Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544053
1 8 A P R I L 2 0 2 6 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M Coach Matt Campbell notched an early recruiting win when running back Quinton Martin Jr. announced that he was returning to Penn State for his red- shirt sophomore season. In some respects, Martin's decision wasn't a surprise. The lanky four-star athlete from Belle Vernon, Pa., had grown up a Penn State fan and long dreamed of playing for the Nittany Li- ons. In his first taste of extensive action, he had shined in the Pinstripe Bowl in December, rushing for a career-high 103 yards in a 22-10 victory over Clemson. With three more years of eligibility re- maining and both Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton off to the NFL, Mar- tin appeared to be on the right career trajectory at PSU. However, Campbell had made no se- cret of his desire to restock the team's backfield via the transfer portal. The new coach followed through on that plan in January, bringing in se- nior Carson Hansen from Iowa State and junior James Peoples from Ohio State. Their arrival ensures that the battle for carries will be intense in the months ahead, even with Allen and Singleton gone. Martin recently talked with Pe n n S ta te b ea t re p o r te rs about his decision to return and his hopes for the season ahead. QUESTION: W h a t wa s the process like for you when you were having to figure out whether you were going to come back to Penn State? MARTIN: "After the Pin- stripe Bowl, I went home. I talked to my family, first and foremost, talked to my agent, got their perspective on things. And then I got to talk to Coach Campbell. I loved hearing what he was about. I loved that he was very honest and transparent with me. He told me he was bringing in Carson and James. "Coming back was big for me, because I've always wanted to be a Penn State running back. It's always been my dream to play here ever since I was a little kid. It just felt like the right thing to do, and I'm excited to go out and execute." QUESTION: You said Coach Camp- bell was transparent about bringing in Carson Hansen and James Peoples. What's the outlook for you when you're up against some guys who have experi- ence? MARTIN: "Just compete, man. Learn from each other. Don't hate on one an- other. People are going to make plays. You just have to keep competing and keep chopping wood." QUESTION: What's been your focus this offseason? How are you trying to change your body? MARTIN: "I'm trying to gain weight. Coach Campbell wants me at 220 by the season. I'm going to play this spring at 215 and see how I feel there, and I'm go- ing to put that five [pounds] on for the season so I can take those hits, be more durable. "That's been a huge part of what I'm trying to get better at in the next few weeks, just carrying that weight. I gained a lot, but I want to be able to still move how I used to. I want to be at the same speed and be able to move left and right. It's been huge, being able to tran- sition my body from 195 to 215 to 220. QUESTION: What have you done to get there, and what do you still have to do? MARTIN: "Man, I just eat. When I first started the process, I was eat- ing five, six times a day, getting snacks, slamming food to the point where you can't eat anymore. And then you start getting the appetite at certain times where you want to eat because you're hungry. Cre- atine plays a huge part. You've got to stay hydrated and just constantly hit the weight room and do the extra stuff that you don't want to do." QUESTION: Do you feel like you've maintained your quickness? MARTIN: "Yeah, 100 per- cent. I've got my running form down. I feel fast. I feel quicker than I was." QUESTION: W h a t wa s your initial reaction when you were told that 220 was the goal? Were you taken aback, or did it make sense? MARTIN: "I was definitely taken aback at first, but I'm playing running back, so I have the body and the build to put on that amount of weight. It was just [a matter of] me stay- ing focused and consistent. And it's been working, so I'm just going to keep going and chopping wood." ■ Sitting Down With Redshirt Sophomore RB Quinton Martin Jr. Martin was one of the stars of Penn State's 22-10 victory over Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl, rushing for a career-best 103 yards. PHOTO BY MARK SELDERS/PENN STATE ATHLETICS