Miami Hurricanes QB Tate Martell getting support from National Media
Amidst Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields being granted immediate eligibility, Miami Hurricanes QB Tate Martell has received support from most of the national and local media regarding his eligibility for 2019.
Tate Martell transferred from Ohio State to join the Miami Hurricanes when Justin Fields chose to join the Buckeyes from Georgia. Both quarterbacks left their original schools to find better opportunities for playing time.
There has been an upswell of other reasons being used for immediate eligibility. The reasons for Fields and Martell’s transfers are obvious.
Fields was stuck behind Jake Fromm who has been Georgia’s starting quarterback the last two years. Martell expected to be the front runner at Ohio State to replace Dwayne Haskins who finished third in the Heisman Trophy last season behind Kyler Murray of Oklahoma who won the award and runner-up Tua Tagovailoa of Alabama.
According to Yahoo Sports, Fields asked for a waiver of the one-year waiting period to play after transferring due to a racist incident directed at him while at Georgia. Georgia baseball player Adam Sasser, who was subsequently dismissed, reportedly directed a racial slur at Fields last fall during a Georgia Football game.
Fields who was a baseball prospect stated the incident made him uncomfortable to join the Bulldogs baseball team hastening his transfer. It’s tough to believe that stance when his sister plays for the Georgia softball team. Fields immediate eligibility brought a lot of support of Martell and skepticism of the NCAA’s eligibility process.
The most outspoken in Martell’s favor came from Miami Herald Sportswriter Barry Jackson. He was not alone in his analysis, however.
Now NCAA should do same for Tate Martell, as long as this precedent has been set. But that would be doing something right by Miami, which would be a first for NCAA https://t.co/urCA2pe8uL
— Barry Jackson (@flasportsbuzz) February 8, 2019
CBSSports.Com writer and SiriusXM radio host Barrett Sallee tweeted on Friday that he doesn’t see Martell being granted the waiver based on how the rule is written. Every transfer is going to try to use their circumstances to their advantage to try and become immediately eligible.
They are both transferring for playing time, and everybody knows that. According to the rule as written, Fields has somewhat of a case. Martell doesn't.
— Barrett Sallee 🇺🇸 (@BarrettSallee) February 9, 2019
A plethora of Miami Hurricanes fans were arguing with Sallee on Twitter. His point was what he thinks the NCAA will do, not what they should do. Many of their decisions are made without explanation or reason.
Miami attorney Jason Setchen represented Miami Hurricanes basketball player Dewan Hernandez in his failed attempt to overturn his eligibility being taken away this season. Setchen said on Twitter not to expect that Fields’ being granted a waiver to play this season as any indication of what will happen with Martell.
Miami fans are making a mistake if they think that the Fields decision is an early indicator of Martell’s outcome. First of all, the facts are completely different, and secondly NCAA outcomes are random and arbitrary. That said, I think Martell has arguments. #canes #theu #miami
— Jason Setchen (@AthleteDefender) February 9, 2019
Martell’s circumstances drastically changed while he was at Ohio State. Buckeyes Head Coach Urban Meyer was suspended the first four games of the 2018 season due to his coverup in the Zach Smith domestic violence case. Meyer then chose to retire after the season due to what was portrayed as health problems.
Meyer has suffered from brain seizures dating to his time as the Head Coach at Florida. The promotion of Zach Day to Head Coach changed the opportunity for Martell to become the starting quarterback for the Buckeyes. Once Fields transferred to Ohio State it became apparent he would be the front runner to be the starting QB.
Rivals.Com’s National Director Mike Farrell put succinctly and accurately what everyone knows about why both Fields and Martell chose to transfer.
Justin Fields transferred because he couldn’t win the starting job. Tate Martell transferred because he couldn’t win the starting job. Anyone who thinks anything else is in la-la land.
— Mike Farrell (@mfarrellsports) February 9, 2019
Next. Tate Martell instantly upgrades QB roster for Miami. dark
There has been no timetable on when a decision will be made about Martell’s eligibility will be for the 2019 season. Whatever the decision is it doesn’t mean there is a bias for or against the Miami football program or Hurricanes Athletics in general. The NCAA needs a restructuring of its rules on a much broader basis.