Tag: Demetrice Martin

Position Outlook: Nikko Reed adds another playmaker to crowded cornerback room

Who will be competing for the starting CB spots at Oregon, and how good are their chances of securing it? We broke down the options.

When coming to Oregon over a year ago, head coach Dan Lanning said that he wanted to create a Ducks’ roster that was stacked with talent, and competitive top to bottom. He didn’t care about the players who were listed as starters before his time in Eugene; his goal was to amass talent and have them all compete for the starting spot on the field.

“Iron sharpens iron.”

It’s a common phrase uttered by Lanning and his staff. It’s been impressive to see how the roster has taken shape over the past off-season with that ideal in mind.

Position battles are going to be fascinating to watch this fall in Eugene. With a handful of incoming transfers and many more highly-ranked recruits, the Ducks have a roster that is fraught with guys who could easily win the starting jobs.

One of the positions on the roster that will see the most competition is cornerback. The Ducks have welcomed in a couple of transfers who have shown that they can produce at a high level in the past, and there are some incoming freshmen who have a shot to make some noise as well. On top of the newcomers, veteran mainstays like Trikweze Bridges, Dontae Manning, and Jahlil Florence are also fighting to stay near the top of the depth chart.

What will the end result be once fall comes? We can’t wait to see. Here’s an early position outlook for the cornerbacks in Eugene.

4-Star CB names Oregon as one of his top schools

Another 4-star recruit in the class of 2024 names UO as one of his top schools. Check out CB Selman Bridges here:

Since coming to Eugene last year, head coach Dan Lanning and defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin have recruited an abundance of highly-skilled DBs. Former Alabama CB Khyree Jackson, high school track star Rodrick Pleasant, and 4-star Cole Martin — Demetrice’s son — were all recruited under the tandem of Martin and Lanning.

Now at the start of the 2024 recruiting cycle, Lanning and Martin seem to have another talented DB interested in Oregon. Yesterday, CB Selman Bridges named UO as one of his top nine schools. Bridges is a 4-star player who hails from Texas, which is the state home to four of his other top schools.

At 6’3″ Bridges is much taller than the typical CB, but he still possesses the breakaway speed that is vital for a lockdown corner. In coverage, he seems most comfortable in man-to-man sets, and he is capable both in the press and when he is backed off the line.

Even though Oregon has a surplus of young DBs, Oregon could still be an enticing destination for Bridges. In the 2023 NFL draft, former Duck Christian Gonzalez was the second CB selected, and a program’s ability to produce NFL-caliber CBs is a strong selling point.

Selman Bridges Recruiting Profile

Breaking down the DB recruiting boon at Oregon during the Dan Lanning era

It feels like recruiting in the defensive secondary has taken off for Oregon since Dan Lanning and his staff took over.

Has it? We broke down all of the numbers to find out.

Dan Lanning has been the head coach of the Oregon Ducks for only 17 months. Since taking over for Mario Cristobal in December of 2021, a lot has transpired. There have been roster shake-ups, numerous coaching changes, big-time wins, frustrating losses, and all-in-all, a successful start to the new era of Oregon football.

One thing that hasn’t changed under Lanning is recruiting success in Eugene. While Willie Taggart got the ball rolling in 2017 and turned a lot of Oregon eyes toward the world of recruiting in his one year at the helm, Cristobal really took things to the next level and recruited better than anyone ever had in Eugene.

Lanning picked up right where Cristobal left off, and is arguably doing things just as well, if not better than the former Oregon coach did.

While Lanning has a knack for star-studded visitor lists and a recruiting class that resembles an SEC school along the defensive trenches, one of the things that has stood out to me the most during his almost two years in Eugene is his — and his coaching staff’s — ability to recruit in the defensive secondary. Whether it’s cornerbacks or safeties, it has felt like picking up players who can cover with speed and be physical at the point of attack has been a priority for the Ducks.

Again, this ability is not Lanning’s alone but also should be credited to his coaching staff, mainly cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin, former safeties coach Matt Powledge, and current safeties coach Chris Hampton.

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On Sunday afternoon, the Ducks got a commitment from 4-star cornerback Ify Obidegwu, the No. 99 player in the 2024 class. His commitment urged me to dig into the numbers to answer a question that I have found myself routinely asking…

Is Dan Lanning’s staff better at recruiting defensive backs than any other coach we’ve seen at Oregon, or is this just a product of recency bias?

