Tight end Blake Martin setting his goals high for 2007
9/5/2007 1:00:00 AM | Football
By Jason Barfield, SHSU Sports Information
Blake Marin will be the first to tell you he is a country boy at heart. The son of a professional bass fisherman from Hemphill, Martin never expected his football career would lead him in the direction it has taken.As a seventh grader at Hemphill Middle School, Martin played on the offensive line. He began the year there again the next season, when one of his coaches noticed something wasn't quite right, so he decided to make a change.
“I didn't have offensive line in my blood,” Martin said with a laugh. “I was too athletic. I had grown up running around and catching passes in the back yard, so I guess I had it in me. My coach at the time, Coach Campbell, moved me to tight end and told me not to forget him when I got a Division I scholarship to play tight end.”
The rest is history right? Well, not quite. Martin had doubts he was going to get enough looks playing football at Hemphill to get a scholarship. It wasn't until his sophomore year in high school he really started entertaining thoughts of playing college football.
“My sophomore year I saw some of the seniors on varsity get scholarships to play football,” Martin said. “I knew I was just as good if not better than some of those guys and realized I had a very good chance to get a scholarship.”
That opportunity finally came from former Sam Houston State coach, Ben Norton. Norton had visited Martin's home several times during the recruiting process letting the big tight end know how much they wanted him to be a Bearkat.
There was only one problem. Norton was the only coach who was coming by. During one visit, Martin's mom asked who the head coach of the Bearkats was and then why he hadn't been to the house yet. On the next visit Norton brought then head coach, Ron Randleman, and offensive coordinator, James Ferguson.
“My mom was really impressed with Coach Randleman and, once we visited the school, I knew this is where I wanted to go,” Martin said.
It was not only the school and the coaching staff that attracted Martin to San Houston State. The program had also enjoyed a recent successful run of All-American tight ends. Keith Heinrich earned All-American honors in 2001 and was drafted by the Carolina Panthers.
When Martin was a freshman, he watched as another Bearkat tight end, Corey Roberts, played his way on to the All-American team. Martin knew he was going to get his chance as well.
“When I was being recruited, they told me about the success of tight ends here at Sam Houston and said I would fit right in,” Martin said. “I thought it was an honor just to be mentioned with those guys and to have the chance to follow in their footsteps.”
Last season, as a junior, Martin caught 39 passes for 481 yards. He was named to the first-team All-Southland squad and this year Martin was named to the preseason All-American team by College Sporting News.
Now as a senior, Martin is hoping to have the best season of his career, not only personally, but for the team as well. As a freshman, Martin saw limited action while watching his teammates advance all the way to the national semifinals.
Martin is hoping that experience will help as he looks to make one last run before moving on to a possible career in pro football.
“When I was a freshman, I learned what it took to get to the playoffs,” Martin said. “The guys on this year's team ask me what getting to the playoffs was like. I tell them that it is very possible to do it again. We can get there if we work hard. We can get back to where we were in ?04. We were just so close to getting to the playoff finals that year. I really want this year's team to have the opportunity to experience what we did in 2004.”
With junior quarterback, Rhett Bomar, at the helm of the offense, Martin thinks the team is good enough to make a run at not only the SLC title, but also a playoff run as well. Bomar said he will lean heavily on Martin this season.
“Blake is such a great player who can do so much on the football field,” Bomar said. “Not only does he catch nearly everything thrown his way, but he also does a great job of staying in and blocking when he has to.”
After the season is over, Martin will certainly entertain offers from NFL teams whether it comes via the draft or free agency. If football doesn't work, Martin might have a pro career in bass fishing.
His father, Tommy Martin, has been a professional fisherman for more than 30 years, and this past summer, Blake won a pro-am event.
“We were on my home lake on Toledo Bend and I thought I might have a shot at winning it if I got a good draw,” Martin said. “I drew a couple guys from up north. They knew who my dad was and that it was my home lake. So they kind of let me show them where to go. We hit some of my dad's spots and got our limit. I was able to get enough to win it.”
Despite the fishing background, Martin isn't sure he will do that the rest of his life.
“I have always liked fishing, but I have never thought about doing it as a profession,” Martin said. “It is a tough job because you are away from home a lot, and you don't get to see your family as much. I joke with my mom about it a lot and she tells me no, that I have to go out and get a real job.”
But before Martin will start thinking about a professional career, he has one more season of Bearkat football to go. If Martin and the Bearkats have their way, this season won't end until they are in Chattanooga, Tennessee at the national championship game.
“That is the goal,” Martin said. “You always want to win a championship. That would be the perfect way to end things.”
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