Orion Martin, DE

Coach Frank Beamer couldn't say enough about the leadership role that Martin took on entering his final season with the Hokies. The former walk-on also emerged as a pass-rushing force during a banner senior campaign.

Martin made a name for himself on Tech's kick coverage units until finally wresting a starting job in 2007.

Despite giving up at least 50 pounds of bulk to opposing offensive tackles each game, Martin showed that he had more than enough power and savvy to get the job done in the trenches. In 54 games at Tech, he was involved in 128 plays vs. the run, holding the opposition to just 54 yards (0.42 yards per carry) and five first downs vs. the down lineman.

Still, some scouts believe that Martin might be a better fit as a strong-side linebacker in the National Football League. He has proven to be capable of shutting down the passing attack, as only 18-of-97 passes (18.56%) have been completed in his area by the opposition, good for 112 yards. Those numbers translate to a miniscule 1.15 yards gained per pass attempt and 6.22 yards per pass completion during his time at Tech.

At George Washington High School, Martin was an All-Western Valley Conference first-team selection as a senior. That season, he posted three sacks and an interception as a defensive end while also catching eight passes for 190 yards as a tight end. He also lettered as a forward on the school's basketball team.

Martin enrolled at Hargrave Military Academy in 2003, playing defensive end for renowned head coach Robert Prunty. He then spent the 2004 spring semester at Norfolk State before walking on at Virginia Tech in the fall. He spent the year competing on the scout team and was the recipient of the Paul Torgerson Award, given to the squad's top newcomer.

After setting a position record during 2005 spring drills in the 40-yard dash (4.52), Martin played in all 13 games as a reserve defensive end and appeared in 152 snaps for the special team coverage squads. He paced the kickoff coverage unit with 10 tackles (six solo), adding 23 tackles (11 solo) with an assisted sack and 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage for the defense. He also registered seven quarterback pressures and broke up a trio of passes.

As a sophomore, Martin was the recipient of the George Preas Award, given to the team's most valuable defensive player in the spring. He played behind Chris Ellis at weak-side end, starting vs. Georgia Tech. He would go on to produce 29 tackles (nine solos), an 8-yard sack and two stops for losses. He was also credited with 12 quarterback pressures and posted eight tackles (six solos) on the punt coverage unit.

Martin received All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team honors from The NFL Draft Report in 2007. He started all fourteen games, coming up with 58 tackles (30 solos), 6.5 sacks and 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage. He ranked third on the team with 18 QB pressures and delivered a pair of hits on the punt coverage squad. He led the Hokies with three forced fumbles and advanced a blocked field goal 20 yards. He also deflected five passes, as the opposition managed to complete just 8-of-42 passes (19.05%) into his area for 44 yards.

The team captain and All-ACC choice ranked fifth on the team with 53 tackles (25 solos) during the 2008 regular season. He made 7.5 sacks with 14.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 17 quarterback pressures, all ranking second on the team. He was also nominated for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team.

Positives: Strong upper-body and leg strength for a linebacker. Wins hand play against tackles with violent movements. Relentless pass rusher, able to get off a block to go around right tackles. Can spin off blocks to get back into a gap and make a play on the ballcarrier. Secure tackler, using his long arms and strength to bring down players in space.

Negatives: Lunch-pail player who makes most of his plays with hustle, not superior athleticism. Undersized as an every-down defensive end and has only adequate speed for a pro linebacker. Struggled when asked to play back in coverage. Lacks the straight-line speed, hip flexibility and lateral agility to handle coverage.

Compares To: DARRYL TAPP, Seattle -- Both defensive ends and former teammates are built more like strong-side outside linebackers, but lack the quickness and pass coverage skills to play that position at the next level. Martin has that relentless nature, quick feet and field vision to sift through trash that made Tapp success the last few years for the Seahawks, but despite good power, his lack of bulk will be a problem trying to shed blocks at the line of scrimmage.

GENERAL REPORT

GRADE: 6.06

Body Structure: Martin might lack bulk for a defensive end, but has good quickness. He could shift to outside linebacker, but needs to improve his overall quickness to be successful. He is solidly built with good upper-body muscle definition, firm midsection and good hip width. He also has a strong lower-body frame to hold his ground, as he displays thick thighs and calves and a good bubble.

Athletic Ability: Martin has average quickness and agility for his position. He shows good balance, change of direction and flexibility. He generates good acceleration to the ball and flashes the quickness needed to come underneath and make the plays. He has strong hands to hold at the point of attack and is quick to disengage, thanks to his ability to keep his hands inside his frame and attack with good violence to shock and jolt the blocker. He lacks the bulk you look for in a defensive end, but is not quick enough to make second-level plays as a linebacker. GRADE: 5.3

Football Sense: Martin is an intelligent athlete who is very alert to his surroundings. He learns and retains plays well and has no problems taking the action from the chalk board to the playing field. GRADE: 6.1

Character: Martin is well-respected by the staff, compliant and a good program athlete. He comes from a football-oriented family, as his younger brother was his teammate and an uncle also played for Tech. He has no off-field issues and is very active within the community. He is a religious type who garnered AFCA Good Works Team honors before his senior season. He gets great family support, evident by his good character standing. He is very mature, displaying the leadership qualities that made him a team captain. GRADE: 6.5

Competitiveness: Martin plays with a relentless motor and has been known for violent tackling. He works hard to defeat the initial block, whether he powers through or spins off. He gives total effort in pursuit, but sometimes wears down late in games from all the pounding he takes on the line from the bigger blockers, making him a better fit to play linebacker at the next level. He has an aggressive streak and seems to change his personality when he puts on his uniform (quiet off the field, but intense on it). He plays with consistent effort and with a sense of urgency. He flashes good effort in pursuit and is very capable with handling the mental aspect of the game. With his high motor, he will never back down from an opponent and tries to punish runners. Lacks the speed to run to the ball required for a possible move to linebacker. GRADE: 6.2

Work Habits: Martin's work ethic is lauded by coaches -- some on the staff have said it's the best of any player during the Frank Beamer era. He is very coachable and served as a captain, having grown into that leadership role as a senior. He is a great leader-by-example and solid worker who has been very focused on getting to the NFL level. He does a lot of film study on his own. He is an intense worker in practice with good weight room habits. He is almost never out of line and is a self-starter who does the little extras to improve. GRADE: 6.2

ATHLETIC REPORT

GRADE: 5.70

Key and Diagnostic Skills: Martin picks up and reads screens, and opponents completed just 18.99% of their passes (15-of-79) into his area for a mere 50 yards during his career at Tech. He is generally in position to make plays, thanks to his vision and instincts. He shows good awareness in pass coverage, despite having just a few plays of moving back to play linebacker. He can easily read keys and locate the ball, rarely hesitating when he sees the action develop. With his good ball reactions, he does a good job when asked to flatten and squeeze vs. down blocks. Can be absorbed by much bigger offensive linemen when battling in the trenches, but fights pressure vs. reach blocks with good intensity. He is quick to locate and has very good ball awareness. Seems to play better on the move, as he can read and react quicker when in motion and not have to worry about getting engulfed by the offensive tackles. GRADE: 6.3

Playing Strength and Explosion: Martin is stout at the point of attack, despite generally giving up 50 or more pounds to offensive linemen. Lacks the bulk you want from a down lineman, will wear down from all the punishment later in games, making him a better fit to play linebacker, where his size will be more to his advantage vs. tight ends and fullbacks. He plays with good knee bend and leverage, as his initial step can surprise a lethargic blocker. He plays with a good pad level, which allows him to keep contain responsibilities on the tight end when playing off the line in pass coverage. His hand strength and ability to create separation come from hand placement and keeping them inside his frame to shed blocks and prevent the opponent from getting into his chest. He has shown during the last two years that he knows how to use his arm length to better take on and slip off his opponent. He has good athleticism, speed, quickness, body control and change-of-direction agility, along with good knee bend and leverage to control blockers, but his lack of bulk does show up at the point as a down lineman. As a linebacker candidate, he might not have the playing speed to handle all assignments, especially in pass coverage. GRADE: 5.5

