Williams focusing on long throws
CORAL GABLES — In his 30-of-39 performance for 309 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions at North Carolina, Miami Hurricanes quarterback Jarren Williams made the most of his emphasis on pocket posture and keeping his eyes downfield in the two weeks between games.
While completing more than 75% of his passes, many were easy underneath throws. The next step, as Miami gets set for BethuneCookman in a 4 p.m. kickoff on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium, is to start connecting on his deep throws.
“My deep ball is something I got to work out every day if I want to be efficient in that, and that comes with time and building that chemistry,” Williams said after Wednesday’s practice. “That just comes with me working hard all day on Greentree [Practice Fields], just getting that timing right and getting a good feel for the deep ball.”
Williams noted a go route to Jeff Thomas that he missed and postgame Saturday night he also noted a throw late to Brian Hightower that he wished he had back. If he leads Hightower away from the safety on the first-down throw from the UNC 32-yard line, the Hurricanes score a touchdown on their final drive and never leave it to Bubba Baxa’s final field-goal attempt for the tie.
Williams also wants the offense to finish drives more effectively. Two of the team’s trips to the red zone at Carolina didn’t result in points.
“We drive the whole field and then kick a field goal.,” Williams said. “We decided that’s not going to happen anymore.
“We’ve been working extra hard on red-zone schemes and really making sure that we finish drives. That’s important. We’re really focusing on scoring [touchdowns].”
Williams is making sure not to lose sight of that in practice.
Perry update: Redshirt sophomore backup quarterback N’Kosi Perry missed the early portion of practice on Wednesday but was a full participant in the second half.
“N’Kosi had a personal issue that he attended to,” Miami coach Manny Diaz said. “He was out there by Period 9, so actually, 9 and passed all of the Bethune-Cookman work, all the offenseversus-defense stuff. He was there for all of that.”
After Perry was in and out as Miami’s starting quarterback with Malik Rosier last year, Diaz said he has taken a good approach to backing up Williams.
“It’s been very good,” Diaz said. “We’ve been very supportive of Jarren.
“I think [if] you watch the two of them on the sideline during games and you watch N’Kosi’s demeanor during games, he’s been very professional.”
Baxa’s confidence: Diaz hopes Baxa can retain his confidence after missing two field goals against the Tar Heels, having an extra point blocked and also missing another short field goal in the opener against Florida in Orlando.
“Well, that’s the hardest part,” Diaz said. “It’s not a thing you get to do it 20 times in a game, like you’re shooting free throws. It’s kind of a one-shot deal.
“The only thing he can do, and anybody can do, is continue to work, continue to trust himself and just fully commit to every kick.
“The more he feels us around him and the more he feels our support — and I said this the other day — he’s going to miss a kick again. It’s going to happen. We can’t demand perfection, but like we talk with all our guys, ‘Am I improving and am I finding the way to become the best version of myself?’ ”