SKULL SESSION: VILLANOVA BURIES MICHIGAN IN BLOOD, URBAN MEYER'S LOVE FOR TATE MARTELL, AND JEROME BAKER WOULD FIGHT A COACH
TATE THE GREAT? Urban Meyer has gone out of his way to praise Tate Martell since last season when he "almost" put Tate in against Rutgers and "burned that redshirt."
Martell has yet to play a live snap at Ohio State and entered spring ball No. 3 in a three-man race. Meyer, however, has praised him in unique ways.
From cleveland.com:
"Tate had a much better day today," Meyer said. "He's got a skill set that's a little bit JT-ish as far as the quarterback run, he's just built for that and he actually threw the ball well too."
Now there are two ways to be compared to Barrett, the leadership and the play on the field. This isn't Meyer comparing Martell to Barrett the leader, because Meyer wouldn't do that for any quarterback on this roster. Not yet. Have to earn that. But part of Meyer's infatuation with Barrett was the get out of jail free card that's provided by an elusive quarterback.
Martell's got that. So in a quarterback competition that's still even -- Meyer said that again on Monday -- it sounds like Martell is stuck in Meyer's brain a little bit as he tries to make this decision.
Meyer likes Martell, no doubt. But part of that is keeping a notoriously capricious quarterback engaged. Martell could be a backup if Burrow or Haskins transfer after failing to win the job.
Not saying Burrow or Haskins will transfer if they lose (though it'd make more sense for Burrow than Haskins). But it's a contingency for which Meyer wants to be prepared.
Say Haskins wins and Burrow bolts. Maybe Martell wants to leave, too? Better to keep him gruntled. Otherwise, your backup could be a true freshman coming off a knee injury.
Entire article:
https://www.elevenwarriors.com/skul...l-villanova-michigan-tate-martell-urban-meyer