Miami football is looking at quarterbacks beyond Hurts and Martell
The recent visits of high profile quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Tate Martell are not the only players at the position that the Miami football team is pursuing.
Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reported on Monday night that the Miami football program is recruiting consensus four-star quarterback John Rhys Plumlee from Oak Grove Mississippi in addition to Ohio State transfer Tate Martell and Alabama Graduate Transfer Jalen Hurts.
Hurricanes Head Coach Manny Diaz and Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos have a list of potential recruits at quarterback beyond the two high profile transfers. Diaz made it a point of reference in his introductory press conference as Head Coach that he and his offensive staff would upgrade the play that the Miami football team receives at QB.
The Hurricanes passing game was abysmal in 2018. Miami was ranked 90th or below in several passing categories in FBS. N’Kosi Perry’s play in 2018 seemed to indicate he is not the long term answer for Miami at quarterback.
Plumlee is the 265th ranked player overall, the seventh-ranked dual-threat quarterback and 13th ranked player in Mississippi in the Class of 2019. The rankings came from the 247Sports composite. They have Plumlee as a hard commit to Georgia, but three of their four prognosticators project him to sign with Mississippi.
The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson reported that Plumlee is expected to be a blue shirt at Georgia. Jackson described the premise. “Blue shirt rules allow for unrecruited players to be awarded a scholarship at the start of freshman practice. Like a redshirt, they will practice with the team but won’t be allowed to play for a year.”
ESPN described Blueshirts as a player not being officially recruited and having to pay his own way, but practice with the team during his first semester. These players do not take official visits to the school. They would also have to pay their way to see the campus.
Explained further, a blue shirt might also defer their enrollment to the second semester after the football season is over. They might have to join the team as officially a walk-on and then receive a scholarship after the season when one opens up.
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Georgia lost five-star quarterback Justin Fields from last year’s recruiting class. Fields is transferring to Ohio State. That, in turn, caused Martell’s decision to seek a transfer. The Bulldogs return two-year starter, Jake Fromm. Fromm will be a Junior in 2019 and can enter the 2020 NFL Draft.
According to Jackson, Plumlee told Rivals’ Chad Simmons that he will visit Miami next weekend. Plumlee has committed to Georgia, but not signed a National Letter of Intent with the Bulldogs yet. The Bulldogs decision to Blueshirt Plumlee has him reconsidering his commitment according to Jackson.
Jackson summarized that Plumlee visited Mississippi State over the weekend and is planning on visiting Mississippi also. Plumlee might also visit Duke or Florida State. Plumlee spoke to Simmons about his plans for schools he will visit.
"“I will go to Miami this upcoming weekend, and I just want to see what it is like…They really started contacting me right after I did not sign in the Early Signing Period. They have new coaches and I want to see what it is like. I know coach [Dan] Enos is there now and I just want to see what Miami has to offer….“I am really just weighing all of my options right now. I have not thought about when I will make up my mind for sure on Georgia or things like that yet. I am just not thinking that far ahead.Right now, I am still committed to Georgia. I am just taking my visits and seeing how things go at other places. I would like to take all five official visits.”"
Miami is also working on quarterbacks in the Class of 2020. Four-star quarterback Carson Beck from Mandarin High School in Jackson has a relationship with Enos from his time this past season as the Crimson Tide’s Quarterbacks Coach.
Enos was credited for Tua Tagovailoa setting the FBS record for passer efficiency this past season.
Next. Tate Martell makes more sense for Miami than Jalen Hurts. dark
Beck is listed by the 247 Composite as the nation’s 240th ranked player, 10th ranked pro-style quarterback and 38th ranked player in Florida for 2020. He is listed as a hard commit to Alabama per 247. With the constant change on Nick Saban’s coaching staffs with the Crimson Tide that is likely very fluid.