Martin provides offensive spark in high-scoring defeat

Minneapolis — Bottled up for most of the first half, MSU sophomore receiver Keshawn Martin found a seam and turned it into a 93-yard touchdown scamper on the opening kickoff of the second half.

Martin

The play was a prelude to a breakout second half for the Spartans’ dynamic wideout, who turned in a handful of big plays to keep MSU close in its 42-34 loss at Minnesota on Saturday.

“Just before the kick return, I prayed a little bit,” Martin said.

“When I caught it, I just saw the seam and that’s it.”

Martin’s open-field speed allowed him to cruise away from defenders and bring the Spartans to within 21-17.

After the Golden Gophers drove the length of the field to take a 28-17 lead, Martin again had an answer, busting an 84-yard touchdown run in which he sped away from a Minnesota defender who appeared to have the angle on him.

“I just went off my block and saw the seam and had to show my speed,” Martin said.

The two plays totaled 177 yards, and the kickoff return for a score was the Spartans’ first since Demond Williams went the distance Oct. 29, 2005.

Martin continued to be a thorn in the Gophers’ sides throughout the rest of the game, totaling 83 yards on his three other kick returns, an average of more than 27 yards per return.

His 284 all-purpose yards led all players and was more than 200 yards more than any of his teammates.

Martin, who has been used as the Spartans’ primary punt returner so far this season, has become the go-to returner with usual returner Glenn Winston out for the season with a leg injury.

Although Winston has been out three and a half games, Martin came into his own on kickoffs Saturday for the Spartans in a facet of their game in which the team has been deficient for the most part this season.

Unfortunately for the Green and White, the one-man effort wasn’t quite enough to push the Spartans over the edge in their quest for a comeback win.

“We did have a good practice week, but mistakes hurt us,” Martin said. “They got up 14-0 in the first two minutes of the game and that’s always hard to come back from.”

Nichol’s lone series

Despite starting just one game this season, MSU sophomore quarterback Keith Nichol continued to see playing time Saturday, entering for one series midway through the second half.

Starting the drive inside the MSU 10-yard line, Nichol scrambled for nine yards on second down and missed on a pass intended for B.J. Cunningham on the next play to stall the drive.

The Gophers scored on the ensuing drive to take a 21-10, a lead they would maintain going into halftime.