Furman's Martin Joins Slew Of Stars At Combine

Feb. 22, 2006

By PATRICK OBLEY

The State

Columbia, S.C. -- Ingle Martin probably wouldn't have gone to the Hula Bowl, anyway.

The former Furman quarterback had just graduated with a business degree and married former Alabama softball pitcher Jennifer Wright at about the time the nation's most talented players gathered in Hawaii for the annual all-star game.

That's OK. He will still have his day.

Martin will spend this week in Indianapolis as one of six South Carolina college players at the NFL Combine. Invitations are difficult to come by, especially for a Division I-AA player. Martin is one of 18 small-college players and the only Southern Conference representative at the NFL's star-studded annual meat market.

The combine begins today and will continue through the weekend. Martin will work out alongside such quarterbacks as Alabama's Brodie Croyle, Vanderbilt's Jay Cutler, Clemson's Charlie Whitehurst and national championship combatants Matt Leinart and Vince Young. Considering that crowd, one might wonder what the odds are of Martin making any noise.

Not to worry. Martin will have a leg up on the competition. In addition to being the Southern Conference's second-team quarterback, he was a I-AA All-American punter.

"Some of the teams have told the combine (officials) that they want to see me work out as a punter," Martin said Tuesday. "I'll do a light punting workout after the quarterback drills. I think it adds another dimension, hopefully."

Furman coach Bobby Lamb believes Martin's versatility will make him a sought-after commodity on draft day.

"I think he's more marketable because of his ability to punt as well as play quarterback," he said. "Kicking could play a part in it, too. He legitimately kicked 50-yard field goals in practice."

Martin averaged 43.2 yards per punt to lead the Southern Conference this past season. That number is good enough to place him fourth among the 11 punters invited to this year's combine.

But that's not the primary reason why he will be in Indianapolis. In leading Furman to the national semifinals, Martin passed for a school-record 2,959 yards and 20 touchdowns. In two years with the Paladins, he set school records for passing yards (5,761), touchdowns (42) and total offense (5,761).

"He's got a tremendously strong arm and athletic ability," Lamb said. "The question I get is, `Does he have a strong enough arm to play in the NFL?' "Well, he's got the strongest arm we've ever seen."

There is another concern, one both Lamb and Martin consider to be unfounded.

"I'm not a big Internet surfer, but I read at least one story that was worried about his mobility," Lamb said. "Mobility is one of his biggest assets. Sure, it doesn't look like he's running that fast, but nobody ever catches him."

Capable of running in the 4.6- to 4.7-second range in the 40-yard sprint, Martin routinely bought time for his receivers with his legs.

"I might be a big, tall-looking white kid that has a long stride," Martin said. "But I think my speed and quickness is kind of deceiving. More than anything this week, I think they'll see an athlete that has ability to do several different things."

Because he played at Furman, it was difficult for Martin to catch the eye of NFL scouts. Yet if he never was a Paladin, he might not have the opportunity he has now. According to Martin, his decision to abandon high-profile Florida for a shot to play immediately at Furman is what made him the player he is today.

"Coming to Furman was the best decision I've ever made," he said. "I think I improved more in the last two years than in the two before that at Florida and the four before that in high school."

If his name isn't called during the draft, Martin said, he will find a way into a camp.

"Worst case? I go as a free agent and I'll be somewhere trying to make the team," he said. "There's different avenues to the NFL. I'm just excited to have this opportunity. Now I just have to get out there and practice my butt off."