I dug through the numbers of the recruiting classes for the past five head coaches to get an answer, going back to the start of the Chip Kelly era when you could argue that recruiting started to be a focus for Oregon. Here’s what I found:

‘He knows what’s required;’ Oregon freshman DB Cole Martin stands out to Dan Lanning

“I think what makes it special is he’s the guy who’s gonna be up here at 6 a.m., you know, getting an ice bath, doing the extra.”

We have talked about true freshman defensive back Cole Martin quite a bit this spring, but with all due respect, that was mostly because of his relationship with his father, Oregon Ducks cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin.

Players had told us stories of them being a mirror image of each other in the locker room, and Coach Meat informed us that coaching his son was easier than he thought it would be, with the other defensive coaches — Dan Lanning, Tosh Lupoi, Chris Hampton, etc. — coaching him up before he could get to Cole.

“I just wait till we get home at night,” Coach Meat said.

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Now when we talk about Cole Martin, it’s because of the potential that he’s shown, and the standout performance that he had at Oregon’s spring game last weekend.

The true freshman popped off the screen for anyone watching and was clearly one of the most high-energy players on the field. Whether it was meeting the ball carrier in the open field with force, making a great break on an out-breaking route near the sideline to register a pass break-up, or running a punt back for 29 yards — the long of the day — there were things that Martin did throughout the scrimmage that made him jump off the tape.

After the game, we labeled Martin as one of the players who saw their stock rise the most, questioning whether or not he could be a solid rotation player for the Oregon defense this fall in his first season.

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Talking to head coach Dan Lanning after the game, it came as no surprise to the staff or the players on the roster that Cole rose to the occasion.

“Cole’s a good player you know, I think he’s exactly what we thought he was gonna be,” Lanning said. “He had a great spring practice. He’s super competitive.”

When you get to the collegiate level, everyone is talented. However, it’s the players who work the hardest, and take the best care of their bodies who end up finding the most success when all is said and done, using what they learned in the film room to build on the talent that they possess.

Martin grew up as a coach’s kid and obviously has seen Coach Meat teach some of the best players in the game over the years. It’s obvious that he knows how to succeed off the field in order to shine on it.

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“You know, I think what makes it special is he’s the guy who’s gonna be up here at 6 a.m., you know, getting an ice bath, doing the extra,” Lanning said. “He knows what’s required. Obviously, he’s a coach’s kid. So he does a little bit extra from that standpoint. He got some highlights today, but I’m sure there’s stuff that he wants to improve on.”

Based on what we saw at the spring game, the level of expectations have been set for Cole. There’s a belief now that he can have an impact on Oregon’s defense as a freshman, and build from there.

If he continues to put the work in off of the field and grow as a player as we’ve been told he does, it’s going to be fun to watch how good he can eventually be in Eugene.

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‘He’s a spitting image of Coach Meat;’ Cole Martin is part of the family at Oregon

“It’s funny at times when they butt heads because it’s like ‘okay this the same person talking to himself.’”

The idea of a coach’s son in the world of sports growing up was not uncommon in the slightest. Quite often, the head coach of a team would typically have one of their kids on the roster, moving through the different levels of youth sports as their kid grows up. Typically, there may tend to be a hint of nepotism involved, with the coach’s kid often playing quarterback, pitcher, or point guard.

When you get to the college level, though, the idea of a coach’s kid becomes far rarer. Almost never do you hear about the coach of a team having his son on the roster. This year in Eugene, we’ve been treated to those dynamics playing out with the Oregon Ducks between cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin and his son, defensive back Cole Martin.

Coach ‘Meat’ has been in Eugene for two years now, coming as one of the key members of Dan Lanning’s first coaching staff with the Ducks. Cole is an incoming freshman, rated as a 4-star prospect in the 2023 class.

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Obviously, Oregon players are particularly familiar with the eldest Martin in the program. But getting to know his son has been a treat, and often a source of entertainment in the meeting room.

“It’s actually crazy because like, young Cole is a spitting image of Coach Meat,” cornerback Dontae Manning said on Saturday. “Like the aggression, the anger, the hype-ness. And it’s crazy like it’s literally his twin in a meeting room.”