Lateral Pursuit/Range: Martin has adequate speed to make plays in space, but is best lining up at the point with hand down and not as a second-level defender. He plays with good effort and gets into the flow of traffic to get to the ball, but must use his hands better to avoid low blocks on the move (needs to be more alert in order to avoid when in motion). He plays square at the line of scrimmage and shows good desire in his chase and pursuit. He has the ability to open his hips to get an edge and plays with good effort in pursuit to run the field. GRADE: 5.9

Use of Hands: Martin compensates for a lack of bulk with good hand usage to keep blockers off him and maintain separation. When he fails to get his hands up or keep them inside his frame, he can be absorbed by the bigger blockers, as he lacks bulk to split double teams on a consistent basis. By playing on the line, it is hard to evaluate if he has the natural hands a linebacker will need to make the interception at the NFL level, but he is quick to deliver a blow and uses his hands with authority and functional strength to play off tight ends and backs. The thing you notice with his hands is his ability to discard quickly and he can also shock and jolt a lineman when he keeps his hands active in attempts to ward off and disengage from blocks. Generally violent delivering a jolt that can rock the blockers back on their heels. GRADE: 6.0

Tackling Ability: Martin was in a system that required down linemen to play to contain while the Tech linebackers are free to make tackles. That scheme made it difficult to judge his tackling skills. He has never posted a double-digit tackle performance, but when he does get a piece of the ballcarrier, he is good at breaking down, facing up and wrapping well in space. He needs to attack the backfield more rather than wait on the play to see if he can be disruptive in the opponent's backfield. Has the arm length to secure and will explode behind his hits at contact. As a senior, he seemed more intent on punishing ballcarriers, holding his opponent to minus-25 yards on 27 run plays in his immediate area. He knows how to use his upper-body strength to unload, but because of size issues, he is better hitting in motion than in the trenches. GRADE: 5.6

Run Defense: Martin is stout at the point of attack, but does lack the bulk to consistently split double teams when working in-line. He uses his hands well to take on and shed, but needs to use his speed in order to escape the more physical offensive linemen, or he will be engulfed. He could struggle vs. inside runs at the next level due to his size, if kept as a down lineman, but as a linebacker, he does not show the athletic agility and quickness to avoid blockers on the move. He has the athleticism to stay up and play on his feet on the line, but just in one-on-one battles. He loses position vs. double teams. He generally uses his hands well to protect his chest from blockers trying to absorb him, but must work on protecting his legs better vs. low blocks. His lack of bulk hurts him, especially when working in-line, but he is an effective chaser, as he flashes the ability to come underneath and make the play. On the move, he plays with good balance and lateral movement, as he does a good job of mirroring the running back in the short zone, but does not have the speed for long distance trailing. GRADE: 6.3

Pass Defense: Martin has adequate ability to stay with tight ends and backs in short-area pass coverage. He shows functional hip flexibility to turn and drop with proper angle and depth, as he seems to have a good feel for pass coverage, despite playing on the line. In the dime package, he lacks the foot speed and hip rotation to stay with his man coming out of the backfield. He has adequate quickness, but shows good hand usage, with the hip flip, pop-&-jerk and rip moves needed to bend the corner. GRADE: 5.3

Zone Defense: While Martin plays with good instincts and awareness in short-area pass coverage, he has yet to be used playing the deep portion of the zone. He lacks the speed to settle underneath when closing and making plays on the ball. He needs to develop better ball reaction ability/timing to track the ball in flight with his back turned on the quarterback. GRADE: 5.0

Pass Rush and Blitz: Martin gets to the quarterback on guile and desire. He knows he is going to have a battle on his hands vs. offensive linemen due to size issues, but he has good hand placement and punch to shock and jolt. He needs to develop better spin moves to bounce off and avoid blockers to give chase, but uses his long arms well to impede the quarterback's vision or flush the passer out of the pocket. Still, because of size issues, he doesn't always find inside rush lanes. He can pressure at the X's, but is used more for containment than generating a hurry, even though he has been very consistent in pressuring the pocket. He keeps his balance well and uses his speed to take a wider loop than normal while still getting to the pocket. As a linebacker, scouts don't see him being effective hitting gaps fast and hard, as he is the type that needs room and a head of steam to gain good penetration. You can see on film that he has enough speed to chase down from the backside as a defensive end, but if an offensive lineman tags him, his burst is disrupted and he struggles to get back in the play. He has the hand strength to counter, pull and jerk the blocker when attempting to gain penetration, but must be alert to keeping linemen from attacking his chest. GRADE: 5.4

Compares To: DARRYL TAPP, Seattle -- Both defensive ends and former teammates are built more like strong-side outside linebackers, but lack the quickness and pass coverage skills to play that position at the next level. Martin has that relentless nature, quick feet and field vision to sift through trash that made Tapp success the last few years for the Seahawks, but despite good power, his lack of bulk will be a problem trying to shed blocks at the line of scrimmage.

OVERALL GRADE: 5.76

--Report by Dave-Te Thomas

Martin started 29-of-54 games since arriving on campus as a walk-on, as his string of 28 consecutive starts tied Brent Bowden, Nick Marshman and Kam Chancellor for most starts by an active Tech player … Recorded 166 tackles (78 solo) with 15.5 sacks for minus-108 yards, 28.5 stops for losses of 150 yards and 55 quarterback pressures … Caused six fumbles, recovered a fumble that he returned 17 yards for a touchdown and recovered a blocked field goal that he advanced 20 yards … Also intercepted one pass and deflected twelve others … On 128 tackles made vs. the run, the opposition managed just 54 yards, an average of 0.42 yards per carry, as he allowed just five first-down runs, stopping ball carriers on third-down rushing attempts 24 times, once on fourth-down and on 19 other rushes, he prevented those runners from gaining any yardage, tackling them at the line of scrimmage … Martin's opponents completed just 18-of-102 passes (17.65%) into his area, good for 114 yards (6.33 yards per pass completion/1.12 yards per attempt) … Only five of those pass completions produced first downs, as he rerouted/jammed receivers on 19 pass incompletion tosses and made 39 of his pass plays on third-downs … Recorded 25 of his tackles inside the red zone, including nine on goal-line plays … Posted 22 tackles (14 solo) for the special teams coverage units, including twelve on the punt coverage squad … His fumble recovery return for a touchdown vs. Boston College in the 2008 ACC Championship Game marked 74th time in Frank Beamer's 22 years as Virginia Tech's head coach that a player scored a touchdown on defense or special teams.

All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team pick by The NFL Draft Report and from the league's coaches and media … Was one of 71 college football players nominated for the American Football Coaches Association Good Works Team, as he earned that nomination by being a leader of Athletes in Action ministry for his entire career, visiting a Blacksburg High football player who suffered a paralyzing injury to offer encouragement, leading a local high school football clinic in the summer and serving as a Special Olympics guest speaker … One of 10 post-graduate students on the Tech squad … In his second season as a full-time starter at weak-side defensive end, the team captain ranked fifth on the team with 56 tackles (28 solos) and placed second on the squad and fourth in the ACC with 7.5 sacks for minus 55 yards (also ranked 58th nationally) … Second on the squad and seventh ninth in the ACC with 14.0 stops for losses of 73 yards, as he also finished second among the Hokies with 18 quarterback pressures … Caused three fumbles and recovered another that he advanced 17 yards for his first career touchdown … Also deflected four passes and had one interception … Helped a defense that allowed 1,462 yards on 436 rushing attempts (104.43 yards per game, ranking 19th in the nation) with 12 touchdowns … On 51 running plays directed at Martin, the opposition was held to minus-9 yards (minus-0.18 yards per carry), the lowest figure of any defensive player in the ACC and third among defensive ends in the major college ranks, as he also stopped ball carriers for no gain at the line of scrimmage on seven other carries … His opponents completed only 5-of-33 passes targeted into his area (15.15%), good for 67 yards (13.40 yards per pass completion/2.03 yards per pass attempt) … Made nine of his tackles in the red zone, including five on goal-line snaps … Killed 30 opposing scoring drives, as he delivered 25 of those hits on third-down plays and five more on fourth-down … Despite captaining one of the league's youngest defenses, that squad ranked 13th nationally in scoring defense (17.46 points per game) and seventh in total defense (277.08 yards per game).

