Consistency key for ’Canes quarterbacks
CORAL GABLES – For the better part of two years it was a common sight at Miami, Brad Kaaya throwing to David Njoku.
It happened again Saturday afternoon on the Greentree Practice Field, the former Miami Hurricanes quarterback tossing darts to the high-flying tight end that so many times, made dazzling plays for his signal caller.
On this day, though, Kaaya and Njoku weren’t wearing the Hurricanes gear they sported just months ago. The two now have their sights set on the NFL and on Wednesday, they’ll have the chance to showcase their skills in front of scouts, coaches and league personnel at Miami’s annual Pro Day event.
But their presence Saturday was a reminder, yet again, that the Hurricanes team they are leaving behind has questions to answer in the coming months, the biggest being who will replace Kaaya – Miami’s all-time leading passer – under center?
Hurricanes coach Mark Richt has said that answer won’t come for months, especially since freshman N’Kosi Perry hasn’t arrived on campus yet, but through three spring workouts, five quarterbacks are trying to make an impression and state their cases as to why they should be the next starter at Miami.
And none of them, even the most experienced in the group, expects the journey will be an easy one.
“All the quarterbacks are good. If you take off one day and you have a bad day, you might go from first [team] to second, from first to third, from first to last,” said redshirt junior Malik Rosier, who had been Kaaya’s backup the past two seasons and has gotten most of the first-team reps early in the spring. “It’s one of those things. If you don’t bring your ‘A’ game, you’ll definitely fall back. That’s one of those things. These guys motivate me to be great and stay in my playbook every day.”
Of the six quarterbacks currently participating in spring practice – Rosier, redshirt freshman Jack Allison, sophomore Evan Shirreffs, redshirt junior Vincent Testaverde, freshman Cade Weldon and freshman walkon Augie DiBiase – only Rosier has any kind of significant game experience at Miami.
The former two-sport standout from Alabama started Miami’s thrilling 30-27 win over Duke in 2015 after Kaaya was sidelined by a concussion. Against the Blue Devils, Rosier was effective and sharp, completing 20-of-29 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns.
But when Richt arrived last spring and began installing a new offense, Rosier struggled and found himself competing against the younger quarterbacks to remain Kaaya’s backup.
He eventually kept that job after being pushed by Shirreffs and Allison in camp, but he learned then there are no guarantees and he’d be expected to compete to stay in the No. 2 role.
It’s a lesson he and the rest of the quarterbacks are experiencing again now as Richt and quarterbacks coach Jon Richt continue the work of evaluating the group through the spring.
“It’s just like we’ve always said, they’ll have to be the guy that not necessarily has the best skill set or anything like that, but he’s going to be the most consistent player that’s going to get us in the right play, make the right decisions and he’s going to get us, day-to-day, play-by-play, in a position to win,” Jon Richt said of how the starter will be decided. “He’s going to take care of the football and be consistent.”
And after three workouts, none of which has involved full contact, consistency is hard to measure. But Richt said he’s encouraged by the progress he’s seeing, not only on the field but in the meeting room where the quarterbacks are being urged to find their respective voices, especially with Kaaya gone.
“We’re all trying to learn,” Rosier said. “I think it’s fun. I love competition.”