The play at quarterback for the Miami football team the last two seasons has been erratic at best and abysmal at worst. ESPN is high on the talent in the Hurricanes QB room for the next three seasons.
In a ranking of the top 25 quarterback units in the country, ESPN ranked Miami 25th. The rankings were posted earlier this year before Ohio State transfer Tate Martell gained eligibility in March. None of the Miami football team’s three quarterbacks on the roster for spring asserted themselves enough to be named a starter.
Martell was outplayed throughout most of the spring by rising redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry and rising redshirt freshman Jarren Williams. Perry started six games in 2018. Perry’s lack of accuracy led to him moving back and between the bench and second string throughout last season by former head coach Mark Richt.
There are reasons for optimism with Miami under center and in the passing game despite poor play at QB in 2018. Manny Diaz fired Richt’s entire offensive coaching staff after he was re-hired in late December to succeed his former boss. Diaz’s most important hire is Dan Enos as QB coach and offensive coordinator.
Enos is scrapping the pro-style offense favored by Richt. Miami will use more motion and movement in Enos’ offense than the did in the last three seasons with Richt calling plays. Perry is the most experienced of the three QBs, Williams the most accurate and Martell has reportedly grasped the offense the best.
Adam Rittenberg wrote the summaries for each of the top 25 QB units. Rittenberg correctly stated that there is a huge dropoff at QB for the 13 ACC teams that don’t have Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence is NFL ready if the league had one and dones like the NBA. Rittenberg doesn’t have a lot of confidence in the UM QB unit.
"24. Miami Hurricanes2018 ranking: 18Returning starter: N’Kosi Perry (partial season)Scouting the Hurricanes: After Clemson, the ACC has a significant drop-off in its quarterback forecast. And Miami certainly didn’t do much last season to generate confidence.But there are reasons for optimism, as new coach Manny Diaz scored a coup by hiring Alabama assistant Dan Enos as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.Enos will work with several highly recruited players, including Perry, ESPN’s No. 3 dual-threat quarterback and No. 84 overall player in the 2017 class, and Jarren Williams, ESPN’s No. 6 dual-threat QB and No. 106 overall player in the 2018 class.Miami also adds Ohio State transfer Tate Martell, who ranked a few spots behind Perry in ESPN’s 2017 class rankings…Miami has options, and, after last year, can’t get much worse at this position."
Getting quality play at QB is going to be essential to the Miami football team’s success in 2019. The Miami fanbase seems to be split primarily between backing Perry or Williams to be the starter. The national media has been more inclined to project that Martell will earn the starting job.
A lot of what happens in the next 3.5 months depends on what Enos wants. Miami’s offensive line has been mediocre at best over the past three seasons. If that continues, Martell’s ability as a better runner and all-around athlete might be what gives him the edge as the first-team QB.