Penn State’s running back rotation is still sorting itself out, and Quinton Martin Jr. is right at the center of that conversation.
Offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser made it clear Tuesday that he expected questions about the run game, and he didn’t hide his frustration with where things stand. “To say that I wasn’t thrilled with where the run game's at would be an understatement,” Mouser said. “I feel like there's a lot of growth to be had there.”
Martin’s usage has been the curious part. He didn’t play a snap on offense in last Saturday’s 27-9 win over Temple, and he didn’t get his first offensive snap in the opener against Marshall until the third quarter.
That’s a sharp contrast to the praise he’s gotten from the staff. Campbell has cited Martin’s 101-yard game against Clemson in the Pinstripe Bowl as proof of what he can do, while running backs coach Savon Huggins said in August that the former 4-star recruit has an “unbelievable skill set.”
Mouser also said Tuesday that Martin had a strong preseason camp.
Even with that backing, the playing time has been thin. Penn State averaged 4.7 yards per carry against Temple after going for 4 yards per rush against Marshall, but the group still hasn’t produced an explosive run of 20 or more yards.
The Nittany Lions are the only Big Ten team without one, and they’re tied for 16th in the league in runs of 10-plus yards with five. Cam Wallace has the team’s longest run so far, a 16-yard gain against Marshall.
Mouser said Martin’s absence against Temple came down to the staff trying something different. “We had a package with Koby [Howard] at running back last week that we wanted to try out and test things out,” Mouser said.
“It wasn't a reflection of our lack of trust in Quinton or where he's at. He's good enough to help our football team, and we're going to need that guy to make big plays in big moments this year.
And his time's coming, and I have all the trust in him to go out there and play.”
That explanation fits the rest of Temple’s usage. Carson Hansen handled 70 percent of the carries, rushing 19 times for 84 yards, and he also took two direct snaps in the Wildcat package.
James Peoples ran seven times, and Howard got one carry as part of the package Penn State wanted to evaluate. There just wasn’t much left for Martin.
The bigger question is whether “his time’s coming” actually means something soon. Mouser said Martin will be needed in “big moments” this season, but Saturday against Temple was exactly the kind of game where a player with Martin’s profile could have been worked in, especially with Hansen, Peoples and Wallace all getting touches in a game that stayed close for nearly three quarters.
Martin’s first outing against Marshall wasn’t flashy - 10 carries for 38 yards - but it also wasn’t a performance that clearly separated him from the rest of the room. That makes Saturday’s non-conference game against Buffalo the next important checkpoint. If Martin doesn’t see the field against the Bulls, it becomes harder to see a meaningful role forming once Big Ten play begins.
Campbell said Tuesday that Penn State has “a lot of playmakers” and is still figuring out who will lead the offense before conference play starts. He also acknowledged there is still some “gray area” in the running back room.
“We've got a lot of guys, and that’s why practice is so critically important right now,” Campbell said. “You’re kind of working through the week, trying to either go with a hot hand or find the guys that are earning the right to either have packages or get critical moments. I just think there's going to be so many guys throughout the season that are going to pop up and showcase themselves.
“Quinton is certainly one of those guys we have great belief in. I think the reality of even that running back room, there's still some gray.
That room is going to continue to work itself out as we work through the weeks, work through these games. I think we're grateful there are a lot of guys that can do a lot of things with the ball in their hands.
We'll see how practice progresses through this week, for sure”.
No. 14 Penn State hosts Buffalo on Saturday at noon ET at Beaver Stadium. The game will be televised by Big Ten Network.
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