East Carolina … It was a quiet game for Martin in the season opener, making two assisted tackles with a pressure, but he also delivered two of his hits on third-down snaps … His first tackle for the season came when he took down Brandon Simmons on a 4-yard run over right guard in the first quarter … ECU attempted a 39-yard field goal that was wide right in the second quarter, as they tried to salvage some points from a 10-play, 70-yard possession that was brought to an end by Martin's pressure of QB Pat Pinkney on a third-&-6 incomplete pass, as Martin broke past left offensive tackle Stanley Bryant to force the passer to rush his toss … On ECU's first series of the second half, Martin leveled Simmons on a third-down run that totaled 4 yards … Head to Head Competition-OT#78-Stanley Bryant (6:05-282) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed 8 yards on two running plays (4.00 ypc), as he made two third-down stops … The team allowed the opposition to gain 158 yards and one touchdown on 41 carries (3.85 ypc) and 369 yards on 66 total plays (5.59 yards per play).

Furman … Martin posted four tackles (3 solos) that included his first sack for the 2008 season, as he also delivered three stops behind the line of scrimmage … Mike Brown's attempt to gain yards on a draw play ended when Martin brought him down in the back-field for a 2-yard loss late in the first quarter … Stephone LeFrance tried to break free on a second quarter draw play, but Martin sniffed out the action and tackled the runner for a 1-yard loss at the Furman 19 … On Furman's next drive, the defensive end raced past left offensive tackle Joel Bell to sack QB Jordan Sorrells for a 3-yard loss on third-&-11, forcing the Paladins to punt … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Joel Bell (6:07-322) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 4 yards on four running plays (-1.00 ypc), as he made two third-down stops … The team allowed the opposition to gain 34 yards and no touchdowns on 20 carries (1.70 ypc) and 247 yards on 57 total plays (4.33 yards per play).

Georgia Tech … Martin registered four tackles with a stop for a 6-yard loss, as he also made one hit for the punt coverage unit … QB Josh Nesbitt was tackled for a 6-yard loss by Martin on a bootleg over left end and two plays later, the defensive end jammed tailback Jonathan Dwyer at the line of scrimmage for no gain on a rushing attempt at the Tech 46 early in the second quarter … Tyler Melton was stopped by Martin after a 1-yard punt return near midfield midway through the second stanza … After the Game … Martin proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Jennifer Edwards, after the game. Edwards graduated from the University of Virginia and earned a Master's from the University of Georgia … Head to Head Competition-OT#64-Andrew Gardner (6:06-297) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 5 yards on three running plays (-1.66 ypc), as he stopped a ball carrier once for no gain and made one tackle on the punt coverage unit … The team allowed the opposition to gain 278 yards and one touchdown on 50 carries (5.56 ypc) and 387 yards on 59 total plays (6.56 yards per play).

North Carolina … The Tech defensive tackle caused a fumble, posted three solo tackles with an 18-yard sack and had a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage … After Martin was called for being offside on a third-&-17 snap, he made up for that miscue by sacking Tyler Yates for an 18-yard loss at the start of the third quarter, delivering a bone-jarring shot that would force the quarterback to the sidelines with an ankle injury … Late in the third frame, he executed a violent tackle on Greg Little that saw the tailback cough up the ball and it was recovered by Tech's Davon Morgan. Tech took over and the Hokies' Kenny Lewis Jr. would convert that turnover into an 11-yard touchdown run. "That's just who we are," Tech cornerback Macho Harris said. "Never give up on Virginia Tech. We always keep fighting down to the last second and usually someone makes a play. That's what happened today. We kept fighting and had some guys make plays." … "I give Orion, the other defensive players and their coaches credit," head coach Frank Beamer said of his team. "We hung in there and kept playing. The ball bounced our way there at the end a little bit, but I think we had something to do with that, too. We just hung in there and played. That's what we're about. It may no be pretty, but if we get a 'W' on the board, that's pretty satisfying." … Head to Head Competition-OT#72-Kyle Jolly (6:06-303) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 18 yards on three running plays (-6.00 ypc), as he added three pressures with 2.5 stops for losses … The team allowed the opposition to gain 103 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries (3.22 ypc) and 307 yards on 58 total plays (5.29 yards per play).

Nebraska … Martin wreaked havoc in the Cornhuskers' backfield, as he collected 2.5 stops for minus 13 yards and three pressures to go with a pass deflection and four tackles (2 solos) … Martin batted down a third-&-11 pass by Joe Ganz, forcing a Nebraska punt, but a personal foul by a Tech defender gave the Huskers a first down. Seething over the call, the defensive end obliterated Ganz on a 2-yard sack on the next snap. He then pressured Ganz into throwing incomplete passes on back-to-back plays, including one on third-&-22. On a third-&-22 snap, Martin charged up to the line, distracting the Husker center, resulting in a bad snap that the Huskers recovered for a 3-yard loss to bring the first half to a close … Five minutes into the second half, he again sacked Ganz, good for a 9-yard loss at the Nebraska 13 on third-&-11, bringing about another Nebraska punt, as Martin delivered a timely block on Victor Harris' 21-yard runback … Head to Head Competition-OT#65-Mike Smith (6:06-289) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 7 yards on five running plays (-1.40 ypc), as he added three pressures with three third-down stops … The team allowed the opposition to gain 55 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries (2.20 ypc) and 333 yards on 51 total plays (6.53 yards per play).

Western Kentucky … Martin continued to terrorize opposing quarterbacks, as he was in on seven tackles with a 3-yard sack, two stops for losses, a pressure and a pair of pass break-ups … On WKU's first possession of the game, Martin deflected a David Wolke third-&-4 pass, forcing the Hilltoppers to punt … After chasing down Wolke on a 6-yard bootleg that was nullified by a WKU illegal formation penalty, the defensive end sacked the quarterback on third-&-9 for a 3-yard loss, as WKU again had to punt and end another drive … He killed another series in the third quarter, as he took down Wolke on a third-&-2 run over left guard that netted just one yard … On the Hilltoppers' next series, he dragged Tyrell Hayden down for a 2-yard loss on a first-&-goal run over left tackle … On an early fourth quarter possession, Martin leveled tailback Dexter Taylor for a 1-yard loss on a third-&-2 carry over right guard and on first-&-goal at the Tech 4, he upended Taylor at the line of scrimmage for no gain … The defensive end killed yet another WKU series, as he first deflected Wolke's third-&-5 pass and on fourth-&-5, pressured the QB into throwing an incomplete pass with 3:07 left in the game … Head to Head Competition-OT#65-Mike Smith (6:06-289) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 7 yards on five running plays (-1.40 ypc), as he added three pressures with three third-down stops … The team allowed the opposition to gain 55 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries (2.20 ypc) and 333 yards on 51 total plays (6.53 yards per play).

Boston College … Tech's four-game winning streak was stopped in a 28-23 loss, as Martin was in on two tackles with a pressure … He raced past offensive tackle Anthony Castonzo to chase Chris Crane out of the pocket, resulting in an incomplete pass at the BC 44 midway through the first quarter … He picked up the screen, slamming fullback James McClusky to the ground at the Tech 25 after a 6-yard catch … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Anthony Castonzo (6:07-287) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 8 yards on one running play, as he added one pressure with one third-down stop … The team allowed the opposition to gain 82 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries (2.22 ypc) and 300 yards on 69 total plays (4.35 yards per play).

