Miami Hurricanes Football

Tate Martell didn't practice with the Miami Hurricanes on Monday, according to Andrew Ivins of 247Sports.

A representative of the school confirmed to Ivins that Martell wasn't at practice and remains a member of the team.

Many were surprised Monday when the Hurricanes announced redshirt freshman Jarren Williams won the starting quarterback job:

QB1.

— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) August 12, 2019

Martell transferred to Miami from Ohio State after the Buckeyes added Justin Fields. He explained to ESPN's Andrea Adelson in May how Fields' arrival sealed his fate with the Buckeyes:

"After being there for two years and not playing, I couldn't risk it anymore. There's a point where you love your teammates, you love everything about the school and the people there, but you have to start thinking about yourself and not doing it because these are my teammates. They all understood, and they weren't upset at all."

Once the NCAA granted Martell immediate eligibility, the general assumption was he'd take over as the starting quarterback. Malik Rosier graduated, while N'Kosi Perry struggled as a redshirt freshman (1,091 yards, 13 touchdowns six interceptions in 11 games).

Now, the Las Vegas native is potentially facing an identical situation to the one he left in Columbus.

Martell was the No. 56 player and No. 2 dual-threat quarterback in the 2017 recruiting class, per 247Sports' composite rankings. While backing up Dwayne Haskins in 2018, he threw for 269 yards and a touchdown while running for 128 yards and two scores.

Although Martell has an experience edge, Williams is basically his equal in terms of recruiting profile. He ranked 77th overall and fifth among pro-style quarterbacks in 2018.

Martell is in a tough spot because he already used his redshirt at Ohio State. Transferring a third time would almost certainly mean losing a year of eligibility. The alternative is staying at Miami, getting his degree and then leaving as a graduate transfer.

For the time being, it would appear Martell is committed to the Hurricanes. The longer he remains Williams' backup, though, the more the speculation about is future is likely to grow.

Donell Harris, a 247Sports 4-star defensive end, is opening his recruitment back up after decommitting from the University of Miami. He is also looking to reclassify from the class of 2021 to 2020.

Harris announced his decision via Twitter on Thursday:

9....✌🏾 pic.twitter.com/vVtU7gKRME

— Donell Harris Jr (@5stardonell) June 13, 2019

Harris had been a part of what 247Sports ranks as the No. 1 recruiting class of 2021. And while he has decommitted from the program, the Booker T. Washington (Miami, Florida) star is not ruling out the Hurricanes.

"I'm going to still consider Miami, but my dad just wanted me to open up my options and see what all these schools have to offer," Harris told Andrew Ivins of InsideTheU. "Right now I'm not fully a 2020—I got to take some classes—but I want to do that."

Thursday's announcement should not come as a major surprise, given that Harris revealed last week he will make a number of college visits this month. Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State and Georgia were among the schools he was scheduled to meet with.

That came after he received an offer from Dabo Swinney and Co. in May.

It's easy to see why teams are lining up for the 6'4", 210-pound lineman (Warning: video contains profanity):

Star Defensive End Donell Harris is RECLASSIFYING to 2020 🤫 @5stardonell pic.twitter.com/id1Aj0Ol7C

— Overtime (@overtime) June 13, 2019

Harris initially committed to Miami in July 2018, when Mark Richt was still the coach of the Hurricanes. Now that Manny Diaz is in charge, Harris has decided to consider all of his options—and potentially move on to the next level a year early.

The Miami Hurricanes secured the commitment of 4-star offensive tackle Jalen Rivers on Sunday morning. 

COMMITED‼️‼️ pic.twitter.com/s5Hazv7Uc7

— JALEN RIVERS (@JalenRivers01) June 9, 2019

Rivers is the No. 18 offensive tackle in the class of 2020, the No. 21 player from the state of Florida and the No. 152 player overall, according to 247Sports.com's Composite Rankings.

Miami wasn't without competition for the 6'6" and 331-pound tackle—he was also considering Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Florida State, per Tom VanHaaren of ESPN.com.

