Martinek continues to impress
Bobby Deren
ScarletNation.com Senior Writer
This spring was a very busy time for Rutgers running back Joe Martinek. Injuries turned Kordell Young, Jourdan Brooks and Tyrone Putman into bystanders while Mason Robinson spent most of the spring playing wide receiver. That meant that most of the time, the football was in Martinek's capable hands.
"I think Joe did a great job," said Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano. "I think Joe was really, really sore. He had a lot of carries this spring. He didn't open his mouth, he just kept playing. It would have been easy for him to moan and groan when all the other backs got injured. He didn't do that."
Instead, Martinek took full advantage of every opportunity that came his way.
"Gaining all these carries helps a lot, being able to feel where the holes are going to be and just being with the O-line we have now," said Martinek. "It's just making everyone better. It's helped my confidence level a lot, just being more comfortable with the system and being more comfortable with my teammates."
Throughout the spring, Martinek appeared to be the team's most dangerous and consistent offensive weapon. Even Martinek noticed an upgrade since his last game when he plowed over NC State in the fourth quarter of the Papajohns.com Bowl.
"I think I'm ten times better than I was at the end of the season. I'm bigger and stronger but the next couple of months are going to be crucial."
In spite of those improvements, Schiano is still reluctant to christen Martinek as the starting tailback.
"There's going to be great competition at the tailback spot come August with Jourdan and Kordell and Putman and some other guys that are coming in," said Schiano. "It should be interesting."
Apparently, that is just fine with Martinek. Even though he toted the football such an extraordinary amount of times this spring, he still feels as though there is a job to be won.
"To me, I'm not the starting running back. There's always a job to gain. I just go to work hard every day and try to get that spot. I just have to work as hard as I can."
And with more than three months until the start of summer camp, there's no reason to believe Martinek's training regimen won't intensify.
"He has the makings of a great running back," said Schiano. "We just got to keep pushing him to that point. He made a couple of runs the last two days that were very impressive."
When Martinek touches the football, it seems as though impressive is word uttered quite a bit. He continues to progress, he continues to pile up yards, yet he continues to have to fight for the right to be called the starting tailback.