Oregon State football fans went into spring practice knowing that there would be near-complete turnover in every position group on the team, with one exception.
All-conference running back Damian Martinez remained with the team through a change in coaching staff and was named as an up-and-coming team leader by new head coach Trent Brey early in camp.
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Everything changed this week. Brey said in a post-practice interview Thursday that he was told by Martinez that he was going to be transferred on Monday night. Bray said Martinez is bound by his decision.
“We wish him the best of luck and hope he finds what he's looking for and we move forward,” Bray said.
Asked if Martinez had given his reasons for making this decision now, Brey did not provide details of that conversation.
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“That's between him and me,” Bray said.
There has been a lot of discussion about the reasons for Martinez's transfer. There was some question whether he was dissatisfied with his NIL contract at Oregon State, but both Martinez and his agent, Sean O'Gorman, ultimately downplayed the issue.
While the rift may have started over NIL, Martinez chose to take a diplomatic approach on his way out of town.
Martinez said in a statement on social media that this was “without a doubt the most difficult decision I have ever made in my life.”
For the Oregon State football program and its fans, whether this decision is due to money, the dissolution of the Pac-12 Conference, or questions about his role in the new offense installed by offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson, In the end it doesn't matter. Whatever the reason, the team must find a way to replace the two-time Pac-12 Conference running back.
New Oregon State running backs coach Thomas Ford speaks with Jam Griffin during spring practice. Griffin returned to the Beavers after transferring to Ole Miss for the 2023 season.
Jess Hume-Pantuso
Running back Jam Griffin's decision to return to Oregon State becomes even more important given Martinez's departure. Griffin began his career at Georgia Tech and transferred to Oregon State for the 2022 season.
He then transferred to Ole Miss last season, but returned to Oregon State this spring.
Griffin said he “didn't really want to leave” Oregon State a year ago, but family issues led to his decision. Once these issues are resolved, there is one destination, he said.
“I knew I was going back to the portal. There was only one place I wanted to go and that was here,” Griffin said.
His relationship with his teammates still on the roster, especially with Brey, was a key factor in his decision.
New running backs coach Thomas Ford said Griffin is a really explosive running back.
“He was here in '22. When I first found out he was coming back, I went back and watched every snap he played with the Beavers in '22, and he's just an explosive playmaker. He's a guy who can really do a lot in terms of running the football. I think he has great vision. He's really well-rounded,” Ford said.
Oregon State welcomed back Anthony Hankerson, a transfer from Colorado State, and he practiced extensively this spring. Ford said Hankerson's biggest asset is his versatility.
Oregon State running back Jam Griffin (left) will be called up to fill the absence of Damian Martinez, who entered the transfer portal this week.
Godofredo A. Vasquez, The Associated Press
“He…had a really great spring training for us. He's the type of guy who can do a lot of things. He's obviously really good in the run game, carrying the rock. He's a great guy in pass protection. He’s really good at it,” Ford said. “He's probably our best pass protector so far in spring training. And he's really versatile. We can line him out and play him a little bit as a receiver there. And he's He caught the ball well out of the backfield.”
Redshirt junior Isaiah Newell also returns, and redshirt sophomore Jake Reichle provides depth.
The running game will look a little different next season under Coach Gunderson. The offense will be running from the shotgun more often, and the Bucs may be targeted as receivers more often than in the past.
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Ford said that even with all the changes, the commitment to the running game remains. However, this new offense allows him to take advantage of the different strengths of multiple running backs.
“By 2024, the days of one guy making 35 shots in a game will probably be over,” Ford said. “We need three to make sure there's no drop-off. One play left and he's second, one play away from being the starter.”
