ESPN’s Herbstreit raves about Lashlee, King
ESPN college football analyst Kirk Herbstreit is getting to spend a lot of time around the Miami Hurricanes these days, calling back-to-back Saturday night games and being part of the “College GameDay” crew in Miami this Saturday after being in Louisville for UM’s game last week.
Interviewed on 560-AM on Tuesday night ahead of Miami’s rivalry game against Florida State at Hard Rock Stadium, Herbstreit raved about the Hurricanes’ new offensive coordinator-quarterback combo of Rhett Lashlee and D’Eriq King.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in Rhett Lashlee,” Herbstreit said. “I’ve followed his career very closely. I think he’s a head coach in a year or two somewhere. He’s going to have those kinds of credentials.
“There are certain coordinators you talk to and you just know you’re talking to a guy that is going to be a head coach in a year or two. He’s got that feel to him. In the meantime, you guys are getting a taste of how he operates.”
Herbstreit said Lashlee’s aggressive style with his up-tempo spread is what Miami has needed for years to complement its athletes and offensive playmakers.
“He’s in attack mode until it’s done, until the horn goes off,” he said. “That’s a different mindset than Miami has had in a long, long
time. He’s basically bringing them into the 21st century.”
Of King, Herbstreit compared him to Seattle Seahawks star quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson similarly made a name for himself initially at N.C. State before transferring to Wisconsin to finish his college career, the way King transferred from Houston to Miami.
“Russell Wilson comes to mind for me,” Herbstreit said. “He left N.C. State and showed up in Madi
son. He was there for four weeks and was voted unanimously a team captain. His temperament and his style with the way he carried himself reminds me of D’Eriq King — not what we saw of him against the Patriots the other night, but as a college player — he reminds me of D’Eriq King in a similar situation.”
For King’s part, he impressed against Louisville with 325 passing yards and three touchdowns, but he’s not satisfied.
“There’s still a lot I have to get better at,” King said Wednesday. “We just have to be more detailed [in the passing game]. There’s a lot of small things that we’re missing out on.”
King’s numbers could’ve been better had Miami receivers not dropped multiple passes on Saturday.
“It’s going to happen in football,” King said. “Those guys are pretty reliable most of the time. … They do a great job every single week in practice, staying after practice, catching balls off the Juggs [machine].”
Donaldson, Williams updates
UM coach Manny Diaz on Wednesday offered the latest in senior offensive lineman Navaughn Donaldson’s recovery from a knee injury at the end of 2019.
“Navaughn is not cleared for full contact practice,” Diaz said. “He’s working with our trainers, [physical therapists] and just getting his movement skills back. He’s doing some walkthrough things for us when we’re not in a contact setting with the offensive line.”
In the offseason, Donaldson announced he would redshirt the season. The NCAA since announced it would not count the 2020 season against player eligibility, so he could still make a lateseason return if available.
Diaz said freshman safety Avantae Williams’ pre-existing medical condition that’s keeping him out of his first year with the Hurricanes is not career threatening, like the Hurricanes have seen in recent years with cornerback Malek Young and receiver Ahmmon Richards, “from what the doctors have said.”
“Right now, he’s in the process of strengthening some muscles that need to be strengthened,” Diaz said of Williams, “and they’ll evaluate him and we hope to have him cleared whenever they say he’s cleared.”
Unavailability questions
Manny Diaz said Wednesday he had “nothing to report” as far as updates on player availability for Saturday against FSU.
Miami redshirt freshman wide receiver Jeremiah Payton and redshirt freshman tight end Larry Hodges were listed on UM’s unavailability report ahead of the win at Louisville.
In the opener against UAB, Payton was in the wide receiver rotation as the Hurricanes’ fourth wideout behind starters Michael Harley, Mark Pope and Dee Wiggins. Hodges is behind Miami’s talented tight end due of juniors Brevin Jordan and Will Mallory.
Running back Cam’Ron Harris and safety Gurvan Hall, who were dinged in the win at Louisville, appear likely to return. Both played in limited roles within the game against the Cardinals after getting hurt, which encouraged Diaz in his Monday comments.