N’Kosi Perry’s journey: secure immediate goal with Miami, then move on to next chapter

At first, after it was revealed by 247Sports that former University of Miami quarterback N’Kosi Perry had withdrawn his name from the NCAA Transfer Portal on Tuesday afternoon, word spread what Perry’s return would mean for the Hurricanes.

Would it be a huge security blanket for the Canes, whose starter D’Eriq King just began rehabilitating from reconstructive knee surgery and hopes to be ready for Alabama on Sept. 4? Or was it a bad decision, as he could still end up sitting behind King in what would be Perry’s fifth year of college?

Turns out it was a false alarm of sort. Yes, Perry, who entered the portal on Jan. 7, did remove himself this week — but no, he is not returning to play football at UM, according to at least two UM sources.

“N’Kosi is planning to complete his spring semester at UM and graduate,’’ a person from UM familiar with the situation said. “We still expect him to transfer, and we aren’t planning for him to participate in spring football.’’

After graduation in the spring, Perry — whose name was still on the UM roster as of Wednesday afternoon — is expected to find a new football program to call home.

The goal, according to UM, is for King to start against Alabama. On Monday, UM coach Manny Diaz was asked by WQAM radio host Joe Rose if doctors were telling him that King would be recovered by the start of the season.

“Yeah, yeah,’’ Diaz said. “His rehab, the way he attacks that is like he attacks anything. He’s doing a great job and, barring setbacks, that is the plan.’’

A full recovery in eight months, with enough time to practice and prepare for Alabama, is obviously optimistic, though not impossible. Besides King, UM’s other scholarship quarterbacks are redshirt freshman Tyler Van Dyke, redshirt sophomore Peyton Matocha and incoming top signee Jake Garcia. All have virtually no college experience.

Perry, who started nine games over his Hurricanes career, backed up fifth-year senior King this season and had an impressive performance in the Cheez-It Bowl after King was injured with about four minutes left in the first half. Perry was 19 of 34 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns in the bowl game, which UM lost 37-34 to Oklahoma State. His career numbers during the past three seasons: 208 of 397 (52.3 percent) for 2,484 yards and 24 touchdowns, with 10 interceptions. He also ran for 217 yards and three touchdowns.

“When D’Eriq came on campus, N’Kosi could have gone one or two ways,’’ UM coach Manny Diaz said after the bowl game. “I tell you, his last 12 months on our campus and who he has been in our program has been his best 12 months.

“It’s tough to be the backup and you’re waiting for your shot, and you don’t ever know...’’

No one knows for sure, except, for Perry, where his journey might end. But if it ends with a diploma in hand, he’ll be one step further.