Florida State … The Hokies lost for the second-straight week, but Martin delivered three tackles (2 solos) with a 6-yard sack and a pressure … He leveled Tony Carter at the FSU 26 after the punt returner advanced a punt 12 yards after Tech's failed game-opening series … He forced the Seminoles to punt on that ensuing drive, as he sacked QB Christian Ponder for a 6-yard loss on a third-&-14 snap at the FSU 16, as he beat frosh All-American offensive tackle Andrew Datko to get to the Seminoles' passer … In the second frame, he forced FSU to settle for a 50-yard field goal after pressuring Ponder into tossing an incomplete pass on a third-&-7 play … Head to Head Competition-OT#67-Andrew Datko (6:06-276) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 18 yards on three running plays (-6.00 ypc), as he added three pressures with 2.5 stops for losses … The team allowed the opposition to gain 103 yards and one touchdown on 32 carries (3.22 ypc) and 307 yards on 58 total plays (5.29 yards per play).

Maryland … Martin wreaked havoc in the Maryland backfield, as he posted six tackles (3 solos) with a 9-yard sack, causing a fumble on that play to set up a Tech field goal. He also broke up a pass and registered two pressures, including one that led to a sack of Terps QB Chris Turner, as he also came up with a trio of third-down stops … On Maryland's game opening possession, Martin pressured Turner into throwing an incomplete pass on third-&-10. The Terps then attempted a 48-yard field goal, but it was wide right, leaving them with nothing to show for that 9-play, 49-yard drive … On the first play of the second half, Martin crashed through the line of scrimmage to drag down Turner on a 9-yard sack, causing the passer to fumble and Tech's defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson recovered for the Hokies at the Maryland 18. That led to a 30-yard field goal by Dustin Keys that gave Tech a 20-3 lead … Maryland was forced to punt on their next series, as Martin chased down tailback Da'Rel Scott after the opponent caught a third-&-16 pass for 12 yards at the Terps 35 … With a little over three minutes left in the third quarter, Martin slipped past offensive tackle Bruce Campbell to flush Turner out of the pocket, as Martin's pressure led to the quarterback getting sacked for an 11-yard loss on a third-&-9 snap by Tech outside linebacker Cody Grimm, forcing Maryland to again punt the ball away … Record Watch-Led by Martin's dominance in the trenches, Tech held Maryland to minus 12 yards on 18 rushing attempts. That tied for the fourth lowest rushing yardage by an opponent in a game during head coach Frank Beamer's era and the lowest since 2000, when the Hokies held Temple to minus-15 yards … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Bruce Campbell (6:07-289) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to 7 yards on five running plays (1.40 ypc), as he added two pressures with three third-down stops … The team held the opposition to minus 12 yards and no touchdowns on 18 carries (0.67 ypc) and 228 yards on 49 total plays (4.65 yards per play).

Miami … Martin was credited with three solo tackles that included a 6-yard sack, but Miami took advantage of a questionable roughing-the-passer penalty on the Tech defensive end that led to the Hurricanes' first score … The Hokies had stopped Miami on third-&-5 from the Tech 49 after a Robert Marve pass fell incomplete. But the officials flew the flag on Martin, calling him for delivering a blow to Marve's head. The penalty gave Miami a first down, and the 'Canes finished the drive when tailback Javarris James scored on a 3-yard run. The extra point gave Miami a 7-0 lead with 2:36 left in the first quarter … He made up for that miscue early in the second quarter, chasing down Marve for a 6-yard sack at the Miami 16 … Head to Head Competition-OT#77-Reggie Youngblood (6:05-317) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to 12 yards on three running plays (4.00 ypc) … The team held the opposition to 123 yards and one touchdown on 42 carries (2.93 ypc) and 227 yards on 60 total plays (3.78 yards per play).

Duke … Martin wreaked havoc in the Duke backfield, leading the Hokies to a 14-3 triumph, as he posted six tackles that included a stop behind the line of scrimmage and a pair of QB pressures, including one that resulted in an interception … Tailback Jay Hollingworth was in for a long day vs. Martin, as the Tech captain flattened the Duke runner at the line of scrimmage for no gain midway through the first quarter … Martin pressured QB Zack Asack into throwing a third-&-9 incomplete pass at the start of the second stanza, forcing Duke to settle for a 39-yard field goal … Midway through the third quarter, he beat a block by offensive tackle Cameron Goldberg to take down Hollingsworth for a 2-yard loss … In the fourth quarter, Hollingsworth was knocked out of the game by Martin after the defensive end delivered two bone-jarring hits on the runner's back-to-back 1-yard carries with 10:48 left in the game … After stopping slot back Tielor Robinson on a 3-yard carry, Martin's pressure on Asack during the next snap saw the QB throw a pass that was picked off by Tech cornerback Stephan Virgil at the Hokies' 19-yard line, preserving the 14-3 win … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Cameron Goldberg (6:06-267) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to 2 yards on five running plays (0.40 ypc), as he added one pressure with one third-down stop … The team held the opposition to 116 yards and no touchdowns on 40 carries (2.90 ypc) and 150 yards on 49 total plays (3.06 yards per play).

Virginia … Facing one of the premier offensive tackles in the game, Eugene Monroe, Martin more than handled his own, registering six tackles with three pressures as he also forced a fumble on a bad snap … He killed a late first quarter series by tackling tailback Cedric Peerman on a third-&-5 run that netted 4 yards, forcing Virginia to punt … QB Vic Hall was crushed by Martin for no gain on a bootleg over left tackle in the second frame … Late in the third quarter, Martin pressured Hall on an incomplete pass, stopped Peerman for no gain on a run over left guard on the next snap and on third-&-15, he caused a fumble on a bad snap and then pressured Marc Verica, as the QB picked up the ball and attempted to complete a failed pass to Peerman, resulting in another Virginia punt to kill a 56-yard, 8-play possession … The Cavaliers tried to mount a last-ditch scoring drive with 1:38 left in the game, but Martin first tackled tight end John Phillips on a third-&-10 catch that netted just one yard and on fourth-&-9, his pressure on Verica saw the QB run right into the arms of Tech linebacker Purnell Sturdivant, who sacked Verica for an 8-yard loss, preserving a 17-14 decision … Head to Head Competition-OT#75-Eugene Monroe (6:06-315) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to 8 yards on five running plays (1.60 ypc), as he added three pressures with four third-down stops and one more on fourth-down, as he made two hits inside the red zone and twice stopped ball carriers for no gain … The team held the opposition to 172 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries (5.55 ypc) and 249 yards on 46 total plays (5.41 yards per play).

Boston College (Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game) … Martin closed out the regular season by recording three tackles (2 solos) with a pair of pressures, as his 17-yard touchdown return with a fumble recovery marked the 79th time in head coach Frank Beamer's 22-year tenure at Tech that a player scored a touchdown on defense or special teams … He also became the fourth Hokie defensive player to score in the 2008 campaign …

On BC's first possession, Martin tackled QB Dominique Davis at the line of scrimmage for no gain on a bootleg … With 2:11 left in the first half, the weak-side defensive end stopped a potential touchdown, as he chased down tailback Montel Harris on a 51-yard reception to the Tech 15 … In the fourth quarter, Tech defensive end Jason Worilds caused a fumble when he sacked Davis and jarred the ball loose. Martin scooped up the ball and raced the short distance into the end zone for a 17-yard touchdown. "It felt great," Martin said. "I was happy on top of getting the win. Word can't explain what I was feeling at the time. It all happened so fast. But I'm so thankful to be a part of this team. It was a great play by Jason. I had the easy part. It was just a scoop-and-score. But give Jason all the credit for that play." … Martin sealed the 30-12 win later in the final frame, as he first pressured Davis into throwing an incomplete pass on third-&-9 and repeated it on a fourth-&-10 snap at the Tech 46, forcing the Eagles to relinquish the ball … Record Watch-Martin's fumble recovery was the first touchdown for his collegiate career … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Anthony Castonzo (6:07-287) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to minus 16 yards on three running plays (-5.33 ypc), as he added two pressures with one third-down stop and one more on fourth-down … The team held the opposition to 45 yards and no touchdowns on 24 carries (1.88 ypc) and 308 yards on 67 total plays (4.60 yards per play).

