After Pinstripe Bowl Breakout, Penn State's Quinton Martin Jr. Weighs Future

The Nittany Lions running back waited two years for his moment in the spotlight. He took advantage in the bowl game.

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Quinton Martin runs the ball against the Clemson Tigers during the second half of the 2025 Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Penn State running back Quinton Martin Jr. sat behind Kaytron Allen, the Nittany Lions’ career rushing leader, and Nicholas Singleton, who is fourth on that leaderboard, for nearly two seasons. The redshirt freshman had not played an offensive snap this season before the Pinstripe Bowl and recorded 46 total yards on 17 touches in 2024.  

But with Allen and Singleton out, the bowl game was Martin’s time to shine. In his first game with a legitimate workload, Martin totaled 101 rushing yards on 20 carries, averaging 5.1 yards per carry and leading Penn State to a 22-10 victory over Clemson at Yankee Stadium. Martin’s performance was among the highlights of Terry Smith’s final game as interim head coach.

It also led to a question: What will the second-year back do next? After the Pinstripe Bowl, Martin said he would weigh his options regarding next year. Having no running backs coach named before the Pinstripe Bowl complicated the decision, Martin said. 

But he added that Smith’s return would be a factor in his decision, along with the opportunity to be at a program that “wants to win.”

“I love Coach Terry,” said Martin. “He recruited me in high school a lot. He came down to school, talking to me a ton on the phone. I love Terry. He's like family. … So it does mean a lot.” Martin also said that, though he had not met with new coach Matt Campbell before the bowl game, “I like what he's about. I like his culture. "I'm looking forward to speaking with him.

RELATED: Quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer faces a decision after superb Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State Nittany Lions Quinton Martin Jr. (25) runs the ball for a touchdown during the third quarter of the Blue-White spring game at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

At Belle Vernon High near Pittsburgh, Martin was the No. 3 player in Pennsylvania and the No. 8 running back in the 2024 recruiting class, according to 247Sports. He was one of two running backs, with Corey Smith, to commit to Penn State while Allen and Singleton had two seasons of eligibility remaining.

This year, Allen and Singleton dominated the carries. They were the only backs to run the ball during the Big Ten schedule. Martin played in eight games and was inactive for five others. And then Smith started the bowl game. 

It led to a situation that proved “frustrating at times,” Martin said. The running back said he was “in his head” at certain points of the season and had to talk with his family and remain patient.

“It’s been an honor [sitting behind Allen and Singleton],” Martin said after the bowl game. “It means a lot to me. I’ve been waiting two years behind Nick and Kaytron. I learned a lot from them. They showed me a lot about the game — what you need to be able to play at this level. The night I had tonight meant a lot to me, and I’m very grateful.”

Martin said he didn’t expect to get 20 carries against Clemson but got better as the game wore on. He ran for 43 of his 101 yards in the fourth quarter, when Penn State’s offense began taking control of the game.

"I've got all the respect in the world for Quinton for biding his time and putting on a performance like that," Penn State quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer said. 

Martin’s performance against Clemson was promising for a position with such uncertainty for 2026. Allen and Singleton are headed to the NFL, Campbell has yet to name a position coach, five backs remain on scholarship and Iowa State’s leading rusher is in the transfer portal.

However, Smith said that Martin proved plenty about himself with that performance.

“Q is an extremely talented young man,” Smith said. “He's a tall, lean guy — a slasher. Today's game required downhill running. He displayed that. It displayed tough running. He showed a side that he could be a slasher and a physical back all in one game. And I'm super proud of him. We didn't have the two running backs that have run for all the yards we've had, and he stepped right in. And we didn't miss a beat.”

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Quinton Martin Jr. (25) against the Boise State Broncos during the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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