There is yet another twist in Tate Martell’s college football career, and it is not a great one.
Martell has chosen to opt out of the 2020 season, the Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson and Susan Miller Degnan reported on Friday night.
Martell was suspended for the Miami Hurricanes’ season opener and gave no indication he would be done with the season.
It’s hard not to feel like his decision is more related to a loss of playing time and opportunity rather than COVID-19.
Martell transferred to Miami from Ohio State ahead of the 2019 season. He threw only one pass last season and rushed seven times. He even saw time at wide receiver because he was so low on the depth chart at quarterback behind N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams.
Keep in mind that Martell spent two seasons at Ohio State and left after the 2018 season because Justin Fields replaced him as a transfer. (The two later had some beef.)
Martell, who was the Gatorade National Player of the Year out of high school in 2016, has now been replaced by a transfer at quarterback two of the last three seasons. In 2018 it was Fields at Ohio State replacing him. In 2020 it was D’Eriq King at Miami replacing him, though, one could argue King didn’t really replace Martell, because Martell was a non-factor anyway.
Martell, a redshirt junior, might try to transfer to a third school. That would be fitting considering his career arc.
Martell began his high school career at Poway in San Diego before transferring to Bishop Gorman in Las Vegas. He also was committed to three different colleges before attending Ohio State: Washington, Texas A&M and then the Buckeyes.
The versatile quarterback is well known in large part for being featured on the television program “QB1.”
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