Older, Wiser Martin Makes Stronger Commitment to Football at UW
A lot of people it seems are trying to set deep roots in the SEC these days — top-rated recruits, Oklahoma, Texas, ESPN execs — where college football is king and national championships are won.
Jeremiah Martin, however, wanted out.
After three seasons at Texas A&M, the 6-foot-4, 270-pound senior edge rusher from San Bernardino, California, transferred to the University of Washington, a place he had strongly considered once before.
"Coming out of high school I wanted to come here," Martin said.
Jeremiah Martin (15) played in three bowls for Texas A&M.
Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports
Yet on his visit to College Station, Texas, the other recruits convinced him to join them, plus his girlfriend wasn't enamored with him going to the UW, where the dormitories are co-ed.
For Texas A&M, Martin played in 32 games over three seasons, all as a reserve or a special-teams player.
He appeared in three bowl games, the Gator, Texas and Orange. He went up against the nation's No. 1-ranked team on three occasions in Clemson and Alabama twice.
Martin and everyone involved are still breathing hard from a 2018 outing against LSU in which Texas A&M won an epic duel — 74-72, in seven overtimes.
Jeremiah Martin brings down a Stanford ball carrier.
Neville E. Guard/USA TODAY Sports
It wasn't nearly enough to keep him in Texas. He wants to be an NFL player and he had to leave the Lone Star state to earn more playing time and see if he could make that happen.
"I was too young," Martin said of his Aggies career. "I put in all the work but I was young-minded. Once you get older, you understand there's a lot more."
The new Husky coaching staff has helped him realize this. He goes home from practice now and does push-ups on his own. He's carrying an extra 10 pounds of muscle since coming to Montlake under the supervision of weight coach Ron McKeefery.
Jeremiah Martin had his first career college start in the Apple Cup.
Skylar Lin Visuals
After making his first career start against Washington State in the Apple Cup, Martin is in a spirited competition with junior Zion Tupuola-Fetui and sophomore Bralen Trice to open as one of the two No. 1 edge rushers against Kent State in the season opener.
He feels his college football career is finishing up nicely at the UW. His girlfriend can deal with him in living in Seattle. They have a child and they're expecting another.
With a family to feed, Martin has every reason to pursue a career some day in the NFL. The Huskies might get him there.
"You just love it and you love it so much you want to see yourself grow and succeed," he said of his football pursuits. "I didn't come this far to just quit. I came this far to make it to the next level and that's what I'm trying to do."
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