'I was in a dark spot': Uncertain if he'd play again, how Ball State's Brandon Martin came back from injury

MUNCIE, Ind. — For Brandon Martin, there's no better feeling than running onto the field at Scheumann Stadium on game day.

In Ball State's homecoming game against Miami (Ohio), the middle linebacker was one of the first to cross the field. But when his teammates went through the tunnel of cheerleaders and photographers, veered right and scattered throughout the sideline, Martin went left. First, he looked up at the student section. Then, he turned his attention to the home bleachers.

There were 15,703 people in the crowd last Saturday, but Martin was looking for just one person — his mother, Lisa Martin.

After all, Lisa — a cancer survivor, Ball State graduate and someone who Brandon said "basically raised me and my brother on her own" — showed Brandon how to fight through adversity. Through two shoulder surgeries, two knee surgeries and everything else Brandon Martin has dealt with in his football career, his mother has always been there.

Seven weeks earlier, following Ball State's win over Western Illinois, Martin remembers standing in crutches on the same spot of the field looking up to his mother. At that time, he wasn't sure if he'd get the opportunity to do that again.

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Martin suffered a right knee injury in the fourth quarter against the Leathernecks. Martin didn't want to get in specifics on the injury, but he immediately knew something was wrong. And, based on previous injuries — including one that kept him sidelined for most of the 2019 season — Martin couldn't help but assume the worst.

"I think that, naturally, you kind of get this sense of frustration," Martin said. "... You kind of think, 'Why did this have to happen?'"

For a week-and-a-half after the injury, Martin didn't know what was going to happen. The 2020 MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Year was one of 16 "super seniors" that elected to come back this season in search of another MAC Championship.

A leader, No. 1 on the team's "Tough Cardinals" list, which recognizes the toughest players in practice, in the weight room and on the field, and someone who seemed poised to have another big season, Martin wasn't sure if he'd play again.

Martin didn't travel as Ball State tumbled in lopsided losses at Penn State and Wyoming. For as positive as a person as Martin is, he was left with frustration and questions.

"I was in a dark spot after I thought that I wasn't going to be able to play again," Martin said.

Martin struggled, but he leaned on his support system, his mother, teammates, coaches and the training staff. After about a week-and-a-half of uncertainty, Martin learned that this injury wasn't season-ending.

From that moment on, defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach Tyler Stockton saw a resurged Brandon Martin.

"I saw a guy whose whole attitude changed from a lot of uncertainty, assuming the worst that, 'Hey, this is how you're going to end your final year here at Ball State' to all of a sudden now he gets another opportunity to go out and play with his teammates," Stockton said. "It just lifted him up, lifted the guys up because even a lot of guys were upset for him and older guys were disappointed they wouldn't get a chance to play with him again. Finding out that he's going to get a chance to come back, I mean, it uplifted everybody."

On the field, Ball State played like an uplifted team after learning that news. The Cardinals competed against Toledo in Week 4, went on to dominate Army and Western Michigan in back-to-back weeks and beat Eastern Michigan.

You see, there aren't many players that impact a team like Brandon Martin does. Head coach Mike Neu said he exemplifies what it means to compete on the field, in the weight room and in the classroom. On a player-led Cardinals team, Martin has been one of the most pivotal leaders.

"He’s got a smile on his face that’s contagious and he’s an unbelievable ambassador," Neu said. "... When you talk about being a player-led team, a player-led program, that starts with guys and Brandon Martin is as good as it gets. Think about, you know, the challenges that he’s had in his career. He’s had some injuries that, you know, he’s just come back stronger than ever. He attacks his rehab with a smile and enthusiasm unknown to mankind and always comes back stronger than ever.

"I love the guy. I’m going to miss him. I’m not done trying to talk him into coming back, I’m still working on that. I’m not going to give up. I’m going to have the same mental toughness that he had, I’m going to use that same mental toughness on him to keep talking him into maybe coming back."

In his stead, junior inside linebackers Clayton Coll and Cole Pearce — who earned a scholarship after his 14-tackle game against Army — stepped up. Martin, who was seen jumping on the sideline during the Army game, cheered them along the entire time.

Martin worked on his own to reduce the swelling and get the strength back in his knee. He dressed and warmed up in Kalamazoo and Ypsilanti but didn't end up playing in either game. On homecoming, he finally got the green light.

“I mean, if there was a scale of 1-10, I was probably a 12," Martin said. "I mean, there’s no feeling like being able to run out there at the Scheu."

Martin's snaps were limited and he recorded three tackles against the RedHawks, including a touchdown-saving open-field tackle. Stockton said his snap count will go up as he splits time with Coll, Jaylin Thomas and Pearce. "I got a good problem to have," Stockton said when it comes to rotating guys in and out at linebacker.

Thomas, who is Martin's roommate, said "I love having that guy out there," even if it might mean he gets a few less snaps as he shares snaps with Martin, Coll and Pearce.

"There's just something about Brandon, you know?" Thomas said. "That guy just brings so much liveliness to anything. He's been through a lot himself, so it's just great to always be next to him on that field knowing what he's about to give, put forth on the field."

With just four guaranteed weeks left in the season, Martin said he isn't focused on any individual goals or personal legacy. His goals are to continue to lead, win football games and give the Cardinals a shot at playing in Detroit in December.

With a healthy Martin back out on the field, Ball State (4-4, 2-2 MAC) — while it still needs some help to win the MAC West Division — appears more confident in its ability to do just that.

Sitting in the team facility, just days before Ball State travels to take on Akron, Brandon Martin is smiling. A little over a month ago, he thought his season, perhaps his career, was over.

"There was a time after the Western Illinois game where I’m standing there on crutches and I’m looking up into the stands, you know, I see my mom up there," said Martin, recollecting what it was like to take the field against Miami. "We’re singing the fight song and I don’t know if there was gonna be another time where I’m standing on the field in pads being able to see her up there.

"So that was the first thing that I came out, I looked for her up in the stands and I saw her and it was just a huge moment because she’s been there through all the surgeries, through all the highs and lows of my career. Being able to finish this out with my teammates, but also for her, has been huge.”

Robby General covers Ball State and East Central Indiana high school athletics for The Star Press. Contact him via email at rgeneral@gannett.com, on Twitter @rgeneraljr or phone at 765-283-8864.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Ball State football: Linebacker Brandon Martin comes back from injury