The quarterback battle at the University of Miami has been wrapped up after the team’s second scrimmage. Redshirt freshmen Jarren Williams will get the nod when the Hurricanes open up against the Gators. Last season, Williams only appeared in one game against Savannah State before being redshirted.
Redshirt sophomore’s Tate Martell and N’Kosi Perry were both in the running and will continue to battle for the backup position.
Jarren Williams’ Background
Williams hails from Lawrenceville, Georgia and ranked as the fifth overall pro-style quarterback in the 2018 class by 247Sports. In addition, Williams made the Elite 11 and was an Army All-American. Prior to committing to the Hurricanes, Williams was a Kentucky commitment twice before signing with Miami.
Last season after feeling slighted about playing time, Williams actually flirted with the idea of entering the transfer portal. After Mark Richt spoke with Williams and his father, he agreed to remove his name from the database. Williams, who was an early enrollee, threw for two touchdowns in his first spring game.
This spring, he again put together a solid outing in the spring but ultimately his performance in the summer won the position.
QB1.
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) August 12, 2019
In Saturday’s scrimmage, after the offense struggled in the first half, Williams led the offense on a touchdown drive. Williams found tight end Will Mallory in the back of the end zone for the score. Overall the most consistent quarterback has been Williams, and he is an underrated athlete. Miami has been tracking player speed and the only quarterback to clock in faster than 20 miles per hour was Williams.
Miami’s Offense Moving Forward
With Williams winning the job, Miami has cemented the future of the position for the coming years. The focal point of the Hurricanes offense will be the running game and the tight ends. Both tight ends were in the same 2018 recruiting class with Williams and will receive many of his passes.
In terms of the passing game, expect Miami to be more efficient than it was last season. An additional strength of Williams is the intermediate passing game which should help the Hurricane’s playmakers in space. Quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator Dan Enos will also have the luxury of potentially using Williams on running plays. Overall picking Williams will allow a young offense to grow together through this season and the next.
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