Oregon State running back Damien Martinez intends to enter NCAA transfer portal

According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Oregon State running back Damien Martinez intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. Martinez just wrapped up his second season with the Beavers and will look to continue his college football career elsewhere.

Jake Hedberg of 247Sports was first to report the news.

Martinez was one of the best running backs in the country last season, earning first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He rushed for 1,185 yards and nine touchdowns on 194 yards. Coming out of the backfield, Martinez had 11 receptions for 126 yards.

Rushing for at least 100 yards in six different games, the Nov. 11 matchup against Stanford was Martinez’s best performance of the season. His 15 carries for 146 yards and four touchdowns guided the Beavers to a blowout win vs. the Cardinal.

An impressive sophomore campaign came after his freshman year of 982 yards and seven touchdowns. Despite not being the most sought-after recruit coming out of high school, Martinez hit the ground running and had been a productive player for Oregon State for two seasons.

There has been some off-field news surrounding Martinez in recent months. Back in late November, he was arrested for suspicion of driving under the influence of intoxicants. A citation was also written for being a minor in possession of marijuana.

“Made a mistake, I am fine, I WAS FINE, I’ll be fine,” Martinez said on social media following his arrest.

Due to the arrest, Oregon State suspended Martinez for the bowl game against Notre Dame.

There has been a coaching change since then, though. Jonathan Smith left Oregon State in favor of the Michigan State job. Multiple Beavers have followed their head coach to East Lansing, most notably quarterback Aidan Chiles.

With the portal window not open, Martinez’s name has not officially entered the system. He will pop up beginning on April 16 and schools will be allowed to contact him then. And even with the previously mentioned arrest, there might not be a bigger running back name out there than Martinez.

Two years of eligibility remain as well, meaning he could be an impact player for a program for multiple years.

Martinez played high school football at Lewisville (TX) High School, where he was a three-star prospect. He was the No. 615 overall recruit in the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Rankings, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.