It’s Time to Give Tate Martell a Chance

Following yet another game in which the ‘Canes offense disappointed mightily, a drastic change may be necessary.

Before we ‘jump’ in, it should be stated that N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams are still starting-caliber quarterbacks — this article isn’t meant to blame them for Miami’s 4 losses on the year. Williams has solid accuracy (aside from the Virginia Tech debacle), with Perry possessing a strong arm and great mobility.

Despite Williams and Perry having positive traits and playing styles, the ‘Canes offense needs a boost. In order to make it to a bowl game, it desperately needs a spark.

So, why Tate Martell? Martell’s commitment and arrival in Miami was a huge part of 2019’s preseason hype, but he’s yet to have a chance at the quarterback position (not counting the Wildcat-hybrid formation he was included in against Florida). Martell has shown his determination to ‘climb the ladder’ at Miami, as he switched positions to wide receiver after losing back-up duties to N’Kosi Perry ahead of Miami’s season opener.

Martell’s dual-threat ability and willingness to adapt makes him deserving of a chance — and with N’Kosi Perry having to play with a separated shoulder, the time to give Tate a shot is now.

Hype and adaptability aside, Martell is a wild card. Manny Diaz and his staff have made surprising adjustments, like replacing Bubba Baxa with walk-on kicker Turner Davidson against the Virginia Cavaliers. Now, at 3-4 on the season with just 1 conference win, it’s time to shake things up again — stubbornness isn’t going to solve anything.

We know Martell can run, we know he has escapability, however, his accuracy and arm strength don’t seem to be up-to-par with Perry’s or Williams’. Martell struggled to pinpoint throws throughout Spring and Fall camps, regardless, Miami needs a ‘shot in the arm’ for lack of better words.

It’s unfortunate that Tate Martell is being thought of like a ‘worst-case scenario,’ but it’s obvious that the ‘Canes offense isn’t working. Not making a bowl game would be catastrophic — sadly, missing out on the postseason is more likely than winning 6 games at this point for Miami. Hence why it’s time for a fresh face — a new player that brings his own intangibles.