Martin staying aggressive

H

Hercules

All-Conference
by Brian Christopherson of LJS

Don't expect to see Eric Martin change anything about his game based off of a one-game suspension. The sophomore linebacker was clear about that when talking to reporters after Monday's practice.

Martin is anxious to get back on the field after serving a one-game suspension this past weekend for a crushing block he delivered against Oklahoma State.

The suspension was "heartbreaking", Martin said, but not one that is going to make him cut back on the way he plays football.

"I've kind of made my name as an aggressive person and that's just something I like to do," Martin said. "I've always been aggressive since high school. That's just how I play.For them to make an example of me, it was heartbreaking for me.

"I don't even know how to explain it, but I'm still going to continue playing the way I do. I can't lose that. That's just something that has to be there for me and that's just something that's always going to be there for me."

Martin said his heart was beating fast for Thomas Grove on Saturday. Because of the suspension, Grove was moved into Martin's critical spot on special teams coverage. Turns out it didn't matter who was on kick coverage since Adi Kunalic booted every kick out of the end zone.

As for how Martin's teammates responded to his suspension?

"People are upset. I was upset," Martin said. "But our team just went out and played and just did what they had to do which was execute their techniques. We went out there and played with the same aggression we always do."

Indeed.

One of the hot topics around the state on Monday was the fact that Missouri coach Gary Pinkel sent in footage of Courtney Osborne's hit on Blaine Gabbert to be reviewed.

Those in Husker camp feel it was a good hit by Osborne. Martin just hopes the league doesn't penalize Osborne in any way for the play.

"After the game I was the first person he ran up to and he was just like, 'Yeah, man, they're probably going to suspend me too for that..." Martin said. "But it was a heck of a hit. If they do send it up to the Big 12 and do that too, there's nothing we can do. They're just taking the football out of football. It's a contact sport. You can't say a quarterback was defenseless or nothing. You're out there and you're know something's bound to happen. Somebody's coming so you can't be defenseless when you're in the play. If you know a play is going on, there's nothing defenseless about it."
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Do you think that Cunningham contacted Pinkel to have it reviewed? I am being serious. While it was a hard hit, I can not think it would be necessarily noticed and persued by a head coach without some "help".

 
I like Bo seems to have the same attitude, and he doesn't appear to want to change the way his guys hit. I give props to Martin, Bo and the Cornhuskers to keeping their heads up and changing nothing no matter how tight the noose might get when it comes to playing football the way it is suppose to be played.

 
krc1995 said:
Do you think that Cunningham contacted Pinkel to have it reviewed? I am being serious. While it was a hard hit, I can not think it would be necessarily noticed and persued by a head coach without some "help".
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Definite possibility...there's plenty of social contact between coaches, analysts, etc. that we never hear about...Did you hear that Cunningham had an interview with Carl the week of the Mizzou game? I wonder how that went!? ha! I think someone posted in one of the threads that Cunningham stated the conversation as being "constructive." hehe :bonesflag:

 
Chaddyboxer said:
krc1995 said:
Do you think that Cunningham contacted Pinkel to have it reviewed? I am being serious. While it was a hard hit, I can not think it would be necessarily noticed and persued by a head coach without some "help".
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Definite possibility...there's plenty of social contact between coaches, analysts, etc. that we never hear about...Did you hear that Cunningham had an interview with Carl the week of the Mizzou game? I wonder how that went!? ha! I think someone posted in one of the threads that Cunningham stated the conversation as being "constructive." hehe :bonesflag:
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ok going on with the train of thought- Cunningham and Pinkel are old buddies. Cunningham got some heat from the network about his needless and unending bashing of Courtney Osborne, so fearing some network sanctions, calls ole buddy Pinkel to ask him to askthe league to review the play(even thought he knows it was just a really, really good hit). Now, because other people are questioning the hit, then maybe he will save his arse and reputation with the network. Then a protected Cunningham offers Pinkel a spot in the booth, should he ever need it.

 
I hope that last quote by Martin doesn't come back to haunt him... the Big 12 may take it as being critical of them etc... Also, already mentioned on the board but Gabbert ducked his head on that hit. Shouldn't be much of an issue for Osborne.

 
Vizsla1 said:
I hope that last quote by Martin doesn't come back to haunt him... the Big 12 may take it as being critical of them etc... Also, already mentioned on the board but Gabbert ducked his head on that hit. Shouldn't be much of an issue for Osborne.
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I think Osborne will be fine, I just think the suspension was given to Martin because they replayed it over and over and over and showed the Okie Light player laying there for about 5 minutes. Cunningham didn't help either.

 
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