Ivory Kelly-Martin Welcomes Opportunity

Iowa Senior RB Set for Starting Assignment in Citrus Bowl

Photo - Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com

Ivory Kelly-Martin is No. 1 at running back on Iowa’s depth chart heading into Saturday’s Citrus Bowl against Kentucky.

It’s an opportunity, the fifth-year senior said. Nothing more, nothing less.

“A chance for me to show my ability a lot more, especially in such a big environment, big game like this,” Kelly-Martin said.

He has started before — six times in the 2018 season. So it’s nothing new, he said.

But it is a chance for Kelly-Martin to show his talent at the end of a college career in which he has become an important voice in the program.

“I know I have the ability. I’m just excited I get the opportunity now,” he said.

Kelly-Martin has been a valuable player for the Hawkeyes throughout his career. He has rushed for 792 yards, caught 23 passes for 182, and returned 23 kickoffs.

He’s played with some of the best running backs in program history, and stayed despite never being that featured back.

Kelly-Martin has faced injuries — he missed four games in 2018, a knee injury ended his 2020 season, and he missed three games this season while battling turf toe.

He’s stayed, and that’s something that has impressed coach Kirk Ferentz.

“You've got to give him a lot of credit,” Ferentz said. “He's had disappointment. He's had competition, but he's never changed all the way through this. He has been steady, works hard and takes care of business. Had to deal with injuries throughout his career. But his attitude never wavered, at least from me watching him.”

“Ivo’s been through a lot,” center Tyler Linderbaum said. “But the one thing about Ivo, he’s always going to be a good teammate no matter what. Guys who go through stuff like that, that’s what you appreciate about them. He’s always been a great teammate, always been supportive. It sucks some of the things he’s had to go through, but yeah, he’s been an awesome teammate for us.”

It’s a credit to Kelly-Martin’s family, Ferentz said, who will get to see him play this weekend — his parents recently moved to Orlando and will be able to be at the game.

“Like a lot of stuff, I think it starts at home,” Ferentz said. “He has a great family. They reinforce, probably, the right messages, I'm guessing. I know he's hearing them here.”

Kelly-Martin has had 44 carries for 190 yards this season. With starter Tyler Goodson skipping the bowl game as he plans to enter the NFL draft, the starting job falls to Kelly-Martin, the most experienced back in the room.

“Really just continue to just focus, sharpen all of the tools I have in my toolbox,” he said. “Just continue to improve my game. And that’s as much as I can do — I can’t look at the big picture. I have to focus on the little things.”

Kelly-Martin appreciated what he had learned from Goodson.

“He’s a really good player,” Kelly-Martin said. “He’s one of my brothers for life. To see him make that decision shows a lot of maturity, and that he’s got a lot of good people in his corner giving him advice. I know he’s going to be able to do big things when he gets to the next level.”

This will be a game when Ferentz gets a chance to look at the future of the running back position. Sophomore Gavin Williams, who has had 49 carries for 207 yards, is No. 2 on the depth chart, and fellow sophomore Leshon Williams will also see some time.

“Ivory looks to be healthy,” Ferentz said. “It's the best he's been in quite some time. That's good news. I'm eager to see Gavin and Leshon both play. They've both been doing a really good job. You've seen Gavin a little bit, not as much as Leshon. He caught my eye back in the spring. I think he's ready to play football.

“I feel good with the three guys we have. Safe to say we'll play all three of them.”

Linderbaum said it would be “awesome” for Kelly-Martin to have a big game.

“If he’s having a big game, it means we’re running the ball well,” Linderbaum said, smiling. “If we can have a special day, send him out on a good note, that would be awesome.”

It’s one more opportunity, Kelly-Martin said. And he’ll approach it as if it is his last game.

“It’s probably smart to take that outlook, just because you don’t know what’s going to happen in the future,” Kelly-Martin said.