What Oregon State’s running back room looks like post-Damien Martinez

Published 2:26 pm Tuesday, April 9, 2024

The announcement of Oregon State running back Damien Martinez entering the transfer portal came as a shock to all, likely including running backs coach Thomas Ford, who addressed the media for the first time since being hired onto head coach Trent Bray’s inaugural staff.

The news also came not too far out from the Beavers’ spring game, set for noon on Saturday, April 20.

“I’m a northwest guy, born and raised in Seattle,” Ford said, speaking of what made the job appealing to him. “I played my (college) ball at Linfield just right up the road. So I’ve spent a lot of time in Oregon. The second thing for me is I grew up in Seattle, so I was a Washington fan. But my secondary team was always Oregon State. Really ever since my days at Linfield … I really started following the Beavers since then.”

Ford went on to say that the long lineage of running back talent — Steven Jackson, Ryan Nall, Jermar Jefferson and Jacquizz Rodgers, to name a few — at Oregon State was also an attractive part of the position.

While the shiniest toy was on the shelf when Ford took the job, that reality is no more. With Martinez’s exit from the program set to become official on April 15, Ford will have to pivot his attention to the backs he does have on his roster.

Six backs remain post-Martinez in redshirt senior Jam Griffin, redshirt juniors Isaiah Newell, Gavin Haines and Dyontae Navarrete, as well as true junior Anthony Hankerson and redshirt sophomore Jake Riechle. With Martinez not present for an April 9 practice, Hankerson, a transfer from Colorado, took a majority of the starting reps. Ford raved about the back, who may be projecting into the starting role moving forward.

“Hankerson really ran the football extremely well today,” Ford said. “He’s had a really great spring camp for us. He’s kind of a guy who can do a lot. He’s really good in the run game, obviously … He’s really good in pass protection, probably our best pass protector thus far in camp, and he’s really versatile. He can line up at receiver in our empty (sets) and can catch the ball out of the backfield. (Hankerson) is really a jack of all trades.”

The prospective No. 2 back behind Hankerson is likely Griffin. Griffin started his college football career with Georgia Tech before transferring to Oregon State in 2022. His time as a Beaver only lasted one season before he again transferred to Ole Miss due to what he described as a “family issue” before ultimately transferring back to Oregon State. The return of Griffin is another one Ford is excited about.

“(Griffin) is explosive,” Ford said. “Obviously he was here in (2022). When we first knew that he was coming back, I went back and watched every snap he played for the Beavs … He’s just an explosive playmaker. He’s a guy that can really do a lot running the football. I think he’s got great vision, he’s got really good balance and he ain’t afraid of contact. He’s a guy who will run through your face and run around you. He’ll do a lot of different things with the ball in his hand.”

In earlier media availabilities with Beavers offensive coordinator Ryan Gunderson, it’s clear the offense was being constructed around Damien Martinez and finding creative ways to get him the football, whether it be by the pass or handing it off to him. With Martinez now gone and the system still being developed, things could pivot, but a heavy work load for the Beavers running backs still feels like it will be a cornerstone of the offense.

“I think any time you have an (offensive coordinator) that is committed to running the football, it’s a good time to be a running backs coach,” Ford said, laughing. “The scheme (has) … a lot of wide zone stuff, you’re seeing a little bit of inside zone, a little bit of everything. I think having that dynamic run scheme provides the opportunity for more players to play.

“There may be a guy who’s a little better at running wide zone, or another guy who’s really good at running inside zone. So I think it allows the ability to carve out roles for multiple guys. Obviously, we’ve got some really good players. So you’d like to see them all touch the field, but there’s only one football. So we have got to find ways to get their best ability on the field.”

Ford’s comment about finding multiple different backs to showcase their skillsets came before the news regarding Martinez became public and now carries more weight without him on the roster. Ford went on to say that while multiple backs would see playing time to an extent, there would still be a primary ball carrier in Martinez.

This could now shift to a running-back-by-committee approach for the Beavers, with Griffin profiling more as the between the tackles runner on early downs and Hankerson as a pass catcher out of the backfield as well as an effective ball carrier.

Without a depth chart being released, it’s difficult to place exactly how the carries and touches will be doled out for the Beavers, but more questions will likely be answered with the upcoming spring game. Oregon State’s spring game is scheduled for noon on Saturday, April 20. Admission to the game is free, with it also being available to watch on Pac-12 Network.