"I picked Miami because I just feel like it's for me," he told Andrew Ivins of 247Sports. "I felt it in my heart. I like the coaching staff and I love the area. I just like the overall feel of Miami. You couldn't ask for a better place."

David Lake of 247Sports broke down Rivers' game, projecting him as either a right tackle or guard:

"Rivers has the length to potentially be a right tackle, but he is going to need to improve his athleticism in order to be a consistent player at the college level there. Ideally, Rivers is a road-grading guard that can wear down an opposing defensive line during the course of a game with his combination of size and strength. Rivers is the type of offensive lineman that can open up running lanes in the second half as a defense wears down."

He's the latest addition in what has already been an impressive 2020 recruiting period for the Hurricanes. The team ranks fourth in 247Sports' composite rankings, with 5-star running back Don Chaney Jr. leading the class. Rivers is one of eight 4-star recruits for the Hurricanes in total, including wideouts Bryan Robinson and Marcus Fleming and quarterback Tyler Van Dyke.

Suffice to say, the Hurricanes are building the makings of an impressive offense for the future. And new head coach Manny Diaz left an impression on Rivers.

"[Coach Diaz] just wants to build the program and make it better," he said. "As a person, I love being around him. He's great to talk to. We were in a meeting with him the last time we were down there, and it was great. That was the most I have ever talked to a head coach in a meeting."

Former Miami Hurricanes and Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt said Saturday he doesn't expect to make a return to the sideline after he announced his retirement in December.

Richt, who made an appearance to discuss being hired as an ACC Network studio analyst, said another coaching job is "not in the plans," per Andrea Adelson of ESPN.com.

"I'm really excited about this ACC Network opportunity," he said. "And I think I can help the fans enjoy the game more and understand the game more, and it allows me to keep staying involved with this game of football. And it also gives me time to see our grandchildren more and our own children. So right now, I'm mostly focused on that."

The 59-year-old Nebraska native played quarterback at Miami from 1978 through 1982. His coaching career, which spanned over three decades, began when he was a graduate assistant for the Florida State Seminoles in 1985.

Richt became a head coach for the first time in 2001 at Georgia. He guided the Bulldogs to a 145-51 record across 15 years, including a 9-5 mark in bowl games. The team's best result during his tenure came in 2007 when it finished 11-2 with a Sugar Bowl win that propelled the Bulldogs to No. 2 in the final Associated Press poll. Georgia finished 13-1 and No. 3 in 2002 and 12-2 and No. 5 in 2012.

Richt was fired by UGA following the 2015 season and hired by the Hurricanes less than a week later.

Miami went 26-13 under Richt but put together a lackluster 7-6 campaign in 2018 that included a 35-3 loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

The two-time SEC Coach of the Year (2002 and 2005) and 2017 ACC Coach of the Year said Saturday he "felt like Miami would be in better hands" with his retirement, per Adelson.

"It wasn't like I planned it," Richt said. "It wasn't like midseason or even a year in advance or whatever, but it came really when the season was over. I was thinking about the possibility of it and then, by the time the bowl game was finished, between myself and God and my wife, it was the right thing to do."

Manny Diaz, who was hired by the Temple Owls as head coach in mid-December after three years as the Canes' defensive coordinator, returned to the program after Richt's departure to become head coach.

The punter stands 6'4" and weighs a very un-punter-like 233 pounds. It's the kind of frame you typically see from a player tasked with inflicting pain or chasing quarterbacks, not booting footballs into the stratosphere.

Tattoos blanket his many muscles and bulges, from his arms to his chest to his torso to the sides of his head and even his nipples. These aren't just tattoos, either. Collectively, his body is more like a series of portraits weaved seamlessly together.        

Capping the distinct look is a fatherly mustache. Add in a neighborly Australian accent, and it was inevitable that 25-year-old Louis Hedley would cause heads to turn in the college football world when he introduced himself as a Miami Hurricane flashing the infamous "The U" hand gesture in this tweet on National Signing Day:

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1092960130159673347

It wasn't meant to be an elaborate spectacle. Just a 3-star JUCO punting prospect making his decision official. Within a few hours, though, Hedley went viral and become an internet star.

