Quinton Martin Jr.’s 61-yard run elicits a collective ‘told you so’ from Penn State fans

Running back Quinton Martin Jr. didn’t play a single snap for Penn State in its 27-9 Week 2 win over Temple. With the run game struggling behind starter Carson Hansen, that decision created significant consternation among the fanbase that watched Martin take over the Nittany Lions’ Pinstripe Bowl win over Clemson in December. 

During the week, offensive coordinator Taylor Mouser and head coach Matt Campbell were questioned about Martin’s inactivity and told reporters that he’s earned the opportunity to see the field. He finally did in the first quarter of Week 3 against Buffalo, and immediately made his Week 2 benching look even more puzzling. 

Martin looked explosive on his first carry, a seven-yard run up the middle. Then, on the next play, Mouser called his number again, and Martin delivered the team’s biggest run of the season, bouncing outside and breaking multiple tackles down the sideline for a 61-yard gain. 

Just as fast as Martin set his offense up in the red zone, before it ultimately stalled, Penn State fans and media members took to social media to tell their new coaching staff, ‘we told you so.’

Quinton Martin Jr. ensured he’ll see carries the rest of the season

Throughout the first three weeks of the season, the biggest criticism of Campbell has been an accusation of undeserved loyalty toward the Iowa State players who followed him to Happy Valley, with Hansen drawing the most ire. Hansen was Iowa State’s leading rusher in 2025, but has averaged just 4.4 yards per carry despite facing a low level of competition. 

Hansen missed some time during fall camp, but maintained his position as RB1 through an underwhelming start to the year. James Peoples has primarily served as the passing-down back for Penn State, and in Week 2, even presumed fourth-stringer Cam Wallace got into the game before Martin. 

Penn State fans have desperately called for Martin as a solution to the run-game struggles and seem to have some level of vindication, though just on one drive and primarily on one big gain. However, the primary issue with the run game has been a lack of explosiveness. Hansen’s longest run of the year is just 13 yards, and prior to Martin’s huge gain, Peoples had the longest run with a 16-yard touchdown in the first quarter. 

Martin will likely not take over the RB1 role from this point on, but a player with such tackle-breaking ability and open-field speed will be impossible to keep on the sidelines the rest of the way for the Nittany Lions offense. 

The three-game start to the year in non-conference play has primarily served as a preseason for Penn State, so Week 3 was the last chance to test out Martin in the backfield and see if he can be part of the solution, granted against a Buffalo team that is looking like a MAC bottom-feeder through two weeks. 

Martin will need to do more to fully usurp Hansen, who has plenty of trust from the coaching staff, but a big run like this was Step 1 and was exactly what Penn State fans were hoping they would get from one of the most talented offensive holdovers from James Franklin’s tenure.

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