Tate Martell reported return gives Miami football QB experience behind D’Eriq King
The reports of the return of Tate Martell for the 2021 season after sitting out in 2020 will add needed experience in the Miami football program at quarterback behind D’Eriq King.
A report by Inside the U that Tate Martell is returning to the Miami football program for the 2021 season adds much-needed experience at quarterback. Martell chose to sit out the 2020 season and will be a redshirt senior in 2021 with two years of eligibility remaining. The NCAA froze eligibility for fall 2020 athletes.
Martell transferred to Miami in January 2019 after two seasons at Ohio State. In his only season on the active roster for Miami, Martell completed his only pass for seven yards and ran once for one yard. Moved to wide receiver for part of the 2019 season, Martell did not catch a pass.
Martell has not come close to living up to his high ranking after signing with Ohio State in 2017. The 56th ranked player, second-ranked dual-threat QB and second-ranked player in Nevada, Martell has never started a game in college. Martell’s return matches that of his former high school teammate safety Bubba Bolden.
Bolden led Miami in tackles in 2020 with 73 and announced his return to the Miami Football program earlier this month. Brevin Jordan who was the third former Las Vegas Bishop Gorman player on the Hurricanes roster chose to enter the 2021 NFL Draft following his junior season in 2020.
Martell is the most experienced QB on the Miami football roster besides starter D’Eriq King. In his sole season on the active roster at Ohio State, Martell completed 23 passes in 28 attempts for 269 yards with one TD and no interceptions. Martell added 22 carries for 128 yards and two TDs.
Behind King and Martell are redshirt freshman Peyton Matocha, freshman Tyler Van Dyke and 2021 signee Jake Garcia. With King out this spring after tearing his ACL in the Cheez-it Bowl loss to Oklahoma State in December, Martell, Matocha, Van Dyke and Garcia will challenge for first-team snaps this spring.
Martell was 43-0 as a starting QB in high school and was named the Gatorade High School National Player of the Year in 2016. Van Dyke did not complete either of his pass attempts in 2020 and had one carry for a loss of seven yards. Matocha did not attempt a pass and had five yards on two carries.
dark. Next. Miami defense will be anchored by DT and safety in 2021
Martell is a polarizing player nationally, but having him back for Miami will give the Hurricanes an experienced QB during the spring. Martell fits better into the Rhett Lashlee offense than he did under former Miami offensive coordinator Dan Enos. The hope is for King to be healthy for the season opener against Alabama.