In the history of Muskegon football, there have been three 300-yard rushing games by a Big Reds player.
Junior quarterback Cameron Martinez has two of those, the last coming against Grand Rapids Christian on Friday when he rushed for 301 yards on 19 carries in a 42-17 district championship victory.
He racked up 352 against Muskegon Mona Shores and 294 versus Warren De La Salle in the season opener.
For the season, Martinez has 1,955 yards rushing and 610 through the air, none of which came in the first two games of the season against De La Salle or Detroit King, whom the Big Reds seem on a collision course with for the Division 3 state championship.
But Michigan State, with whom Martinez has been in communication with, has yet to offer a scholarship.
“(MSU) wanted to wait and see how I played against De La Salle and King,’’ Martinez said. “... I’ve been hearing from coaches mostly through Twitter. I just visited Michigan yesterday (Saturday). I’ve been to Michigan State 10 times since middle school going to high school, and they still haven’t offered. I don’t know what’s going on. They text me and write me, but they’re kind of dragging me along at this point."
The 5-foot-11, 180-pounder is a first-year starter as quarterback for the Big Reds. He replaced La'Darius Jefferson, who is in the running back rotation at MSU.
“We (Jefferson) really haven’t talked,’’ Martinez said. “He reached out and congratulated me after the Shores game that I had. Since then I haven’t talked to him.’’
Martinez was at the Northwestern-Michigan game in Ann Arbor on Sept. 29 along with Northwestern commit Rod Heard of Farmington Hills Harrison, Josh DeBerry of De La Salle and Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen of Walled Lake Western.
Muskegon's Cameron Martinez, right, is joined at the Michigan-Northwestern game by (from left) Warren De La Salle's Josh DeBerry, Walled Lake Western's Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen and Farmington Hills Harrison's Rod Heard. (Photo: Khalid Yaseen Special to Detroit Free Press)
Heard, a senior, is trying to pull all three to Evanston, Ill.
“I had a great time down there,’’ Martinez said. “(Northwestern) offered me after the game. I haven’t really talked to Rod since that trip. The trip was great. I loved it there. They talked a lot about the Michigan takeover and I liked that a lot. If Josh committed there with Rod, that would be big.’’
Martinez said he talks to MSU more than U-M, but neither team has offered.
“He went to the Michigan-Penn State game over the weekend. He has been to Notre Dame and he’s going back down this weekend," Muskegon coach Shane Fairfield said. “There are teams sleeping on him and it’s going to be too late."
Despite lugging the ball more than any player on the roster, Martinez said his body feels great.
“I’m not playing both ways, so that has helped. I used to play offense and defense, so playing just one way has helped my body," Martinez said.
But last week, Fairfield played Martinez in at defensive back. His 247Sports profile lists him as an athlete, and the 19th top player in the class of 2020 in Michigan.
“He’s one of the most unique and special players I’ve ever coached," Fairfield said. “Playing quarterback doesn’t even begin to show his ability.
“He changed the whole dynamic of our defense. He’s a high-character kid. We don’t even play him at slot receiver, where he would be outstanding.’’
Martinez might not be a quarterback in college, but Fairfield said he would be solid at slot receiver or defensive back.
His skills as a passer have improved.
“I’m trusting my reads and my receivers more," Martinez said. “From the beginning of the season until now I’ve gained more confidence. We had a close game against East Grand Rapids (42-35) and I threw a touchdown pass late in the first half that was a big play."
Contact Perry A. Farrell: pafarrell@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @farrellperry.
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