Final scrimmage a King show
Diaz praises effort of quarterback, which includes 5 TD throws
Quarterback D’Eriq King once again performed at a high level in one of the Miami Hurricanes’ preseason scrimmages.
The 24-year-old signal caller went 20 of 26 for 317 yards and five touchdowns in UM’s scrimmage on Friday, according to Miami coach Manny Diaz in video released by the team shortly after the scrimmage ended.
“Offensively,” Diaz said, “D’Eriq, I thought, has gotten sharper and sharper every week.”
Unlike Miami’s first two preseason scrimmage, Friday’s situational scrimmage that was closed to the media and the public featured King and the rest of the first-team offense going up against defensive reserves.
The first-team defense also played against the offensive reserves to start the scrimmage before second-team players integrated with first-team players as the scrimmage went on.
“The format was we take the ones, put them on one side, and everybody else goes on the other side and tries to schematically give us what we think we’ll see next Saturday,” Diaz said. “The main thing is all the substitutions, kicking game and game-day dynamics — we try to make that as on-point as possible so we’re ready to go next weekend.”
Running back Don Chaney Jr. rushed for 53 yards on seven attempts and caught a touchdown pass, while fellow tailback Cam’Ron Harris added for 47 yards on the ground on eight attempts.
Tight end Will Mallory also had a 88-yard touchdown reception.
“I can’t wait to see what his GPS miles per hour was when he was running,” Diaz said about Mallory’s touchdown. “He was rolling. That was a sight to see.”
Diaz said it was hard to evaluate the defense, adding “if we were really being serious on sacks, there would have been a truckload.”
He was encouraged by the secondary, with Tyrique Stevenson, DJ Ivey, Bubba Bolden, Te’Cory Couch, Al Blades Jr. and Keshawn Washington all recording interceptions at some point during the scrimmage.
King didn’t throw any interceptions in Friday’s scrimmage, so one of Miami’s backups (Tyler Van Dyke, Jake Garcia, Peyton Matocha or Ryan Rizk) were the quarterbacks turning the ball over.
“A lot of guys making plays,” Diaz said, “which gives everybody confidence going into game week.”
Friday’s “mock game” was the Hurricanes’ final scrimmage before their season opener against Alabama on Sept. 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
“No. 1, we’ve got to be smart this weekend,” Diaz said. “It’s the last off weekend and we’ve got to make great decisions this weekend. We’ve gone through a week of prep for the games. Now we go back through it, work all the situations on Sunday, come back, normal downs, third down, Tuesday and Wednesday. Polish it up Thursday and get on a plane Friday.
“It’s going to be here fast.”