Tag: Tay Martin

49ers release WR from practice squad, add LB depth

More practice squad changes for the 49ers.

The San Francisco 49ers on Tuesday made a change to their practice squad ahead of their bonus practice. Thursday marks the start of the regular practice week.

On Tuesday the team signed linebacker DaShaun White to the practice squad and cleared a roster spot by releasing wide receiver Tay Martin.

White entered the NFL last year as an undrafted rookie with the Buffalo Bills. He spent parts of training camp with Buffalo and the Las Vegas Raiders. Prior to the NFL he played college football at the University of Oklahoma. In five seasons he posted 259 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, eight pass breakups and two interceptions.

He’s now the only linebacker on the practice squad.

Martin joined the 49ers as an undrafted rookie following the 2022 draft. He spent most of the last two years on the practice squad, but he did appear in three games mostly on special teams.

This preseason was rough for Martin and his chances to stick around on the practice squad dwindled with Trent Taylor and Terrace Marshall both joining that group.

Every practice squad addition the 49ers make will come with a release since they’re at their 17-player limit. This swap likely had to do with shoring up their internal LB depth ahead of regular practices opening Thursday.

The 49ers will begin their regular season slate Monday against the New York Jets at Levi’s Stadium.

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49ers roster moves: 2 elevated from practice squad, WR Danny Gray not activated

The #49ers made some roster moves ahead of Week. 17.

The 49ers on Saturday announced a trio of roster moves ahead of their Week 17 matchup against the Commanders in Washington.

Safety Erik Harris and wide receiver Tay Martin were both elevated from the practice squad for Sunday’s game. WR Danny Gray, who had his 21-day practice window opened to return from IR, was not activated and ruled out. He remains on the injured list.

Harris will provide depth at safety after Ji’Ayir Brown was ruled out with a knee injury. The veteran safety can also contribute on special teams, which he’s already done twice for San Francisco this season as a practice squad elevation.

Martin gives San Francisco help at receiver while Jauan Jennings remains out with a concussion. The second-year undrafted free agent primarily played special teams in two appearances up from the practice squad last season. That’s where he figures to contribute Sunday as well.

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49ers elevate WR, DE ahead of Week 17 vs. Raiders

The 49ers added a DE and WR off the practice squad for Sunday’s game.

The 49ers on Saturday elevated a pair of players from the practice squad for their Week 17 contest against the Raiders in Las Vegas.

Defensive end Kemoko Turay and wide receiver Tay Martin will both be up for San Francisco on Sunday before reverting back to the practice squad the following day.

Turay was up for three consecutive games in Weeks 4-6 this season. In those games he played 42 defensive snaps and recorded one tackle.

For Martin, the undrafted rookie from Oklahoma State, this will be his second appearance this season. He was also up for Week 8 where he played five special teams snaps and one offensive snap. He could have a limited offensive role, but his bigger contributions will come on special teams.

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Fiesta Bowl: Third-Quarter Analysis

This is not fun anymore.

A Fiesta Bowl victory that once seemed almost certain for Notre Dame suddenly is in doubt. Oklahoma State came out for the second half looking like the team that was better prepared. The result is a 21-point Irish lead that has given way to a 31-28 Cowboys advantage at the end of the third quarter.

Spencer Sanders walked onto the field like he was completely in tune with his receivers. He completed one pass after another while facing little resistance from the Irish’s defense. For the second drive in a row, he hit Tay Martin for a touchdown, this one from 5 yards out. The Irish from most of the first half were nowhere to be found on this possession.

Both teams then went three-and-out. The Irish did a little better on the drive that followed that sequence, advancing from their own 15-yard line to midfield. However, it ended with a Jay Bramblett punt, which has happened all too often in this game. While he pinned the Cowboys at the 11, it didn’t matter because Sanders masterfully orchestrated another long drive that ended with the game-tying 8-yard touchdown pass to Martin, his third of the game.

Things went from bad to worse as the Irish’s offense once again could not get anything going against a vaunted Cowboys defense that had rediscovered itself. Xavier Watts was whistled for a kick-catch interference on the ensuing punt to give the Cowboys a short field. Martin then drew a pass interference against Clarence Lewis, bringing the Pokes even closer to the end zone. Somehow, the Irish’s defense stepped up to turn what looked like another touchdown drive into a go-ahead 38-yard field goal from Tanner Brown.

Unbelievable.

Fiesta Bowl: Second-Quarter Analysis

We’re one half away from the major bowl skid ending.

Notre Dame might not have dominated the second quarter like it did the majority of the first, but it’s still playing very well. While this is true for practically every football game, this year’s Fiesta Bowl really will come down to who successfully executes more plays. Right now, that’s the Irish as they lead Oklahoma State, 28-14, at halftime.

