17 Days to Miami Football: Peyton Matocha adds QB depth

Peyton Matocha enters his second season with the Miami football program after redshirting as a true freshman in 2019.

Peyton Matocha returns for the Miami football program in his second season after redshirting as a true freshman in 2019. Matocha was a three-star signee for the Hurricanes in 2019 and the 34th ranked dual-threat quarterback. Matocha was a multi-sport athlete at St. Thomas High School in Houston.

Matocha showed his versatility in high school with a school-record 3,692 yards passing and 35 touchdowns with 804 rushing yards and another 14 TDs in his senior season in 2018. New offensive coordinator Rhett Lashlee was likely family with Matocha given his Texas roots. Matocha signed with Miami under Dan Enos.

Matocha will have a hard time getting above fifth on the depth chart at QB in 2020. Graduate transfer D’Eriq King is the starting QB for Miami this season. Redshirt junior N’Kosi Perry who has played in 19 games and made nine starts in his career is expected to be second on the depth chart.

Redshirt junior Tate Martell who had limited playing time in 2019 as a highly touted transfer is expected to compete with true freshman Tyler VanDyke to be the third-team QB. The ability Matocha provides as an athletic, dual-threat QB is valuable to have on the roster, especially on the scout team.

At 6’4, 205 pounds, Matocha also provides Miami with excellent size at QB. Perry and Van Dyke match the size Matocha brings as a signal-caller. King and Martell are listed on the Miami football roster at 5’11 and are the most athletic QBs the Hurricanes have. Miami has a lot of versatility behind King at QB.

The recent decision by the NCAA to grant an extra year of eligibility could hinder the future for Matocha. With the current QBs on the Miami roster, Matocha and Van Dyke would have been the only QBs for Miami with eligibility remaining in 2022. Now Perry and Martell have the option of playing through the 2022 season.

Matocha can stay through the 2024 season. If Perry and Martell choose to utilize their eligibility through 2022 the path for competing to be an eventual starter for the Miami football program likely would take another season. Martell and Matocha are players to keep an eye on as eventual transfers.