MIAMI FOOTBALL

Martin likes progress made during spring practice

Talented transfers fuel position battles, add to depth

Miami football head coach gets in some final comments before releasing players from the last spring practice. (MVSmith/MRO)

By MIKE SMITH
​Miami football head coach Chuck Martin was a man of mixed emotions late Saturday morning. 

He had just finished talking to his team at the end of the final spring practice. Such a scene won't occur again until fall practice in August, but that is when he returns to his element -- on the field, with fellow coaches and players working on improvement. 

"It's a lot of fun (out here). Playing and coaching football is a blast," Martin said with a smile. 

Saturday was the 15th and . . . 

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. . . final spring practice. As usual, the public was invited to the event, and for those who did attend, they saw a BUNCH of new faces. Between graduation and the portal, the 2026 roster will look a lot different than last year's squad. 

Fortunately, despite a large influx of "transfer" talent, Martin feels his squad has done well in adjusting to Miami's systems. 

"We've had a great spring," he said. "We got a lot of good work done. We have a lot of good players. We have a lot of kids that have made great stides since January -- building their bodies up and then great strides in 15 practices."

A pair of defenders halt the progress of a receiver during Saturday's final spring practice. (MVSmith/MRO)

One of the best examples of MU's current situation is at quarterback. Dequan Finn, who did not get drafted by an NFL team this week, departed the program late last season. That left Henry Hesson and Thomas Gotkowski to finish as MU tried to reach the MAC championship game, which is did (falling to Western Michigan in the title tilt). 

Hesson has graduated, but Gotkowski is back. His 2025 performances were a mixed bag, but included enough positive plays to get Miami to the championship and also suggest potential. Now a redshirt sophomore, he is joined by transfers David McComb (R-Fr, Kansas) and Caleb Heavner (Sr, Ft. Hayes). While the latter has the most game experience, it was at a Division II level. McComb, meanwhile, was a valued recruit out of high school, with some feeling he could contend for a starting job at Kansas this season. 

"We're ecstatic with our three quarterbacks. Both Caleb and David have picked up (our system)," Martin said. "They've all got playmaking ability, which at that position is really important. Every single practice you go to, all three of those guys make plays -- with their arms and with their legs. The consistency is what we're going for now. It's who is going to be the most consistent. ... Who is going to make the least mistakes -- particularly catestrophic mistakes?"

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Just as that battle will go into the fall, so will others. 

"You give me 14 days, I couldn't solve the Rubiks Cube, (but) I probably could get the Rubiks Cube solved before I could get my two deep solved right now," Martin quipped. 
"The competition is great. There is plenty of ability out there. The competition will go through the summer and ... into fall camp." Some spots might be on a rotation schedule as the season opens. 

"Every position on the field, we have good enough talent and quality players. 
We've had so many kids make such huge progress from spring (practice 1) until now -- what they understand about our offense and our defense," Martin said. 
It's been great, but we've got a ways to go. ... We have to take all that knowledge we learned this spring and then apply it ... and have a great fall camp."

David McComb was in the Kansas program last year. (MVSmith/MRO)

Hesson has graduated, but Gotkowski is back. His 2025 performances were a mixed bag, but included enough positive plays to get Miami to the championship and also suggest potential. Now a redshirt sophomore, he is joined by transfers David McComb (R-Fr, Kansas) and Caleb Heavner (Sr, Ft. Hayes). While the latter has the most game experience, it was at a Division II level. McComb, meanwhile, was a valued recruit out of high school, with some feeling he could contend for a starting job at Kansas this season. 

"We're ecstatic with our three quarterbacks. Both Caleb and David have picked up (our system)," Martin said. "They've all got playmaking ability, which at that position is really important. Every single practice you go to, all three of those guys make plays -- with their arms and with their legs. The consistency is what we're going for now. It's who is going to be the most consistent. ... Who is going to make the least mistakes -- particularly catestrophic mistakes?"

Just as that battle will go into the fall, so will others. 

"You give me 14 days, I couldn't solve the Rubiks Cube, (but) I probably could get the Rubiks Cube solved before I could get my two deep solved right now," Martin quipped. 
"The competition is great. There is plenty of ability out there. The competition will go through the summer and ... into fall camp." Some spots might be on a rotation schedule as the season opens. 

"Every position on the field, we have good enough talent and quality players. 
We've had so many kids make such huge progress from spring (practice 1) until now -- what they understand about our offense and our defense," Martin said. 
It's been great, but we've got a ways to go. ... We have to take all that knowledge we learned this spring and then apply it ... and have a great fall camp."

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Offensive line is one of the areas where Miami returns several starters from the 2025 squad. (MVSmith/MRO)

MORE OBSERVATIONS

•  All three quarterbacks have demonstrated an ability to throw (and run if needed). Martin is also optimistic about two other ingredients for offensive success.
--- RECEIVERS -- "We've got ... a lot of good wideouts. All of our quarterbacks getting time with all of our receivers is improssible right now. (But) we'll hone in as we get going."
-- OFFENSIVE LINE -- "(The offensive line) had a great spring. It's the one place we have more returners. ... There is probably as big (of an) improvement there as any position we have. ... (Our) pass blocking has improved and we're going to be able to run the ball. ... I think we'll be pretty balanced. "
​•  Miami's defense has been a cornerstone during Martin's time at the helm. No small part of its success has been a series of productive linebackers. It appears that group will once again play a big role. 
"We're loaded at linebacker right now," Martin said. "Coach Brechin will figure it out, but how do we get all those guys on the field at once. It's great to have depth and rotate. ...It's a very talented group."