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What role will Oliver Martin play this year

I guess I missed the memo on him being hurt. For the bulk of last season, there were a lot of questions about why he wasn't playing along with rumors of him being in the doghouse or that he just wasn't as good as hoped. I don't recall hearing about him being hurt. As much time as I spend here, I can't figure out how I missed that. What was his injury?
Agree, never heard about an injury, and I don't think injured guys wear their helmets on the sidelines often
 
For the '21 season, I anticipate that Martin will play the role of a leader - and a guy who helps make the room better. How much will he play this year? I don't know ... but I am very happy about the personnel we have in the room.

Just as Flick and others have suggested ... I'm thinking that Charlie Jones is a guy who will carve out a role for himself too.
Good hands player, great routes that we will see frequently on 3rd down medium to long yardage needs.
 
So..was he hurt or not?
Flick or anybody have more insight here?
I also never heard anything about his being injured last year at all.
Go Hawks!
 
He'll probably have a greater role but it will be off the bench. Can't imagine him being a starter. A lot more talent in the WR room now than when he was being recruited to Iowa (originally).
 
Listen, he's been in the room. Ok?


Believe me when I tell you everyone on this forum is well aware of your hard-on for OM not playing much last year. Yeah, he HAS been in the room, for a season. A season in which there were better receivers ahead of him on the depth chart. I don't what else to tell you. Somehow, someway, without EVER sitting in on one single practice, one session of film study, without one second of being involved in any game prep, you think you have a better grasp of talent on the roster than the coaching staff does.
 
Believe me when I tell you everyone on this forum is well aware of your hard-on for OM not playing much last year. Yeah, he HAS been in the room, for a season. A season in which there were better receivers ahead of him on the depth chart. I don't what else to tell you. Somehow, someway, without EVER sitting in on one single practice, one session of film study, without one second of being involved in any game prep, you think you have a better grasp of talent on the roster than the coaching staff does.
Effin A right buddy... don't need anything from you. Get him on the field! Not going to tolerate anymore of this prejudice against him.
 
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This is probably the best group of receivers since DJK, McNutt and the next two guys whose names I cannot recall. Not a good time to criticize anyone for not playing because the guys that are playing are playing well, and two are just freshmen.
 
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This is probably the best group of receivers since DJK, McNutt and the next two guys whose names I cannot recall. Not a good time to criticize anyone for not playing because the guys that are playing are playing well, and two are just freshmen.
In '09 the other 2 would have been Stross and Sandeman. In '10 the other 2 would have been Sandeman and Keenan Davis.

I love what we've been seen with ISM's developmental curve - I'm hoping to see if he can keep it on the ascent! Similarly, I think that Brandon still has nowhere to go but up too ... particularly if he can stay healthy.

Also, lots of folks have been dumping on the dropsies experienced by Tracy and Ragaini ... however, that's pretty typical for young players. Meerkat demonstrated amazing hands back in '15 (and '16 when he was healthy) - but he experienced plenty of drops when he was a newbie.

I don't know if folks appreciate what Tracy can help do for the Hawk O - the only other freshman (RS or TR) to be more productive at WR in the Ferentz era was Douglas in '06. Tracy had over 100 more yards than DJK had as a RS FR!

Anyhow, I'm exceedingly excited about the Hawk WR room - we already have a strong top 4 in ISM, Smith, Tracy, and Ragaini ... and, as many of us have been discussing, Jones and Martin likely both have the chops to be legit contributors too! Hopefully the guys can be selfless team-guys ... and do whatever it takes to help the team win!
 
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Isn’t that what practice is for?

Yes, of course, practice helps coaches evaluate performance, but any athlete, and any fan, and all coaches should be well aware that what happens in practice--good or bad--doesn't always translate to the games. And, of course, only the games matter.

Some guys kill it in practice but falter in games. Some guys look meh in practice but, if given the opportunity, kill it in games. That's why any player with any talent deserves game opportunities to prove himself. Anyone who evaluates talent based on practice alone isn't giving the player--or the team--a valid evaluation.

So yes, play OM a lot in early games and see what he can do. Same for Charlie Jones. Both would start on a lot of Power 5 teams, which again shows the talent Iowa has collected at the position.