Now, two months later, with spring football in full swing and Hedley's arrival on campus in late May fast approaching, the man behind the viral moment is about to become a real presence in the college football world—a redshirt sophomore punting for one of the country's most decorated programs.

When he debuts, it will be the culmination of a journey unlike any other in college football, and much bigger than the tweet that announced his arrival.

It's a journey filled with untold hours in the gym and the tattoo chair. A journey that has taken him from the top of a wobbly scaffold in an Australian desert to a tattoo shop in Bali, which he actually owned. A journey that saw him take a leap of faith and give up his former life, enrolling at City College of San Francisco with the hope of one day playing football professionally. A journey now headed for South Beach, with Hedley having only played American football for a few years.

"My goal is the NFL, and at the moment I don't really have a Plan B," Hedley tells Bleacher Report. "All my energy's going into this."

---

We begin in a small fishing town off the coast of Western Australia, with the waves of the Indian Ocean crashing up against the shore. It was here, in the small town of Leeman, that Hedley spent the early part of his life.

Hedley's father, Richie, was a cray fisherman by trade. And as a result, much of his early years were spent on, in or around the ocean. He had a love of Australian rules football from a young age, but because of Leeman's size, competitive sports leagues were often hard to come by. That changed when his father took a job in Perth, Australia. With more competitive leagues to join, Hedley's passion grew, and he began to set his sights on playing professionally.

In Australian rules football, Hedley was a fullback—a defensive position that allowed him regular opportunities to kick the ball and showcase the power of his leg.

As the pursuit of playing professionally began to consume him, Hedley's academics began to slip. As a senior, it became clear he wouldn't be able to graduate high school, so he dropped out and took a job as a scaffolder. 

"I pretty much lived in a harness way off the ground for seven years of my life," Hedley says. "It was all good fun, and it allowed me to stay fit while I worked. Plus, it was great money and I didn't have time to spend any of it."

As a scaffolder, Hedley traveled Western Australia erecting structures for projects. For one, he spent a year working on a gas and oil site at the Wheatstone natural gas plant in Onslow, Australia. Hedley would fly in for a month at a time and scaffold on the coastline, high above the distinct, bright red dirt the area is known for. Then he'd go home for a week, then back.

All the while, the collection of art on his body grew.

---

He got his first tattoo when he was 15 years old while on a visit to Hong Kong. It was his last name on his bicep. That eventually became a sleeve, and then another sleeve, and then spread to cover his torso and his neck and head and parts of his legs. He didn't plan to cover so much of his body, but each time he walked into a tattoo shop, he couldn't resist.

"A lot of the time, I essentially walked into the studio and had a look through a book and chose something," Hedley says.

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1103423568979800069

Some of the tattoos have special meaning—like the man and woman tattooed to the left and right of a beetle on his throat, which are for his grandfather and grandmother—but most don't. He says the ones that generate the most response are the UFO abducting the cow on his forearm—one of his personal favorites—or the tattoos on the sides of his head, above his ear, of a panda and the world being held by a giant hand.

Which was the most painful? When his chest was completed, the artist went over his nipples rather than go around. The general thought was that it would look better if he did. "It felt like I was getting electrocuted," he says.

In 2016, his love of tattoos became a business when he and a close friend became owners of Rosemarrie Tattoo in Bali, Indonesia. Having spent time surfing and exploring Bali, Hedley viewed the purchase as more of a way to escalate a personal interest than get rich. And yes, it meant more, cheaper opportunities to add ink to his body.

---

When Nathan Chapman first set eyes on Hedley, he wasn't sure what to think. The head punting coach at Prokick Australia—a kicking academy that has a top reputation for spotting and training punters before placing them in college football programs—saw Hedley and had the first impression countless others have.

