Countdown to Kickoff: 76 Days (Wes Martin)

Written by: TJ Inman (@TJHoosierHuddle)

#76 

The Hoosier Huddle Countdown rolls on! We are nearly 25% complete with our countdown and there are only 76 days remaining until the 2016 season kicks off for the Indiana Hoosiers! We continue to focus on the offensive line as we take a look at redshirt sophomore Wes Martin!

Wes Martin

-Height: 6’3”
-Weight: 310 pounds
-Hometown: West Milton, Ohio (Milton-Union)
-Position: Offensive Line

Before coming to Bloomington, Wes Martin excelled as a dual-sport athlete, performing well in both football and in the shot-put in track and field. His exploits in the shot-put earned him the nickname “Big Wes” and his strength was noticed in Bloomington during his redshirt campaign in 2014. He set a new school record by lifting 225 pounds a mind-blowing 41 times. Martin put that strength to good use as he stepped into the starting lineup at left guard to begin the 2015 season and helped the Hoosiers offense get off to a great start. Martin started the first six games of the season before being supplanted by veteran Jacob Bailey. He ended up appearing in all 13 games and earned a spot on Campus Insiders Freshman All-American team and BTN.com’s All-Freshman team. 

Wes Martin enters his redshirt sophomore season in an interesting position. He started six games but finished the season as a rotational player after Jacob Bailey got healthy and was able to play at left guard. Bailey is now a senior and the man heavily favored to win the starting position at left guard. Bailey has knee problems and it seems very possible he won’t be able to play the entire season without missing at least a bit of time. That makes Martin’s experience as a starter especially valuable for the coaches to be able to rely upon in case of injury. Looking to the future, Martin appears to be the heir apparent to the left guard position. One thing that may factor in for Martin is the potential to play center. Jake Reed graduated and the battle for the starting position is wide open. Wes Rogers elected to return for his final season and he’s certainly capable and Hunter Littlejohn is a well-regarded redshirt freshman that saw snaps at the position during the spring. If the coaches decide that Martin is the best option at center, I imagine they won’t hesitate to insert him into the starting lineup, even if it’s not his natural position. However that shakes out, Wes Martin is a valuable member of the best position group in the program and his future appears very bright. 

Share your thoughts or expectations for Wes Martin and the rest of the Hoosiers offensive line in our comments section (or on the message boards) and be sure to come back to Hoosier Huddle each day during our countdown!