BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti’s first signing class has already produced breakout stars with receiver Charlie Becker and defensive tackle Mario Landino having prominent roles on last year’s national title team.
Redshirt sophomore running back Khobie Martin could be the next man up.
“I look at Charlie, and man, he inspired me,” Martin told The Herald-Times last week after volunteering at the Mary Rigg Neighborhood Center’s summer day camp. “He’s like the number one dude right now.”
During spring camp, Martin received the same type of praise that Becker did in the postseason. While Cignetti keeps his depth chart under wraps, the comments he made about Martin are a clear indication that the redshirt sophomore will have a prominent role in the offense come fall.
“Khobie Martin has really taken a step, he’s improved as much or more so as anyone in that first recruiting class,” Cignetti said. “Every time he has an opportunity, he takes advantage of it. He practices really hard, runs with a good pad level, he’s a load. He’s very consistent and I really like him a lot.”
Martin traced his development to the situation he landed in coming out of Fishers High School as a top 100 running back in the 2024 signing class. He stuck to his pledge after committing to Indiana while Tom Allen was the head coach.
He’s spent his first two seasons on campus learning from a handful of talented veteran transfer running backs that have come through Bloomington.
In Cignetti’s first season, the Hoosiers leaned on Justice Ellison and Ty Son Lawton, the program’s first running back duo to score double-digits touchdowns in a single-season. Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black helped the team win a national title by each topping 1,000 yards on the ground.
They saw Martin’s potential and gave him key advice while he waited his turn.
“Stay patient,” Martin said of their counsel. “I feel like every guy in that room last year, they waited for their turn. They all worked very hard. And when the opportunity came, they took advantage of it and it made it happen. That’s what I’m doing this year.”
Indiana fans caught glimpses of Martin’s tantalizing skill set when he closed out a series of blowout wins last season.
He rushed for 505 yards (5.6 yards per carry) and six touchdowns, while showcasing his explosive burst and toughness. Martin had seven carries of 20-plus yards, 301 yards after contact and forced 16 missed tackles, according to Pro Football Focus.
Martin will likely split carries this fall with Boston College transfer Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. Beebe, who transferred to IU last season from UAB, is expected to be fully cleared for fall camp from the knee injury he suffered last season.
“I’m just trying to take advantage of the opportunity that Coach Cig is giving me and the team,” Martin said.
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Why Indiana football’s Charlie Becker is an inspiration for Fishers’ Khobie Martin
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / Indianapolis Star
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By Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