"We had to ask if he had any sort of convictions or spent time inside," Chapman says. "Because if so, he wouldn't be able to get a visa or go to America."

For years, friends and Australian rules football teammates had been encouraging Hedley to explore a career in American football. And for years, while curious, he had dismissed the idea. His plan was to take all the money he'd saved scaffolding and travel Europe and perhaps the world.

Then just before he was planning to leave, he decided to at least explore the idea.

He had a successful tryout with Prokick, ditched the Europe plan, quit his job and moved from Perth to Melbourne in 2017 to begin training. Hedley earned the nickname "Breaking" from his Prokick coaches when he arrived—an allusion to his looking like he belonged on the TV show Breaking Bad.

In the past two years, Prokick has placed more than two dozen punters and kickers in Division I schools. Some of these alumni have since graduated to the NFL. And Chapman could see right away that Hedley had the ability and drive necessary to follow that path. But his academic situation complicated matters.

"This was going to be easy from the ability point of view," Chapman says. "We just hoped he had enough money to get to junior college to get his grades."

Knowing the cost of having a chance to kick at the level he desired, Hedley gathered all the money he could. He sold his stake in his tattoo shop. And then, having yet to field a snap during a live game or begin to fully grasp the nuances of American football, he traveled more than 9,000 miles and enrolled at City College of San Francisco.

---

For more than a decade, CCSF offensive line coach Eduardo Nuno has recruited players outside the country.

Born and raised in Tijuana, Mexico, Nuno was once in a similar position. He credits football broadcasts for helping him learn English. Many years later, after going to high school in the United States, Nuno landed a football scholarship from University of Pacific. He experienced firsthand how football can change lives.

And there he was in the airport parking lot, waiting to pick up Hedley from San Francisco International Airport. But Hedley wasn't there. Going through customs, Hedley had been pulled aside for a closer, secondary inspection—"because of all the tattoos," Nuno says.

Eventually Hedley made it through the airport. But once he did, there was little time to acclimate himself to his new life. There was less than a month before the team's first game, and Hedley would have to learn the rules and rhythm of his new sport on the fly.

To save money, Hedley lived in a four-bedroom house with 11 housemates, including John Berard, who became his roommate and close friend as well as his long-snapper at CCSF.

"He's just a new breed of punter—I knew as soon as he hopped off the plane, a week into practice," Berard says. "He came in with his short shorts, his Australian style and tats all the way up to his head with a nose ring in.

"He definitely didn't really know anything about football. Besides tackling and that you wear pads."

The winds were a massive adjustment for Hedley, which impacted his performance early. He still managed to average nearly 40 yards per punt his first season, but he rarely had an opportunity to showcase a leg that can kick the ball upward of 60 yards.

Despite the less-than-gaudy statistics, college coaches flocked to see him. One of those visits had a direct impact not on Hedley but Berard. He caught Texas Tech's eye and is now enrolled there.

Hedley redshirted his sophomore year at CCSF to save a year of eligibility and focus on academics. Returning to class after almost a decade away was an adjustment at first, but he ended up earning a GPA well over 3.0.

He also became obsessed with the weight room during that sophomore year away from football. Already large and muscular, Hedley worked out three hours a day. His strength was so atypical that he began working alongside the offensive linemen.

The combination of focused weight training and a healthy dose of American food—his personal favorite being Wingstop—brought Hedley up to nearly 250 pounds.

After receiving interest from several Power Five programs, Hedley signed with Miami on Feb. 6. A few hours later, his face and supersized, tattooed body was everywhere.

"I thought we were just barely scratching the surface of what he can do because, my goodness, is he special physically," Nuno says. "I think his best football is obviously still way in front of him."

---

At the moment, Hedley is back in Australia preparing. He's trimmed down from 250 pounds to a leaner but still powerful 233 pounds. Since he's back home, he's working with Prokick—still trying to absorb as much punting information as he can.

He's also enjoying his 1-year-old son, Loki, who changed his outlook on life. While he made up his mind to pursue his degree and American football before Loki was born, fatherhood has only increased his drive.

