Will continuity lead to greater success for Miami in 2021 and beyond?
When Miami Hurricanes quarterback D’Eriq King announced he was returning to the program for his sixth college football season three days before the team’s 2020 season ended, he did so with the hope — but not the expectation — many of his teammates would do the same.
“I thought it was important for me to make a decision quickly,” King said during a recent appearance on 560-AM. “Obviously, I thought it through, talked to my family and people close to me, but when I decided to come back I wanted to put it out there to let guys know I’m coming back.
“I didn’t want to 100 percent encourage their decision to come back or go pro because I want whatever is best for the guys, but I think me putting it out there, a lot of guys decided to come back. We have way more work to do. Last year was a good season, but it wasn’t the standard.”
With the NCAA granting student athletes an extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic, several programs had players return for their fifth or sixth collegiate seasons.
Miami was one of the main beneficiaries of that extra season of eligibility, with the Hurricanes returning 91% of their production from last year for the 2021 season, which is the second-highest mark among Power Five programs behind only UCLA (94 percent), according to ESPN.
“That I think will be one of the storylines for the 2021 season,” UM coach Manny Diaz said. “What’s been great for Miami is having such an experienced team [in] the offseason. Guys that are experienced but they came back for the right reasons: they want to see Miami win and they want to set an example for the younger guys coming into our program.
“We’ve not always had really strong veteran leadership that’s been around long enough to really influence our recruiting classes. With the senior class — super senior class we have — I think that’s how they can not just transform Miami in wins and losses this year, but actually going forward.”
Diaz has already seen that leadership displayed by veteran players such as King and Bubba Bolden, the redshirt junior safety who’s returning for his fourth college season and third with UM.
“These guys aren’t just going through workouts, ‘hey this is my last year, I’m going to do whatever,’ — they’re smashing the runs. If we’re running 110s, they’re not just making the times, they’re racing the 110s,” Diaz added. “People can say whatever they want to say, but ultimately we’re going to observe and I’m going to see what they’re doing.
“They way they’ve worked from [strength and condition coach] Dave Feeley’s reports this summer, that’s the leadership. They’ve done a phenomenal job in the offseason of doing that.”
Bolden said he has already started to work on getting freshman safety James Williams, who was a five-star recruit out of American Heritage High, adjusted to the college game.
“The biggest thing with James is his size, his ability to move,” Bolden said. “Now him being on campus, getting himself adjusted to workouts and time management. Getting him adjusted to the plays will probably be the biggest thing. As a freshman you’ve got to work your way in. That’s what I’m trying to do as an older guy — get him on pace as fast as possible.’'
And wide receiver Mike Harley, who’s entering his fifth season with Miami, is taking a similar approach to the receivers room.
“I was questioning myself from even coming back, but coaches told me I was a few catches, yards away from breaking records,” he said. “Being legendary. I take that in, but keep the main thing the main thing. I just want to be the leader, the big brother the young guys never had in the receiving room.”
