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Starting this spring and continuing through the summer and now fall, Miami’s QB competition has been ongoing. Although the right to walk out on the field first against the Gators next months is still up in the air, the Canes had to pick a QB to start with the first team offense when camp began this past weekend. Head coach Manny Diaz and offensive coordinator Dan Enos chose sophomore Tate Martell, mainly for his endless work ethic over the summer.
“We had to all do a quarterback analysis. I went through and my biggest thing was shortening my stride and moving one of my fingers up and one of my fingers down a little bit,” Martell said. “That’s helped me out a lot with being able to spin the ball out there. We all kind of went through the same thing and corrected different things. That’s why we’ve all gotten so much better.”
The transfer from Ohio State brings a little something different to the table compared to the rest of his competitors for QB1, as Martell is known as a great scrambler and improvisor when the pocket breaks down.
“When I know a guy can sack me, I first take off. That’s really what it is,” Martell said. “I go out there, go through my reads and if I get some pressure that’s up in my face, and I know I’m probably not going to be able to get rid of the ball, I want to go make a play. That’s just how I’ve always played. That’s how I’ve played my whole life. I go out there and make plays when I have to, and when a play breaks down.”
Martell arrived at UM back in January and received a transfer waiver to become immediately eligible for the 2019 season. After living the past 6 months in Coral Gables, he is already comfortable in the environment.
“I love it here. This is where I wanted to transfer to,” Martell said. “I had the opportunity to come here and this is where we want to be. I know that we have a great team. We have great coaches. It’s going to be good for us. We’re going to do really well this year.”
Although Martell started the first practice with the ones, all three QB’s have rotated pretty evenly thus far.
“I feel I’ve done pretty well,” Martell said. “There’s always going to be things you can get better at. Just go watch film, get better, fix the things you did wrong.”
How does he see the competition ending up?
“Obviously, I want to go out there and win the competition - it means everything to me,” Martell said. “At the end of the day, they put the best one out there.”
**Sophomore QB N’Kosi Perry started for half the season last year for the Hurricanes, but now finds himself back at square one and in the middle of a battle for the starting job with a new offensive coaching staff.
“To be honest, it’s not that hard because [Enos] makes sure we all get reps,” Perry said. “If we’re not going with the ones or twos, we’re going to with the threes and fours because we’re trying to get as many reps as we can.”
Perry feels he and the rest of the offense stepped up their game over the summer.
“[Enos] gave me some tips and drills to do to work on in the summer and that’s what I’ve been doing. I feel it’s been working,” Perry said. “I feel great about what’s going on. More importantly, the team is doing a whole lot better than what we were looking like in the spring. I’m very confident about where we’re at with it only being the fourth practice. I feel good about us.”
What aspect of his game does he feel gives him the best chance to win the starting job?
“Preparation. That’s the main thing,” Perry said. “As long as I’m prepared, I come out here and know what I’m doing, I’m going to be confident… This is what I’ve been working for for the longest. On the field, off the field, showing I know what to do mentally. Your talent, your ability, it’s not even about that to be honest.”
While Perry is fighting against Martell and Jarren Williams every day to get the nod against the Gators, the group still has a bond that’s bigger than just football.
“We know we’re competing against each other, but we don’t let that get in the way of our brotherhood, our friendship,” Perry said. “When we get on the field we help each other out … we are competing but we’re still together, still a team… I think they’re two great quarterbacks and it’s going to be good.”
Over the offseason, the Ocala native put on 11 pounds and now says he currently weighs 196 pounds.
“I gained some weight, but it was more getting in shape - I changed my endurance,” Perry said.
**Like any other QB in a brand-new offense, redshirt freshman Jarren Williams feels this offseason gave him a chance to get much more familiar with the playbook.
“I feel, honestly, a lot more comfortable in the offense,” Williams said. “Of course, going through the spring, it was my first time in the offense…being able to see everything and then having the summer to work on it, made me feel a lot more comfortable going into the fall.”
New offensive coordinator Dan Enos made sure he gave each of the QB’s something to work on this summer. In what way was he looking for Williams to improve?
“Make sure I drive through,” Williams said. “In spring you’d see on film I would drive through, then go back a little bit. (Now I) stay level, driving through all the way - he gave me some drills I could do to help fix that.”
Enos has gotten rave reviews from both coaches and players for how he sees the game and his ability to communicate what he is looking for.
“He comes with it every day. He pushes us hard every single day,” Williams said. “The thing about Coach Enos is that he expects perfection every play. And if you don’t give that, he is going to correct you on the spot. Being with him through the spring and going through the summer and all that, I feel like I have been getting a lot better every day because he is pushing us so hard.”
On his thoughts about how the competition is going, Williams says it is necessary in order to find the best guy for the job and feels he is ready to take on the mantle of being Miami’s starting QB.
“This is me, there’s no choice, I have to be the guy, no other option,” Williams said. “I feel I am. I just have to keep working. I know coach Enos will put the best man on the field… I just have to keep working every day, take it one play at a time… I love competition. I feel like competition brings the best out of everybody. I’m a competitor. That’s why I’m here.”
Regardless of who ends up starting on August 24th, Williams knows that each player on the team has the same mindset: Win.
“We’re all working for the same goal, and that’s to win games,” Williams said. “The main thing we’re working on is getting better. That’s our focus.”
