Inside star RB Damien Martinez’s transfer, with Hurricane coaches set to visit him today … “Miami is in a great spot”
For Miami Hurricanes coaches, perhaps this two-week transfer portal window is akin to a top high school prospect’s full multi-year recruitment … with the fast-forward button pushed down on full blast. There’s a small window to form bonds with transfers and convince them why Miami should be their next home.
Enter Oregon State transfer Damien Martinez, the top-ranked running back in the portal. Miami’s put on the full-court press, and coaches will be visiting with Martinez and his mother today in his hometown Dallas, Tex. He’s also set to visit Miami April 25-28, which will follow on the heels of three others visits to Arizona (April 17-18), Mississippi State (April 19-20) and Kentucky (April 22-24). Martinez canceled a fifth visit that was planned to Tennessee.
ANALYSIS: Why Oregon State RB transfer Damien Martinez makes sense for Miami Hurricanes
Cane coaches have been hard at work wooing Martinez ever since he entered the portal, talking with him and his mother on a daily basis as well as his agent, First Round Management’s Director of NIL/NFL agent Shawn O’Gorman.
Heck, even Miami defensive coaches are getting involved with the star running back.
“You have defensive coaches calling his mom who have no stake in Damien – they don’t coach him,” O’Gorman told CaneSport. “Mom was saying yesterday she was on the phone with a Miami defensive coach for 30 minutes just talking life and football. I’m like `Is that annoying or okay?’ and she’s like `It’s great!’ (Martinez and his mother) are very tapped into what they [Miami coaches] are saying. Miami is doing a phenomenal job.”
O’Gorman adds that Cane coaches “will be first ones to see him (on today’s visit) and last one to see him (on his official visit).”
The plan is for Martinez to announce a decision quickly off his Miami trip.
“He’ll be done by the portal closing (April 30),” O’Gorman said. “The 28th when he flies home, we’ll be done.”
With that said, O’Gorman says Martinez is approaching his visits even-keeled, giving everyone a chance.
The agent estimates he heard from 50 different programs since Martinez went in the portal yesterday, and they whittled it down to a “soft 20” initially and then a final four based on several different factors.
“We were like, `These can be the best fit from the offensive line, quarterback, receivers, running backs, running backs coach, offensive scheme and head coach,’” O’Gorman said. “Every school will shoot their shot on a player like this. Oklahoma State called, for instance, and I’m like `You have Ollie Gordon [won Doak Campbell Award after running for 1,732 yards and 21 TDs last year].’ They said `We want the best 1 and 2!’ My job is to field the calls and hear them out.”
From a Miami perspective?
O’Gorman says the love that UM coaches are showing Martinez and his family has been noticeable.
“Miami is in a great spot,” he says. “The staff has been recruiting him insanely heavy, which is good. Not only him, but his mother as well. Which is important. This is a family decision – I call them `Team Martinez.’”
A 6-0, 230-pounder, Martinez has the combination of size and speed that Mario Cristobal covets. Imagine him paired with QB Cam Ward, Miami’s improved offensive line, WRs Xavier Restrepo and Jacolby George and a tight ends room that added freshman Elija Lofton and has back Elijah Arroyo healthy … it’s not hard to see one of the nation’s top attacks, right?
And for Martinez, having those weapons on offense is going to be a factor in his decision.
“No. 1 for Damien is their offensive line is probably one of the best in the country if not the best,” O’Gorman said. “It also helps they have a pretty dynamic quarterback in Cam Ward, he’s very familiar playing Cam, they played against each other (when Ward was at Washington State). Their wide receiver corps is very good so he doesn’t have to completely rely on the run game.”
What doesn’t need to be said: Miami’s running backs room has issues with Mark Fletcher injured and questionable for the start of the season and the other main back from last year, Henry Parrish, transferring out.
As for the offensive fit with Shannon Dawson’s hybrid Air-Raid?
“Damien is a versatile back, was just in a pro style offense,” O’Gorman said. “I think it’ll help him if he were to go to Miami, show his receiving capabilities, things he hasn’t been able to necessary showcase the best yet.
“I told Damien that Miami has never won an ACC championship, but that they have an ACC championship roster, in my opinion, and are just missing a back. They have Mark Fletcher, but he’s hurt and young.”
A former 3-star industry prospect out of Lewisville (Tex.) in the Class of 2022, Martinez exploded onto the scene as a freshman.
“Damien was not a highly recruited kid and his only official visit in high school was Oregon State,” O’Gorman said. “He said `I’ve earned the right to take some (transfer portal) visits and see different schools,’ and I said `Let’s do it.’”
He earned Freshman All-American honors and an All-Pac-12 First Team nod after running for 982 yards and seven TDs while averaging 6.1 yards per carry in Year 1. That included six straight 100-yard games, tying an Oregon State record (with a season-best 178 yards on 22 carries with three TDs vs. Colorado).
This past season he was again an All-Pac-12 First Team selection and was a Doak Walker Award Semifinalist after he ran for 1,185 yards and averaged 6.1 yards along with nine TDs. He added 11 receptions for 126 yard and had six games with over 100 rush yards, including 145 at San Jose State and 145 on just 15 carries with a program-record four TDs against Stanford.
“I don’t think everyone understands how good he is because he played on the West Coast – by the time he takes his first snap it’s 11:30 p.m. (on the East Coast),” O’Gorman said. “The staff is doing a good job not just recruiting him for football but it’s also about his development as a man.
“He’s feeling the love (from Miami), is definitely feeling the love and is very excited for his visit. He keeps talking about the visit, and this is a kid who wasn’t recruited heavily (in high school), so they are doing it the right way.”
While Martinez has two years of eligibility remaining, his plan is to play one season and then head to the NFL. Given his skillset, O’Gorman says he thinks Martinez can be the top running back taken in the draft a year from now.
“He has two years left, but the plan is a one-year plan and how we can get him in the best spot for the next 6-8 months, do what he does and move onto pro football,” O’Gorman said. “If something changes he can go back to school, but that’s the vision as it is now.”
O’Gorman has represented Martinez for the last three years and also has represented several other Oregon State players. He stresses that he views Martinez and his mother as family, and says the NIL deal for the running back (which can run well into the six figures based on the going rate for top backs) isn’t the primary motivation.
“This decision will be solely based on the best place for him to help himself for his trajectory to the NFL,” O’Gorman said. “A lot make it about NIL and money, and players like Damien require an NIL collective deal, no doubt. But I will be very honest when I say the highest bidders are not in the top 5. Some of the biggest money – `We can offer this!’ – they’re not a fit. Some have offered pretty lifechanging money, but it’s solely where can we go the next eight months, potentially two years, where you’re the main guy, no doubt about it, make a program better and build on something great and change your life.
“This comes down to what schools check the most boxes.”
