While in Pasadena for the Rose Bowl, Tate Martell told reporters he was certain he'd be Ohio State's starting quarterback in 2019.
“Why would I leave for someone who hasn’t put a single second into this program?” Martell said.
In the ensuing weeks, however, it appears Martell has found an answer to his own question.
Just after midnight on Wednesday morning, the former 4-star prospect took to Twitter to announce he'll be transferring to Miami (Fla.).
Martell's announcement comes a week after it was first revealed he had entered the NCAA's transfer portal, which allowed him to talk to other programs about a prospective transfer, and less than two weeks after quarterback Justin Fields announced his transfer to Ohio State from Georgia.
Fields, a former 5-star prospect, ranked as the No. 1 dual-threat quarterback and No. 2 overall prospect in the 2018 class.
Should he be granted immediate eligibility, Fields is expected to replace Dwayne Haskins as the Buckeyes' starting quarterback. Last week, the 2018 Heisman Trophy finalist announced he'd be foregoing his remaining eligibility to enter the NFL Draft.
As rumors swirled regarding Fields' potential transfer to Ohio State, Martell told reporters he was "100 percent sure" he would succeed Haskins should he turn pro.
"If anyone comes in, it’s going to take over a year to learn the offense to where you need to be to go on the field and perform at a high level,” Martell said. “Just from that aspect, if someone thinks they are going to come in, walk in and start, it’s probably not going to happen."
In addition to serving as Haskins' primary backup, Martell appeared in spot duty in 2018, completing 23 of his 28 pass attempts for 269 yards and 1 touchdown and rushing for 128 yards and 2 touchdowns on 22 attempts. A product of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas (Nev.), Martell arrived in Columbus as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback and No. 56 prospect in the 2017 class.
Unless granted immediate eligibility, Martell will not be eligible to play for the Hurricanes until the 2020 season. In addition to Miami, the 5-foot-11, 210-pound signal-caller also visited West Virginia while exploring his transfer options.