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The dynamics of having a position coach in charge of molding his son at a major D1, Power 5 program like Oregon are complicated. Does Coach Meat take it easy on Cole, making sure that he understands the process and goes through everything mentally at his own pace? Does the coach go harder on his son than other players, taking an extra step to push him a bit further because he wants him to be better than the rest?

It’s a hard tightrope to walk, but one that Coach Demetrice is traversing well so far.

“It’s been a good experience, a lot easier than I thought it would be,” Coach Meat said. “Because of Coach Lanning, you got Coach Tosh (Lupoi), you got Coach (Chris) Hampton; those guys are on his butt for everything so they get to him before I get to him. I just wait till we get home at night.”

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When he does get the chance to coach up his son, though, is the approach different? Does he have to be mindful of the parenting of history and potential dynamics at play?

“No, he’s a tough kid,” Coach Martin said. “He’s been around me all his life. So he understands how I get down and how I coach and how I teach. So he knows when to say ‘when.’”

That doesn’t always mean it’s smooth sailing, of course. With any coach and player, there are bound to be arguments, and a little bit of tough love; that’s just how coaching works. If a player does something wrong, or misses an assignment, the coach is going to have to do what they can in order to make sure that the player corrects that mistake going forward.

But when you have a coach and a player who are so similar, and look a like, and live life with mannerisms that mirror each other, it can get a bit comical from an outside perspective.

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“I mean it’s funny at times when they butt heads because it’s like ‘okay this the same person talking to himself.’ Like it’s crazy,” Manning said. “But yeah, it’s crazy in that meeting room, I love it though.”

Anyone who has gotten a chance to know Coach Meat over the years has nothing but great things to say. I was personally able to talk to Cole Martin extensively a year ago after his commitment to Oregon and was blown away at how mature he came across for a teenager.

Maybe it’s due to good genes. Maybe it’s due to good coaching.

Regardless of the reasoning, there’s an extra dose of Martin in the Oregon locker room this year, and hopefully for many years to come. I can’t imagine a world where the Ducks are not better for it.

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CB coach Demetrice Martin explains why Khyree Jackson made sense for the Ducks

CB coach Demetrice Martin explains why Khyree Jackson made sense for the Ducks

Bringing in a transfer, especially on the defensive side of the ball, can be a dicey situation. That player needs to fit into a particular scheme as well as fit in with his new teammates.

Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn’t.

Oregon brought in corner Christian Gonzalez from Colorado and it was an absolute home run. He was a first-team all-conference player and should a first-round NFL draft pick this week.

The Ducks are going to the well once again with former Alabama corner Khyree Jackson and so far, it might be another homer for the home team. According to cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin, Jackson is a transfer that hasn’t needed to adjust to the system and visa versa.

“You know, he’s a longer guy. He’s got a lot of exposure, some good ball skills, and then one of the things in the place that he comes from that is a very similar style of defense,” Martin said of the former Crimson Tide corner. “Our defense is probably not free-agent friendly. So it’s guys that have been in the system and know the terminology and know some of the fits and adjustments that usually thrive.”

Jackson came to Oregon for more playing time than he was receiving in Tuscaloosa. In two seasons, he just played in 13 games and has 14 tackles to his credit. Oregon isn’t expecting Jackson to be another Gonzalez, but at least he has the underlying tools to come close to the home run transfer Gonzalez was.

With his experience and talent, the Duck coaching staff doesn’t have to worry about Jackson fitting in. They can just let him go out and play ball.

Demetrice Martin discusses Khyree Jackson, coaching his son, and recruiting to Oregon

Oregon CB coach Demetrice Martin talked about identifying a new CB1, and what it’s been like coaching his son, Cole.

In the Dan Lanning era at the University of Oregon, it has become a rarity that we get to talk to some of the assistant coaches on the staff, be it coordinators or position coaches.

This spring, however, we’ve been allowed to rotate through some of the notable position coaches in the building, getting a sense of how things are going across the roster this spring. On Saturday, it was cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin who stepped up to the mic and discussed what his second year with the Ducks has been like.

We got to talk about some of the new transfers on defense, what it’s like coaching his son, Cole, and how he’s been able to find such great success recruiting in Eugene over the past 18 months.

Here are some of the most notable quotes from that interview:

Oregon’s Demetrice Martin named Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year

DB pedigree in Eugene. Coach Meat is getting the recognition he deserves.

