QB D'Eriq King Confirms Transfer to Miami Hurricanes from Houston

Miami received a significant boost for the 2020 college football season Monday as D'Eriq King confirmed he will transfer to the Hurricanes.   

The Athletic's Manny Navarro first reported the decision Sunday.

King enjoyed a breakout junior season at Houston in 2018. He completed 63.5 percent of his throws for 2,982 yards with 36 touchdowns and just six interceptions across 11 games. He added 674 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground for the Cougars.

The 5'11", 195-pound King suffered a torn meniscus that required surgery in November of that season. While he made it back for the start of the 2019 campaign, he made only four appearances before announcing he was going to redshirt after the team's lackluster 1-3 start.

"I'm staying here," King told reporters in September. "If I wanted to leave Houston and go somewhere else, I could have. I think me being here is what I want to do, and it's the best opportunity for me. I don't think anybody will reach out to me [to convince me to transfer]. Even if they do, they should know I'm staying here."

The Texas native's tune changed in January when he entered the NCAA's transfer portal:

He immediately became one of the most coveted players available for Power Five schools that had an unsettled quarterback situation into 2020.

King finishes his time at Houston with 81 total touchdowns (50 passing, 28 rushing and three receiving) in 35 games for the Cougars.

His decision to join the Canes sets up an intriguing battle with incumbent starter Jarren Williams and potentially also N'Kosi Perry for the starting job.

The Miami Herald's Barry Jackson wrote on Jan. 12 that head coach Manny Diaz was looking to bring in a transfer who could immediately step into the starting QB job.

According to Jackson, Diaz's decision was driven in part because of how negative aspects of the team's locker room "infiltrated the quarterback room": "And the other issue is that a few players felt players could get away with some things without being punished, such as Jarren Williams not showing up for a practice and then playing (off the bench) the following Saturday. One player said there were multiple missteps with Williams regarding maturity."

Jackson concluded by saying Miami was "prepared to move ahead with Williams, Perry, Tate Martell and newcomer Tyler Van Dyke if it cannot find an upgrade on the grad transfer market." Now, that won't be a problem for the Hurricanes.

If King makes a quick transition and can match the upside he showed in 2018, it's a game-changing addition for Miami that could shake up the ACC race next season.