Rutgers running back Joe Martinek showing second-half strength
November 19, 2009, 7:00AM
Andrew Mills/The Star-Ledger
Rutgers running back Joe Martinek, diving headfirst into the end zone for a touchdown against South Florida, has 729 rushing yards this season, 308 of which have come in the fourth quarter.
NOTEBOOK
Joe Martinek can’t explain it. Neither could Ray Rice. But both share an important trait as college running backs: They get stronger as the game goes on.
Rice, of course, was pretty good at almost every juncture of games before heading off to the NFL following his junior year in 2007. But he had a knack for being even better in the second half and the fourth quarter.
Martinek appears to have that same ability.
“Even in high school, when we needed to run the ball to put the game away we were able to do that,” said Martinek, Rutgers’ leading rusher heading into Saturday’s game at Syracuse. “I try to make the most of all of my opportunities. It just so happens a lot of them have come in the fourth quarter this year.”
Of Martinek’s 729 rushing yards, 308 have come in the fourth quarter — the highlight being the 130 yards he gained in the final quarter against Maryland. Four of his eight rushing touchdowns have also come in the fourth quarter.
The most telling stat? He is averaging 8.1 yards per carry in the fourth quarter (compared to 5.0 overall).
“When the game is on the line you want the ball in your hands,” Martinek said. “For them to have confidence in me late in the third quarter and in the fourth quarter, to keep calling your number, that’s something you love as a running back.”
Martinek’s most recent late heroics — 103 of his 128 rushing yards against South Florida last Thursday came in the second half — have him back on pace to be the first Rutgers back not named Ray Rice to rush for 1,000 yards since Terrell Willis did in 1994.
At an average of 81 yards per game, and with four games left counting a bowl, Martinek is right on target for 1,000.
“It’s definitely crossed my mind a little bit,” he said. “But if I start thinking about it and start trying too hard to do it I might lose focus and I might not do it. So I think if I just keep doing what I’ve been doing all season it will come on its own.”