HOUSTON — Like any little brother, Nick Martin wanted to do what his older brothers did.
And when it came to front-yard football, that wasn’t always easy for the youngest of the four Martin boys.
“It got physical,” said Chauncey Martin, the second youngest of the brothers. “Nick wouldn’t always play, but when he did play, he was always on go, always running, always had the most energy.”
Nick, 21, has enjoyed a breakout redshirt sophomore season as Oklahoma State’s middle linebacker, and with Wednesday night’s Texas Bowl, he has a chance to join the Cowboys’ top-10 single-season tackle list.
He and the Cowboys (9-4) take on Texas A&M (7-5) at 8 p.m. Wednesday at NRG Stadium, with Martin needing just one tackle to enter OSU’s top 10. No one since James Ham in 1985 has cracked that list, with Ham, Leslie O’Neal and John Weimer tied for 10th at 134.
Martin sits at 133 in his first year as a starter, and much has been made of his throwback style of toughness that was born in Beast Texas — the nickname given to East Texas to represent its reputation for producing tough-minded individuals, and especially football players.
But give Nick’s big brothers some credit, too.
More: Where will Ollie Gordon’s season rank in Oklahoma State record book after Texas Bowl?
Oct 28, 2023; Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys linebacker Nickolas Martin (4) brings down Cincinnati Bearcats running back Corey Kiner (21) during a college football game between Oklahoma State and Cincinnati at Boone Pickens Stadium. Oklahoma State won 45-13. Mandatory Credit: Bryan Terry-USA TODAY Sports
Being the youngest of four boys — four active, competitive, physical boys — Nick had to learn toughness early.
“They would pick on him and tease him, all in love, and he’d get upset about it,” said their father, Michael Martin….
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/big-brothers-street-football-formed-200115394.html
Author : The Oklahoman
Publish date : 2023-12-26 20:01:15
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