Miami (FL) Hurricanes

Miami returns Malik Rosier to starting quarterback spot

Published Oct. 17, 2018 3:08 p.m. ET

Malik Rosier has his job back.

Miami has changed starting quarterbacks again, with Rosier returning to the first-string spot that he lost to N'Kosi Perry three games ago. Rosier led Miami to the Atlantic Coast Conference's Coastal Division championship last season, and he'll be back under center when the Hurricanes (5-2, 2-1) resume this year's title race at Boston College on Oct. 26.

Rosier is 14-4 as Miami's starter, and 8-1 in ACC regular-season games.

"Right this minute, I think Malik's just better equipped from his abilities and his experiences to lead this team right now," Miami coach Mark Richt said Wednesday. "But Kosi is certainly a guy that obviously we think very highly of and we want him to continue to grow as a quarterback and as a person."

Richt said the plan is for Perry to continue to play, but Rosier will start. Whether it'll be a dual-quarterback situation for the rest of the season remains to be seen.

"If N'Kosi comes in the game, it's not like we're yanking anybody out," Richt said.

Perry threw four touchdown passes in Miami's 28-27 win over Florida State, but completed just 13 of his 32 attempts overall in that game. Counting his numbers against Savannah State, Florida International and a 5-for-5 start against North Carolina, Perry was completing 70 percent of his passes — 31 of 44 to start the season.

Since then — the last three quarters against North Carolina, the Florida State win and then the start against Virginia — Perry has completed only 42 percent of his throws, going 19 for 45. He was 3 for 6 last Saturday against Virginia, with two interceptions.

Players were told of the move earlier in the week. Miami did not make players available for comment during the bye week.

"We care about them very much as people and we understand their feelings when things don't go the way they want and all that kind of stuff," Richt said. "I just want them to understand that look, we're trying to win games and we're trying to do what we think is best. There's no agenda other than that. I made it very clear to N'Kosi that he's going to have a great career."

Head to head, the numbers are fairly similar between Rosier and Perry this season.

Both have exactly 50 completions, though Rosier has seven more attempts (96-89). Perry has thrown for 11 touchdowns compared to Rosier's five — but Rosier has also rushed for six scores, a Miami single-season record for a quarterback. And Perry has thrown five interceptions, and Rosier has thrown three.

"Malik, right now, is the guy that gives us the best shot," Richt said.