Miami quarterback Tate Martell is eligible to play immediately for the Hurricanes.
Martell was granted an immediate eligibility waiver Tuesday after transferring from Ohio State at the end of the past season. (RELATED: Tate Martell Transfers To Miami)
Former Ohio State QB Tate Martell receives waiver from NCAA and has been cleared to play in 2019 at Miami
— Manny Navarro (@Manny_Navarro) March 19, 2019
Many of you might be confused as to why he can play right away without having to sit out a year. I’m confused too. According to 247Sports, Martell’s lawyers used the Zach Smith alleged domestic abuse scandal to justify his exit from OSU among other things, and the NCAA bought it.
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Good for Martell for being able to spin it come week one in 2019, but this doesn’t seem like great precedent.
Everybody knows the dual-threat quarterback left the Buckeyes because he wasn’t going to beat out Justin Fields for the starting job. Anybody with a brain could see the writing on the wall. (RELATED: Georgia Quarterback Justin Fields Transfers To Ohio State)
There’s really no reason to pretend otherwise.
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I am actually stunned right that Martell was cleared to play right away. As a college football fan, I’m stunned, and I don’t say that in a good way.
As for fans of the Hurricanes, this is great news for their program. They now have their starting quarterback, who will be a huge upgrade.
Still, I think the NCAA will regret setting this kind of precedent. Immediate eligibility waivers should be saved for more than a head coach leaving or domestic violence allegations against an assistant coach.