Up Close and Personal: OL Robert Martin
PSU was always the team to beat once he earned an offer, but the New Jersey native had to wait for a coaching change before he received that opportunity.
If there’s one trait that James Franklin clearly covets in offensive linemen, it’s versatility. Anyone who watched the Nittany Lions over the past year could easily see that quality on display, as players such as Ryan Bates, Brendan Mahon and Connor McGovern all showed that they could play multiple positions.
In Penn State’s Class of 2017, the staff brought aboard four more offensive linemen with both the size and skill to move around up front. Sparta, N.J., native Robert Martin may be the most versatile of the bunch.
Offensive line coach Matt Limegrover has told Martin that he’ll probably get snaps at center, guard and tackle throughout his first year on campus, which began in June.
“He said he’s going to teach me how to snap the ball, but also the technique and moves required at guard and tackle,” Martin said. “Honestly, whatever they need, I’m going to do it for them. I don’t care where I play. I just want to be able to smack some guys around.”
A 6-foot-4, 275-pound three-star prospect, Martin earned 11 scholarship offers before committing to Penn State in April 2016 during Blue-White Weekend. However, if assistant coach Herb Hand hadn’t opted to leave University Park for Auburn a few months prior, Martin might have never received his chance to join the Lions.
“I actually didn’t have a scholarship when Coach Hand was still at Penn State,” he said. “When Coach Hand left, within three weeks, I got to know Coach Limegrover really well and picked up an offer. Once I got to know him, plus the other coaches, I felt pretty good about Penn State. There were still one or two other schools that I liked, but I knew pretty quickly that Penn State was going to be tough to beat.”
With offers from Boston College, Maryland, Nebraska, North Carolina State, Pitt and Virginia Tech, among others, Martin had no shortage of opportunities. But there were two in particular that made him think everything over before he made up his mind.
“Rutgers was always in the mix because they were the home school for me,” he said. “But outside of Penn State, the school I really loved was Duke. They had a great staff and a great school, but the drive was a lot. I remember going down there with my dad and I thought that was a long drive. I couldn’t imagine doing it all by myself.
“But then, once I got to know Penn State more, they were always going to be the school for me. Like Duke, they offered me great academics, but their football is even better. Plus, the coaching staff is amazing.”
Unlike in Franklin’s first few years as head coach, the offensive line is no longer a major area of need. In fact, looking at some of the players who have now been in the program for at least a year, it’s clear that the Nittany Lions are beginning to build one of the Big Ten’s top units.
Because of that, Martin understands that a redshirt season should be in the offing this fall, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be taking it easy throughout preseason and into the fall.
“I’ll definitely be focusing on the academic aspect of my career when I get there,” Martin said, during a previous interview before he enrolled in June. “Penn State is a world class school. But I’ll also be working on my athleticism when I enroll. I’ve been doing speed training, so I’m sure I’ll continue that when I get up there.
"My main goal, however, is to get my strength up as much as I can. That’s the biggest thing for linemen who are making that transition.”