South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
Perry gets fast hook vs. Virginia
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — When redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry struggled early last week against Florida State, Miami Hurricanes coach Mark Richt considered pulling the young quarterback and putting the game in the hands of veteran Malik Rosier.
Ultimately, Richt stayed with Perry and Miami rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the rival Seminoles 28-27.
But on Saturday night in Virginia when Perry — who was making the first road start of his young career — struggled again, Richt didn’t wait very long to see if things would get better.
After Perry completed just three of his first six passes, threw two interceptions and Miami fell behind 10-0, Richt turned to Rosier, putting the redshirt senior into the game with 11:11 left in the first half.
It marked the first game action Rosier had seen since the second series of the FIU game on Sept. 22. That night, Richt opted to give Perry a chance to play in a game that hadn’t been decided and Perry delivered.
He connected on his first 10 throws against the Panthers and started a week later against North Carolina. Perry made his second start against FSU, but his third — at Virginia — was far from ideal, to say the least.
And so, Richt went to Rosier, a quarterback who last season, led Miami to comeback wins against Florida State, Georgia Tech and these same Cavaliers.
While the first half ended with the Hurricanes still trailing Virginia 13-6, Rosier did engineer Miami’s only two scoring drives. Hurricanes quarterback Malik Rosier watches the Florida State game on Oct. 6. Rosier replaced N’Kosi Perry in the second quarter Saturday night against Virginia.
Both of those drives ended with Bubba Baxa field goals, one from 47 yards, the other from 28.
Rosier went into the locker room 2 of 7 for for 30 yards, while Perry was 3 of 6 for 20 yards.
Charles Perry leaves team: As they make their way through the rest of their schedule, the Hurricanes will be without reserve linebacker Charles Perry, who left the program this past week a Miami spokesman confirmed.
Perry, a former Royal Palm Beach standout, registered one tackle this season. He played in nine games last year before suffering a season-ending leg injury in November. To that point, he had recorded 15 tackles.
A senior, Perry could take advantage of a new NCAA rule and pursue a redshirt because he has only played in four of Miami’s six games this year. If he were to redshirt and fulfill his graduation requirements before the start of the next school year, Perry could be eligible to play next year as a graduate transfer at another program.
It’s unclear if that is the route the linebacker is pursuing.
Hightower injured in practice, does not travel: Receiver Brian Hightower, who has four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown through Miami’s first six games, did not travel to Virginia for Saturday’s
game after being hurt in practice, according to WQAM.
Feagles back in starting lineup: Punter Zach Feagles, who struggled early in the year and was replaced by Jack Spicer in Miami’s games against North Carolina and Florida State, returned to the starting lineup Saturday.
He averaged 41.5 yards on his first two punts of the game.
Hurricanes lose Jackson midway through first half: Late in the first quarter, the Hurricanes lost veteran cornerback Michael Jackson for the game after he was ejected for committing a targeting penalty.
Jackson, a senior, has 22 tackles this season and is eligible to return against Boston College because the ejection came in the first half Saturday.
Richt honored: Richt was one of 17 coaches named to midseason watch list this past week for the Dodd Trophy, which is given annually to the coach whose team most exemplifies success on the field, in the classroom and in the community.
Richt, who was a finalist for the same award last season, is looking to be the first coach from the state of Florida to win the award since Florida State’s Bobby Bowden won it in 1980.