USM commit puts in strong day at Nike Camp

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Kosciusko, Miss. linebacker Will Martin was one of the top linebackers to compete recently at the Alabama Nike Football Training Camp. He came in with a verbal commitment to Southern Mississippi and the future Golden Eagle proved that he will be a good one in Conference USA.

"It went real good," Martin said of the camp. "There was good competition and a lot of good athletes out there. It was a high-tempo camp, not a lot of standing around. I enjoyed it. I thought the day went really well."

At 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds, Martin showed good size as well as some impressive athleticism on the afternoon. However, the heavy emphasis on pass coverage and footwork was a welcomed focus for Martin.

"In Spring Training, which we had this last week, you get to work on a lot of stuff like fighting off blocks and making a tackle and then you get to these camps and you don't really do it, it's more pass coverage than it is going one-on-one and making a tackle. It helps out a lot because that's one thing I need to work on, just pass coverage and man coverage."

While Martin is a good early pickup for the 2009 class at Southern Miss, the USM staff may have to fight off some more offers to keep Martin aboard.

"There's a few other schools that are talking to me right now pretty heavily but I feel pretty good about Southern Miss right now," he said. "Coach Duggan, the linebackers coach, I've really got a good relationship with him. But we'll see what else comes. If someone were to offer, I'm definitely going to look into it but right now I still feel really good about Southern Miss."

If any school were to sway Martin, it would probably have to be an SEC program, but even that would be a tough switch.

"Any SEC school, it would be awesome to say you have an SEC offer but I'd really still prefer to go to Southern."

What is it about the Golden Eagles that have Martin so excited?

"The coaching staff," he said. "And I feel like I can get playing time pretty soon and they win a lot of games."