Manny Diaz ready for possibility of Miami Hurricanes QB transferring

Three quarterbacks are competing for one spot to be the Miami Hurricanes starter. One will be one spot away from assuming the starting job, while one will drop to third string. That could mean a transfer.

Quarterbacks transferring have become rampant in college football. The Miami Hurricanes have lost their share of QBs, but none of them were high profile. That could change during 2019 training camp, during the season or after. Whoever falls to third-string between N’Kosi Perry, Tate Martell and Jarren Williams could transfer.

No one was more active in the transfer portal during the 2019 offseason than the Miami Hurricanes. Martell was the most high profile addition after transferring from Ohio State. He is unlikely to move on. Martell received a waiver to avoid having to sit out the 2019 season a burn a year of eligibility.

Martell used his redshirt season in Columbus in 2017. The battle at QB is expected to come down between Martell and Perry. Williams was reportedly not as impressive this spring and the forementioned QBs. Williams is projected to have the highest ceiling and most pro talent.

That doesn’t mean that Williams is the most equipped to run new offensive coordinator Dan Enos’ offense. The answer to who will be the best and capable of running the new Hurricanes offense will be answered over the next couple of weeks.

Miami head coach Manny Diaz has said the QB competition will be narrowed from three to two quickly in training camp. They want to be able to decide on a starter about two weeks before the Hurricanes play Florida. The game against the Gators is four weeks from Saturday.

There is a strong possibility whoever winds up as third-string QB for the Miami Hurricanes decides to transfer. If Williams, Perry or Martell decide to transfer Miami still has true freshman Peyton Matocha and a pair of walk-ons at QB to add depth. Diaz discussed the trend of QBs moving on at other schools.

"“It absolutely could happen. You saw it with Clemson a year ago when (Kelly) Bryant left midway through the season, and they went through the rest of the season with two quarterbacks. So that’s always a possibility.I think you have to recruit to that ideal, where you have to recruit a quarterback every year to make sure that you’re protected. That’s kind of the new normal. … But, I’ll say this: I think you have to have a program where players don’t want to leave.If they can avoid it and they want to believe they’re going to be treated right, then ideally, it may not be better somewhere else…The University of Miami demands that the best player in our locker room playing quarterback plays quarterback, and what happens beyond that is outside of our control.But I will say this and this goes with any position, any player: if you don’t want to be for the University of Miami, go somewhere else. This is UM. This is Miami. We don’t have to beg anyone to be a Miami Hurricane. That’s in recruiting.We have to start to create value for what it means to play for the Miami Hurricanes, because right now, in my mind, that has been devalued. And so, I’m trying to recreate value of what it means to be on our team…I want to find guys that are all for ‘The U.’ Why? Because that’s how Miami won in the past.And I don’t care what guys are in recruiting. I don’t care what guys have done on our team. We’re going to win with guys that love the University of Miami and that has been proven over and over and over again.”"

It has often been said and was reiterated on the Hochman and Crowder Show on WQAM on Thursday by former Miami Hurricanes QB and Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta that the football program belongs to the players. Diaz has stated that as well. Rejuvenating what it means to be a Hurricane will be critical for Diaz.

The question is always “is the U back?” Miami was close in 2017. The 10-0 start vaulted the Hurricanes to second in the College Football Playoff standings. Getting back to that level will help Diaz create value for what it means to play for Miami.