UM Players, Coaches wear 'Black Lives Matter' T-Shirts
MIAMI GARDENS, Fl. – University of Miami players and coaches wore black T-shirts embossed with gold lettering that said “Black Lives Matter.” before and after Thursday’s 31-14 season-opening victory over Alabama-Birmingham.
The Hurricanes made their statement on the same day when the crosstown Miami Dolphins announced they’d stay in the lockerroom for the national anthem, and the Kansas City Chiefs and Houston Texans locked arms before the NFL opener.
Senior quarterback D’Eriq King wore his T-shirt during his postgame video conference with media. He said everyone wore the T-shirt.
“The whole team plus the coaches, we all had the shirt on coming into the stadium, everybody has the shirt on right now,” King said after the game.
“We’re just trying to send a message it’s not just a one-day thing, a one-night thing, this is forever. We have to keep pushing the movement and keep moving forward.”
UM players and coaches had many discussions about the Jacob Blake shooting in August, King said a few days ago, and they were led by coach Manny Diaz. In the Hurricanes decided not to cancel practice, which was a line of action taken by a few teams across the nation.
But they said they’d make statements during the season. Apparently the T-shirts they wore Thursday was part of that vow.
Senior defensive end Quincy Roche, regarded as a second- or third-round NFL draft pick, also wore the T-shirt during his postgame video conference and was asked what it meant to him.
“A lot,” he said. “This our team’s way of trying to do our part and raise awareness to the social injustices that are going on in the world today, as if enough awareness isn’t already raised.
“This is our way of doing our part.”