Cincinnati (Orange Bowl) … Tailback Darren Evans might have been named the Orange Bowl's MVP, but it was a pair of late game heroics by Martin that played a major part in the team's 20-7 triumph. The defensive end registered three solo tackles, as he had a crucial fourth quarter pressure and intercepted the first pass for his career to kill a pair of scoring drives … Midway through the third quarter, QB Tony Pike took off with the ball on a bootleg, but Martin chased him down at the opposite end of the field, shoving the passer out of bounds on a run that netted no yards … On Cincinnati's next series, he fended off a pair of blockers to stop Pike on a 1-yard run … On the Bearcats' first possession of the fourth quarter, Martin exploded past left offensive tackle Jeff Linkenbach and was zeroing in on Pike, but the defender stopped on a dime and dropped back to the outside when he anticipated a pass. Sure enough, Pike rolled right and threw back to the left, hoping the misdirection would pay off. Martin never bit, made a diving interception at the Cincinnati 10. Three plays later, Tech tailback Darren Evans carried the ball for a 6-yard touchdown that staked Tech to a 20-7 lead with 11:29 left in the contest … With the Bearcats mounting a last ditch scoring drive, Pike took the snap on first-&-goal at the Tech 3. Martin raced past two blockers to chase Pike 20 yards back down the field, with the QB escaping with his life, only to throw an incomplete pass after running for his life. Determined to prevent Cincinnati from scoring, Martin battled through several blockers to race down the line of third-&-goal to stop tailback John Goebel on a 2-yard run at the Hokies' 1. On the next play, a fourth-&-goal snap, Pike kept the ball, turned left, only to see Martin bearing down on him. Pike's hesitation resulted in him getting gang tackled at the Tech 1, killing that 13-play, 59-yard drive, as Tech ran out the clock on their next possession … Head to Head Competition-OT#71-Jeff Linkenbach (6:06-313) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opponent to 3 yards on three running plays (1.00 ypc), as he added one pressure with one third-down stop and one interception … The team held the opposition to 71 yards and no touchdowns on 21 carries (3.38 ypc) and 310 yards on 54 total plays (5.74 yards per play).

All-Atlantic Coast Conference second-team pick by The NFL Draft Report and NFLDraft- Scout.com … Started all season at defensive end, ranking seventh on the team with 58 tackles (30 solo) … Finished second on the squad with 6.5 sacks for minus-43 yards and 11.0 stops for losses of 59 yards … Placed third on the team with 18 quarterback pressures and led the Hokies with three forced fumbles … Also led the down linemen with five pass deflections … Made 48 plays vs. the run, holding opposing ballcarriers to only 31 yards (0.65-yard average), as he stopped those runners seven times at the line of scrimmage, allowing just two first downs on those rushing attempts while making six third-down stops and one fourth-down hit vs. the ground game … The opposition completed just 8-of-42 passes thrown into his area, good for 44 yards (5.5 yards per pass completion/1.05 yards per attempt/19.05 pass completion percentage), as he prevented 17 third-down passes from being completed and rerouted his opponent away from 11 other throws … Produced 11 tackles inside the red zone, including three on goal-line plays … Also had two assisted tackles for the punt coverage unit … Part of a defense that ranked fifth in the nation vs. the run (86.64 yards per game allowed), fourth in total defense (296.93 yards per game) and third in scoring defense (16.07 points per game).

East Carolina … Martin opened the season by making six tackles, including a pair of third-down stops, as he also provided two pressures in a 17-7 win … He forced the Pirates to punt after their game-opening drive, as he stopped Brett Clay on a third-&-4 run that netted three yards on a QB draw … Tailback Dominique Lindsay was slammed to the ground at the line of scrimmage by Martin at midfield, forcing the runner to leave the game on ECU's next series … Late in the second quarter, the rush end pressured Clay out of the pocket and the QB threw an ill-advised pass that was picked off by Victor Harris. Martin knocked down offensive guard Doug Palmer on the interception, clearing the way for Harris to return the ball 17 yards for a touchdown … Martin's third-&-5 pressure on Clay resulted in a wobbly pass that Davon Drew dropped, forcing ECU to again punt in the third stanza … Head to Head Competition-OT#76-Josh Coffman (6:07-292) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed 16 yards on five running plays (3.2 ypc) and 1-of-3 pass attempts to be completed for 7 yards, as he made a pair of third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 142 yards and a touch-down on 35 carries and 261 yards on 66 total plays (4.0 yards per play).

Louisiana State … The defense would play its worst game of the season, allowing 297 yards on the ground in a 48-7 drubbing by the Tigers, as Martin was held to three tackles (2 solos) … He chased down tailback Jacob Hester on a 21-yard run to the LSU 48 late in the first quarter (that would be the longest run from scrimmage an opponent would gain vs. Martin in his first three college seasons) … Midway through the second quarter, he sniffed out the bootleg, tackling QB Matt Flynn for no gain at the line of scrimmage … After the game, Martin talked to the media about LSU and the defense giving up so much yardage, stating, "They're a great team. I guess we came out really flat and they got on top of us and we could not recover. I'm not really sure why we gave up so many yards. We are going to look at the film on Monday and see where we need to improve. We came out hard and wanted to win. LSU came out with some great plays early. We got behind and LSU moved quickly on the ball. I think it was our position. We will look at the film on Monday and get ready for next week. We have never given up those many yards (598 yards) before. We need to improve in some areas and next week we are going to work hard to improve and hopefully win the next game." … Head to Head Competition-OT#70-Ciron Black (6:05-322) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed 22 yards on three running plays (7.33 ypc) … The team allowed the opposition to gain 297 yards and four touchdown on 41 carries (7.2 ypc) and 598 yards on 73 total plays (8.19 yards per play).

Ohio University … For just the fourth time in his career, his first as a starter, Martin did not register any tackles in a 28-7 win … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Josh Lueck (6:03-289).

William & Mary … Martin delivered just one solo tackle, but two of his three pressures came on third-down plays … He stopped Thomas Schonder on a 4-yard screen pass at the Tech 40 and on the next snap, he jammed tight end drew Atchison at the line on a third-&-1 incomplete toss, forcing W&M to settle for a 22-yard field goal to salvage some points from a 9-play, 94-yard series midway through the second quarter … He pressured QB Jake Phillips into throwing back-to-back incomplete tosses, including one on third-&-14, forcing W&M to punt with 2:23 left in the first half … Head to Head Competition-OT#67-Brent Cochran (6:05-306) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed 1-of-5 pass attempts to be completed for 4 yards, as he made two third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 5 yards on 28 carries and 262 yards on 74 total plays (3.54 yards per play).

North Carolina … Tech's 17-10 victory was due to the heads-up play of the Martin brothers, as Orion's younger sibling, Cam, recovered Ryan Houston's fumble in the end zone for a touchback, after Orion had caused the tailback to fumble on a carry at the Hokies 5-yard line in the third quarter. The Tech defensive end also posted five tackles with a stop for a 3-yard loss and two pressures. Three of his hits came on third-down snaps … Martin sniffed out a trick play, preventing T.J. Yates from completing a pass to kicker John Choate when he pressured the UNC quarterback late in the first half … At the start of the third quarter, he tackled Ryan Houston behind the line of scrimmage and later forced Houston to fumble on a second-&-goal snap … Yates' third-&-14 pass was incomplete after Martin pressured the passer, forcing UNC to punt early in the fourth frame … Receiver Brandon Tate's attempt on a reverse resulted in a 7-yard loss after Martin beat offensive tackle Kyle Jolly to take the wide out down at the Tech 28 on third-&-2 with 11:03 left in the game … Head to Head Competition-OT#72-Kyle Jolly (6:06-305) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 5 yards on five running plays and did not allow either of two pass attempts to be completed, as he made three third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 124 yards and a touchdown on 45 carries (2.76 ypc) and 306 yards on 70 total plays (4.37 yards per play).

