Tate Martell is now officially “Former Ohio State Quarterback Tate Martell.”
The redshirt sophomore announced that he will transfer to Miami.
His decision comes in the wake of another transfer: Justin Fields leaving Georgia for OSU.
Before the Rose Bowl, Martell told reporters that he was “100 percent” certain that he would win the Buckeyes’ 2019 starting job, with or without Fields. And he said in no uncertain terms that he had no plans to transfer.
“Why would I leave for somebody who hasn’t put a single second into this program yet?” he said. “I’ve put two years of working my ass off into something that I’ve been praying for and dreaming of my whole life. To just run from somebody that hasn’t put a single second into workouts or anything like that and doesn’t know what the program is all about, there’s not a chance.”
Less than two weeks later, he put his name into the NCAA Transfer Portal.
Fields and Martell were on campus together at Ohio State for less than a week, but there was enough drama to fill a season worth of reality TV.
On December 22, Martell tweeted “word of advice: don’t swing and miss… especially not your second time.” At Rose Bowl Media Day, he confirmed the tweet was aimed specifically at Fields. Martell later deleted it.
He also said that if Fields did come to Columbus, it would have no impact on him.
“It doesn’t change anything for me,” Martell said. “I love my teammates and my teammates love me. They know that I’m one person that’s going to go out there and fight it out. That’s what I’ve always done and I have no problem doing it. I’ve been an underdog my whole life. I have no problem going out there and taking the job.”
When Fields arrived at OSU, he and Dwayne Haskins were seated courtside for the OSU basketball game against Michigan State. Martell watched the game from a different section of the arena.
Fields even followed Martell’s sister on Instagram, but didn’t follow Martell himself.
It all seemed to be shaping up to be an explosive mix in the locker room throughout spring ball. But that may have now been defused.
Just after midnight on Wednesday, Martell tweeted out the news that he was officially a Hurricane.
right back like we never left…
I’M A HURRICANE! ??? pic.twitter.com/6Dh0gu4fxD
— TATE MARTELL (@TheTateMartell) January 16, 2019
His departure leaves just three scholarship quarterbacks on the OSU roster: Fields, redshirt freshman Matthew Baldwin, and redshirt senior grad transfer Chris Chugunov.
Martell joins his former high school teammate, safety Bubba Bolden with the Hurricanes. Bolden just transferred to Coral Gables himself, after starting his career with USC.
tate might have gotten the down low that fields was the man and it was no contest. but i would have liked Day to try and talk him into changing positions. maybe the h back? tate could run and if he could catch the ball….. also the could throw the ball. Just a thought.
@AGrad please do not speak of Martell in the same light as Joe Burrow. In order for Martell to be a competitor, he would need to compete and challenge. Reality is, two years ago Martell was a fourth string QB. This year had Burrow stayed or Baldwin not been hurt, Martell would have been third string at best. Now this “entitled” QB felt like the job would be handed to him because he showed up and practiced for two years. Now that a real QB “Fields” has signed on with the Buckeyes this so-called “competitor” has trucked his tail and run.
Makes more sense now why he decided on Miami—OU transfer QB Austen Kendall going to WVA….so that would leave Tate to have to EARN the starting job…soooooo cross WVA off the list. Miami has easiest path to start…Good Luck Tate.
I can think of a myriad of legit reasons for a guy picking The U over WV, other than how stiff the competition may or may not be.
Would have liked to see Martell stay and compete, but I hope Miami proves to be the best place for him. Apparently many of his old high school buddies are there.
And if his football gig doesn’t pan out, Miami can always use more tail gunners for their bread trucks.
If he keeps his number 8 uniform number, he could change his name to Ocho. Hopefully, he won’t cinco.
Apparently Tate can “talk the talk” but not “walk the walk”. Sure, he transferred just like Fields and if Tate thinks Miami is best for him, then so be it. Just don’t say you would not consider a transfer and then a few weeks later make the decision to transfer. One thing I admire about Dwayne Haskins in addition to his talent is that he let his on-field performance do the talking. He knows he is a great player, but he doesn’t have to announce it on Twitter. Fields seems to be the same. Sure hope he gets that waiver and can play this year. If not, I have read good things about Baldwin.
