Compared to the veteran’s fumbled punt return — which was subsequently recovered by Youngstown State — Martin had a career milestone game as he sparked MSU’s offense and led the improvements on special teams.

His seven catches for 72 yards helped him reach the 1,000-yard reception mark — an achievement he didn’t realize he had until after the game — and he left MSU’s 44-0 win over Florida Atlantic with 1,037 total career yards.

“It feels good to contribute on the team,” Martin said. “Giving your team the field position on punt returns or just catching the ball or stuff like that — it feels good to help the team out in that respect.”

Among the many plays he made at the end of the first half, Martin had a standout punt return leading up to a 35-second touchdown drive for MSU.

Off of a 56-yard punt, Martin returned it for 35 yards, weaving through the middle of the field. Even when he was being pushed toward the sidelines, he maintained possession while running through tackles to get to Florida Atlantic’s 43-yard line.

Although it looked like Martin was injured during the game when he sat on the sidelines with ice on his leg, he said he’s “pretty good,” and any treatment was precautionary.

“He’s special,” senior quarterback Kirk Cousins said. “He’s very, very shifty. You saw that on the punt return, you saw it on some of his catches. He can make guys miss, and that’s a weapon that we need to use.”

Making an impact
Redshirt freshman running back Nick Hill saw the field in both of MSU’s first two games. Against Youngstown State, he had two kick returns for 41 yards, and Saturday he had a similar impact. He had one kick return for 31 yards and two punt returns for five.

Despite being listed fourth on the depth chart at running back, Hill stepped in and showed off his running game.

At 5-foot-7 and 180 pounds, he uses his size to his advantage, hiding behind offensive linemen as he waits for the linebackers to pursue in another direction.

“Some plays I hit it hard, and I’ve got to go, and some plays I use my size and hide behind them,” Hill said. “Defense has said that to me in practice, that they can’t see me back there.”

With his speed and agility, Hill understands the key to the success he’s seen is his patience. Getting lost behind the linemen, Hill said he hangs tight and waits for the perfect opportunity to run through a hole, and his strategy has proven effective.

“You saw what Nick Hill can do,” head coach Mark Dantonio said. “He can slip, he’s very patient; he can slip through there, and he’s a powerful runner, so he gave you an indication of what he’s all about.”

Playing opportunities
After MSU went into halftime with a 27-0 lead, the second half became an opportunity for second- and third-string players to see some action.

In the fourth quarter, on what would have been Florida Atlantic’s second first down, redshirt freshman safety Kurtis Drummond forced a fumble to keep the Owls with a single first down.

Following up on the play, redshirt freshman cornerback Jeremy Langford recovered the ball and returned it for a 37-yard touchdown for the final points of the game.

Redshirt freshman Tony Lippett — who can play on either offense or defense — also saw some action as a cornerback.

In addition to sophomore quarterback Andrew Maxwell — who played in both halves and was 6-for-9 for 63 yards Saturday — junior quarterback Peter Badovinac stepped on the field in the fourth quarter.

“Seeing Peter Badovinac — our third-string quarterback — get in there, seeing our offensive linemen who work so hard — whether it’s the scout team or with the twos — to see them get in there is as much fun for me as playing,” Cousins said. “So I’m really glad to see that.”