Clemson … Martin registered a season-high nine tackles (7 solos) and deflected a pass, leading a swarming defense that held one of the nation's premier running back tandems of James Davis and C.J. Spiller to 8 yards on 23 carries in a 41-23 victory. Three of his stops came inside the red zone, as he delivered three third-down hits, one more on fourth-down, stopped runners for no gains on two rushing attempts and rerouted receivers on four pass incompletions … C.J. Spiller was gobbled up by Martin at the line of scrimmage for no gain at the Clemson 30 and on third-&-10, Martin jammed tight end Michael Palmer on Cullen Harper's incomplete throw, forcing the Tigers to punt late in the first frame, as Tech's Eddie Royal used a block by the Martin brothers to return that punt 82 yards for a score … Spiller was stopped for no gain by Martin at the Tigers 10 early in the second stanza … He chased down Aaron Kelly on a 16-yard catch-&-run to the Tech 24, but rerouted Kelly on a third-&-13 incomplete toss, causing Clemson to settle for a 33-yard field goal on their next drive … Martin sniffed out Harper's screen pass to Spiller, taking the tailback down for a 1-yard loss and then jammed Palmer on a third-&-5 incomplete throw, forcing Clemson to punt at the end of the first half … After stopping James Davis on a 5-yard run, he prevented the tailback from getting to Harper's third-&-5 throw and then stopped Terrance Ashe from catching Harper's fourth-&-5 toss in the third quarter … Head to Head Competition-OT#79-Barry Richardson (6:07-322) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to 20 yards on seven running plays (2.86 ypc) and allowed 2-of-8 pass attempts to be completed for 15 yards, as he made three third-down stops and one on fourth down … The team held the opposition to 8 yards on 23 carries (0.35 ypc) and 380 yards on 90 total plays (4.22 yards per play).

Duke … Martin continued to excel, delivering three third-down stops and another on fourth down while collecting seven tackles (5 solos) with 1.5 sacks for minus 8 yards and one QB pressure in a 43-14 romp over Duke … On the game's second play from scrimmage, he stuffed QB Thaddeus Lewis for no gain on an option run and on third-&-9, he stopped tight end Nick Stefanow from getting to Lewis' toss, forcing the Blue Devils to punt … Later in the opening frame, he stopped tailback Justin Boyle from getting to a first-&-goal pass from Lewis … Martin assisted in sacking Lewis for an 8-yard loss at the Duke 25 and then pressured Lewis on fourth-&-2, forcing the QB into the hands of fellow defensive end Chris Ellis for a 5-yard sack … On Duke's next series, Martin forced them to punt after sacking Lewis for a 4-yard loss on third-&-15 … Head to Head Competition-OT#74-Cameron Goldberg (6:06-286) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 4 yards on six running plays (-0.67 ypc) and allowed 1-of-4 pass attempts to be completed for zero yards, as he made three third-down stops and one on fourth down … The team held the opposition to 72 yards and a touchdown on 36 carries (2.0 ypc) and 194 yards on 64 total plays (3.03 yards per play).

Boston College … Despite a tough 14-10 loss, Martin made BC quarterback Matt Ryan work for Boston College's victory, as he sacked the Eagle once for minus 13 yards and also pressured the QB four times, finishing with 1.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage and five tackles (2 solos) … On BC's game-opening series, Martin forced them to punt, as he pressured Ryan into throwing back-to-back incomplete passes, including one on third-&-8 at the BC 22 … Tailback Andre Callender was tackled by Martin for a 1-yard loss on a run up the middle during BC's next series … Late in the opening frame, Martin showed his great field vision, as he pressured Ryan out of the pocket and then batted down the QB's pass that was intended for Callender … Late in the second quarter, the Eagles again had to punt after Martin sacked Ryan on third-&-8 for a 13-yard loss … Early in the third stanza, he took down tailback L.V. Whitworth at the line of scrimmage … In the final frame, he pressured Ryan into an incomplete throw on third-&-11, resulting in another BC punt … With 2:11 left in the game, he jammed Ryan Purvis, preventing the tight end from getting to Ryan's toss at the Tech 14 … Head to Head Competition-OT#77-Gosder Cherilus (6:07-322) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 9 yards on five running plays (-1.8 ypc) and allowed 1-of-6 pass attempts to be completed for 6 yards, as he made three third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 32 yards on 18 carries (1.78 ypc) and 317 yards on 71 total plays (4.46 yards per play).

Georgia Tech … It was a quiet day for Martin, as he assisted in tackling Tyler Evans on a 12-yard punt return and was penalized for a false start on an early first quarter punt … Head to Head Competition-OT#64-Andrew Gardner (6:06-298).

Florida State … Whether running or throwing the ball, FSU was stymied against Martin, who made four tackles with a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage and a pressure, as two of his hits came on third-down plays in a 40-21 victory … He twice stopped Antone Smith on a pair of 2-yard runs, drew offensive tackle Shannon Boatman offside and pressured QB Drew Weatherford into throwing an incomplete pass on third-&-18, resulting in an FSU punt midway through the opening quarter … Receiver Preston Parker was leveled by Martin for a 5-yard loss on a third-&-3 reverse, forcing FSU to settle for a 50-yard field goal at the start of the second half … He later sniffed out a Christian Ponder screen pass, taking down tailback Russell Ball for a 4-yard loss at the Tech 25 … Head to Head Competition-OT#79-David Overmyer (6:05-282) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 1 yard on three running plays (-0.33 ypc) and allowed 1-of-2 pass attempts to be completed for minus 4 yards, as he made two third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 116 yards on 28 carries (4.14 ypc) and 267 yards on 61 total plays (4.38 yards per play).

Miami … Martin caused one of Miami's three turnovers, as he was in on three tackles and a stop behind the line of scrimmage while adding two pressures … On the game's third play from scrimmage, he tackled Sam Shields on a third-&-17 catch that netted 11 yards … He then took down Javarris James on a rushing attempt for a 4-yard loss and pressured QB Kyle Wright on third-&-6, forcing the quarterback into the hands of defensive tackle Barry Booker, who sacked Wright for a 2-yard loss, as fellow defensive end Chris Ellis recovered the ball at the Tech 18, killing a 72-yard, 12-play early second quarter drive … Martin batted down a Wright pass intended for Darnell Jenkins later in the second stanza … In the fourth quarter, he stripped the ball from Wright on a bootleg and cornerback Brandon Flowers recovered it at the Miami 9, setting up a 2-yard touchdown run by Tech's Jahre Cheese-man with 5:48 left in the game … Head to Head Competition-OT#64-Jason Fox (6:06-271) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 4 yards on two running plays (-2.0 ypc) and allowed 1-of-3 pass attempts to be completed for 11 yards, as he made one third-down stop and had two hits inside the red zone … The team held the opposition to minus 2 yards on 29 carries (-0.07 ypc) and 213 yards on 65 total plays (3.28 yards per play).

Virginia … The defensive end registered four tackles (3 solos) with two third-down stops, as he added a pair of sacks for minus 10 yards, two pass deflections and a pressure in a 33-21 triumph … He sacked QB Jameel Sewell for an 8-yard loss and then prevented tight end Tom Santi from getting to Sewell's toss at the Tech 43 late in the second quarter … He knocked down a third-&-4 Sewell toss, forcing the Cavaliers to punt, but Tech would block that kick early in the third frame … Midway through that quarter, he sacked Sewell for a 2-yard loss, pressured the passer into throwing a third-&-10 incomplete pass and Virginia was again forced to punt … After Martin tackled Mikell Simpson on a 5-yard catch, he stopped the ball carrier from getting into his route on the next snap, resulting in Pete Lalich's third-&-24 throw to be incomplete … With 4:56 left in the game, he knocked a Sewell pass out of the hands of Santi … Head to Head Competition-OT#75-Eugene Monroe (6:06-319) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 6 yards on three running plays (-2.0 ypc) and allowed 1-of-6 pass attempts to be completed for 5 yards, as he made two third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 97 yards and three touch-downs on 36 carries (2.69 ypc) and 241 yards on 64 total plays (3.77 yards per play).

