UM’s Weldon will transfer, thinning QB ranks for Diaz

CORAL GABLES — With spring practice set to begin in less than 24 hours, the Hurricanes announced that Cade Weldon — one of the quarterbacks set to compete for the starting job — is transferring from Miami.

Weldon, a rising redshirt freshman, never saw much playing time as a Hurricane, appearing in just four games last season and enduring a four-game suspension.

Still, shortly after being named Miami’s coach, Manny Diaz said each of the players on the roster — particularly the quarterbacks who struggled last season — would be given a clean slate and a chance to start fresh.

For Weldon, that opportunity will now come elsewhere.

“Cade and I talked and we decided that it was in his best interests to pursue opportunities at another school,” coach Diaz said in a statement announcing Weldon’s transfer. “We wish him all the best in his future plans.”

Weldon himself took to social media on Monday morning to thank his former teammates and coaches and announce he was seeking an opportunity elsewhere.

“The friendships I’ve made the past two years will last a lifetime,” Weldon wrote on Twitter. “With that being said, I will be transferring from the University of Miami and entering the [transfer] portal. I’m thankful for the memories I have made here and I’m excited for what the future holds. #GoCanes.”

Weldon, a former three-star prospect out of Tampa’s Jefferson High, completed just 2-of-3 passes for 14 yards in his time at Miami.

With Weldon headed elsewhere, the Hurricanes will have just three scholarship quarterbacks working with the team this spring and Miami still has no idea if one — Ohio State transfer Tate Martell — will even be eligible to play next season.

As of Monday morning, Miami still hadn’t heard from the NCAA about Martell’s request for a waiver that would allow him to play immediately instead of sitting out a year as is typically required for athletes who transfer.

Still, Martell — a former U.S. Army All-American who was rated the nation’s No. 2 dualthreat quarterback coming out of high school — is expected to be on the field Tuesday when the Hurricanes begin spring workouts.

Also expected to be competing for the job are rising redshirt sophomore N’Kosi Perry and rising redshirt freshman Jarren Williams.

Of that group of quarterbacks, only Perry has significant collegiate experience, starting in six games and playing in 11 last season. He completed 51 percent of his passes for 1,031 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions.

At Ohio State last year, Martell completed 23-of-28 passes for 269 yards and one touchdown. He also ran 22 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns. Williams, meanwhile, appeared in one game for Miami — the Hurricanes’ 77-0 drubbing of Savannah State.

He was one of the jewels of Miami’s 2018 recruiting class, however, arriving in Coral Gables as a four-star prospect and consensus top-10 quarterback after a stellar career at Georgia’s Central Gwinnett High. There, Williams completed 61 percent of his passes as a senior, throwing for more than 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns while rushing for an additional 554 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Now, he, Perry and Martell will be the focus of much attention over the next several weeks. Another quarterback — signee Peyton Matocha — will join the Hurricanes later this year.