Manny Diaz announces N’Kosi Perry as Hurricanes starting quarterback

Miami Hurricanes head coach Manny Diaz announced Wednesday after practice that N’Kosi Perry will be the starting quarterback this Saturday against Georgia Tech.

Perry and Jarren Williams, who started the Hurricanes first five games of the season before being injured Oct. 5 against Virginia Tech, competed for the starting nod throughout the week.

“It’s been really good to get Jarren Williams back on the field. He’s, you know, basically taken a fair amount of reps. Much, much more than he did a week ago, but after watching the last couple of days we will continue to start N’Kosi Perry at quarterback,” Diaz said following Wednesdays practice. “We just feel like N’Kosi’s development, plus where Jarren still is and just getting back into the swing of things, N’Kosi gives us the best chance to win.”

Perry threw for a career-high 422 yards and four touchdowns in a relief effort against Virginia Tech two weeks ago before making his first start of the season last Friday night in an ESPN primetime matchup against the No. 20 Virginia Cavaliers. He led the Hurricanes to a 17-9 victory with 182 passing yards and two total touchdowns.

“He played good. He played well enough for us to win,” said Hurricanes offensive coordinator Dan Enos. “I thought on the first drive he made a couple of great plays and I think he brings a little element of mobility like I said after the Virginia Tech game and he certainly did that again.”

In games that Perry starts, the Hurricanes are 5-2 and have not lost at Hard Rock Stadium, where Miami plays their home games. The redshirt sophomore out of Ocala, Fla. will be making consecutive starts for the first time since the last two regular season games of the 2018 season.

“I’m just thankful for the opportunity and I’m ready to get a win for this team,” Perry said Wednesday just minutes after being named the starter.

But despite getting the call to action from Diaz, the Hurricanes head coach continues to insist that Williams is the Hurricanes starting quarterback.

“There is a reason why we picked Jarren and that reason still exists. However, we want them all to continue to develop,” Diaz said. “And don’t we have a good thing? Remember like in January, when we didn’t think we had a quarterback that could win for us, you know what I mean? And, again, I think that goes back to the job Dan Enos has done.”

Perry and Williams have combined for 1,757 yards and 16 touchdowns on the year heading into the seventh game of the season against a 1-5 Georgia Tech team that is last in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Born and raised in Miami, Florida. He is currently a Miami Hurricanes football and recruiting writer for 247Sports.