Martinek rushes for career-high 98 yards in Rutgers' 49-16 victory over South Florida
by Steve Politi/The Star-Ledger
Saturday November 15, 2008, 8:40 PM
Rutgers' Joe Martinek high-fives teammate Shamar Graves after scoring against South Florida during the second half.
TAMPA, Fla. -- Rutgers emptied the playbook at times against South Florida, with 325-pound tackle Anthony Davis lining up as a fullback and quarterback Mike Teel catching his first career pass.
The tricks received mixed reviews, but ultimately, they were unnecessary. Rutgers returned to the smash-mouth running game that had carried this team to most of its victories over the past few years, and it was freshman running back Joe Martinek leading the way.
Martinek finished with a career-high 98 yards on 21 carries, including two touchdown runs, in the 49-16 victory over South Florida. His best performance was a nifty 19th anniversary gift for his parents, who turned the trip to Tampa into an extended celebration.
"It was a pretty special day today," Martinek said. "It was just what I've been doing my whole life -- running hard, playing for the extra yard, lowering my head with a full head of steam."
Or, simply put, doing what Brian Leonard once did for this team. Martinek's performance reminded observers of the former Rutgers fullback, one of the most important players in the Greg Schiano Era.
Martinek, the all-time leading rusher in New Jersey high school football history with 7,589 yards, had been the odd-man out in the Rutgers running game for most of this season. But Schiano decided he was the right one to get the bulk of the carries against a South Florida defense that had been one of the best in the Big East against the run.
"We had planned to up his carries," Schiano said. "He prepared well this week. We felt this game was a game he was well suited for, and we pounded it a little more than we had."
The decision paid off. He had four carries for 20 yards on the first scoring drive, another five carries for 13 yards on a touchdown drive to start the second half, then had five straight runs -- including a 26-yarder -- in the fourth quarter to help ice the game with another touchdown.
"He's a physical runner," quarterback Mike Teel said. "He gets hit but he doesn't take many hits. He absorbs contact and he keeps running."
Starter Kordell Young finished with six carries for 36 yards, but Schiano was noncommittal about who would get the bulk of the work when Rutgers plays Army next week. Martinek will be ready.
"In the beginning (of the season) it was a little frustrating, but the leaders on the team told me, just keep working hard because your time will come," he said. "That's what I'm going to keep doing. If I get an opportunity, great. If I don't, I'll try to help the team in whatever way I can."