BTW: It's called "receiver," so I agree with those who say catching the ball should be the skill most valued at this position--along with blocking, of course. Speed does no good whatsoever if you don't catch the football. Tyrone Tracy, in particular, showed mediocre hands on too many occasions last season, so continuing to start him because he MIGHT catch the ball and, IF he does, he's really fast, wouldn't be an optimum choice when you have, for instance, a glue-fingered receiver like Charlie Jones--and maybe OM--in the room. Catch the ball and move the chains.
 
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Yes, of course, practice helps coaches evaluate performance, but any athlete, and any fan, and all coaches should be well aware that what happens in practice--good or bad--doesn't always translate to the games. And, of course, only the games matter.

Some guys kill it in practice but falter in games. Some guys look meh in practice but, if given the opportunity, kill it in games. That's why any player with any talent deserves game opportunities to prove himself. Anyone who evaluates talent based on practice alone isn't giving the player--or the team--a valid evaluation.

Yeah, no.
 
Yes, of course, practice helps coaches evaluate performance, but any athlete, and any fan, and all coaches should be well aware that what happens in practice--good or bad--doesn't always translate to the games. And, of course, only the games matter.

Some guys kill it in practice but falter in games. Some guys look meh in practice but, if given the opportunity, kill it in games. That's why any player with any talent deserves game opportunities to prove himself. Anyone who evaluates talent based on practice alone isn't giving the player--or the team--a valid evaluation.

So yes, play OM a lot in early games and see what he can do. Same for Charlie Jones. Both would start on a lot of Power 5 teams, which again shows the talent Iowa has collected at the position.
Best 11
 
This is probably the best group of receivers since DJK, McNutt and the next two guys whose names I cannot recall.

I'm not sure if ISM/Brandon can equal DJK/McNutt at the top end. But I don't think we've ever gone 4 or 5 deep at WR in the KFz era.

We keep repeating it, but our WR room is amazing. Just think that 3 years ago, it was nearly barren.
 
Thought there was 2? The other? Sorry it misremembering and thanks to anyone that knows as I’m lazy
Charlie Jones and Jack Combs each have two years of eligibility remaining. Jones can play Slot or Z. Combs is taller and faster than OM and fits at Z but can play X.
 
Scott Helverson was a guest speaker at a lunch group I belong to. This might have been 10 years ago, but I haven’t forgotten one of the things he said. He said if it weren’t for Bill Snyder, he would never have seen the field. Hayden Fry only wanted the fastest kids out there at WR. Snyder objected and said he needed to have the guys out there that could catch the ball! I think it was a little bit of a point of contention between Hayden and Snyder. Clearly Snyder’s wisdom won out as HAPPEL and Helverson were 2 of the best Hawkeye WR, ever.

Most of his discussion that day was on his experiences as a NFL back judge. Some pretty good stories about who talks trash, etc....

When I mentioned that he got his foot down in-bounds on that back of the end zone pass vs Michigan, I didn’t even finish my sentence when he says, “You’re Damn right I was in!”
 
From Tom’s interview with ISM:

Q: What sort of workouts have you been able to do?

ISM: They give us a list of things to do. We do bench press and then summer time is when we start running. We have been doing more running and less lifting. Now we are backing off the running and getting back to lifting again. We have been working out with Spencer, Nico, Brandon, and Charlie Jones. We have been able to do some stuff on the field is really good. We are staying on top of it and staying in shape.

Wonder why an Iowa City guy like Martin isn’t out there with them. I get Tracy being home, but Martin shouldn’t have any problems making it.
 
From Tom’s interview with ISM:

Q: What sort of workouts have you been able to do?

ISM: They give us a list of things to do. We do bench press and then summer time is when we start running. We have been doing more running and less lifting. Now we are backing off the running and getting back to lifting again. We have been working out with Spencer, Nico, Brandon, and Charlie Jones. We have been able to do some stuff on the field is really good. We are staying on top of it and staying in shape.

Wonder why an Iowa City guy like Martin isn’t out there with them. I get Tracy being home, but Martin shouldn’t have any problems making it.

I am beginning to wonder if it’s a lack of work ethic from Martin.
 
Isn’t that what practice is for?

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I just remember OM in pregame drills before the Nebraska game as I focused on his every move. He looked like the most disinterested person in Memorial Stadium. No energy, no enthusiasm, little effort. Hoping he was dinged that day.
 
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I just remember OM in pregame drills before the Nebraska game as I focused on his every move. He looked like the most disinterested person in Memorial Stadium. No energy, no enthusiasm, little effort. Hoping he was dinged that day.

bingo!
 
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