Martin Finds His Proper Motivation for Waco and Baylor on Saturday
STILLWATER – Super senior Brock Martin is a salty dude. I expect that out of a three-time state championship wrestler from Oologah and an All-Big 12 defensive end that is best friends with current NFL rookie sensation and Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez. Martin is the kind of guy that tells it all and expects no sympathy and takes none. Tuesday after practice he was asked how life is off the football field.
“Good, Great, except for I hit a deer last Monday, Cimarron Turnpike, totaled my car,” Martin said matter of fact. “Trying to get that figured out, other than that everything is great.”
Don’t worry, he has insurance. Although when I asked with concern in my voice. Martin said, “You have to in order to drive.” I agreed, but noted you only need liability and I hoped he had comprehensive. He grinned and confirmed. On the field Martin is off to a good start this season. Playing the “Leo” defensive end position where Collin Oliver and Trace Ford also play, he has the greater numbers with eight tackles, two tackles-for-loss, and a sack. Overall, the trio have 16 tackles, five tackles-for-loss, and three sacks. The hope is the numbers will go up Saturday in Waco when the No. 7/9 Cowboys visit No. 16/14 Baylor Bears. Not the same exact team, but close to it that beat the Cowboys 21-16 in the Big 12 Championship Game last December in Arlington, Texas.
I asked Martin how he processes the emotion from that loss and channels it into the best for his effort Saturday.
“I try not to be motivated by things that happened last year or things that are out of my control,” Martin started his explanation, “I played in that game last year and obviously, had a little control over it. I try not to dwell on it. I don’t dwell on it. Like I’ve said many times before it comes up as a topic of conversation over the last few months. I try not to let a single event motivate me to play my best. I try to self-motivate. I try to think about the reasons that I play football as my motivator like my family, my son, and all that stuff, girlfriend. Those are the things that motivate me, not negative or positive things that happened in the past.”
Martin may not use that result for better results in McLane Stadium, but his motivation is this is the Big 12 opener. Oklahoma State is one of three unbeaten teams left in the Big 12 and he wants to help keep the Cowboys perfect. He also has that saltiness, I spoke of. It was there when I asked about players, particularly defensive players that sometimes prefer playing on the road to playing in front of the friendly crowd at Boone Pickens Stadium. Bingo, we hit on something there.
“I’m the road guy,” Martin answered quick. “Don’t get me wrong, I love to play in front of our crowd. We have one of the greatest crowds in all of college football. I like hearing the chippy-ness of the away crowds. Sometimes I feel like I play better in away stadiums. I think I enjoy the hostile feelings that they bring and kind of making it my own.”
Hostile feelings, maybe some toward that deer he hit, maybe some toward Baylor, but mostly just a little hostility out there he can grab, make it his own, and use if to fuel a few big plays on Saturday. Whatever it takes to go with family and all that good stuff that motivates Martin.