Miami’s Jacory Harris has been maligned, injured and suspended during his career, but he’s putting together a strong senior season.
Despite missing the first game while suspended for receiving improper benefits and sharing the backfield with Lamar Miller, the ACC’s second-leading rusher, Harris is fifth in the ACC with 12 touchdown passes and has averaged 207.3 yards passing per game.
He’s eighth on the ACC’s list for career touchdown passes with 62, one behind former Florida State quarterback Chris Rix (63) and three away from former Georgia Tech star Joe Hamilton (65).
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that Harris has thrown only one interception in his past four games, entering Thursday night’s game against Virginia, after throwing 32 in 23 games in 2009 and ’10.
“With all quarterbacks, you hope that they have been around the scheme, the system,” Virginia coach Mike London said. “They learn how to be a quarterback by reading coverages. Everybody is telling them, ‘Hey, you, step up to the pocket, feel the rush, this is what you need to do.’
“I think he’s benefitting from that, from having a successful year thus far and where they are now offensively. And he’ll just continue to get better, I believe.”
Harris’ performance has quieted critics, especially those last year who clamored for backup Stephen Morris. Morris played in six games and started four in 2010, while Harris was recovering from a concussion, but hasn’t been needed this season since starting the opener while Harris was suspended.
Burning question
Who is the solution to FSU’s woeful ground game?
Is it Devonta Freeman, the first freshman in school history with consecutive 100-yard rushing games?
Or is it senior Jermaine Thomas, who has had a resurgence since starter Chris Thompson’s season-ending back injury?
Actually, it could be both.
FSU coach Jimbo Fisher said he’ll use both Freeman and Thomas in the same backfield to try to confuse opponents and provide more punch to the running attack, which ranks eighth in the ACC at 126.9 yards per game.
“You don’t become as predictable where the ball could go,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to keep doing it.”
They combined for 186 yards on 20 carries in Florida State’s victory over Maryland on Saturday, and the Seminoles have rushed for 460 yards in their past two games after totaling a combined 428 in their first five.
Freeman, who leads FSU with 288 yards rushing, had a 41-yard touchdown run Saturday, and Thomas added a 35-yard scoring run.
“In practice, on the field and in the film room as well, we just try to challenge each other,” Thomas said. “I know next year, that he is going to definitely be a great running back, and he is going to be the future.
“I just try and teach him a lot of things that I learned from my freshman year up until my senior year. He is just picking up on it fast.”
In focus
Virginia Tech’s David Wilson has a list of goals hanging in his locker.
Among the many items on it is his intent to rush for 1,700 yards this season.
Wilson is well on his way.
He already has 1,038 yards, making him the first running back in the nation to reach 1,000 this season.
And if the Hokies play in the ACC championship game on their way to a bowl, Wilson likely will be able to put a check mark next to his desired total, which would break Ryan Williams’ school record of 1,655 set in 2009.
“I don’t want defenses to think they have a chance,” Wilson told the Washington Post. “Just know when I get in that open space, it’s six points. I want to just become that kind of ‘man among boys’ at running back.”
Etc.
Sophomore Max Garcia (Norcross) has started all seven of Maryland’s games at left tackle. ... N.C. State linebacker D.J. Green (Westside-Macon) missed Saturday’s game with an injury after starting the first six. He’s tied for sixth on the team with 32 tackles and is second with five tackles for loss. ... FSU defensive tackle Cameron Erving (Colquitt County) has played in all seven games as a redshirt freshman and has 12 tackles with one sack. Fellow tackle Anthony McCloud (Thomas County Central), who has started five games, has 15 tackles and two sacks. ... Wake Forest safety Cyhl Quarles (Meadowcreek) had a team-high 10 tackles in a 24-23 victory over Duke.
Quotable
“It just makes you sick that a team has one first down in the second half and they beat you.” — Duke coach David Cutcliffe on the Blue Devils’ loss to Wake Forest
“That [Virginia] win really showed the team that we’re better than a lot of people think we are. If we put all the little things together, I think we can be a pretty good team. I think the team saw that.” — N.C. State cornerback David Amerson
By the numbers
2.29 Average pass deflections per game for Wake Forest freshman cornerback Merrill Noel, who leads the nation.
7 Sophomore starting quarterbacks, a group comprised of Tajh Boyd (Clemson), Tanner Price (Wake Forest), Bryn Renner (North Carolina), Chase Rettig (Boston College), Michael Rocco (Virginia), Logan Thomas (Virginia Tech) and C.J. Brown (Maryland), who is listed as a co-starter with Danny O'Brien.
Schedule
Thursday
Virginia at Miami, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Saturday
North Carolina State at Florida State, noon (ESPNU)
Virginia Tech at Duke, 12:30 p.m. (WUPA)
Boston College at Maryland, 3 p.m. (FSSO)
Wake Forest at North Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
Clemson at Georgia Tech, 8 p.m. (ABC)
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