Tate Martell instantly upgrades the QB roster for Miami football team

The addition of Ohio State transfer Tate Martell to the Miami football team instantly upgrades the quarterbacks the Hurricanes have on the roster.

Tate Martell was a consensus four-star recruit in the Class of 2017 from Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas. Martell will join his high school teammates on the Miami football team, Rising Sophomore tight end Brevin Jordan and safety Bubba Bolden who will be a Sophomore in 2019 after transferring from USC.

Martell was the 56th ranked player overall, the second-ranked dual quarterback and the second best player in Nevada in the Class of 2017. Bolden was the third best player in Nevada that season. Martell gives Manny Diaz and Offensive Coordinator Dan Enos another signal caller to chose from.

The Hurricanes currently have Rising Redshirt Sophomore N’Kosi Perry who started six games in 2018, his classmate Cade Weldon and Rising Redshirt Freshman Jarren Williams. The 2019 quarterback is still in question for Miami. Martell would currently have to sit out this season as a transfer.

That could change. Martell has two paths to becoming eligible this fall. He could graduate and gain immediate eligibility as a Graduate Transfer or petition the NCAA for a waiver based on hardship. The Columbus Dispatch reported last week that Martell “is believed to be on track to graduate in May.” 

His graduation would make the second option meaningless. Former Ohio State quarterback Joe Burrow took the same path to LSU for the 2018 season. If Martell is unable to graduate this summer he would then have to apply for the waiver to gain immediate eligibility. Martell has already taken his redshirt year.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports reports that Martell is going to try to use Ohio State’s Coaching change from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day as the reason for his departure. It clearly had more to do with five-star Georgia QB Justin Fields transfer to Ohio State than Meyer’s departure. Fields will also seek a waiver for immediate eligibility.

Martell performed exceptionally well in limited action as a Redshirt Freshman backing up Heisman Trophy Finalist Dwayne Haskins last season. Martell completed 23 passes in 28 attempts for 269 yards a touchdown and no interceptions. The dual-threat QB ran 128 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

Tate Martell’s Ohio State Statistics

In his brief appearances in 2018, Martell showed a good grasp of the Ohio State offense and his ability as a dual-threat QB in the air and on the ground.

Martell’s decision could impact Alabama Graduate transfer Jalen Hurts decision. The Miami football program could land both. That would likely depend on if Martell is eligible next season. Martell’s eligibility will likely not be determined before Hurts makes his decision where he will play in 2019.

It’s tough to see the Hurricanes signing Hurts with Martell committing to play for the Miami football team. If they get Hurts it would be an incredible coup and make the Hurricanes quarterback room the best it has been since the 1980s.

No matter what happens with Hurts, Manny Diaz and his staff have done an incredible job in less than three weeks since he was tapped to succeed Mark Richt as Head Coach. Martell’s decision adds to Enos leaving Alabama for Miami, Bolden’s transfer and Buffalo Graduate Transfer K.J. Osborn joining Miami football.