Miami QB Jake Heaps: ‘I didn’t come here to be a backup’
By Jack Crosby
We’re getting closer to the 2014 college football season, and we still really have no clue yet as to who the Miami Hurricanes’ starting quarterback will be come opening night on Labor Day when they face off against Louisville. But we do know who will settle for nothing less than being the starter on that night, and that’s Kansas transfer Jake Heaps.
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Not long after Charlie Weis named sophomore Montell Cozart the starter at Kansas, the writing was on the wall that Heaps would be leaving the second college football program of his career, which he ultimately did end up doing. Shortly thereafter he landed with Al Golden and the Hurricanes, where he recently proclaimed he will settle for no less than that starting job.
“I didn’t come here to be the backup,” he said via the Miami Herald. “I made this decision for a reason. I came here to play, but you have to earn that. No one is going to give that to you, and that’s what I knew coming into this situation and that’s what I wanted.
“… That’s the only way you’re going to earn your teammates’ respect and gain their confidence. So for me, I’m very excited about this opportunity. This is my last year. I’ve given everything I have at this thing, and it’s extremely important for me to perform well — not only to win the job but for my goals and aspirations down the line as well.”
As far as experience goes in college Heaps has the leg up on his competition to make this happen. In camp this year, he’ll be up against redshirt freshman Kevin Olsen and true freshmen Brad Kaaya and Malik Rosier.