After forcing the Cowboys to punt in the early moments of the quarter, the Irish went back to work on offense. At that point, they erased any doubt that this virtually would be an all-passing attack from them. Braden Lenzy had most receptions from Jack Coan, but the touchdown would go to Michael Mayer from 16 yards out.

Frustration then took over the game as both teams took turns getting into field-goal range only to have their kickers miss wide right. The Cowboys had some chances for big gains, but passes from Spencer Sanders were either dropped or broken up. No doubt the scoreboard operator at State Farm Stadium was getting a little antsy from not being able to add to the scores.

The Irish had one more chance to get something before halftime. The drive started well enough with a couple of first downs before they were aided by a questionable roughing-the-passer call. A few plays later, a 20-yard completion to Kevin Austin set up first-and-goal. It then took only two plays for Coan to hit Mayer in the end zone from 7 yards out for his second touchdown of the quarter.

The Cowboys also had an opportunity to get points on the board before heading into the locker room. Sanders found Brennan Presley on back-to-back plays for a combined 54 yards before running 12 yards himself to make it first-and-goal. He then hit top receiver Tay Martin for a 9-yard touchdown. The drive had lasted all of 39 seconds.

Every time it seems like the Irish are leaving the Cowboys dead in the water, the Cowboys receive new life. The question now is whether the Irish successfully can go for the kill. Tune into the second half to find out.

Five keys for Notre Dame to defeat Oklahoma State in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

The five aspects might decide the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl

The final game of the 2021 season is here and the first game of the Marcus Freeman era as well. The Irish will take on an Oklahoma State Cowboy team that was close to winning the Big XII and potentially making the College Football Playoff. This team won’t just roll over and let the Irish take a win home back to South Bend. They’re scrappy and it’s going to be a battle to come out victorious. Here are five keys for Notre Dame to avoid a an upset and get the all important bowl victory.

Know your foe, Oklahoma State: Which Cowboys could give Notre Dame issues

These Cowboys won’t make life easy for the Irish

The day is finally here, after waiting over a month, the Irish hit the field on New Year’s day to take on the Oklahoma State Cowboys. The Big XII runners-up will be a challenge for Notre Dame, who has a current 7-game winning streak. They haven’t faced a ranked team since their only loss of the season, to College Football Playoff participant Cincinnati, so the quality of opponent will be much different. Find out below which Cowboys could give the Irish issues in the PlayStation Fiesta Bowl.

Tale of the Tape: Leading Receivers – Kevin Austin vs. Tay Martin

Which primary target will have the better game?

The Fiesta Bowl between Notre Dame and Oklahoma State generally is predicted to be a close matchup. The Irish’s entry in the top receiver category is Kevin Austin after tight end Michael Mayer held it for most of the season. While that might be a personal victory for Austin, the only advantages he has in this matchup are in yards a catch and leading reception. That must happen when it takes this long to have an actual receiver as your leading receiver this late in the season.

The Cowboys’ Tay Martin has made the most of the extra year of eligibility granted by the NCAA. He is the go-to target for Spencer Sanders, and he is not disappointing anyone in Stillwater. Unless the Irish completely shut him down, he will wrap up his collegiate career with his first and only 1,000-yard season. Win or lose, that would be a nice high note to go out on.

Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys tied 24-24 at halftime of Bedlam

At halftime of Bedlam, the Oklahoma Sooners and the Oklahoma State Cowboys are in a barn burner tied at 24 apiece.

In what many thought would be a defensive battle, the complete opposite has broken out in this 2021 version of Bedlam. The Oklahoma Sooners and Oklahoma State Cowboys enter the half tied at 24 apiece after an interception by cornerback Woodi Washington set the Sooners up in the red zone leading to a beautiful touchdown pass from Caleb Williams to Brayden Willis.

Williams has seemingly freed himself from the funk that he was in for the last two games. His arm has kept the Sooners in the game and has them going blow for blow with an Oklahoma State team that has completely deviated from the ball control, run-heavy offense many expected.

The two teams traded punts on their opening possessions before Spencer Sanders found Tay Martin on the outside for a 30-yard touchdown. The Sooners would answer as Caleb Williams hit H-Back Jeremiah Hall for a huge gain, setting up Williams and Brian Darby’s 9-yard connection for a touchdown.

They would trade touchdowns back and forth before the Sooners would have to settle for a field goal on their first possession after giving up a 100-yard kick return to Brennan Pressley to make it 21-17 Cowboys.

The Cowboys would answer once more with a field goal of their own after being stymied in the red zone thanks to a massive tackle for loss by All-American Nik Bonitto. The play was huge as a touchdown would’ve given the Cowboys an 11 point lead.

Instead, with Oklahoma State driving late in the second quarter, Woodi Washington jumped a route, picked off Sanders, returning it to the red zone. Caleb Williams then threw a beautiful ball to H-back Brayden Willis for the game-tying touchdown.

