Huntingtonòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Robby Martin is introduced before the Highlanders take on Hurricane during a high school football game on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at Huntington High School.
Huntingtonòòò½ÊÓƵ™s Robby Martin is introduced before the Highlanders take on Hurricane during a high school football game on Friday, Nov. 3, 2023, at Huntington High School.
HUNTINGTON òòò½ÊÓƵ” Tee Higgins was the main attraction on Saturday at Huntington High School, but Robby Martin wasnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t far behind.
The former Highlanders offensive lineman and current West Virginia University football player held court, in a sense, in the office of Huntington coach Billy Seals before going outside to Bob Sang Stadium to watch Higgins, a Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, run a kids camp.
Martin greeted his former coaches, teammates, parents and anybody else who wandered through the locker room eager to hear how he is doing at òòò½ÊÓƵU.
òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going really well,òòò½ÊÓƵ said Martin, a redshirt freshman who transferred to the Mountaineers from North Carolina State.
òòò½ÊÓƵœIòòò½ÊÓƵ™m working really hard and have been getting at it for weeks now. Weòòò½ÊÓƵ™re getting ready this summer on the grind getting ready to play.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Martin said he strongly considered òòò½ÊÓƵU out of high school and liked then-Mountaineers coach Neal Brown but preferred the Wolfpack. When N.C. State assistant Tony Gibson, a Mountain State native who recruited him to Raleigh, left to become the coach at Marshall, Martin too headed home to play for coach Rich Rodriguez.
Martin has worked at left guard and center since transferring.
òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s going really well,òòò½ÊÓƵ said Martin, who saw time at tackle and center at Huntington High. òòò½ÊÓƵœI had to get adjusted to the offense. Itòòò½ÊÓƵ™s really good, though. I like playing guard. I can play faster.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The adjustment is more than terminology.
òòò½ÊÓƵœItòòò½ÊÓƵ™s different from what we ran at N.C. State,òòò½ÊÓƵ Martin said.
òòò½ÊÓƵœThe scheme is different. I have to drop a lot of old habits I had.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Leaving the Wolfpack wasnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t easy. Martin said he didnòòò½ÊÓƵ™t make the decision lightly.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI had so many good relationships there,òòò½ÊÓƵ Martin said. òòò½ÊÓƵœI liked it there, but I had to take this good opportunity. The transition was kind of tough at first, but having guys I knew and grew up with made it easier. It was a good thing.òòò½ÊÓƵ
The 6-foot-3, 297-pounder said he expects nothing to be handed to him.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI need to have a good summer and a good fall camp to get some good playing time,òòò½ÊÓƵ said Martin, who is taking summer classes. òòò½ÊÓƵœYou have to perform to play.òòò½ÊÓƵ
Out of high school, Martin owned offers from N.C. State, Marshall, òòò½ÊÓƵU, Akron, Appalachian State, Ball State, Bowling Green, Charlotte, Cincinnati, Delaware State, Duke, Eastern Kentucky, Georgia Tech, Indiana, Illinois, Jacksonville State, Kent State, Maryland, Miami (Florida), Miami (Ohio), Mississippi State, Old Dominion, Penn State, Tennessee, South Florida, Toledo, Virginia, Virginia Tech and West Virginia State.
Rodriguez was coach at Jacksonville State at the time.
Martin said Marshall was also high on his list of schools when he decided to transfer.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI considered it a lot,òòò½ÊÓƵ Martin said.
òòò½ÊÓƵœI miss coach Gibson. He and I have a great relationship. Heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s a great coach. I have nothing but good things to say about him. Heòòò½ÊÓƵ™s definitely a guy whoòòò½ÊÓƵ™s tough and has a hard edge to him. Heòòò½ÊÓƵ™ll do a good job at Marshall.òòò½ÊÓƵ
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