Mike Martin as Number 47 Player to watch by Rivals
Big Mike is chalking it up as the number 47 player to watch in the 2011 season:
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/photofeature.asp?fid=36888
With healthy ankles (knock on wood) and a head coach + DC focused on the D-line, no doubt we'll be seeing great things from him this year
He'll be spectacular if he can stay healthy. He really had a rough time last year.
I think he should be higher. He's too much of a beast.
He was on a crap defense with a 3 man front and 2 bad ankles; and he was still everywhere. The motor on this guy is insane, and he's been called the strongest player in the NCAA. He made tackles downfield left and right. That adds up to a top 25 to me. I still can't believe he wasn't All Big Ten 1st or atleast 2nd by coaches and media.
Your point about BWC is an excellent one. Martin has been our only real D-line player demanding regular double teams. If Will plays up to potential, our D-line will be scary and Roh and RVB will have plenty of opportunities to sack, rush, pressure or just harass opposing qbs. A d-line like that can really hide some of the weaknesses at LB and in the secondary.
Just look at the Ohio game of 2010 where we used a 4 man front a bit in the first quarter and limited their runs. Also, any QB can complete a pass in zone coverage when he's dancing around in the pocket for 5 seconds without any pressure (A good example of this is the 30 yard completion by Kirk Cousins into quadruple coverage on BJ Cunningham in the first quarter around the 1:10 mark of the 2010 game). Putting Big Will next to Martin should hopefully quiet any team's notions of an iso up the middle too.
Just be sure martin has graduated already before busting out that checkbook
is the incredible hulk picture?
a tip of the cap to you on this fine morn
There is no doubt he should be higher - if we had a better defense last year he would be, regardless of his injuries last year.
It's interesting that if you look at Rivals' pic in the OP's link, its clear that Martin is, as usual, eyeing the QB. Now look at the uniforms of the opposing team in that pic, and its clear that he is eyeing the guy Rivals has right before him at #48.
Mike Martin has way too much talent to not be a top 15-20 pick in the draft next year. You cant teach size/athleticism but a year under possibly the best Dline coaching staff in the nation will do wonders for him
Unfortunately that might be what holds him out of a high pick like that
Also, David Molk is number 75 on this list.
http://collegefootball.rivals.com/photofeature.asp?fid=36888
But can someone explain to me the logic of playing a 3 man front when you have someone like Martin on the line? Why didnt we go 4 man front last year and limit the O-Line's ability to double team him? An asset like him has to be utilized.
It's probably best not to reflect too much upon the comedy of errors that was our defensive coaching over the past three seasons.
They still would have double teamed Martin, and putting another guy on the line would probably not have changed that considering anyone else we could have put onto the line would have only required one blocker. It would have ment Roh or RVB might have been double teamed less. One reason we didn't do four man fronts (beyond the overall terribleness of GERG and RR's poorly contemplated desire for a 3-3-5) was because of the lack of talent we had at DL. Beyond Martin, Roh, and RVB, we had a freshman Black, Greg Banks, Renaldo Saggesse, Adam Patterson, and William Campbell. I think Kenny Wilkins may have been a redshirt freshman. Other freshman DL recruits were not ready to contribute. That wasn't a particularly talented/seasoned group of players. Although I thought we had better success with four man fronts, we still got killed on several four man fronts too. Defense was young, poorly manned, and poorly coached (at a minimum by the D coordinator if not some position coaches). Overall GERG was just...frick...
I'm really excited to see him play this year after seeing the coaches move him around during the spring game. Should help him to make a huge impact this year instead of just taking on double and triple teams in the middle of the line every play.
Here is hoping for a great year to send them off and to serve as a foundation for the classes that follow.
MM could definitely raise his stock this year and get picked early to mid first round and nothing would make me happier for him. I will be broken hearted to see him go, but that is just part of the game. I am so stoked to see what he can do with a coaching staff that focuses on the line.