Covering the Land of Lincoln

Illini DB Quan Martin building off huge game against Wyoming

CHAMPAIGN – Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters cracked a small smile on his face when asked what’s left to say about Quan Martin. After all, he’s been directing more than enough attention toward the fifth-year defensive back since the spring.

How much more is there to say about Martin, whod in Saturday’s win over Wyoming had seven tackles and three pass breakups while splitting time between nickel and free safety? Well, that depends on how much you already know.

“I’ve been trying to tell you guys since the spring that he can do it all,” Walters told Illini Inquirer. “You got the chance to see him play in a high safety role there for a while and you could see the versatility he brings. He was awesome in coverage. He’s just getting more and more comfortable in Year 2 in the system. He’s got to continue to play like that for us to have the type of year we’re capable of having moving forward.”

Martin was among one of the players head coach Bret Bielema was most excited to see in a Week Zero game, perhaps the most excited to see in the game. The coaching staff raved about Martin’s continued development through spring ball and fall camp.

Martin couldn’t have kicked off his final season in Champaign any better than he did on Saturday. He was named the national defensive player of the week by both PFF and the Bednarik Award. He’s playing with confidence and the belief not only in the coaching staff but with the understanding the coaching staff has put a similar belief in him and his role in the defense.

“Just going through spring ball preparing,” Martin said of when he started feeling like he had put it all together. “Spring is kind of the time to go out and make plays and know your ability and see what you can and can’t do. Just playing through spring ball and making plays just gave me that confidence. I built that up through fall camp and it showed in the first game.”

Pro Football Focus gave Martin his highest rating among defensive players in the nation (89.0) during Week Zero. Martin’s three pass breakups (all from the slot) led all defenders in Week Zero games. He split time at free safety — a position occupied last year by Kerby Joseph, who went on to be a third-round pick of the Detroit Lions — and in the slot, depending on how big Wyoming lined up offensively.

Just as important, Martin also erased the mistakes of the Illini defense. Wyoming quarterback Andrew Peasley didn’t have any success through the air (five completions for 30 yards) but found modest success running quarterback option keepers. On one play in the first half, it appeared Peasley had duped the Illini defense enough to speed down the sideline for an easy touchdown. Until Martin chased him down to save a score. Wyoming never ultimately found the end zone, instead settling for a pair of field goals.

“I just get the job done, man,” Martin said. “Whatever it is they need me to do, I just go out and do it; whether it’s erasing or whatever it is. If that’s what he sees me as then that’s what I’m going to go out and do.”

Martin’s play on Saturday wasn’t exactly out of nowhere. Quite the opposite. He played well last season on an Illinois defense that made huge strides under Walters and built on that through the offseason.

After bouncing from boundary corner to safety to slot during his first three years at Illinois, Martin excelled playing nickel — essentially the slot corner, though Illinois calls it the position a STAR — for the Illini last season in the first year under Walters.

“In the beginning, it was kind of frustrating,” Martin said of bouncing positions. “I never really got the chance to get comfortable in one spot and learn the spot completely. Looking back at it now, I feel like it’s helped me grow a whole lot as a player. Just playing in this defense and knowing that Coach has the ability to move me around at each and every position, I feel like it complements me now.”

Though he didn’t have the interceptions last season (1) that Joseph (5) had, nor the tackles (55) that fellow senior Sydney Brown (81) did, Martin’s work in the slot didn’t go unnoticed by Walters — or Pro Football Focus.

Among Illinois defensive players to play at least 100 snaps, Martin had the seventh-best defensive grade. He also had the third-best coverage grade of all Illinois defensive players with at least 100 snaps in coverage. He had the best tackling grade of any Illini, per PFF, and was only charged with three missed tackles all year, and zero in the final seven weeks.

Martin is a bit quieter and reserved off the field, and his position isn’t quite a statistical goldmine, but he got plenty of attention after a dominant performance against Wyoming.

“Quan is one of those unselfish guys,” Walters said. “He doesn’t get a lot of pub because he doesn’t brag or boast or post stuff on social media. The way he was playing towards the end of the year, it’s a hard task to cover in the slot. On the outside, you’ve got certain routes that you’re going to get based on stems and blitz. In the slot, the whole gamut is available and it’s an easier throw for the quarterback. That job is hard. For him to be able to cover the way he did against some of the better opponents we saw last year towards the end of the season, that’s what made me excited. Obviously with Kerby’s departure and now being able to play him some as a high safety when they get in larger personnel groupings, you can kind of see his versatility as a tackle and a ball tracker from the middle of the field. He’s got corner coverage ability, but he’s got safety range and physicality.”

The coaching staff has been trying to sound the good-vibe alarms on Martin’s play for months. They’ve consistently praised his work ethic and comfort in the system. The veteran defensive back delivered in his first game of his senior — or COVID-senior — season. If Illinois’ defense wants to get back to where it was a year ago, or even beyond, Martin is going to have a say in things.

“You could literally see the progression that he is having,” Bielema said. “Ryan Walters is a really good defensive coordinator, but I think the part I learned to appreciate in the development of Kerby Joseph last year is how good a DB coach Ryan is. I think Quan, through Ryan’s leadership in the coaching world, has really learned pre-snap key reads. He’s a very explosive player. It was last December we were down in Florida recruiting in January and went to his high school, and his coach showed me a clip of him playing basketball. I was like, ‘Holy Toledo.’ His explosiveness and ability to jump out of the gym. Quan is very unique. I just visited with NFL scouts earlier today and everybody wants to know what position you project him at. I think after being in the NFL I can see Quan being evaluated at four different positions: STAR, boundary and field safety and both corner spots. I really think he brings a unique skill set that isn’t very common.”

Comments are closed.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More