Photo: AAMU's Max Martin during his playing days at U of Michigan vs. Illinois
By REGGIE BENSON, Times Sports Staff
Former Bob Jones star part of A&M tailback rotation
Max Martin grew up dreaming about playing football at the University of Michigan. Having grown up in Chicago, in the heart of Big 10 country, Martin longed to wear the maize and blue and signed with the Wolverines after a successful career at Bob Jones High School.
But after two unproductive seasons, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder grew homesick and decided to transfer to Alabama. Things didn't work out there, and he's now going through preseason practice at Alabama A&M and awaiting final word on his eligibility.
"A lot of it had to do with my family," Martin said of his leaving Michigan. "My dad's family is from New Orleans, and after Hurricane Katrina we had 20 people living in our house. When that happened, I wanted to be get back and get involved with my family, and Michigan was a long way away and I couldn't be as close as I wanted to be."
Martin's time at Alabama ended almost as soon as it got started. A month after classes started, former Alabama coach Mike Shula kicked Martin off the team last September for violating team rules.
When asked if there was a problem between him and Shula, Martin replied, "You'd have to ask him. That's in the past."
Thus far, Martin's college career hasn't lived up to what seemed possible after he rushed for 3,117 yards in three seasons at Bob Jones.
He put up decent numbers at Michigan and never got a chance to play at Alabama.
Even so, Martin says he has put those experiences behind him and is eager to help the Bulldogs repeat as Southwestern Athletic Conference champions.
"I'm out here trying to get better every day," said Martin, who hasn't played in a game since the 2005 season - almost two years ago. "I'm getting more comfortable with the system, and my coaches are doing a great job of teaching me everything I need to know and correcting me when I need correction.
"I'm just trying to be the best player I can be for this team. My teammates have been helping me along. There's a lot of love on this team ... more than any team I've been on. There's a lot of chemistry and camaraderie on this team. I love it. I'm having a great time. I've refocused myself and everything is on track right now."
Martin's road to A&M hasn't been easy.
Coach Anthony Jones placed demands on Martin and his parents and didn't budge from them. Jones said Martin met every one of them.
"I made him make some commitments and his folks made some commitments," Jones said. "He has great parents. They weren't forceful. They didn't try to stand for mistakes or whatever the case. They just wanted their son to have a chance and he was promised that opportunity.
"He had to do some things and so far he's done everything. We've just got to wait for all the formalities to come through."
The formalities, Jones said, are Martin's grades.
Jones said Martin had a great spring in the classroom and needed a couple of more grades this summer to get eligible.
"I'm doing great in school," Martin said.
He's doing pretty good on the field, too.
Despite sitting out spring practice, at Jones' request, Martin has quickly worked his way into the playing rotation at tailback.
Sophomore Ulysses Banks is still listed as the starter, but Martin will certainly get a chance to play.
"He's working with the first group," running backs coach Errol Jones said. "It's taken him some time to learn our system and he's still trying to get the rust off after not playing for (almost) two years, but he's going to help us this season."
That was Martin's plan all along.
"I totally understand that my whole life I've been looked at as a standout on the sports field," he said. "I have a responsibility to myself, my family and this team to be the best that I can be and I take that seriously. I don't care where I'm at - I'm going to work hard.
"I owe it to Coach Jones and my teammates because they've taken me in and given me an opportunity."
Jones says Martin and his parents kept their word.
"Every time I talked to Max he kept telling me how focused he was to get back on the field and that he was handling his business," he said. "When you meet and talk to kids that you don't have a history with, they always say the right things. But I've got to give this kid and his parents credit.
"They put up what they had to put up in terms of financing school. His parents didn't give him any excuses to fail. He showed up and went to class and did a great job. To me, the light came on. He worked out and got great grades. Right now, he's still excited about playing and you like to see that in a kid that has had some misfortune."
Former Bob Jones star part of A&M tailback rotation
Max Martin grew up dreaming about playing football at the University of Michigan. Having grown up in Chicago, in the heart of Big 10 country, Martin longed to wear the maize and blue and signed with the Wolverines after a successful career at Bob Jones High School.
But after two unproductive seasons, the 6-foot-1, 205-pounder grew homesick and decided to transfer to Alabama. Things didn't work out there, and he's now going through preseason practice at Alabama A&M and awaiting final word on his eligibility.
"A lot of it had to do with my family," Martin said of his leaving Michigan. "My dad's family is from New Orleans, and after Hurricane Katrina we had 20 people living in our house. When that happened, I wanted to be get back and get involved with my family, and Michigan was a long way away and I couldn't be as close as I wanted to be."
Martin's time at Alabama ended almost as soon as it got started. A month after classes started, former Alabama coach Mike Shula kicked Martin off the team last September for violating team rules.
When asked if there was a problem between him and Shula, Martin replied, "You'd have to ask him. That's in the past."
Thus far, Martin's college career hasn't lived up to what seemed possible after he rushed for 3,117 yards in three seasons at Bob Jones.
He put up decent numbers at Michigan and never got a chance to play at Alabama.
Even so, Martin says he has put those experiences behind him and is eager to help the Bulldogs repeat as Southwestern Athletic Conference champions.
"I'm out here trying to get better every day," said Martin, who hasn't played in a game since the 2005 season - almost two years ago. "I'm getting more comfortable with the system, and my coaches are doing a great job of teaching me everything I need to know and correcting me when I need correction.
"I'm just trying to be the best player I can be for this team. My teammates have been helping me along. There's a lot of love on this team ... more than any team I've been on. There's a lot of chemistry and camaraderie on this team. I love it. I'm having a great time. I've refocused myself and everything is on track right now."
Martin's road to A&M hasn't been easy.
Coach Anthony Jones placed demands on Martin and his parents and didn't budge from them. Jones said Martin met every one of them.
"I made him make some commitments and his folks made some commitments," Jones said. "He has great parents. They weren't forceful. They didn't try to stand for mistakes or whatever the case. They just wanted their son to have a chance and he was promised that opportunity.
"He had to do some things and so far he's done everything. We've just got to wait for all the formalities to come through."
The formalities, Jones said, are Martin's grades.
Jones said Martin had a great spring in the classroom and needed a couple of more grades this summer to get eligible.
"I'm doing great in school," Martin said.
He's doing pretty good on the field, too.
Despite sitting out spring practice, at Jones' request, Martin has quickly worked his way into the playing rotation at tailback.
Sophomore Ulysses Banks is still listed as the starter, but Martin will certainly get a chance to play.
"He's working with the first group," running backs coach Errol Jones said. "It's taken him some time to learn our system and he's still trying to get the rust off after not playing for (almost) two years, but he's going to help us this season."
That was Martin's plan all along.
"I totally understand that my whole life I've been looked at as a standout on the sports field," he said. "I have a responsibility to myself, my family and this team to be the best that I can be and I take that seriously. I don't care where I'm at - I'm going to work hard.
"I owe it to Coach Jones and my teammates because they've taken me in and given me an opportunity."
Jones says Martin and his parents kept their word.
"Every time I talked to Max he kept telling me how focused he was to get back on the field and that he was handling his business," he said. "When you meet and talk to kids that you don't have a history with, they always say the right things. But I've got to give this kid and his parents credit.
"They put up what they had to put up in terms of financing school. His parents didn't give him any excuses to fail. He showed up and went to class and did a great job. To me, the light came on. He worked out and got great grades. Right now, he's still excited about playing and you like to see that in a kid that has had some misfortune."
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