Tate would have done better to keep his mouth shut and his nose to the grindstone. Hard to defend a kid who talks the talk but doesn’t walk the walk.
I wish him the best playing second fiddle (at best) to Clemson and then finding a job from Cryami’s miniscule alum base because after this he’s not gonna get a sniff from the pros. Yeah, maybe he pulls a Baker Mayfield but I wouldn’t put money on it.
Good luck, kid. Yer gonna NEED it!
Very good post. I agree with everything especially that he will never be a pro.
OSU now has a lot hanging on the NCAA allowing Fields to play next season. With all due respect to Baldwin and Chugunov, could be scary.
I wonder if Day had a conversation with him after his Rose Bowl comments or regarding his future. I’m not sure Martell’s style was going to be a good fit for the offense I think Day will run. We didn’t see a single zone read or called QB run until Urban returned from suspension. We know QB run is Urbans offense just not sure it will be in Day’s offense.
Tim- I’ve wondered the same thing myself. It’s strictly an opinion that Day would not have done such a thing, given Dwayne’s imminent departure; after all, he would have been inviting his most experienced returning QB to leave. In addition to being destructive to his squad, such advice from Day would also have been contrary to the nature of competition and, frankly, more than a bit rude…
Given what we have learned about Martell’s fondness for totally contradictory public statements, I’d say it is much more likely that he either a)feared losing the competition or b) felt entitled and got angry when he wasn’t bequeathed the job.
Finally, I hope we’ve seen the last of the Urban Meyer QB run offense!
Miami seems like a good fit for his style/attitude…I’m not saying that is a compliment….would’ve liked to keep him on the team though….What I don’t like is how brash he was talking about staying then flees when competition arrives..good luck with a much lesser miami team and not even bothering to even TRY to win the qb job…
Well the false bravado on this debutant QB1 was down right repugnant….I do wish him the best….as the saying goes “cotton sharpens iron?”
The whole ease of transfer is a failure on all parties, the NCAA, lack of patience by the player to allow themselves to develop, and coaches that are not engaging the player to feel they are a contributing member of the team. Saban did a good job in keeping Hurts engaged and he actually won two games for Bama this year. Dabo failed with Bryant and Urban failed with Martell. Something has to give as the transfers are out of hand and is not good for football. MCAA needs to enforce the sit out a year policy to be a deterrent.
The whole ease of transfer is a failure on all parties, the NCAA, lack of patience by the player to allow themselves to develop, and coaches that are not engaging the player to feel they are a contributing member of the team. Saban did a good job in keeping Hurts engaged and he actually won two games for Bama this year. Dabo failed with Bryant and Urban failed with Martell. Something has to give as the transfers are out of hand and is not good for football
Despite so many commenters insisting that it was Martell’s “right” to transfer (it’s a privilege not a right), he sure didn’t back up his own words about “fighting it out”. Like it or not, what he did was flee. I believe he’ll find the lesser competition and practically nonexistent fanbase to be in stark contrast to what he left in Columbus. Most important thing- OSU’s quarterback situation is now hanging by a thread.
Well to all y’all with disapproving comments I ask you – are you going to hold Fields to the same standards – because if I am not mistaken Fields “ran away” from competing with Jake Fromm at Georgia. Don’t be a hypocrite do be a gracious fan
Although it pains me to reply to someone who actually types the term ” all y’all”, I’ll do it in this case…
The obvious difference between Fields and Martell is that Fields is claiming a hardship. Unless you happen to have a true inside source at UGA, it is also accurate to say we know far less about Fields’ decision making than Martell’s, which is transparent…
Next, yes- I will hold Fields to the same standards I would hold any player at OSU (nice try though)…
Finally, I’m not going to listen to advice on grace and hypocrisy from someone with such a tenuous grasp on the King’s English. Have a nice day, y’all.
Just like we don’t know the inside story on Fields and UGA, we don’t know it on Martell and Day either. I will say I am completely unaware of any other athlete of color claiming he feared for his safety at UGA. I do believe if Martell asked Day if he had a future at OSU, Day would have given him an honest answer. I will predict that if Fields is ruled eligible and Baldwin wins the starting job, Fields will pack his bags again.
