TROY – Everyone keeps getting it wrong about Carlton Martial. Every time Troy’s sophomore linebacker reaches the “ceiling” others assign to him, he raises the roof.
Just before training camp last season, the diminutive inside linebacker (5-10, 217) from Mobile earned a scholarship after a walk-on season in which he redshirted.
He rewarded that faith Troy’s coaches had in him by having a massive freshman season. Martial started nine games and was second on the team with 76 tackles – the sixth highest total by a freshman in the country. In the Trojans’ bowl victory over Buffalo in his hometown, the McGill-Toolen product had six tackles, forced two fumbles and recovered a fumble.