. N’Kosi Perry and Tyler Van Dyke will battle for the starting QB spot, or would Diaz and Lashlee go back to the transfer portal for another quarterback? Nevertheless, King leaving would create some doubt in the Canes offense.

Now obviously, whether King is gone or returns for another year, Miami fans will always be grateful for his time at UM. After the train wreck of 2019, and 15+ years of mediocre football, King’s skills and leadership was exactly what this program needed.