"Everything I do is for that boy," Hedley says. "It gets me up every morning. It's a huge motivation for me, and I hope that maybe one day I can achieve my goal and he can watch me do it."

When he arrives in Miami in late May, he will once again have to adapt to a new routine. The allure of South Beach and a storied football program trying to find itself once again unquestionably played into Hedley's decision. As did the fact that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson played for the Hurricanes—an icon of his growing up.

Hedley's second viral bout came in early April, when he announced he was wearing No. 94 in Johnson's honor. The Rock responded by showing Hedley love to his more than 13 million Twitter followers.

https://twitter.com/LouHedleyy/status/1114212006670639105

"The Rock was my hero growing up," Hedley says. "To think he knows who I am now is really cool. I just hope I get to meet him some day."

With all the attention he's received, the question now is how Hedley will perform on a stage unlike anything he's ever been on. Physically, he will be one of the most impressive punters in the nation—if not one of the most athletic to ever play—but he still has so much to learn.

"He's got an NFL leg, so it's really about what Miami decides to do with him," Chapman says. "But bigger than that, here is a guy who spent two-and-a-half years turning it around and spending a whole heap of money to do so—so much so that if it didn't work out, he would be out on his arse."

It's been a journey no one could have predicted. When this colossal, tattooed Australian punter takes South Beach, the ACC and America by storm, it will have been worth every up and down and twist and viral moment along the way.

              

Adam Kramer covers college football for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter: @KegsnEggs.

The NCAA granted Miami quarterback Tate Martell an immediate hardship waiver, making him eligible for the 2019 season.

"We are pleased with this ruling and appreciate the NCAA recognizing that this waiver met the criteria under the membership established guidelines," Miami director of athletics Blake James said. "We would like to thank the NCAA, as well as Ohio State University, for their assistance and support throughout the waiver process. We look forward to seeing Tate compete for the Hurricanes this season."

Martell, a redshirt sophomore, transferred from Ohio State to Miami in January. He began considering a transfer from the Buckeyes after they landed 5-star transfer Justin Fields from Georgia. It's expected that Fields will be Ohio State's starting quarterback in 2019.

Martell's status had been the source of speculation ever since his transfer announcement. The NCAA seemed to be taking its time with the decision, which became a source of uneasiness as the Hurricanes began spring practices. 

we aren’t ready yet.. but we will be!

oh btw... I’M ELIGIBLE TO PLAY! pic.twitter.com/jSr9wmwiqi

— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) March 19, 2019

Tate Martell didn't have a particularly strong claim for immediate eligibility. College players are pretty much now free to transfer without sitting out a year (as they should be)

— Ben Axelrod (@BenAxelrod) March 19, 2019

Miami head coach Manny Diaz praised Martell in February: 

"Tate is a person that if he was standing in this room, within 15 minutes there would be 15 people standing around him. He's just got that personality people gravitate to. He's a natural leader of men. He's a guy that, when he was in seventh grade, drew up his own playbook. He just loves ball. He loves playing the position of quarterback. 

"Obviously, he has some really, really impressive physical abilities, but, more than anything, he's a guy that wants to come in and just compete for our quarterback position. He understood our situation on this roster. And to be able to work with Dan Enos and get coached by a guy that's got an amazing track record for developing quarterbacks, it was just a great fit between us and him and the fact that we've got a couple other Bishop Gorman guys here helps him feel at home."

Martell is considered the favorite to win the starting job but is competing with N’Kosi Perry and Jarren Williams for the job. Freshman Peyton Matocha could be part of the competition once he joins the team over the summer.

Martell was the nation's No. 56 overall player and second-ranked dual-threat quarterback in the 2017 high school class. 

   

Recruiting information via 247Sports.

As quickly as The U was back, it became an afterthought in 2018. A 7-6 record led to Mark Richt's retirement, and Manny Diaz is the next head coach trying to make Miami a contender again.

For better or worse, he's doing it differently.