The DB Pedigree has certainly been upped in Eugene under the watch of Coach Demetrice Martin.

After the Oregon Ducks turned in the No. 8 ranked recruiting class in the nation, with a handful of highly-rated defensive backs boosting the numbers, a lot of praise has been coming to Eugene. Head coach Dan Lanning receives a lot of it, deservedly so, but we all know that the coaches alongside him need to get the proper credit that they deserve as well.

Martin recently got that praise, being named the Pac-12 Recruiter of the Year by 247Sports. After being listed as the primary recruiter for 4-star CB Rodrick Pleasant, 4-star CB Daylen Austin, 4-star CB Cole Martin, 4-star S Kodi DeCambra, 3-star ATH Solomon Davis, and 3-star CB Collin Gill, it isn’t hard to see why Martin was given the honor. Coach Meat was also the primary recruiter for 4-star CB Jahlil Florence, 4-star CB Khamari Terrell, and 4-star S Trejon Williams in the 2022 class.

Here’s what 247Sports’ analyst Steve Wilftong had to say about Martin:

Oregon brings in the nation’s No. 8 class, tops in the Pac 12, with cornerbacks coach Demetrice Martin assisting with some major wins on the trail.

None bigger than the one on the last day, National Signing Day, as the Ducks came out on top over USC for perhaps the fastest player in the class in Top247 cornerback Rodrick Pleasant. Martin was also the primary on Top247 cornerback Daylen Austin who flipped on LSU during the last day of the Early Signing Period.

Martin was the lead recruiter for his son in Top247 cornerback Cole Martin, and also was integral in gaining signatures from four-star safety Kodi Decambra, athlete Solomon Davis and cornerback Collin Gill.

Not only is Martin one of the best recruiters out west, but he is renowned for his development of players as well. We will get to see over the next year or two how quickly this secondary in Eugene can take a step forward and become one of the best in the Pac-12.

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4-star Oregon commit Cole Martin to take unofficial visit to Louisville

4-star CB Cole Martin, Oregon’s first member of the 2023 class and the son of Duck’s coach Demetrice Martin, will visit Louisville this weekend.

It’s all fun and games when high school prospects who are committed to other schools start taking visits to Eugene to check out the Ducks, but when an Oregon commit announces he is going on a recruiting visit to another school, feelings start to change.

That’s the case for four-star cornerback Cole Martin, who was the first member of the 2023 recruiting class for the Ducks. Martin, who is the son of Oregon defensive backs coach Demetrice Martin, announced on Tuesday he planned to take an unofficial visit to the Louisville Cardinals this weekend.

Martin is ranked as the No. 10 CB and No. 74 player in the 2023 class, according to 247Sports.

Committed recruits taking additional visits have been a recent topic of conversation for the Ducks, but it’s usually the other way around. Earlier this spring, four-star wide receiver Ashton Cozart, an Oklahoma commit, visited Oregon and decommitted from the Sooners shortly after, flipping to the Ducks. This coming week, Oregon will host four-star defensive lineman Johnny Bowens, who is a member of the Texas A&M 2023 class.

The fact Martin is taking a visit to Louisville may mean nothing. He is the son of an Oregon coach and from the looks and sounds of it, loves the Ducks and is excited to play in Eugene. It is something to keep an eye on, though.

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‘SEC on the West;’ Demetrice Martin breaks down choosing Ducks, getting settled at Oregon

Oregon Ducks cornerbacks’ coach Demetrice Martin is well established on the west coast. He has made stops with USC, UCLA, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado, and is now setting up shop in Eugene to coach alongside Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi, looking …

Oregon Ducks cornerbacks’ coach Demetrice Martin is well established on the west coast. He has made stops with USC, UCLA, Washington, Arizona, and Colorado, and is now setting up shop in Eugene to coach alongside Dan Lanning and Tosh Lupoi, looking to get the Ducks back into the College Football Playoff.

On Tuesday afternoon, media members got to meet with Martin for the first time this spring, where he discussed his ultimate decision to come to Eugene, calling it “the SEC on the west” and lauding the college town experience that it offers. On top of that, Martin also detailed the personnel they have in the secondary, and what it has been like getting settled in Oregon. Here are some of the best quotes from that interview: