Sometimes Crisis Leads to a Better Situation, Ask Tay Martin
STILLWATER – It is Christmas, just three days away from the biggest religious holiday in the World and one of the most special days for children. Christmas is about the birth of a special child that saved the World. Why shouldn’t it be a day that is special for as many children as possible. Oklahoma State wide receiver Tay Martin loves when his daughter is in town and sees him play. Reign Christine spends most of her time in Houma, La. where Martin grew up and his family is still there.
Even during bowl practices, Martin does his best to be part of his daughter’s pre-Christmas experience, and he will be there to play Santa.
“Just a lot of face time calls and making sure she gets what she wants for Christmas. Just making sure she understands the joy of Christmas and what this season means, and I’m just excited to get back to here with that little break coming up.”
Asked by Stillwater News-Press sportswriter Hallie Hart, Martin seemed kind of embarrassed to admit that his daughter favors the Grinch as a favorite Christmas character.[RA1]
“We watch it a lot and she loves the Grinch for some reason. He’s really mean but she kinds of enjoys that, so I guess I’ll get her ready for football in a bit,” Martin said with a big grin and laugh.
This has been a tremendous season for Martin and he has been critical to the Cowboys success. He had the two early touchdowns in the Bedlam win over Oklahoma. You could say he pushed the momentum for the Pokes. He finished the season with 70 receptions, third in the Big 12. He was also third in the conference in receiving yards with 942 and 13.5-yards a catch. Again, Martin with third in the league with touchdown catches as he had seven of those.
With all that success, was it a certainty a year ago last summer that he was going to leave Pullman and the Washington State Cougars for Oklahoma State?
“No, I don’t think so because I was fine with everything going on over there (Washington State and Pac-12), the COVID situation was a challenge, but everything happens for a reason and if it hadn’t, I would never have had this wonderful season with these guys,” expressed Martin in a long answer. “I look to end it off in the right way for sure.”
Kind of goes in the category of being careful what you wish for. Martin wished for a season in the Pac-12 in 2020 and instead found himself in a better place, closer to his family and especially his daughter Reign. He also found a new team to bond with.
“(I’ve had) great relationships off the field and met great coaches, learning so many things,” said Martin. I had the opportunity to do those things on Boone Pickens Stadium and I’m happy the way things ended up happening.”
Maybe most important as his goal is to provide a great life for his daughter and help his family, Martin has learned lessons, technique, football IQ that will help him have a chance to make it in the NFL.
“The plays on a play perspective I’ve learned a lot, X and O’s, and just with Coach (Kasey) Dunn being the great receiver coach that he is,” Martin added. “Like I said, I’m grateful to learn all those things that will translate to the next level.”
It all came out of working to make a negative, no football season out west into a positive by finding a new place to play.