Miami quarterback D’Eriq King’s injured right shoulder will be looked at by doctors on Tuesday, and coach Manny Diaz said he wasn’t sure his starter would be able to play Saturday against FCS opponent Central Connecticut State.
“D’Eriq’s roughed up pretty good,” Diaz said Monday on WQAM radio in Miami.
King sustained the injury Saturday in Miami’s 38-17 loss to Michigan State. He left the game in the third quarter after his right shoulder was driven into the turf on a tackle by Spartans linebacker Quavaris Crouch. After medical attention, he returned and stayed in the game. His right wrist and thumb also were wrapped postgame.
“I never bet against that guy because, I mean, he was already like Willis Reed Saturday and came back out there and didn’t miss a snap, which I didn’t think he would do,” Diaz said. “But obviously, I’m concerned for D’Eriq. D’Eriq has been through three physical games.”
Against the Spartans, King set a school single-game record for completions and attempts. He completed 38 of 59 attempts for 388 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
King has had a difficult run in terms of health. The sixth-year senior spent the offseason recovering from surgery on the torn ACL he sustained in the Cheez-It Bowl — a loss to Oklahoma State — in late December.
Diaz said his team needs more players like King.
“The guy does everything for this program. The guy simply sacrifices himself to help us … we’ve got to get more of that around him,” Diaz said. “I think there’s too many guys that are sitting there watching D’Eriq and not playing with the same desperation that he has. I think that’s been unfair to D’Eriq.”
If King can’t play Saturday, Miami (1-2) will turn to either redshirt freshman Tyler Van Dyke or freshman Jake Garcia against the Blue Devils (1-2). Van Dyke has thrown three career passes and Garcia has yet to play.
–Field Level Media