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As the 2020 season enters its final few weeks, Miami Hurricanes QB D’Eriq King was asked following today’s practice if he has thought about moving onto the NFL next year.
“It’s always in the back of my mind,” King said. “We have games left, I’m focused on those games. It’s always been a dream to play in the NFL. The city of Miami, it’s probably one of the best universities in the country. You can’t beat it. But I’m focused on these next two games.”
With how well King has played this season and all the COVID craziness, it’s easy to forget that King sat out most of last year, but he does feel his game has progressed as a 5th year senior that’s in his first season at UM.
“I think it’s been a challenging year as far as just developing, but I think the game has slowed down for me,” King said. “Taking what’s there, not turning the ball over, just everything. Coming to a new team, trying to put wins together, be a leader. I think I grew in that area, especially being a leader. I’m still trying to keep going and get better every game. I’m my harshest critic.”
Earlier this week, the ACC announced that there will only be one more game played by current top 2 conference teams Clemson and Notre Dame. Therefore, the only avenue for UM to make the ACC title game would be for Clemson to drop their matchup to Virginia Tech.
“A lot of guys on the team would like to have a chance to play in the championship game, but it is what it is,” King said.
With the team shut down from organized activities the past two weeks, King used the off time to keep his body in shape and encouraged his teammates to do the same.
“For those two weeks it was tough, tough to get together because guys were quarantining here or there,” King said. “As soon as we got cleared, we got back in the building, got into workouts - we got back on the right foot. Practices have been good. Over time, I started to get to know those guys, so everything is much easier later in the year. I think we didn’t skip a beat.
“2020 has been crazy. Just the whole year, you have to learn how to adjust. There might be something one day, and the next day something totally different. I watched film on Wake Forest for two or three days, now Wake Forest (isn’t happening), you have to focus on Duke - a whole new game plan, different scheme, different personnel. Today, I focused on this practice, tomorrow will focus on whatever’s next. Just have to keep going.”
The Canes’ season will resume on Saturday when they take on 2-7 Duke, and King feels it’s important to close out the year strong starting this weekend.
“We’re focusing on Duke, I’m excited to be back,” King said. “I’m really, really excited to get back out there this Saturday… It would be huge (to win out), just finishing the season the right way. Finishing the right way, taking it one game at a time. We start with Duke. This is a big game for us. That’s the first step to everything else. We have to focus on this game.”
King may get some reinforcements up front against the Blue Devils, as OL Navaughn Donaldson has been cleared to play coming off a knee injury suffered last season.
“You can tell he’s a really good player, eats up a lot of space, knows exactly what to do,” King said of Donaldson.
“It’s always in the back of my mind,” King said. “We have games left, I’m focused on those games. It’s always been a dream to play in the NFL. The city of Miami, it’s probably one of the best universities in the country. You can’t beat it. But I’m focused on these next two games.”
With how well King has played this season and all the COVID craziness, it’s easy to forget that King sat out most of last year, but he does feel his game has progressed as a 5th year senior that’s in his first season at UM.
“I think it’s been a challenging year as far as just developing, but I think the game has slowed down for me,” King said. “Taking what’s there, not turning the ball over, just everything. Coming to a new team, trying to put wins together, be a leader. I think I grew in that area, especially being a leader. I’m still trying to keep going and get better every game. I’m my harshest critic.”
Earlier this week, the ACC announced that there will only be one more game played by current top 2 conference teams Clemson and Notre Dame. Therefore, the only avenue for UM to make the ACC title game would be for Clemson to drop their matchup to Virginia Tech.
“A lot of guys on the team would like to have a chance to play in the championship game, but it is what it is,” King said.
With the team shut down from organized activities the past two weeks, King used the off time to keep his body in shape and encouraged his teammates to do the same.
“For those two weeks it was tough, tough to get together because guys were quarantining here or there,” King said. “As soon as we got cleared, we got back in the building, got into workouts - we got back on the right foot. Practices have been good. Over time, I started to get to know those guys, so everything is much easier later in the year. I think we didn’t skip a beat.
“2020 has been crazy. Just the whole year, you have to learn how to adjust. There might be something one day, and the next day something totally different. I watched film on Wake Forest for two or three days, now Wake Forest (isn’t happening), you have to focus on Duke - a whole new game plan, different scheme, different personnel. Today, I focused on this practice, tomorrow will focus on whatever’s next. Just have to keep going.”
The Canes’ season will resume on Saturday when they take on 2-7 Duke, and King feels it’s important to close out the year strong starting this weekend.
“We’re focusing on Duke, I’m excited to be back,” King said. “I’m really, really excited to get back out there this Saturday… It would be huge (to win out), just finishing the season the right way. Finishing the right way, taking it one game at a time. We start with Duke. This is a big game for us. That’s the first step to everything else. We have to focus on this game.”
King may get some reinforcements up front against the Blue Devils, as OL Navaughn Donaldson has been cleared to play coming off a knee injury suffered last season.
“You can tell he’s a really good player, eats up a lot of space, knows exactly what to do,” King said of Donaldson.
