Hurricanes hoping in-season QB questions fuel both Malik Rosier and N’Kosi Perry

Try though he might, Tyler Gauthier can’t escape it.

Everywhere he goes, the question looms large — particularly when people realize he’s not just any offensive lineman for the Hurricanes, but the one entrusted with putting the ball in the hands of Miami’s quarterback on virtually every play.

For now, the center — like most tied to the Hurricanes program — doesn’t have a good answer when family, friends, classmates or reporters ask him whether it will be veteran Malik Rosier or redshirt freshman N’Kosi Perry getting the start when No. 16 Miami opens ACC play on Thursday against Coastal Division foe North Carolina at Hard Rock Stadium.

He’s just willing to say Rosier, Perry and even Cade Weldon have all seen time with the first-team offense recently.

“Everyone’s getting reps. I mean, I don’t know. I’ve seen all three back there. All three have talked to me,” Gauthier said. “We’ll see what happens when we walk out there.”

Though Gauthier, his teammates, coach Mark Richt and offensive coordinator Thomas Brown aren’t about to reveal who the starting quarterback will be before they’re ready, there is something they’re all willing to share.

This somewhat unexpected midseason quarterback competition seems to be bringing out the best in its top two contenders, Rosier and Perry.

With Miami (3-1) forced to prepare for the Tar Heels (1-2) on a short week, the Hurricanes have seen a more assertive Perry in recent days, the redshirt freshman seemingly thriving after his 17-of-25, 224-yard, three-touchdown performance against FIU on Saturday.

And Rosier, who coaches have long said seems to perform best when he is being pushed by younger teammates, has likely felt the need to refocus after he wasn’t given the opportunity to re-enter the FIU game because Perry was playing so well.

A confident Perry and an edgy Rosier, Brown said, can only help Miami.

“I say all the time that I think competition solves most of your problems. I think competition makes everyone better,” Brown said. “No one guy at any spot should ever feel comfortable, like ‘it’s my job no matter what happens.’ Obviously the more depth we have, the more guys are prepared to play and can help us win, the better off we’ll be down the stretch.”

Added running back DeeJay Dallas, “They’re both applying energy and execution to practice and that’s what we need out of both guys.”

As to how Miami’s offense could be impacted if Richt opts to make a change and end Rosier’s streak of 17 straight starts, the Hurricanes aren’t willing to say much. Players and coaches alike have publicly stated they have faith both Perry and Rosier can help the Hurricanes win games.

Rosier has already done that. He was under center during Miami’s 10-game win streak last season, a streak that helped the Hurricanes rise as high as No. 2 in the College Football Playoff rankings. But his struggles during Miami’s three-game slide to end the year made him one of the most scrutinized players on the roster and prompted Richt to open up competition for the starting job during spring drills.

Then and during the summer, it didn’t seem as if either Perry or Weldon had done enough to wrest the job from Rosier. Richt named Rosier his starter in July and later, the coach revealed Perry — a former four-star prospect at Ocala’s Vanguard High — was suspended for the Hurricanes’ opener against LSU for violating a team rule months earlier.

Rosier struggled again in the 33-17 loss to the Tigers and while he bounced back in wins over Savannah State and Toledo, Richt felt it was time to give Perry — who had seemingly matured — the chance to play in a game that hadn’t yet been decided.

That chance came against FIU and Perry delivered, hitting on his first 10 passes, leading the Hurricanes to two quick touchdown drives and playing so well it became virtually impossible for Richt to take him out of the game and reinsert his starter, Rosier.

Now, with conference play upon them, Richt has a decision to make. Does he give veteran Rosier another start? Or is it Perry’s time? The coach still isn’t willing to tip his hand, even alternating on Monday and Tuesday which quarterback led drills during the media viewing portions of each practice.

What he would say is that he thinks either Rosier or Perry can handle the task of leading the offense as the Hurricanes prepare to enter the most critical portion of their schedule.

“I feel good because I know we’ve got guys that can play. If we were scrambling around because everybody’s struggling, that’s a problem,” he said. “Like I said, Malik did nothing wrong. It’s just the young guys just kept maturing and getting better and got to the point where it’s time to see what they could do and Kosi got that opportunity.”

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