The Rundown Take
D'Eriq King Is Coming Back — Now Miami Just Needs the Defense to Show Up
The night before the Cheez-It Bowl, Devin and E Gray have one headline that changes everything: D'Eriq King is returning for the 2021 season. Larry Frank Jr. joins to break down what that means for the program, while the phone lines fill with Dolphins, Falcons and Raiders trash talk from regulars Cuban Kane, Kyle and George Diaz.
Key Takeaways
- D'Eriq King announces he's staying for the 2021 season, and the panel calls it a program-changing decision — the first returning, settled starting quarterback in years.
- Larry Frank Jr. wants to see a complete turnaround from the North Carolina blowout loss when Miami faces Oklahoma State — a dominant win to erase the memory before the offseason begins.
- The panel is split on rooting interest: they want Miami to win, but fear a strong defensive performance gives Manny Diaz cover to keep Blake Baker as coordinator.
- Recruiting buzz grows around a top-ranked linebacker prospect out of central Florida, still uncommitted after signing day, with Miami reportedly in the mix alongside Auburn and Maryland.
- Larry Frank pushes back on reports that Zach McCloud could move to defensive end, calling it a discouraging signal to younger linebackers waiting for reps.
King's Return Changes the Math
Devin and Larry Frank agree the decision is as much about King's own draft stock as it is about the Canes — another year to prove his deep-ball accuracy after a 63% completion season plagued by drops. Larry Frank hopes it sets an example for other juniors weighing an early jump to the NFL: build your stock first, then go pro.
Rooting Against Blake Baker
The most honest moment of the night: Larry Frank admits he's conflicted, half-hoping for a shaky defensive performance just to keep the pressure on Manny Diaz to finally move on from Blake Baker, rather than let a good showing against a middling Oklahoma State offense buy the coordinator another year.
Grooming the Next Quarterback
E Gray's biggest hope for the offseason has nothing to do with the scoreboard: he wants D'Eriq King mentoring TVD and Jake Garcia from the sideline after every series, walking them through what Rhett Lashlee is calling so neither freshman is lost if pressed into duty down the road. It's a lesson E Gray ties back to King's own rocky transition — sharp mental reps now beat learning the offense's speed for the first time on gameday later.
Terence Lewis: Talent Worth the Headache?
The recruiting board's biggest name still on the table is a top-ranked central Florida linebacker prospect, and caller George Diaz doesn't sugarcoat the risk — he compares the recruit's talent-versus-attitude profile to former Miami playmaker Jeff Thomas, praising the ability while flagging real locker-room concerns. Devin and George agree the upside is worth it regardless, with Miami reportedly in the mix alongside Auburn and Maryland.