South Jersey’s Johnny Martin looking forward to a new start at Stony Brook

Johnny Martin hopes he has finally planted his football roots after a long journey. Martin, who attended Highland and briefly Timber Creek, recently accepted a scholarship to Stony Brook, an FCS school that plays in the same conference (the Colonial Athletic Association) as Villanova and Delaware.

“Over the past couple of years my recruitment was up and down and this is definitely a relief,” Martin said in a phone interview. “I am thankful, especially for all I have been through in the past.”

Martin was one of the top running backs in South Jersey during his career at Highland. While at Highland, he made a verbal commitment to attend Temple.

He later transferred to Timber Creek, played one game for the Chargers his senior year and then decided to sit out the rest of the season and get ready for college. He also left Timber Creek and was educated as a home school student.

In his South Jersey high school career, Martin rushed for 4,321 yards and 40 touchdowns.

“I was going to graduate early and enroll at Temple early,” Martin said. “That is when the portal first opened up and then me not playing my senior year, the scholarship was pulled.”

So after graduating as a home school student, he attended a post-graduate school, St. Thomas More in Connecticut. From there Martin earned a scholarship to FBS Charlotte, where he was a member of the team this past season.

In five games, Martin rushed for 144 yards on 31 carries (4.6 avg.) and one touchdown. He returned two kickoffs for 46 yards and had three receptions for 27 yards.

“I learned a lot at Charlotte the things I need to know coming to Stony Brook,” Martin said. “I think it will help me coming here.”

He was also hoping to see more playing time in Charlotte. Martin feels that opportunity will be afforded to him at Stony Brook.

“I practiced every day at Charlotte and got a lot of confidence from my teammates who told me they thought I should be playing more, but coaches would suggest that I wasn’t ready, had to work on things such as pass protection,” Martin said. “They didn’t question me physically, it was learning the playbook and understanding the scheme, that was the reason they said I wasn’t playing.”

Martin will be entering Stony Brook with two other players with South Jersey roots – current Cherokee senior running back Brandon Boria and former Woodrow Wilson defensive lineman Dyshier Clary, who spent the past three seasons at Temple.

Martin will be entering Stony Brook with supreme confidence.

“A running back with my talent, I think I can rush for 1.500, maybe 2,000 yards,” he said. “I am trying to make a statement this year.”

The 5-foot-10, 210-pound Martin is a combination of speed and power. While speed is his top trait, he has the ability to run in between the tackles as well.

He has enrolled for the winter semester at Stony Brook, which means Martin will be able to participate in spring football practice.

“It will help me a lot, participating in spring practice,” he said. “I did it at Charlotte, and it was a big help.”

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Needless to say, he can’t wait to get started in his new football home, one that Martin has high hopes for.