Miami starting quarterback D’Eriq King was ruled out of Tuesday’s Cheez-It Bowl after suffering a right leg injury in the first half.
King, a fifth-year senior and graduate transfer, clutched the area around his right knee after a tackle late in the second quarter of the Hurricanes’ 37-34 loss to Oklahoma State in Orlando, Florida. King had to be helped off the field by training staff and appeared to be favoring the leg as he was taken back to the locker room for examination.
He returned to the sideline in the third quarter on crutches and with his right leg in a large brace. Miami coach Manny Diaz said after the game that he was uncertain of the extent of King’s injury and said King would be evaluated further on Wednesday.
“It’s harsh,” Diaz said of his team’s emotion after the injury. “D’Eriq’s been through so much adversity, and for a guy who does everything right. Hopefully, we’ll get good news [Wednesday], but you know, that’s a difficult pill to swallow for the entire football team.”
Junior quarterback N’Kosi Perry entered in relief of King and threw for 228 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. Miami trailed 21-7 when Perry entered the game but pulled to within single digits of Oklahoma State multiple times in the final two-plus quarters.
This season, King has been among the ACC’s leaders in multiple statistical categories. He is tied for second in the league in passing touchdowns, third in total offense, third in passer rating and fourth in passing yards per game.
On Saturday, King announced he was taking advantage of the extra year of eligibility the NCAA allowed all athletes amid the COVID-19 pandemic to return to Miami in 2021. He arrived at Miami in January after spending four years at Houston.
Entering Tuesday, King had thrown for 2,573 yards, 22 touchdowns and just five interceptions while completing 63.6% of his passes. His completion rate is tops all time at Miami, ahead of the 62.3% mark set by Bernie Kosar in 1984. King also had rushed for 520 yards and four touchdowns before Tuesday’s game.
In 2018, King’s junior season at Houston was cut short by a torn meniscus in his right knee.