Over the course of his college football career, University of Miami quarterback D’Eriq King has overcome injury, transferring and the sudden death of his father. Despite adversity, his sense of purpose has not wavered. King is intent on being a leader on the field, excelling in the classroom and speaking up about social justice issues. King is the 2021 Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar.
“Everybody goes through something in life,” says King. “At the end of the day, adversity is going to come
and it’s all about how you react to it and how you keep pushing.”
King began his college playing days at the University of Houston, his hometown, earning the starting quarterback spot. He suffered an injury in 2018, returned in 2019 and then decided to redshirt after the first four games. Before transferring to Miami, he completed his bachelor’s degree in health with a minor in sociology.
“I took a lot of sociology classes and really loved it — how humans think and how the mind works, what people go through and how it shapes them in their lives,” says King.
Right from the start of college, his goal excelled both on the field and in the classroom. King loves getting out of the football bubble and going to class, saying it’s inspiring. He enjoys meeting students who have no connection to sports and learning about their goals and aspirations.
“Going to college can be a lot, especially being a student-athlete,” King says. “It took me a little time to get adjusted to it, but once I did, I found what worked for me.