Miami is so invested in the transfer portal that if Diaz disappears, we'll have no choice but to believe in time travel.

Since Diaz took over, the Hurricanes have grabbed Tate Martell (Ohio State), Bubba Bolden (USC), K.J. Osborn (Buffalo) and Chigozie Nnoruka (UCLA). They also convinced Jeff Thomas, their leading receiver in 2018, to return instead of head to Illinois.

And so, Portal U was born.

Martell and Bolden were top-60 recruits. Osborn posted 892 yards and seven touchdowns last season, and Nnoruka notched 8.5 tackles for loss in 2017. Osborn and Nnoruka will be immediately eligible, while Bolden should be and Martell is appealing for a waiver.

Those transfers are in addition to Auburn running back Asa Martin and Butler left tackle Tommy Kennedy, who committed to Miami while Richt was still in charge.

Miami has also contacted UCLA's Jaelan Phillips―the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2017 class―who is scheduled to visit.

Just got back from my adventure in the portal and came back with @JJPhillips15 visiting this weekend! 🙌🏼🌴 pic.twitter.com/L3OIziufNL

— Tate Martell (@TheTateMartell) January 21, 2019

Andrew Ivins of 247Sports reported there is "mutual interest" between the Canes and Trevon Hill, who amassed 20 tackles for loss at Virginia Tech in three seasons. And at this rate, there's a decent possibility Hill won't be the last target.

That is an objectively impressive group. No school has been more active or successful in the portal this offseason, particularly if either or both Phillips and Hill choose Miami.

But the "why" is equally as important.

Miami isn't in a position to prioritize anything other than the best players available. Mark Richt improved the roster and inarguably left The U in a better place than it was when he arrived, yet that doesn't mean the Canes are in a favorable spot.

The 2019 recruiting cycle is a mess. Leading up to national signing day, the class ranks 34th nationally after the Canes whiffed on several high-priority local targets long thought to be Miami leans.

For the Hurricanes to rejoin the national discussion on an annual basis, signing a handful of premier local prospects is essential. While there's too much competition to land everyone, securing only two of the state's top 25 players is a failure.

But that ship has sailed for this cycle. Miami needs reinforcements now.

Transfers are not the foundation of successful programs, yet they can be immensely valuable. Plucking a few veterans can provide a short-term boost. That's what Miami needs right now.

Since most recruits signed in the early signing period, Diaz's best route to upgrade the roster is through the portal.

#WelcomeToTheU #TNM 🙌🏽🎆🕺🏽 pic.twitter.com/zj5Jnh62hQ

— Manny Diaz (@Coach_MannyDiaz) January 23, 2019

No class of 2019 quarterback with interest in Miami is more promising than Martell. No 2019 safety with interest in Miami can benefit the secondary more than Bolden. No 2019 wideout or defensive tackle with interest in Miami is better prepared to stabilize those units in 2019 than Osborn (or Thomas) or Nnoruka.

The Canes could launch scholarship offers all over the country with the specific goal of filling the class. However, if the recipients are fringe-ACC-caliber prospects, the conversion rate―players who become full-time contributors―will be low. Adding bodies for the sake of bodies can harm future classes.

Diaz sees that reality.

"We don't have to be in a situation that we just grab whatever is left on the shelf," he said, per David Lake of 247Sports.

Yes, stars don't define a player; gems can be found. But it's a simple fact that 3-stars and below have significantly lower hit rates. Those are largely "developmental" players―a kind way of saying to not expect contributions for a few years.

Again, Miami cannot afford to wait. And it doesn't need to.

The ACC Coastal is consistently one of the worst Power Five conference divisions. Even while stuck in this perpetual climb toward contention, Miami usually has the highest-rated recruits compared to its Coastal foes. On talent alone, the Canes should be favored to win the division in 2019.

Yet in 14 years, the Canes have one ACC Championship Game appearance.

Recruits in this era didn't watch the dominant 2000 to 2003 Miami squads. These kids grew up seeing 7-6 and 9-4 teams and are attracted to the schools competing for national titles.

