STATE COLLEGE |The bus ride from Philadelphia to Penn State last week felt even longer to Penn State running back Quinton Martin Jr., who didn't play an offensive snap in the Nittany Lions' 27-9 win. He called his parents ("trying to keep my mind right," he said) and pressed himself not to get bound up in the frustration.
Then on Sunday morning, Martin went to his coaches for their blunt assessment. "What more do I need to do to get on the field?" he asked. Head coach Matt Campbell and running backs Savon Huggins mapped the process, and Martin got to work that day.
"If they don't trust you, you're not going to be on the field," Martin said Saturday. "So I did whatever I had to do to get them to trust me in that moment. I got my opportunity."
And then Martin, Penn State's dynamic third-year running back, took advantage of it. He carried the ball 10 times for 100 yards, launching a 61-yarder in the first quarter, as part of Penn State's big-play showcase in a 55-13 win over Buffalo.
Against the Bulls, Martin carried the ball in the first half for the first time this season, one in which he has spent a lot of time watching fellow backs Carson Hansen and James Peoples . At times, it reminded him of the past few years playing behind Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton at Penn State.
But Martin knew where he stood in that backfield. This year, he expected to carve himself a larger role, particularly after his 101-yard performance in the Pinstripe Bowl against Clemson. But when Penn State visited Temple in Week 2, Martin played only on special teams. He did not take an offensive snap , which he interpreted as a direct sign from Campbell.
"If you want to play, you've got to convince him," Martin said. "Because at the end of the day, it's his team. He decides who's on and off the field. So I just had to put my pride aside and go to work."
Martin conceded that he didn't have his best week of practice before the Temple game. Campbell responded by keeping Martin on the sideline for the entire game offensively.
"I feel like I definitely could be a lot more urgent, because the coaches saw what I could do throughout spring ball, throughout fall camp," Martin said. "And they just thought that I wasn't living up to the expectation of what I could be. So I just feel like it was hustling, giving everything I got, play in and out."
After that Temple game, Martin reset his approach. He arrived at the football building at 6 a.m., asked for additonal meetings with the coaches and caught extra passes on the JUGS machine. He sought to correct issues with alignment, blitz pickups, "hustle, effort, everything."
Campbell noticed a major difference in practice last week, and so Martin earned that first-quarter series.
"It was great to see Quinton; he really had a great moment," Campbell said. "I think if you ask [him], Q would tell you it was maybe one of his best weeks of practice. And I think he took that into the ability to execute at a really high rate on the football field."
As Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser said last week, Martin didn't complain after the Temple game, instead asking questions about where he needes to improve. And Martin agreed that it was his best week of practice this season.
"I definitely did," he said. "I took last week as a bit of motivation, so I definitely feel like I practiced to the expectations."
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Quinton Martin Jr. runs for a touchdown against the Buffalo Bulls at Beaver Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Penn State offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser last week pointedly noted the run game's "level of mediocrity" through two weeks. The Nittany Lions took advantage of their size and speed advantages against Buffalo, rushing for 304 yards, 273 by the four primary backs.
Entering the game, Penn State was the only Big Ten team without a rushing play of 20+ yards. The Nittany Lions responded with three against Buffalo, including Cam Wallace's 59-yard touchdown run. Carson Hansen and James Peoples also scored rushing touchdowns.
"All four guys really did some great things with the ball in their hand in some critical moments," Campbell said. "I thought there was growth, but I also thought there was growth because there was some really good blocking on the perimeter. I think the ability to get the ball out in space for those guys to be able to make some plays happen in space was really awesome."
Martin still has work to do to challenge Hansen and Peoples for playing time. Hansen (five carries, 37 yards) remains Campbell's dependable starter, while Peoples (eight carries, 59 yards, two touchdowns) looked livelier Saturday against Buffalo.
But Martin still has that dynamic burst that stands out in the backfield. He stiff-armed a Buffalo safety in getting to the edge, and then found a booster on the sideline on the 61-yard run. All that prevented him from scoring were his own two feet.
"That's frustrating," Martin said. "I left one out there."
But Saturday wasn't as frustrating as last week's game at Temple. Martin understands now what needs to do to expand on this game. And ultimately, he might look back on that Temple game as a turning point to his career.
"Just don't leave anything in the gray area," he said. "If you want it enough, you've got to go out and chase it no matter what."
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/pennstate as How Penn State's Quinton Martin Jr. Reclaimed His Coaches' Trust .
