Miami QB Tate Martell, others, flourished one year ago Monday. My, things have changed
One year ago Monday, a young man named Tate Martell thrilled 9,102 Miami Hurricanes fans with a promising performance that included a 17-yard touchdown pass to Michael Irvin II at Camping World Stadium.
Defensive end Jonathan Garvin scored on a safety and receiver K.J. Osborn scored on an 80-yard pass play from Martell— just some of the action that took place in Miami’s 2019 spring game in Orlando to punctuate then-new coach Many Diaz’s inaugural head coaching campaign.
A year later, what has changed?
Seems like everything.
The COVID-19 pandemic has paralyzed sports, including Miami football. And within the University of Miami football program, the difference is evident when you compare last year’s spring game with what we saw in the four days the Canes were fortunate to squeeze in some 2020 spring practice. Although we realize college football rosters and starters change to different degrees each season, we checked out who produced a year ago in UM’s spring game.
First, the points producers: Garvin opened the spring game with a safety on the white team’s third offensive play from scrimmage, when former Hurricanes quarterback Jarren Williams was sacked.
Garvin declared early for the NFL Draft, which runs Thursday through Saturday. Eventual starter Williams left UM and entered the transfer portal after nationally heralded quarterback D’Eriq King transferred to UM from Houston.
Running back DeeJay Dallas scored on a 22-yard run, Osborn scored next on a post route when he bumped off a defender and outran the defense for the final 60 yards. Then, true freshman Jeremiah Payton scored on a 32-yard pass from N’Kosi Perry, who finished the scrimmage 9 of 13 for 145 yards and a touchdown, but was sacked four times
Tight end Irvin II scored next, followed by tight end Will Mallory’s 15-yard touchdown reception from Williams.
Dallas, UM’s 2019 rushing leader, left the Canes after his junior season and is awaiting this week’s draft. Osborn, a graduate transfer out of Buffalo, was UM’s top receiver last season and is also awaiting the draft. Payton, still gifted as far as we can see, is now a redshirt freshman who should get plenty of playing time if and when the 2020 season begins.
Irvin II entered the transfer portal.
Mallory, who caught 16 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns in 2019, will be a junior this season and should dominate along with No. 1 tight end Brevin Jordan.
Perry, a part-time starter last season, finished 85 of 159 for 1,045 yards and eight touchdowns, with three interceptions in eight games played.
And Martell, who fans couldn’t get enough of last year, had some struggles and played sparingly in five games, but only got to throw one pass, a completion for 7 yards in the Independence Bowl. He ran seven times in 2019 for a net-7 yards.
To their credit, Martell and Perry have stuck it out and remain on the UM roster. The offensive line, which allowed nine sacks a year ago in that spring game, is back and undoubtedly improved with a new offensive line coach, a year of experience and blue-chip freshman Jalen Rivers on board.
The defensive line, despite losing Garvin and Trevon Hill and tackle Pat Bethel, should be a force, with the defensive backs and especially linebackers also working to replace some top veterans.
UM’s 2020 spring game, originally scheduled for April 11, never happened because of the coronavirus. Now, Hurricanes fans can only hope that something materializes before next April.
This story was originally published April 20, 2020 at 1:36 PM.
