Perry, Canes Seek Redemption Against No. 20 Virginia
By David Villavicencio
Hurricanesports.com
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – N’Kosi Perry has been in big games before.
The redshirt sophomore has experienced the highs and lows of being a starting quarterback, leading Miami to victory and falling short in defeat. But this Friday night, Perry and the Hurricanes have a little extra motivation to get a victory over the visiting Virginia Cavaliers.
“We have history,” Perry said. “I didn’t play well last year and we didn’t get the win last year. The whole team didn’t play well. We just want to go out and show that we can compete with anybody.”
A year ago, Perry and the Canes entered Scott Stadium in Charlottesville, Va., fresh of a valiant comeback victory over rival Florida State. Miami traveled to UVA with a 5-1 record and ranked No. 16/15 nationally, but the 2-3 Cavaliers shocked the Hurricanes with a 16-13 victory and Perry struggled in his first career road start, going 3-of-6 for 20 yards with two interceptions before he was replaced by Malik Rosier.
Fast forward to present day and the roles have reversed in this ACC Coastal matchup. Virginia will enter Hard Rock Stadium ranked No. 20 after going 4-1 over their first five games, with their only blemish a 35-20 loss at then-No. 10 Notre Dame.
Meanwhile, Miami has had an up-and-down start to its 2019 campaign, going 2-3 and looking for a bounce back performance after dropping last Saturday’s home contest against Virginia Tech, 42-35. An injury to starter Jarren Williams combined with a productive performance by Perry against the Hokies has the Ocala, Fla., native in line to make his first start start since the 2018 regular season finale vs. Pitt on Nov. 24.
“I think it’s actually kind of cool that N’Kosi gets to start again Virginia,” head coach Manny Diaz said. “That was kind of the game last year where it kind of went backwards on him, so to have the chance to come in there and lead our team at home I think is pretty exciting.”
Perry is an exciting player, especially when he is at his best. A week ago, he entered the game late in the first quarter and threw for a career-high 422 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. The redshirt freshman completed 28-of-47 passes and helped Miami come back from a 28-point deficit to tie the game at 35 late in the fourth quarter.
“You knew he could do it,” running back DeeJay Dallas said. “Florida State last year, remember? 28 points. He did it. Kosi is a baller, a gamer. I knew he could do it when he stepped in. I’m proud of him. He’s been through a lot. I’m just proud that he’s stayed down with us.”
The confidence Miami’s players showed when Perry entered the game in place of an injured Williams is one of the many reasons why offensive coordinator Dan Enos believes Miami’s offense remains in good hands at quarterback despite heading into the game without its starter.
“He gave our team a chance to win at the end of the game,” Enos said. “I thought he showed tremendous poise and composure. He was a very, very good communicator out there. I thought his teammates responded to him well and one of the big things is I saw our team had a lot of confidence in him. I thought he did a really good job.”
Perry has come a long way in a year. He was admittedly not as a mature as he needed to be in his first season starting at quarterback for the Hurricanes. He also concedes to not being the most prepared or studious quarterback that he could have been in 2018.
After an uneven 2018 season in which Perry started six of the 11 games he played in, completing just 50 percent of his passes while throwing for 1,091 yards, 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, he made a commitment to be better on and off the field.
“I think he certainly has matured,” Diaz said. “I think he’s matured as a leader. What I have seen that I can for sure talk about is his development as a quarterback, his understanding of how to read coverages, how to throw the ball to all sides of the field. When pictures changed a year ago and that would kind of get him, now he’s able to keep his eyes not on the rush, keep his eyes down the field and go through his progression and find the open guy. There were some outstanding examples of that this past Saturday.”
Perry credits a lot of his development as a quarterback to working with Miami’s coaching staff. While he has always had outstanding physical ability, Perry believes he is a significantly smarter quarterback than he was a year ago. That improved mental side of his game should help him against a stout Virginia defense on Friday that currently ranks 20th in the country in pass defense while allowing 184 yards per game.
“Coach Enos played a big part in helping me understand defensive coverages,” Perry said. “It’s not really that difficult. It’s just their scheme, that’s what they try to do, throw a lot at you. Coach Enos and coach Jesse Stone have helped me a lot with understanding the defense a lot more. My preparation, in my mind, is a lot better than where I was last year.”
The path to starting against No. 20 Virginia is an unconventional one. Perry joined Williams and transfer Tate Martell in a three-man race for the starting quarterback job that began in spring practice. The trio battled into fall camp, but Williams emerged as the starter.
“It really didn’t sink in when it first happened,” Perry said. “I just tried to keep my composure as much as I could and show the team that I am going to be here for them regardless. Whether I am the number 1 guy or the number 5 guy, I’m going to support the University of Miami. That’s my overall goal.”
Williams impressed over the first four games, winning two ACC Freshman of the Week awards and throwing for 1,027 yards, seven touchdowns and no interceptions over that span. But he got off to a tough start against VT, throwing three interceptions in the first quarter before he was replaced by Perry and the redshirt sophomore turned in one of his best performances as a Cane.
“We think N’Kosi gives us a chance to win,” Diaz said. “I think we all saw last Saturday the improvement in his game. We’re excited to get behind him, ride behind him and find a way to beat a very well coached and tough-minded Virginia football team.”
Perry has proven to be a tough-minded individual, remaining steadfast in his commitment to being a Hurricane even when he learned he would not enter 2019 as the starter at quarterback. His dedication to his craft and to the program falls in line with the new and more mature version of Perry that has emerged in 2019. After all, a true leader would never quit on his team.
“I’m proud I didn’t quit, but I knew I wasn’t going to quit,” Perry said. “I’m not a quitter; never been and I never will be. I feel like the whole team was always behind me. From Jarren to offensive linemen to defensive players, everyone supported me and that’s why I had to show them my support as well.”
Perry and Williams have been especially supportive of each other, with the older quarterback always willing to help and offer advice to the first-year starter. Williams has returned the favor this week, uplifting Perry as he prepares for his first start of the year.
“That is my brother,” Perry said of Williams “We always encourage each other. He is being a good sport about it and I am being a good sport about it.”
Officially named this week’s starter on Wednesday, Perry has been no different in his preparation for the upcoming Virginia game than he has all season and his teammates have noticed.
“He’s been a great leader,” wide receiver Dee Wiggins said. “He’s been a teammate. Whenever somebody makes a mistake, he cracks down on us. He’s making sure everybody is getting in the huddle and running on and off the field. He’s just being a leader and putting the team on his back.”
While Perry is eager to get another chance at beating Virginia, he knows this week’s game is about so much more than him. The new and more mature version of Perry is also a selfless one that puts the team’s goals ahead of his own.
“I am just ready to show that I am ready to play and that the whole team is ready to play,” Perry said. “We all want to win. Losing sucks. I feel like after we get this win, we will get back on a roll and get used to that winning feeling.”
