LSU Transfer Marlon Martinez is Ready for Fresh Start

After four years in Baton Rouge, Marlon Martinez is ready to start his Bulldog career.

Marlon Martinez / X Account @Marl0n77

STARKVILLE, Miss. — When Jeff Lebby arrived as Mississippi State's new head football coach, he understood that the roster must be revamped. No unit took a bigger hit than the offensive line, as all five starters left the program, and Percy Lewis, who earned a lot of playing time, transferred to Auburn.

However, Lebby, a former offensive lineman himself, understood the importance and cleaned house in the transfer portal. State signed four guys who will make immediate impacts: Ethan Miner, Makylan Pounders, Jacoby Jackson, and Marlon Martinez.

Martinez, a former LSU Tiger, will bring valuable Southeastern Conference experience. He appeared in 45 games and made four starts, starting at center and right guard.

Despite a chance to compete for a starting spot in Baton Rouge, the Fort Lauderdale, Fla. native decided it was time for a fresh start.

"I decided it was time for some personal growth," Martinez said. "Throughout my recruiting process, I was looking for a school that knew what the plan would be for me and a good relationship with coaches."

The former 3-star did have an offhand connection with the new MSU staff, as Brad Davis, the Tigers' offensive line coach, had a relationship with new Bulldog offensive line coach Cody Kennedy. Kennedy has an impressive pedigree, as he was a Broyles Award (Top Assistant Coach) semi-finalist in 2021 under Kendal Briles, who runs a scheme similar to Lebby's.

However, Kennedy decided to leave Arkansas and landed in Starkville. Martinez spoke about playing for his new offensive line coach.

"He is really fun to play for," Martinez said. "One thing about it is we are gonna have fun in meetings and mess around, but when it gets down to football, it is only about football."

Transferring within conferences can be challenging, but it was a massive benefit for State as they sought to add experienced guys from the transfer portal. It was a good match for Martinez, as well, as the fifth-year senior instantly hit it off with Starkville and the coaching staff.

"I love it, man," Martinez said. "The moment I came in, I had a really good vibe with the coaching staff… it was a no-brainer to come here since I have gotten here. Even with all the new guys, it always felt like family."

It could be worrisome for any group to bring in many transfers who will each contribute on day one, especially on the offensive line. This unit relies heavily on communication with one another.

A solid offensive line also has a bond off the field, which typically takes a while to build with four new faces entering the group. However, State coaches and players have been impressed with how fast the unit has bonded, and Martinez did not expect it to be this swift.

"It didn't take long at all, which is surprising," Martinez said. "Obviously, when you come into a new environment, there will be growing pains, but it did not take long for us to build relationships across the board… When we hit the field in the spring, I was comfortable playing next to those guys."

Lebby runs a high-flying offense and loves to push the ball down the field, but make no mistake about it—the offense is run first. The Bulldog offensive line has many question marks and a high ceiling, and Martinez will likely play with the first team.

He worked with the first team at both guard's spots during the MSU spring game and has steadily stayed in the mix throughout fall practice. The unit has a lot of question marks, but as August 31st creeps closer, the reason for optimism is going up.

"Even when I first came here, I did not know what the finishing product would look like," Martinez said. "As we started playing and bonding together, the picture became clear, and I am really excited to see what it will turn out to be."