Jared Martin still has dreams about football.
Just this week, the 2005 Clyde graduate woke up concerned that he was late for practice at the University of Cincinnati. Football played an integral role in his dreams throughout his life, whether he was sleeping or not.
Martin, who played quarterback in high school, continued his career as a wide receiver for the Bearcats. He’s included with receivers in next week’s Messenger/Herald poll of area players to remember since 2000.
There will be seven polls; one each week for seven positions.
“I think about this all the time in my personal and professional life, being mentally tough,” he said. “Some people as youngsters are inherently tough, others are taught. I was taught, and athletics were the base and foundation and source of that.
“Athletics shaped me in a way that was profound. If I didn’t experience what I did in my young life I wouldn’t be in the position I am. I’ve been a leader on teams and not in that role; I learned so much from both perspectives.
“The Michael Jordans of the world or third-team scout, you go through adversity. Learning to handle that and manage that shapes you and your relationships with your spouse and your professional life.”
Martin was a state champion hurdler and Division I football recruit in Clyde. He played football at Cincinnati for three years and ran track for four.
“As a freshman, when I reported, I was 18,” Martin said. “Some of the guys were 22. I’m competing with men. It was a wake-up call. I wasn’t naturally going to be the big fish. I was barely a minnow. ‘My life has changed.’ I needed to be physical and incredibly disciplined to ever move up the depth chart.
“It was a hard look in the mirror. Life at Clyde was over, life at Cincinnati was starting. ‘I’m not going to win the race or score a touchdown easily.’ I’d have to do the work to gain an inch.”
Looking back as an adult, Martin knows he learned 10 years of lessons in six months. An early embarrassment, plus an assistant coach from Clyde, forged a perpetually determined attitude.
“Freshman testing, the 40, all the running I was good,” he said. “We went to the weight room. They put 225 on the bar. How many can you do, much like the NFL. The strength coach is your lifeline; you’re with them more than the football coaches.
“They dropped it on my chest. I couldn’t move it. They were laughing. ‘OK, get it off of him.’ I felt humiliated. From there, it was a different mentality. That resonates even now. Work harder, we’ll get through it. A 30-second experience impacts every facet of my life and how I deal with everything.”
Assistant track coach Steve Baker introduced seeds in Martin’s mind in high school.
“Coach challenged me in different ways than my dad,” he said. “My work ethic, I thought it came naturally, but that wasn’t enough for Baker. There was no easy path. That mentality so young from him, I never would have been a state champ.
“Everybody has that mentality in Division I, and he helped mold that.”
The reason Martin is included with receivers in next week’s poll is the fact he’s the only player on the list with a touchdown catch at the Horseshoe. He wasn’t dating his wife, Jessica, at the time, but he did leave a ticket for her at will call.
After Martin’s memorable touchdown against Ohio State, Jessica didn’t believe it was a true story.
“She went to a baby shower,” he said. “I called and told her I got my first catch, a touchdown. It was before social media. She didn’t believe me until that night at a party.”
Thankfully, his dad, aunt from Alaska, grandpa, brother and best friend from Clyde utilized his tickets.
“I remember, the quarterback looked over at me,” Martin said. “It was an immediate mismatch; a linebacker on me. It was just a quick over route. I’ll never forget how big my quarterback’s eyes got. You just hope for a good snap and there’s not some blitz package.
“We locked eyes. ‘This is going to work; this is how you draw it up.’”
To make things even better, Cincinnati took the lead with the touchdown.
“’We can hang,’” Martin said. “That dream vanished, we lost big, but that moment was a lot. All the work, all the support. It’s something I’ll never forget. Immediately I looked up, it was in the visitor’s end zone. We all looked at each other like, ‘Holy smokes.’
“Going to the sideline with the lead was as special as the catch.”
People still bring Martin’s touchdown up when he’s working as a claims manager. Buckeyes fans are everywhere in Ohio, even Cincinnati.
“Quite often,” he said. “I meet people, and they get wind of it. I’m never one to bring it up. It’s nice it’s remembered. Anyone would like to hear that, and it’s nice to reminisce.”
Many in Clyde — and some from Sandusky — certainly also recall Martin’s last-minute touchdown against St. Mary Central Catholic as a senior.
“I got pressure and took off for the end zone,” he said. “I was thinking, ‘We could win.’ I don’t know why I did this; the safety came to meet me at the 3. I tried to jump over him. I did a weird spinning backflip and landed on my feet.
“‘Holy cow, did I just land a backflip to win the game?’ My mom sent a tape to America’s Funniest Home Videos. I told my mom, ‘That wasn’t funny, it was cool.'”
SMCC drove 80 yards for a chip shot field goal attempt, but Matt Guhn blocked the kick to preserve a one-point victory.
Bearcats coaches told Martin his best traits were speed and body control. Martin swears the latter came from countless hours spent on the family trampoline with his brother.
The next time Martin found himself highlighted on national television was less thrilling. He committed a clip to negate a punt return that would have set Cincinnati up at the opponent’s 2-yard line with a chance to score before halftime.
“I got up and saw three flags underneath me,” he said. “Coach (Mark) Dantonio took off his headset and met me at the numbers and blew me to smithereens. It was a bonehead play. They were rewinding and circling the clip (on television), showing me and Dantonio.
“I didn’t know until later. My second time on TV, and I got blasted by my head coach at midfield, deservedly so. I miss it every single day, even the worst experiences. As an adult, you realize the difference to real adversity.”
Dantonio didn’t bring Martin to Cincinnati as a receiver, or even on offense at all. The vision was for Martin to develop as a defensive back.
“Three days in, he put me on offense,” Martin said. “Dantonio came from Ohio State, where they had dual-sport athletes. He wanted me to succeed in track, too. If I had it to do over, I’d go to UC if I had offers from every other university.
“I owe it to the coaches who gave me a shot, and I’ll never forget, and I’ll always be indebted. I’d do it again 10 times out of 10.”
mhorn@gannett.com
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Jared Martin touchdown catch exemplifies football dream of many
Reporting by Matthew Horn, Fremont News-Messenger / Fremont News-Messenger
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
