WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

Notes, Quotes

The Sports Xchange

October 23, 2018 at 9:17 pm.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

–QB Malik Rosier returns to the starting role he had for the first four games of the season when the Hurricanes play at Boston College Friday night. Rosier has completed only 52.1 percent of his passes for an average of 156 yards a game in his five outings and has five touchdown passes against three interceptions. He also has rushed for a team-high six touchdowns.

–WR Jeff Thomas becomes the No. 1 target for Miami with WR Ahmmon Richards having to give up football because of a neck issue. Thomas is a big-play kind of receiver with a 23.6 yards-per-catch average on 17 receptions. He also is a potential game-breaker on punt and kickoff returns with averages of 38.0 and 24.1 on four and eight runbacks, respectively.

–DE Jonathan Garvin has joined with DT Gerald Willis and DE Joe Jackson in giving Miami a disruptive defensive front. Garvin has 13 tackles for loss among his 33 tackles to tie Willis for the team lead, and his five sacks tie him with Jackson in that category.

–S Jaquan Johnson leads Miami’s in tackles with 44 despite missing two games to a hamstring problem. He also is a special teams demon, making the tackle on all three of Virginia’s punt returns in Miami’s last outing. He was out when Florida State returned a punt for a touchdown a week earlier. On one runback, the Virginia returner kept going after his knee touched the ground and Johnson tackled him again. “So he really had four tackles on three plays, which is hard to do,” coach Mark Richt said. “That was impressive.”

SERIES HISTORY: Miami leads Boston College 24-5. Miami won the last meeting 41-32 in 2012.

QUOTE TO NOTE: “It will inspire us as well for his heroics.” — Coach Mark Richt on playing Boston College in its “red bandana” game that honors fallen 9/11 hero Welles Crowther.