The obvious way to reshape that perception is to win. They want to see Coastal championships and an ACC title. But if that were so easy, we wouldn't be having this conversation.

Spending an offseason scouring the portal does not guarantee success, but transfers are more likely to help Diaz right now.

There are far worse strategies than stockpiling older talent.

If and when the 10-, 11-win seasons return, Miami will be a larger factor in recruiting. That should lead to a decreased reliance on the transfer database. Having a talented player for three or four seasons instead of one or two is clearly preferred.

But that's not going to happen if Diaz neglects the top available talent interested in the program.

For Miami, that means diving headfirst into the portal.

Former No. 2 dual-threat quarterback recruit Tate Martell is transferring from Ohio State to the University of Miami. Martell backed up Dwayne Haskins last season but is expecting to take over the starting job at The U. Watch the video above for more about the former Scout 5-star recruit and his transfer. 

Recruiting info via 247Sports and Scout.

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Miami Hurricanes quarterback Tate Martell has reportedly "lawyered up" as he attempts to receive a waiver for immediate eligibility for the 2019 season after he announced his transfer from the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Steve Wiltfong of 247Sports reported Wednesday that Martell plans to use OSU's coaching change from Urban Meyer to Ryan Day as the basis for his claim. A source close to the quarterback told Wiltfong the waiver attempt has a "better shot than you'd think."

The 20-year-old California native would have likely been forced to compete with Justin Fields for the Buckeyes' starting job. Fields transferred to Ohio State from the Georgia Bulldogs earlier in January and is expected to get a waiver to play in 2019.

If granted his own waiver, Martell will likely slot right in as the Canes' starter after the team's struggles at the critical position in 2018.

Miami quarterbacks, led by N'Kosi Perry and Malik Rosier, completed just 51.1 percent of their throws with 19 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions across 13 games in 2018.

Martell was a 4-star prospect and the No. 56 overall player in the 2017 recruiting class, according to 247Sports' composite rankings. He was listed as the second-best dual-threat QB in the group.

He appeared in six games this past season behind Heisman Trophy contender Dwayne Haskins after sitting out the 2017 campaign as a redshirt. He connected on 23 of his 28 throws (82.1 percent) for 269 yards and a touchdown. He added 128 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.

Haskins declared for the 2019 NFL draft, leaving the Buckeyes' quarterback job up for grabs.

If Martell's waiver is denied, he won't be eligible to play until 2020, at which point he'll have two years of eligibility remaining with the Hurricanes.

Alabama Crimson Tide quarterbacks coach Dan Enos is reportedly being hired as the Miami Hurricanes' offensive coordinator under new head coach Manny Diaz.

Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports first reported the update Friday.

Enos is set to join the Canes with nearly three decades of coaching experience, including a five-year stint as head coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas from 2010 through 2014.

The 50-year-old former Michigan State Spartans quarterback served as the Arkansas Razorbacks' offensive coordinator from 2015 until 2017 before joining the Tide for this past season.

Matt Zenitz of AL.com reported earlier Friday the Georgia Bulldogs had joined The U in pursuit of Bama's associate head coach under Nick Saban.

His expected hiring will amplify speculation about Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts, who entered the NCAA transfer portal, leaving Alabama to join Miami.

Hurts completed 62.9 percent of his throws for 5,626 yards with 48 touchdowns and 12 interceptions across 42 appearances for Bama. He added 1,976 rushing yards and 23 scores on the ground.

He'll be a senior in 2019, however, and with Heisman Trophy finalist Tua Tagovailoa entrenched as the Tide's starter, moving elsewhere to showcase his talent is probably the best move for his future.

Miami quarterbacks connected on just 51.1 percent of their attempts with 19 TDs and 14 picks in 2018. Those struggles were a major reason for the team's mediocre 7-6 record, which included a blowout loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the Pinstripe Bowl.

Adding Enos and Hurts could result in a significant offensive turnaround next season.