Ex-Bishop Gorman star Tate Martell might start at QB for UNLV

UNLV volition commencement a antithetic backmost for the 3rd consecutive week erstwhile it hosts No. 14 Iowa State connected Saturday nighttime astatine Allegiant Stadium.

Sophomore backmost Doug Brumfield did not signifier this week aft sustaining an undisclosed precocious assemblage wounded successful the 3rd 4th of a 37-10 nonaccomplishment Saturday astatine then-No. 23 Arizona State, according to a idiosyncratic with cognition of the situation.

As a result, “someone who hasn’t started yet” volition get the motion against the Cyclones, the idiosyncratic said. That astir apt means freshman Cameron Friel oregon fifth-year inferior Tate Martell. And it would destruct inferior Justin Rogers, who started the play opener but struggled and was replaced by Brumfield successful the 2nd half.

The 6-foot-3-inch Friel earned plentifulness of praise from his coaches during outpouring signifier and grooming campy aft enrolling successful January. The 220-pound right-hander reportedly had offers from Power Five programs Arizona State and Colorado. He has not played for the 0-2 Rebels.

Neither has the 5-foot-11-inch Martell, who transferred arsenic a walk-on to UNLV from Miami successful the summer. He missed the brunt of grooming campy portion recovering from offseason country to his throwing hand, but started practicing past week. Martell guided Bishop Gorman to 3 consecutive mythical nationalist championships arsenic 1 of the apical backmost recruits successful the graduating people of 2017.

Martell began his vocation astatine Ohio State and transferred aft 2 years to Miami, wherever helium played sparingly aft converting to wide receiver.

Rebels manager Marcus Arroyo said Monday that Brumfield was time to day, but added that if helium wasn’t acceptable to play that “we’ll person those (quarterbacks) each locked down and spot what we tin do.”

Iowa State antiaircraft coordinator Jon Heacock told reporters that the Cyclones are preparing for each of UNLV’s quarterbacks, noting that helium wouldn’t beryllium amazed if Martell played successful immoderate capacity.

“We’ve watched movie and studied them each this offseason,” Heacock said. “Wouldn’t beryllium amazed to spot Tate Martell successful there. But truly getting acceptable for each of them. … I deliberation we tried to benignant retired the plays and the formations. And the studies and each that worldly that we did successful the offseason for the past 5 months and effort to benignant retired who they are. Obviously, determination are ties to Oregon.”

Either way, the Rebels fig to person their hands afloat with the Cyclones (1-1), who task arsenic 1 of the Big 12’s champion teams. Junior Breece Hall is among the apical moving backmost prospects successful adjacent year’s NFL draft, though he’s averaging 3.5 yards per carry.

Senior backmost Brock Purdy hasn’t thrown a touchdown portion accounting for 3 interceptions.

But expect to spot an aggravated Iowa State squad that was upset astatine location past week by Iowa.

“You’ve got different apical 25 squad coming successful present that’s loaded,” Arroyo said. “We’ve got our hands afloat with a truly bully shot squad that’s experienced with bully depth. I deliberation that situation is conscionable similar past week, thing we’re excited astir to spot precisely however we tin spell retired determination and perform.”

Contact newsman Sam Gordon astatine sgordon@reviwjournal.com. Follow @BySamGordon connected Twitter