There is one big takeaway to have following Miami’s 2021 spring game.
The quarterback position is in very good shape.
Starting quarterback D’Eriq King was held out of action as he rehabbed his way from the ACL injury that he sustained during the Cheez-It Bowl in late December. That meant there were plenty of opportunities for Tyler Van Dyke and Jake Garcia to show what they can do.
Both of UM’s top back-ups played well in the spring game as they each got reps with the first team offense.
“This will be a battle everybody will want to declare early winners in because that’s just what people do and that’s okay, but this is going to be a long developmental progress going into summer training camp and beyond,” Diaz said.
Van Dyke, a second-year freshman, got the start for the Hurricanes and did not disappoint, going 12-of-17 for 102 yards and one touchdown.
During his first drive with the first team offense, Van Dyke led a drive that was capped by a 44-yard field goal by early enrollee freshman kicker Andres Borregales.
Van Dyke also led a touchdown drive with the second team offense—a drive that was capped by a 15-yard touch pass to Xavier Restrepo, who showed nice body control while topping his toe inbounds.
“I feel like that was my best scrimmage of the spring,” Van Dyke said. “I liked where my eyes were, I knew where to go with the ball and how I handled protection issues.”
Garcia was also impressive when he entered the game with the first team offense, leading that group for a touchdown drive that was capped by a quick five-yard pass to Mike Harley. He finished the game going 19-of-25 for 255 yards with two touchdowns.
Garcia looked poised for an early enrollee freshman and he credits his high school career in which he played at four different schools as a reason why he was able to settle in quickly at the college level.
“My high school career was crazy,” Garcia said with a smile. “I have been everywhere, but I was able to close it out with a state championship at Grayson in Georgia. Just moving around like that, people look at it as a negative thing, but I view it as a positive thing. I just wanted to play football and that helped me learn how to process information quickly and learn a playbook. I learned what questions to ask my coaches or teammates to figure out the system quicker. Being in a room that teammates that will push you has really propelled me this spring too.”
Van Dyke showed nice poise in the pocket and the ability to deliver balls quickly to the skill players around him in the short and intermediate passing game.
Garcia flashed the ability to slide around in the pocket and buy time along with an impressive arm to push the ball downfield.
And don’t forget about King, who in 2020 was one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in the country while throwing for 2,686 yards with 23 touchdowns and five interceptions while completing 64 percent of his passes. King also ran for 538 yards and four touchdowns.
The bottom line: Miami’s quarterback room is in good shape going into 2021.
“I have not been fibbing,” Diaz said with a smile after the spring game. “The future of the Miami Hurricanes quarterback room is in good hands with these two and the way that we’re recruiting for that position. I think what you saw today has been there all spring. Both guys have played really, really well this spring. Jake, I think he gets into a game and looks very comfortable. I think both of those guys, I feel like they both have very good pocket presence, they both look very comfortable. They both have a good understanding of where the wide receivers are and they got the arm talent to get the ball there.
