Former Ohio State quarterback Tate Martell is transferring again and college football Twitter can’t believe he still has two years of eligibility remaining.
Some players in college football seem to stick around forever. Five years can feel like 10.
That feeling will get more common with the NCAA granting players an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID-19-impacted 2020 season.
Tate Martell, or Tathan if you prefer his proper first name, is a prime example.
Martell is transferring to his third program, landing back home with UNLV after spending time with Ohio State and Miami.
Tate Martell really has two more years of eligibility remaining
Multiple transfers is nothing new. What’s freaking college football Twitter out is the fact that Martell has two years of eligibility left.
Tate Martell has TWO YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY LEFT! That’s the most shocking thing about this tweet. https://t.co/f6JVZQggwY
— Brian Stultz (@brianjstultz) July 25, 2021
Tate Martell having two years of eligibility left is maybe the most unbelievable thing I’ve ever heard.
— Big T (@ConnerHKnapp) July 25, 2021
If you’d have asked me how old he was two minutes ago, I’d have said 25. https://t.co/dkZEjLeYtd
A. Tate Martell has two years of eligibility left?
— Eric Henry (@EricCHenry_) July 25, 2021
B. He probably should have been at UNLV directly after Ohio State. https://t.co/Mfirdk9CXN
Tate Martell was JT Barrett’s backup and somehow still has 2 years left of eligibility 😂😂
— Shirt Pants (@SirTreyBall) July 25, 2021
Martell was among the top dual-threat quarterback prospects in the class of 2017, along with Tua Tagovailoa, Kellen Mond and Sam Ehlinger.
Tagovailoa is entering his second year in the NFL while Ehlinger’s Texas career felt like it stretched long before he entered the 2021 NFL Draft. Martell is outliving both thanks to a redshirt and COVID-19 eligibility.
tate martell been in college since the war of 1812
— hames jarden (@TEast33) July 25, 2021
Tate Martell on the Taylor Martinez twelve year degree plan. https://t.co/Nswri5MQLL
— Mikey in DFW (@MDWDFW) July 25, 2021
Will be fun to see 28-year-old Tate Martell suit up for Utah State in a couple of years https://t.co/gByzggFKmJ
— Zach Taylor (@ZachTaylorSport) July 25, 2021
How on earth does he have two years of eligibility I swear he was getting offers during the Bush administration https://t.co/xLDrIkF275
— BUM CHILLUPS AKA SPENCER HALL (@edsbs) July 25, 2021
It might feel like Martell has been in college longer than he has because his name was involved in recruiting for so long to start with.
As a 14-year-old in 2012, he committed to Steve Sarkisian at Washington. He decommitted from the Huskies in 2015, then committed to Texas A&M. His pledge lasted until 2016 when he backed out and committed to Ohio State.
In his four years of college experience, he’s played a total of nine games. However, he has yet to start a game at quarterback.
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