Some of Nick Martin's Best Work Comes in Practice Against His Best Competition

STILLWATER – Final exams ended on Friday at Oklahoma State University and the football players celebrated with a bowl practice on Friday afternoon, practice No. 4 to get ready for Texas A&M in the Tax Act Texas Bowl on Dec. 27 in NRG Stadium at 8 p.m. The  team will have Saturday off to decompress and maybe go do some Christmas shopping and linebacker Nick Martin, the Cowboys leading tackler with 133 stops and 16 tackles-for-loss with six sacks and a forced fumble, may want to shop for a gift for running back and Doak Walker Award winner and unanimous All-American Ollie Gordon. Gordon might want to shop for Martin too.

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Martin sharing with the media on Thursday after practice.

“It’s fun, it’s iron on iron and iron sharpens iron,” Martin said of practicing  “It’s a friendly competitiveness. Overall, we are making each other better. I would say we win more. I’m always talking about my unit. They get their wins, but we get ours too.”

“They’re part of the reason I got there,” Gordon said talking about his offensive line and then adding the guys he sees on defense from the ones like Martin to the scout team. 

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Gordon interviewed a lot this season.

Obviously, Gordon’s life has changed as he is now a household name to college football fans nationwide. He continues to show up at basketball games, both men and women, quick with a smile or take a picture and sign an autograph. His personality is now shared with the world just like his running skills.

“I feel like that is the thing that has changed. It’s been cool going to a basketball game and having people ask for a picture. I’m cool with it, Ollie is here for the people,” Gordon said with a good attitude.

For Nick Martin, he has not hit the national scope quite like Ollie Gordon, but he is first-team All-Big 12 and has earned some All-American mention. He should be prime for defensive awards and candidacy for the Bednarik and Butlis Awards. He admits his life has changed some.

“It’s changed for the better. It’s been a blessing from God,” Martin said of the changes in his life with the increased noteriety. “The situation that I am in and the role that I have as a leader on this team and a face on this team is a blessing and I can’t do anything but thank the guys around me on this team and the man above. I thank my family for sticking with me always and I can’t wait to get out there on the field one more time in the bowl with my guys.”

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Martin is a big hitter and don’t expect that to ever change.

Martin wants to thank everybody, but it us that need to thank him. He is the leader of the group of core players that head coach Mike Gundy complimented all year as guys that threw their body around with disregard and just wanted to make plays. He combines the results with a humble demeanor that makes him a leader in the locker room and on the field.

Who taught him the humility lesson?

“I grew up in the city that molded me in East Texas (Texarkana and Pleasant Grove High School). We have a lot of talent out there and ultimately, my parents, I come from a Christian family. I was always taught that if you don’t humble yourself then God will and you don’t want that,” Martin answered. Great answer!

“It’s just part of me that was molded into me at a young age,” Martin finished.

Two guys, one that is flush with stardom, and one that is entering into that realm and both look like they are doing it quite well with all of the one the field stuff and off the field. They may want to get a little Christmas gift for each other.