Michigan State Football and Jonathan Smith Has Inside Track On Transfer Portal's No. 2 RB Damien Martinez

After Michigan State hired head coach Jonathan Smith away from Oregon State, a migration of followers came with him from Corvallis to East Lansing.

It started with the coaching staff, as six of Smith's assistants come over from Oregon State. Then, three former Beaver players — quarterback Aidan Chiles, tight end Jack Velling and offensive lineman Tanner Miller — followed their coaches to the Midwest.

When the spring transfer portal window opens on April 16, a fourth former Beaver will be available, and he could be the most impactful transfer of the bunch if Michigan State is able to land him. On Tuesday, reports surfaced that Oregon State junior running back Damien Martinez intended to enter the portal this spring, and the first-team All-Pac-12 selection confirmed that intention on Wednesday.

While Michigan State has several good options at running back in Nate Carter, Jalen Berger, Jaren Mangham and others, it makes all the sense in the world for the Spartans to put a full-court press on trying to land Martinez this spring. The junior has intimate knowledge of the offensive system Smith and offensive coordinator Brian Lindgren brought to East Lansing, so he won't be behind at all despite going through spring practice with a different program. Martinez also played under new MSU running backs coach Keith Bhonapha for the last two years, so there's familiarity with all of the newness around East Lansing.

A semifinalist for the Doak Walker Award in 2023, Martinez is one of the best tailbacks in the country. 247Sports lists the junior as the No. 2 running back in the transfer portal, behind only former Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins, who transferred to Ohio State. In two seasons at Oregon State, Martinez ran for 2,167 yards and 16 touchdowns on 355 carries (6.1 yards per carry). He added 187 receiving yards on 15 receptions the last two seasons.

The danger of adding through the portal is losing a player at the same position, but there's not a better running back on Michigan State's roster than Martinez. Pairing the former Oregon State star with Carter would give the Spartans one of the best one-two punches at tailback in the entire Big Ten. MSU might lose Berger, Mangham or one of the younger running backs as a result, but it would be worth that risk to land Martinez.

The Michigan State Spartan Football Spring Green and White Game (Spring Showcase) will be held at the High Cathedral of the Spartan Nation, Spartan Stadium, on April 20, 2024, at 2 p.m.

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