Iowa football: Hawks still hopeful Oliver Martin can play in 2019
By Ryan Sikes
Kirk Ferentz and the Iowa football team are hoping Oliver Martin can find a way to play in 2019. He has hired a lawyer to help with his appeal.
The Iowa football team got terrific news when hometown kid, Oliver Martin, decided to enter the NCAA transfer portal and return back to Iowa City.
Martin played for Iowa City West High School and surprised a lot of people when he committed to Michigan, but that’s all behind us and we are just waiting on word if he is eligible to play this season.
Kirk Ferentz spoke with the media at Big Ten Media days and informed everyone that Martin and his family had hired a lawyer to help with the appeal process, which tells me that his initial claim to play right away was denied. The lawyer can help with his appeal and potentially find a loophole in the NCAA transfer rules to get Martin on the field in 2019.
Today, despite reports that Martin’s appeal was denied, it turns out, the dream is very much alive for Martin to play this season as Chad Leistikow reports. This comes on a day where a few other immediate eligibility hopefuls were denied. So there’s still a chance.
While there’s some NCAA eligibility waiver denials getting reported, can confirm there’s no ruling yet on WR Oliver Martin as Iowa football camp opens tomorrow. No known timetable.
— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) August 1, 2019
Iowa football camp opens up on Friday and the Hawks would love to have Martin start practicing with the team. Ferentz said he’s been preparing as if he’s going to play this season but he likely won’t break camp with the team. With the season now just 30 days away, every day is going to count to get reps in with quarterback Nate Stanley.
The Hawkeyes offense lost both tight ends to the NFL Draft in Noah Fant and T.J. Hockenson and could definitely use the boost in receiving firepower. The Hawks will be returning junior wide receivers Brandon Smith and Ihmir Smith-Marsette this season and either Tyrone Tracy Jr. or Nico Ragaini will have the slot receiver position.
Adding Martin to this offense would give them another weapon in what is hopefully a special season for the Hawkeyes. Kirk Ferentz is in his 21st season as the head coach of the team and they are coming off a solid but underwhelming season. They did, however, end it on a high note with an Outback Bowl victory over Mississippi State.
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Martin figured to have a much larger role in the Wolverines offense this season after catching just 11 balls for 125 yards and a score but was buried in the spring depth chart. Now he’s hoping to break out for the Hawkeyes against his old team this season.