Boston College (ACC Championship Game) … Martin helped Tech exact revenge for their earlier loss to BC, as the defensive end made three assisted tackles and recovered a blocked field goal that he advanced 20 yards in a 33-21 win … On the Eagles' game opening series, BC attempted a 36-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked and Martin scooped up the ball, racing 20 yards to the Tech 37 with the pigskin … Midway through the third frame, he took down Jamie Silva on a 14-yard punt return … With 7:06 left in the game, he brought down tailback Andre Callender at the line of scrimmage on a carry at the BC 38 … Head to Head Competition-OT#77-Gosder Cherilus (6:07-322) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition 3 yards on two running plays (1.5 ypc), as he made one fourth-down stop … The team held the opposition to 84 yards and one touchdown on 25 carries (3.36 ypc) and 389 yards on 77 total plays (5.05 yards per play).

Kansas (Orange Bowl) … Martin closed out his junior season by producing seven tackles (6 solos), a pair of sacks for minus 12 yards, two pressures and two third-down stops … The defensive end sacked QB Todd Reesing for a 10-yard loss, despite being held by offensive tackle Anthony Collins on the play, and killed that drive when he pressured Reesing into throwing a third-&-11 incomplete pass early in the first quarter … He rerouted Derek Fine, preventing the tight end from getting to Reesing's third-&-4 toss, causing the Jayhawks to punt later in the opening stanza … At the start of the third quarter, Martin again sacked Reesing, dropping the QB for a 2-yard loss at the Kansas 35 … Head to Head Competition-OT#78-Anthony Collins (6:06-323) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 1 yard on seven running plays (-0.14 ypc) and did not allow any of three pass attempts to be completed, as he made two third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 95 yards and one touchdown on 36 carries (2.64 ypc) and 344 yards on 74 total plays (4.65 yards per play).

Martin excelled on special teams and was part of the squad's defensive line rotation, sharing left defensive end duties with Chris Ellis … Earned his only start for the year vs. Georgia Tech … Recorded 29 tackles (nine solo) with an 8-yard sack, two stops for losses of 12 yards and 12 quarterback pressures in thirteen games … On 19 running plays that he made tackles on, he held the opposition to 16 yards (0.84 ypc), as he stopped opposing ballcarriers for no gain on three rushing attempts … Only 3-of-13 passes (23.08%) thrown into his area were caught by his opponents, good for 12 yards (4.0 yards per completion/ 0.92 yards per attempt) … Registered seven third-down stops and made four tackles inside the red zone … Also delivered eight tackles (six solos) while performing on the punt coverage unit.

Northeastern … Martin's only tackle in the season opener came when he took down Alex Broomfield on a 5-yard run … Head to Head Competition-OT#76-Tim Avery (6:07-345).

North Carolina … The defensive end collected a pair of tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage … He helped stop Barrington Edwards for a 5-yard loss on a run near midfield late in the third stanza … Head to Head Competition-OT#75-Garrett Reynolds (6:07-300).

Duke … Martin helped shut down the Duke ground attack, producing five tackles that included a key stop behind the line of scrimmage … He assisted in sacking QB Thaddeus Lewis for a 4-yard loss four minutes into the second quarter and then took down QB Marcus Jones for no gain on a fourth-&-7 option run at the Tech 16 late in the third stanza … He later slammed fullback Tielor Robinson to the ground for no gain on a carry at the Duke 43 in the final quarter … Head to Head Competition-OT#70-Fred Roland (6:08-310) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 3 yards on four running plays (-0.75 ypc) and allowed one pass attempt to be completed for 5 yards, as he made one fourth-down stop … The team held the opposition to 58 yards on 41 carries (1.41 ypc) and 179 yards on 55 total plays (3.25 yards per play).

Cincinnati … The reserve defensive end posted four assisted tackles, including a sack and also had a pair of pressures … He killed the Bearcats' game-opening series, assisting in sacking QB Dustin Grutza for an 11-yard loss on third-&-8 … In the second quarter, he chased down Derrick Stewart on a 10-yard punt return … Cincinnati settled for a 46-yard field goal in the third quarter after Martin leveled Grutza after a 1-yard gain on a third-&-19 run … With 3:13 left in the game, Martin pressured Grutza on back-to-back plays, including on second-&-10, as the QB was picked off by Victor Harris. Martin leveled offensive guard Frank Straub on the Tech cornerback's return of the pass theft, as Harris raced 72 yards for a touchdown … Head to Head Competition-OT#72-Digger Bujnoch (6:05-292) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to minus 6 yards on three running plays (-2.0 ypc) and made three third-down stops … The team held the opposition to 121 yards and one touch-down on 38 carries (3.18 ypc) and 329 yards on 58 total plays (5.67 yards per play).

Georgia Tech … In his first career start, Martin responded with three assisted tackles, including one on third down and another on a fourth-down play, as he also came up with a pressure … He stopped Tashard Choice on a first-&-goal run that netted 2 yards to the Tech 3 on the game's first series from scrimmage … In the second frame, he pressured QB Reggie Ball on a third-&-5 play, as the quarterback was picked off by linebacker Brenden Hill, who returned the ball 26 yards, setting up a 26-yard field goal for Tech … Martin later took down Anthony Smith on a fourth quarter 6-yard punt return … Head to Head Competition-OT#68-Mansfield Wrotto (6:03-311) … Defensive Impact … Martin held the opposition to 11 yards on two running plays (5.5 ypc), making one third-down stop and another on fourth down … The team held the opposition to 149 yards and two touchdowns on 36 carries (4.14 ypc) and 393 yards on 53 total plays (7.42 yards per play).

Boston College … Back in a reserve role, Martin posted two tackles, including one on third down and another on a fourth-down snap, as he also added a pressure … He chased Matt Ryan out of the pocket, forcing the QB to throw an incomplete pass and on the next play, he tackled Andre Callender on a third-&-5 run that netted 4 yards with 5:36 left in the game … Head to Head Competition-OT#77-Gosder Cherilus (6:07-318).

Southern Mississippi … Martin added three assisted tackles and a pressure, making one stop on a fourth-down punt and another on a third-down play … Forced USM to punt in the second quarter after he tackled Conrad Chanove on a third-&-4 run that netted just one yard at the USM 14 … Stopped Jasper Faulk on a 5-yard punt return in the third frame and later pressured Jeremy Young on third-&-5, resulting in an incomplete pass, followed by another USM punt … Head to Head Competition-OT#66-Ryan McKee (6:06-286).

Clemson … The reserve defensive end had a quiet game, delivering a pressure and a solo tackle on special teams … Forced Will Proctor out of the pocket, as the QB threw an incomplete pass early in the final stanza … With 8:59 left in the game, he tackled C.J. Spiller on a 4-yard punt return … Head to Head Competition-OT#75-Marion Dukes (6:04-320).

Miami … Did not record any tackles.

Kent State … Martin bounced back with four tackles (2 solos), with three coming on the punt coverage unit … He stopped Jon Drager on a 7-yard punt return after the game's opening series and again after a 6-yard runback in the fourth frame.

Wake Forest … Martin had a solo tackle and a pressure, playing mostly in passing situations … He stopped fullback Travo Woods on a third-&-goal catch that netted 4 yards, forcing the Demon Deacons to kick a 22-yard field goal to salvage some points from an 11-play, 75-yard series … He later pressured Riley Skinner into throwing an incomplete pass at the Tech 26 late in the third stanza … Head to Head Competition-OT#64-Jeff Griffin (6:03-299).