To round out the half, Williams ended up 14 of 21 for 204 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps the best throw of the first half was this one to Austin Stogner, who made an incredible catch before throwing up the “X,” former Oklahoma State wide receiver Dez Bryant’s touchdown celebration.

Heading into the second half, the Sooners will need to figure out the Cowboys’ offense as they often looked confused and out of place multiple times in the first half.

3 key defensive players to watch for the Oklahoma Sooners versus Oklahoma State

Here’s three key defensive players to keep an eye on for the Oklahoma Sooners as they travel to take on Oklahoma State in Bedlam.

Oklahoma enters Bedlam feeling great about itself defensively. The Sooners smothered Iowa State for the most part. OU recorded seven sacks, 11 tackles for loss and created three Cyclones turnovers.

As the stage is set for Bedlam with an Oklahoma offense that has been limping in of late, the impetus for that type of defensive performance to continue is at a fever pitch.

At least going in, it feels like the Sooners need to come close to matching last week’s defensive showing.

So, let’s take a look at which Oklahoma defensive players need to step up in order for the Sooners to punch their ticket into the Big 12 championship game.

Woodi Washington, cornerback

It’s uncertain whether or not sophomore cornerback D.J. Graham will be available for Oklahoma on Saturday. Oklahoma head football coach Lincoln Riley had this to say on Graham’s status earlier this week.

“Questionable right now. But I would say questionable. Yeah, we’ll see how the week progresses,” Riley said.

Assuming Graham can’t go, that means how redshirt sophomore cornerback Woodi Washington plays is all the more important. If Graham is out, expect Washington to get the bulk of the responsibility covering the Cowboys’ top receiving target, Tay Martin.

The senior wide receiver has 54 grabs for 765 receiving yards with six receiving touchdowns. Sophomore wide receiver Brennan Presley has 35 receptions for 422 yards and five touchdowns in his own right, so he’s someone Oklahoma will have to worry about as well.

Still, if Graham is sidelined and Washington assumes the coverage responsibility on Martin, then how well that matchup goes for Washington will help decide who wins Bedlam.

Washington finished tied with the team-high in tackles in the Sooners’ 41-13 win over the Cowboys last season with his eight stops.

DaShaun White, linebacker

It’s a massive day for the linebackers in general. Let’s highlight senior linebacker DaShaun White. If things go south for Oklahoma, this could be White’s final Big 12 game in a Sooner uniform.

White is eligible to return with an extra year of eligibility because of the COVID season if he so chooses. Right now, that’s uncertain. Certainly, White doesn’t want his final statement in Big 12 play to be a disappointing one.

Oklahoma State junior quarterback Spencer Sanders has been intercepted just once in the Cowboys’ past five games. That’s due in large part thanks to its outstanding defense and what senior running back Jaylen Warren has been able to provide in the ground game.

Warren has carried it 220 times for 1,078 rushing yards for Oklahoma State and he’s found the end zone 10 times.

Oklahoma needs to be sound in the run game and force Sanders to have to make throws in the passing game. In order to do so, White and redshirt junior linebacker Brian Asamoah both need big days stuffing the Cowboys’ rushing attack.

“Yeah, I just see guys getting movement. I think when you look at the running game, as much as anything, guys use the term winning the line of scrimmage, and you just make note of that as you watch it on film. You’re seeing, you know, the opposite color jersey from the defensive standpoint going in the wrong direction and the offense going kind of like a wave going down field, and obviously the tailback is doing a great job of finding the crease and kind of making you pay for it. And so it’s just a downhill style running,” Oklahoma defensive coordinator Alex Grinch said of Oklahoma State’s running game.

Isaiah Thomas, defensive lineman

When Oklahoma has been at its best defensively, redshirt senior defensive lineman Isaiah Thomas has been at his individual best.

Just look at some of the Sooners’ best halves or games of defensive football this season.

Against Texas, Thomas had a sack and a pair of tackles for loss to help spark the Sooners’ Red River rally. In Oklahoma’s blowout win over Texas Tech, Thomas directly influenced a pair of turnovers and finished with a sack and 1.5 tackles for loss. Then, last week versus Iowa State, Thomas recorded a pair of sacks and two more tackles for loss.

It’s no secret. The Sooners need that to be the case from Thomas again versus the Cowboys.

The other part of the defensive pressure puzzle is this: Cowboys quarterback Spencer Sanders has been sacked just once in Oklahoma State’s past four games. He’s also thrown just the lone interception over OSU’s last five games.

If Oklahoma wants to create turnovers, they need to make Sanders’ evening uncomfortable. That hasn’t been the case for him of late. That starts up front with Thomas being a hunter.

“And we use the term hunt at times. We need to go hunt. We’ve got to go hunt that football. We can’t be okay getting blocked,” Grinch said.

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