Dearest longtime fan – Please pardon my use of southern discourse which offended your sensibilities regarding the King’s English. Given the fact that we won freedom from that monarchy more than a few years ago I am surprised that you still are still so sensitive about it but hey – who am I to be derogatory, perjorative or belittling to a sensitive guy like you. I would address you by your name but you don’t give it. I am guessing that you are a Richard as it seems to fit
Voice- and “misguided buffoon” fits you. You’re a day late and a dollar short.
Ah name-calling – the fallback position of the verbally challanged. (and King’s English is not baffoonery?!) I’ll put it out there with no regrets. Tate could run the shxt out of Urban’s read option. I think he could have run it better than JT because he could throw better from what little I saw. Then he gets blindsided – not only by the loss of Urban, not only by the transfer of Fields but by some dumb-sass reporter sticking a mike in his face and saying what do you think. What should he have said? “Gee fellows, I have high hopes” All Y’all would have crucified him for being a pansy. Could he have handled it better? 20-20 hindsight sure. Could Urban have handled the Zach Smith question better when he came out of the B10 meeting and was blindsided? 20-20 hindsight sure. But that is why reporters stick mikes in peoples faces – to short circuit the prepared answer. Now then All y’all are asking for a 20 year old kid to have more maturity. OK fine – what level of maturity did you have when you were 20? All Y’all are asking Tate to walk the walk. If you can honestly look at your life and not see any, and I mean any fuxx-ups then you you have a right to criticize. But if you have that level of perfection then you would surely have the grace to wish Tate well, so like it or not I am going to lecture you on grace. I for one think Tate IS walking the walk. His walk is to play football and get to the next level not to entertain or get the approval of a bunch of armchair wannabees, most of whom have never risked a dime on a dream in their lives. All y’all can respond or not but I am done. Mark Twain had a very accurate witticism about mud wrestling with pigs – look it up.
VoiceA- thanks for proving my point! There’s help out there for meth addiction- find it.
Voice A- for someone who seems to wanna “stand up for all thats right” and negative criticism, you sure are quick to pounce back with equal or greater negativity. I may not be as fluent with words or advise seeking references by Mark Twain, but i do know this….my late father once told me “If you have nothing in this world, you always have your NAME and your WORD, thats all that matters”. So i reserve the right to voice my opinion about ANYONE who says they will do something, and then don’t follow through, regardless of the circumstances. Thats my real world….,not the Sunshine pumpers, build a perfect world of harmony without hurting feelings Utopia you seek…….That being said… I will root for Tate, I wish him well, when he first made his comments I was rooting for him, i loved the confidence and cockiness, and i loved his passion…when he did a 180 thats when I lost respect. You can make up all the excuses for this young man, and criticize all of us for criticizing him all you want, but if this is how this young man plans on handling issues throughout his life, he has more issues than where he will be playing football next year. Maybe he takes this poor choice and learns from it…….
GREAT comments LF….Still laughing…Thank you
You’re welcome Russ!
It was a curious decision by Fields to go to Georgia with Fromm already there. I don’t get the same vibe of “running away” from Fields as we get from brash, jilted Martell. Fields seems all business and came to play for Day and get to the NFL via recommendations from his friend Haskins. I’m guessing Haskins told him he would beat out Martell. Players who “have it” don’t need to tell people that they have it. They are confident in showing it.
The other obvious difference is that Fields already competed with Fromm last year, and lost. He had no reason to think this year or the next would be any different. Martell OTOH chose to not compete with Fields – he could have stayed until after spring ball and then transferred if he didn’t win the job.
Well…………..BYE.
Wow, I truly wish him the best. He was a competitor & deserves to go where he can make an impact & not waste his college eligibility…just like Joey Burrow. It’s kind of crazy what college football has become. Not many have incentive to stay anywhere until they graduate. We barely get the best players to stay for 2 years. Now it’s “one & done”. That plus overpriced season tickets, DVRs, bowls that don’t mean crap and ESecPN controlled by Bama; college football is slipping into the abyss. Well at least we can still dominate TTUN.