Virginia … Martin's only tackle took down QB Jameel Sewell on a 2-yard bootleg late in the fourth quarter, but he had also pressured the Cavalier quarterback on back-to-back incomplete passes earlier in that frame … Head to Head Competition-OT#61-Will Barker (6:07-306).

Georgia (Chick-Fil-A Bowl) … Martin closed out his sophomore campaign with a pair of assisted tackles … He stopped fullback Brannan Southerland on a 1-yard run at the Georgia 10 midway through the final stanza and on the next Bulldogs series, Southerland was taken down for no gain by Martin on a run at the Tech 42 … Head to Head Competition-OT#72-Daniel Inman (6:07-316).

Martin appeared in all 13 games as a reserve defensive end in his first season with the varsity, lining up behind Darryl Tapp on the weak-side … His 152 special teams appearances ranked second on the team, making 10 tackles (six solo) on the kickoff coverage unit … Registered a total of 23 tackles (11 solo) with an assisted sack for minus-2 yards and 1.5 stops for losses of 6 yards … Also collected seven quarterback pressures and deflected three passes … Held the opposition to 16 yards on 10 running plays he made stops on and his opponents managed to complete just 2-of-14 passes (14.29%) for minus-9 yards into his area … Delivered eight third-down stops and twice stopped ball carriers at the line of scrimmage for no gain.

North Carolina State … Martin made his collegiate debut in the season opener, deflecting a Jay Davis pass intended for Lamart Barrett and tackling Darrell Blackman on a 3-yard run in the second quarter … Head to Head Competition-OT#78-James Newby (6:05-299).

Duke … The defensive end registered a season-high four tackles (2 solos), as he assisted on a sack, deflected a pass and made two pressures … His pressure on QB Curt Dukes led to the passer being picked off by Roland Minor, as Martin would take down tailback Justin Boyle to spring the Tech cornerback for a 23-yard scoring return with the interception … He later jammed Ronnie Drummer, preventing the halfback from getting to Dukes' pass and on the next snap, QB Matt Schneider was forced out of the pocket by Martin, resulting in an incomplete toss on third-&-16 … Schneider later had a pass deflected by Martin, who sacked the QB for a 4-yard loss on the next snap, a third-&-15 play, forcing Duke to punt late in the fourth quarter … Head to Head Competition-OT#77-Lavdrim Bauta (6:05-288) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed minus 4 yards on two running plays (-2.0 ypc) … The team allowed the opposition to gain 13 yards on 35 carries (0.37 ypc) and 111 yards on 53 total plays (2.09 yards per play).

Ohio University … Martin delivered three tackles (2 solos), including one third-down stop and also broke up a pass … He pressured Austen Everson on a third-&-12 incomplete pass during the game's opening series, resulting in an OU punt that was returned 33 yards by Tech's Eddie Royal … Head to Head Competition-OT#78-Matt Coppage (6:04-288).

Georgia Tech … The rush end made one assisted tackle behind the line of scrimmage, along with one pressure … He forced Taylor Bennett to throw an incomplete pass on third-&-2, resulting in a Georgia Tech punt with less than nine minutes to play … He stopped Chris Dunlap from getting to Bennett's toss at the Hokies 20 and on third-&-10, he took down Pat Clark on a screen pass for a 6-yard loss, forcing the Yellow Jackets to attempt a 43-yard field goal that was wide left with 1:06 left in a 51-7 victory … Head to Head Competition-OT#64-Andrew Gardner (6:06-287).

West Virginia … Martin was limited to just two solo tackles, but one brought down Jason Gwaltney on a third-&-8 run that netted 6 yards, forcing the Mountaineers to settle for a 21-yard third quarter field goal in order to salvage some points from that 76-yard, 11-play series … Head to Head Competition-OT#70-Travis Garrett (6:06-307).

Marshall … The defensive end collected three assisted tackles to go along with a trio of QB pressures … He twice chased QB Bernard Morris out of the pocket, resulting in a pair of incomplete throws intended for Jermaine Filer … His third-&-7 pressure on Morris early in the fourth quarter saw Tech's Justin Hamilton pick off that toss for an 8-yard return … He ended the day by tackling Paco Jones on a carry that netted no yards at the Marshall 37 …

Head to Head Competition-OT#56-Toby Bullock (6:04-300) … Defensive Impact … Martin allowed no yards on two running plays (0.0 ypc) … The team allowed the opposition to gain 164 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries (3.73 ypc) and 381 yards on 72 total plays (5.29 yards per play).

Maryland … Against the Terps, Martin made two assisted tackles, including one behind the line of scrimmage and also had one pressure … Midway through the third quarter, he sniffed out a screen pass, taking down tailback Lance Ball for a 3-yard loss. On the next snap, a third-&-11 incomplete throw by QB Sam Hollenbach was the result of Martin pressuring the passer out of the pocket. Maryland would then attempt a 38-yard field goal, but it was too short … Head to Head Competition-OT#78-Jared Gaither (6:09-333).

Boston College … Martin's only tackle came on special teams, as he chased down Will Blackmon on a 43-yard kickoff return to the BC 43.

Virginia … Martin produced three solo tackles, including one on a third-down snap … He leveled Michael Johnson at the Virginia 20 on a 20-yard kickoff return midway through the second quarter. On the ensuing drive, he stopped QB Marques Hagans for no gain on a bootleg and on third-&-7, he pressured Hagans into throwing an incomplete pass … Head to Head Competition-OT#66-D'Brickashaw Ferguson (6:05-289).

North Carolina … Playing on special teams, he assisted in tackling Brandon Tate on a 19-yard kickoff return late in the third quarter.

Florida State (Atlantic Coast Conference Championship) … Played, but did not record any tackles.

Louisville (Gator Bowl) … Martin's first season with the varsity came to an end after he was in on a pair of solo tackles for the kickoff coverage unit … He took down Montrell Jones on a 17-yard run to the Louisville 18 to start the game and chased down Sergio Spencer on a 31-yard runback in the third quarter.

After spending the 2004 spring semester at Norfolk State, Martin joined Virginia Tech's football team as a walk-on … He was awarded the Paul Torgerson Award, given to the team's top new-comer, while performing on the scout team.

No injuries reported.

Combine: Campus: 4.81 in the 40-yard dash … 1.59 in the 10-yard dash … 2.79 in the 20-yard dash … 4.63 20-yard shuttle … 7.90 three-cone drill … 32-inch vertical jump … 9'0" broad jump … Bench pressed 225 pounds 24 times … 430-pound bench press … 550-pound squat … 32 1/2-inch arm length … 9 1/2-inch hands.

Attended George Washington (Dansville, Va.) High School, playing football for head coach Everett Woods … All-Western Valley Conference first-team selection as a senior, posting three sacks and an interception as a defensive end while also catching eight passes for 190 yards as a tight end … Lettered as a forward on the school's basketball team.

Apparel, Housing and Resource Management major … Comes from a family with deep Virginia Tech football roots … Uncle, Bobby Martin, lettered at Tech from 1986-89 … Orion's younger brother, Cam, is a teammate and standout weak-side linebacker for the Hokies (2005-present) … One of 71 college football players nominated for the 2008 American Foot-ball Coaches Association Good Works Team, earning the nomination by being a leader of Athletes in Action ministry for his entire career, visiting a Blacksburg High football player who suffered a paralyzing injury to offer encouragement, leading a local high school football clinic in the summer and serving as a Special Olympics guest speaker … At the 2008 Georgia Tech game, Martin proposed to his long-time girlfriend, Jennifer Edwards. Edwards graduated from the University of Virginia and earned a Master's from the University of Georgia … Son of Denese and David Martin … Born David Orion Martin on 9/02/85 in Danville, Virginia … Resides in Martinsville, Virginia.