Oregon State RB Damien Martinez Named To Maxwell Award Watch List

By 750 THE GAME STAFF

Oregon State sophomore running back Damien Martinez – last year’s conference offensive freshman of the year – has been named to the watch list for the Maxwell Award.

The Maxwell Award is given annually to the nation’s top college football player regardless of position. Last year’s winner was USC’s Caleb Williams, who also won the Heisman Trophy.

Martinez is one of 87 players to make the initial watch list for this year’s award. Semifinalists will be named on Nov. 13th and finalists on Nov. 28th.

Martinez rushed for 982 yards in 13 games in 2022, pacing a dominant ground attack that keyed the program’s first ten-win season since 2006.

Averaging 6.1 yards a carry, Martinez had his eyes set on breaking the 1,000-yard rushing mark, but an injury early in the bowl game against Florida kept him from doing so.

Over 75% of Martinez’s season-long rushing total game in a six-game stretch to end the regular season, where he eclipsed 100 yards each contest, all Beavers victories. In a home win over Colorado, he rushed for 178 yards and 3 touchdowns, both season-highs.

Martinez made the first team All Pac-12 and was also named a Freshman All-American.

A former 3-star recruit out of high school in Lewisville, Tex., Martinez is poised to lead another deep Beavers backfield that also features returning players like Deshaun Fenwick, Jam Griffin, and Isaiah Newell.

Oregon State opens the season on Sunday, Sept. 3rd at San Jose State on CBS (12:30 p.m.).

Oregon Ducks senior quarterback Bo Nix also made the watch list.

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