After the graduation of two top-five Penn State running backs, it’s natural to look behind them to see which players will attempt to fill their shoes. Rather than go with one of the new hire transfers, we turn to a returning Nittany Lion coming off a season-ending performance that thrust him into the starting conversation.
Quinton Martin, Jr. came to Penn State as a consensus top-five running back and top-100 overall prospect out of Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. He saw action sparingly as a true freshman
and redshirt freshman, appearing in six games (including the College Football Playoff) and totaling just 50 yards from scrimmage in 2024, and seeing action in seven games with just one kick return for 18 yards through the regular season. Martin’s final appearance in 2025was his best, as he topped 100 yards rushing for the first time with 20 carries for 103 yards in the Pinstripe Bowl victory over Clemson.
Martin’s speed, agility, and ability to change direction are what excites me about him in 2026. The Nittany Lions will already have a proven back in likely starter Iowa State transfer Carsen Hanson, and Ohio State transfer James Peoples will no doubt see action as well, but Martin has the chance to be a true gamebreaker for a Penn State offense needing an identity for the first time in several seasons. I just hope Matt Campbell, Taylor Mouser, and Savon Huggins give him the chance to make an impact on the field the way he wasn’t able in his first two years.
What do you think? Am I off base thinking Quinton Martin could make an impact on the offense?
