CORAL GABLES – For the first time in fall camp, the Miami Hurricanes dusted off the full uniforms and held their first scrimmage of the season.
In the scrimmage, it was the Hurricanes new-look offense that shined brightest. Led by new offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee, the Hurricanes saw production from multiple pieces, including some newcomers.
“I was very pleased with the way that our guys got after it,” head coach Manny Diaz said following the scrimmage. “The tempo of the offense was telling. We were able to run a lot of plays, got a lot of action and I thought was highly competitive. I thought both sides made a lot of things happen.”
Quarterback D’Eriq King, who transferred to Miami from Houston in the offseason, was among the key contributors. According to a Miami press release, King completed 15 of his 26 passes for 176 yards and four touchdowns.
King was named the starting quarterback in July and has drawn a lot of praise from players and coaches alike.
“D’Eriq King, he’s an electric player,” tight end Brevin Jordan said of King. “He has extreme arm talent. That dude throws a crazy deep ball, he launches it. He’s a great player man. And I think what I really respect most about D’Eriq is he came into the U and he claimed QB1.”
The responsibilities were well spread out on the Hurricanes offense. Tight end Will Mallory led the way with 71 yards and a touchdown, while senior wide receiver Mike Harley also added two touchdowns through the air.
The freshman running back combination of Don Chaney Jr. and Jaylan Knighton were also impressive in camp. Knighton, an alumnus of Deerfield Beach, finished the scrimmage with 126 yards and one touchdown on just 10 carries, while Chaney finished the scrimmage with 57 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries total.
Wide receiver Xavier Restrepo, a teammate of Knighton at Deerfield Beach, also stood out on offense. He finished the night with 54 yards on two receptions, while adding a 70-yard rushing touchdown on the ground.
Although the first scrimmage had the potential to be sloppy with pre-snap penalties, Diaz was left impressed with how clean the Hurricanes played on offense.
“What I was pleased with was the operation for a first time out as a scrimmage. Your pre-snap penalties, guys lining up the wrong way, just not knowing what to do, I thought we were outstanding in that,” said Diaz. “I thought Coach Lashlee and the staff did a great job and getting his guys prepared.”
PHOTO CREDITS: Tim Brogdon/Miami Hurricanes Football
