Tate Martell, N’Kosi Perry or Jarren Williams? Quarterbacks the focus as Hurricanes start spring workouts

As the Hurricanes sputtered to an underwhelming 7-6 record last season and endured a four-game losing streak that knocked them out of contention for the Coastal Division title, it was clear that inconsistent quarterback play was one of the issues that doomed Miami.

And so, fixing the position has become one of first-year coach Manny Diaz’s biggest priorities, though he made it clear Tuesday after the Hurricanes’ first of 15 spring practices that he’s in no rush to figure out who will be the starter when Miami opens the 2019 season against Florida on Aug. 24 in Orlando.

Diaz also made it clear heading into spring drills that if anyone is hoping to determine whether any of the quarterbacks are gaining an early edge based on the spring rotation, they’ll be disappointed. And nothing during the 40-minute window open to reporters during Tuesday’s first practice under Diaz and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Dan Enos seemed to indicate there was any kind of front-runner.

When the team lined up for stretching, rising redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry — who started six games for Miami last season — stood ahead of rising redshirt freshman Jarren Williams and Ohio State transfer Tate Martell. In one individual throwing drill with Miami’s receivers and tight ends, it was Williams at the front of the line, ahead of Perry and Martell. In yet another drill, this one during some 7-on-7 work, it was Martell who threw to some of the Hurricanes’ returning starters.

None of that was a coincidence, and once practice ended, both coaches and players had praise for all three quarterbacks.

There was a lot more of the same on Wednesday, with the quarterbacks again rotating snaps and receiver Mike Harley pointing out each has thrown to not only first and second-string players, but Miami’s third offense, too.

Let the competition begin.

“I thought they all had really good demeanor today, and that’s part of it,” said Enos, who spoke after Tuesday’s practice. ”Playing the position isn’t just about the physical qualities, it’s about a lot of the intangible things and I liked their demeanor. I liked their attitudes. I thought they did a good job of trying to stay composed with a lot of chaos and things going on, as you would expect on the first day.

“I see some guys with some live arms. I think some guys [have] got some athleticism, as well, so certainly it was really good to get out here with them and be able to work with them in camp. Obviously, a lot of things we’ve done have been structurally and the mental part of it. But to be out here with them physically, and start working through some of the kinks in their footwork and their throwing mechanics was really good to see. I did like the way they all attacked the day.”

Added tight end Brevin Jordan: “I think I got a pass thrown from every quarterback [Tuesday]. All the quarterbacks we have, they’re all good guys. They’re all elite talent. You can’t come to Miami and not be an elite talent.”

Jordan may believe in the talent level of all of the Hurricanes’ quarterbacks, but only one of them — Perry — has any kind significant experience as spring begins.

Perry appeared in 11 games for Miami last season and alternated starts with the departed Malik Rosier, who exhausted his eligibility last December and played his final game as a Hurricane in Miami’s ugly 35-3 season-ending loss to Wisconsin in the Pinstripe Bowl. Perry also played in that game, and like Rosier, he struggled, too.

Perry ultimately finished the season completing 51 percent of his 191 passes for 1,091 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions, and on Tuesday, Enos noted the redshirt-sophomore-turned veteran was still working to grasp some of the new concepts in the Hurricanes’ system, though he had a solid day.

“N’Kosi did a really good job again [Tuesday], too. We’re doing so many different things underneath center right now where it’s a little bit foreign to some of them a little bit,” Enos said. “Again, I’ve challenged them to do a lot of that work on their own, which they have, but certainly the footwork and all those things will get better as we continue to go.”

Of Williams, who played in just one game last season, Enos said, “Jarren looked good. I was really impressed with him. He threw a really good ball. He’s got very good mechanics; he’s got good feet. I think he’s done a really good job at working. I’ve noticed him in the building a lot in his off time, doing different things — with all the guys, but Jarren in particular — and I was impressed with him.”

Then there is Martell, who took to the practice field Tuesday morning not knowing whether he’d even be eligible to play for Miami this season after transferring.

By late afternoon, he and the Hurricanes were celebrating the news that the NCAA had granted his waiver request to play immediately without having to sit out a year as is typically mandated of non-graduate transfers.

News of the NCAA’s decision added an instant jolt to the competition, particularly given Martell’s resume at Las Vegas’ Bishop Gorman High School and the solid numbers he put up last year in his limited opportunities as Dwayne Haskins’ backup.

“[He’s a] very competitive young man, very good intellect, highly energetic. Extremely, extremely good athlete,” Enos said of Martell, who completed 23-of-28 passes for 269 yards and a touchdown last year. “He’s got great lower-body explosiveness, really good short-area quickness and showed a very live arm today, so that was good to see, but I’ve been very impressed with Tate. He’s handled himself very well, and I think as a transfer coming in, as a brand-new guy, I think he’s done a very good job.”

And like Diaz, the Hurricanes themselves say there is no rush yet to determine which of the quarterbacks will be the right fit for Enos’ offense, which players said features plenty of motion and multiple ways for playmakers to shine.

“Everyone, we’re getting the chemistry together so, it really doesn’t matter who the guy is,” Harley said. “It’s just like routes on air and team pass. We’re getting a feeling for every quarterback. We’re getting the knowledge down right.”

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