Backup QB Perry suspended for season opener

CORAL GABLES — During preseason camp, Hurricanes coach Mark Richt and quarterbacks coach Jon Richt heaped praise on Mia mi ’s young reserve quarterbacks, noting that in recent months, they’d made progress and were showing the kind of maturity the Hurricanes needed from them on and off the field.

But one of those quarterbacks — redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry — had a misstep as the Hurricanes announced Saturday morning that Perry would not travel to Arlington, Texas, for the eighth-ranked Hurricanes’ season opener on Sunday night (7:30, ABC) against LSU at AT&T Stadium. According to a statement issued by the school, Perry — a four-star prospect out of Ocala’s Vanguard High — violated an undisclosed team rule.

In the statement announcing Perry’s suspension, Richt said he will be eligible for Miami’s home opener next Saturday against Savannah State.

“We took some disciplinary action with N’Kosi, but he has since responded well and made some positive changes,” said Richt. “He is in good standing going forward and we look forward to seeing him dress for our home opener and through the rest of the season.”

With Perry’s suspension, fellow redshirt freshman Cade Weldon — who has been, with Perry, alternating reps with Miami’s second-string offense — will likely be called on if something were to happen to starter Malik Rosier. Freshman Jarren Williams, an early enrollee who arrived on campus in January, would likely be the third quarterback.

Only Rosier — who started all 13 games for the Hurricanes last season — has any experience in a college game.

Weld on, the son of former Florida State AllAmerican quarterback Casey Weldon, was a threestar prospect out of Tampa’s Jefferson High after amassing 3,135 passing yards and 19 touchdowns as a senior.

Williams is a four-star prospect out of Central Gwinnett High in Georgia, where he completed 61 percent of his passes last season and threw for more than 3,000 yards and 28 touch- downs. He was rated the nation’s No. 6 dual-threat quarterback by ESPN and the No .7 dual-threat quarterback by 247sports.com.

Perry earned FHSAA Class 6A Player of the Year honors after throwing 24 touchdowns and completing 64 percent of his passes as a senior.

Perry and Weldon were on the Hurricanes’ scout team last season while redshirting.