Williams improved his body fat from 16% to 11% over the offseason, but actually gained a pound from his listed weight last season due to adding muscle mass - he is now 211 pounds.
“I really put in a lot of work in the summer, got my body right,” he said. “I feel a lot more agile.”
“We had to all do a quarterback analysis. I went through and my biggest thing was shortening my stride and moving one of my fingers up and one of my fingers down a little bit,” Martell said. “That’s helped me out a lot with being able to spin the ball out there. We all kind of went through the same thing and corrected different things. That’s why we’ve all gotten so much better.”
The transfer from Ohio State brings a little something different to the table compared to the rest of his competitors for QB1, as Martell is known as a great scrambler and improvisor when the pocket breaks down.
“When I know a guy can sack me, I first take off. That’s really what it is,” Martell said. “I go out there, go through my reads and if I get some pressure that’s up in my face, and I know I’m probably not going to be able to get rid of the ball, I want to go make a play. That’s just how I’ve always played. That’s how I’ve played my whole life. I go out there and make plays when I have to, and when a play breaks down.”
Martell arrived at UM back in January and received a transfer waiver to become immediately eligible for the 2019 season. After living the past 6 months in Coral Gables, he is already comfortable in the environment.
“I love it here. This is where I wanted to transfer to,” Martell said. “I had the opportunity to come here and this is where we want to be. I know that we have a great team. We have great coaches. It’s going to be good for us. We’re going to do really well this year.”
Although Martell started the first practice with the ones, all three QB’s have rotated pretty evenly thus far.
“I feel I’ve done pretty well,” Martell said. “There’s always going to be things you can get better at. Just go watch film, get better, fix the things you did wrong.”
How does he see the competition ending up?
“Obviously, I want to go out there and win the competition - it means everything to me,” Martell said. “At the end of the day, they put the best one out there.”
**Sophomore QB N’Kosi Perry started for half the season last year for the Hurricanes, but now finds himself back at square one and in the middle of a battle for the starting job with a new offensive coaching staff.
“To be honest, it’s not that hard because [Enos] makes sure we all get reps,” Perry said. “If we’re not going with the ones or twos, we’re going to with the threes and fours because we’re trying to get as many reps as we can.”
Perry feels he and the rest of the offense stepped up their game over the summer.
“[Enos] gave me some tips and drills to do to work on in the summer and that’s what I’ve been doing. I feel it’s been working,” Perry said. “I feel great about what’s going on. More importantly, the team is doing a whole lot better than what we were looking like in the spring. I’m very confident about where we’re at with it only being the fourth practice. I feel good about us.”
What aspect of his game does he feel gives him the best chance to win the starting job?
“Preparation. That’s the main thing,” Perry said. “As long as I’m prepared, I come out here and know what I’m doing, I’m going to be confident… This is what I’ve been working for for the longest. On the field, off the field, showing I know what to do mentally. Your talent, your ability, it’s not even about that to be honest.”
While Perry is fighting against Martell and Jarren Williams every day to get the nod against the Gators, the group still has a bond that’s bigger than just football.
“We know we’re competing against each other, but we don’t let that get in the way of our brotherhood, our friendship,” Perry said. “When we get on the field we help each other out … we are competing but we’re still together, still a team… I think they’re two great quarterbacks and it’s going to be good.”
Over the offseason, the Ocala native put on 11 pounds and now says he currently weighs 196 pounds.
“I gained some weight, but it was more getting in shape - I changed my endurance,” Perry said.
**Like any other QB in a brand-new offense, redshirt freshman Jarren Williams feels this offseason gave him a chance to get much more familiar with the playbook.
“I feel, honestly, a lot more comfortable in the offense,” Williams said. “Of course, going through the spring, it was my first time in the offense…being able to see everything and then having the summer to work on it, made me feel a lot more comfortable going into the fall.”
New offensive coordinator Dan Enos made sure he gave each of the QB’s something to work on this summer. In what way was he looking for Williams to improve?
“Make sure I drive through,” Williams said. “In spring you’d see on film I would drive through, then go back a little bit. (Now I) stay level, driving through all the way - he gave me some drills I could do to help fix that.”
Enos has gotten rave reviews from both coaches and players for how he sees the game and his ability to communicate what he is looking for.
“He comes with it every day. He pushes us hard every single day,” Williams said. “The thing about Coach Enos is that he expects perfection every play. And if you don’t give that, he is going to correct you on the spot. Being with him through the spring and going through the summer and all that, I feel like I have been getting a lot better every day because he is pushing us so hard.”
On his thoughts about how the competition is going, Williams says it is necessary in order to find the best guy for the job and feels he is ready to take on the mantle of being Miami’s starting QB.
“This is me, there’s no choice, I have to be the guy, no other option,” Williams said. “I feel I am. I just have to keep working. I know coach Enos will put the best man on the field… I just have to keep working every day, take it one play at a time… I love competition. I feel like competition brings the best out of everybody. I’m a competitor. That’s why I’m here.”
Regardless of who ends up starting on August 24th, Williams knows that each player on the team has the same mindset: Win.
“We’re all working for the same goal, and that’s to win games,” Williams said. “The main thing we’re working on is getting better. That’s our focus.”
Williams improved his body fat from 16% to 11% over the offseason, but actually gained a pound from his listed weight last season due to adding muscle mass - he is now 211 pounds.
“I really put in a lot of work in the summer, got my body right,” he said. “I feel a lot more agile.”
