Oliver Martin’s family has hired an attorney to help with his appeal process
By Pat Harty
CHICAGO – Oliver Martin’s family has hired a lawyer to assist with his appeal process.
Running back Henry Geil isn’t with the team this summer, but is expected to return for preseason camp.
And beer sales are coming to Kinnick Stadium, probably sooner than later.
Those were among the three biggest Iowa Hawkeye news items to come from the annual Big Ten media day event on Friday.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz met with reporters on Friday and the first question he was asked was about Martin’s playing status.
Ferentz said Martin’s family has hired a lawyer to assist with the appeal process.
The former Michigan receiver, who graduated from Iowa City West High School, wants to play this season after having transferred to Iowa earlier this summer.
“I know Oliver has appealed it, so we’ll just wait and see what happens,” Ferentz said. “I have no idea right now what the time table will be or anything like that.”
The Iowa compliance department is handling Martin’s appeal process, now with help from an attorney.
“I’m hardly an authority and we’ll just kind of wait it out and see where it goes,” Ferentz said. “But he’s be training with the team all summer long and doing a great job. He’s fit right in with everybody, and obviously, he knows Iowa City a little bit.
“I think he’s doing a great job and everybody seems to be happy that he’s on our team.”
Ferentz was asked if he feels that Iowa needs for Martin to play this season.
“We certainly weren’t counting on him, so I think that’d be silly that we need him,” Ferentz said. “But we obviously think he’s a real good football player and a good young person.
“If he can help our football team I’m all for anybody helping us. But we’re not counting on it. It would be a bonus if that happened.”
The fact that Martin’s family has hired an attorney to assist with the appeal process could be beneficial, considering how many other student-athletes have won their appeals with help from an attorney.
“I’m not an expert on the topic at all,” Ferentz said. “But as an outsider looking at it, it certainly seems that your chances of getting things your way increase a little bit if you have somebody helping you.
“But we’ll just wait and see. There is no way of predicting right now. So we’ll wait and see and let those things work themselves out.”
Ferentz declined to comment on Michigan’s stance with Martin other than to say that as far as he knows everybody is cooperating.
Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh said Friday that he was surprised that Martin chose to transfer under the circumstances.
“I was surprised that Oliver transferred,” Harbaugh said. “He really had a heck of a spring and was at the top of our depth chart coming out of spring ball and was doing very well in school. On his way to the Ross Business School. So that was a surprise.”
Harbaugh said it wasn’t up to him when asked if he would allow for Martin to play right away for Iowa.
“I have nothing to do with his ability to play right away,” Harbaugh said. “My opinion on it, which I could give you, is that it should be clear to what the rules are for youngsters when they transfer. My opinion is that every student-athlete should have a one-time ability to transfer and not have to sit out a year, and then if they were to transfer a second time, then the previous rule that we had, where you had to sit out a year of eligibility.”
Martin is one of three receivers who transferred to Iowa this summer. The others are Buffalo transfer Charlie Jones and Jack Combs from Central Michigan.
Ferentz said Friday that Jones and Combs will both be redshirted this season.
As for Giel’s status with the team, Ferentz said Gell isn’t participating in the summer program, but is expected to join the team for the start of preseason practice in August.
“He’ll have a chance to get it going again, and hopefully, he’ll be healthy and ready to roll,” Ferentz said of Geil, who was redshirted as a true freshman las season.
Iowa currently has six running backs on scholarships, including incoming freshmen Tyler Goodson and Shadrick Byrd.
Iowa returns its top three running backs from last season in juniors Mekhi Sargent, Toren Young and Ivory Kelly-Martin.
“Our top three guys we feel good about,” Ferentz said. “Byrd did a nice job in the spring for a young guy. And we’re anxious to see what Goodson can do, too.”
Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta also met with the media on Friday and discussed a number of topics, including the possibility of selling beer at Kinnick Stadium.
Barta said it wouldn’t happen this coming season, but he gave strong hints on Friday that it could happen soon.
He mentioned a conversation that he had with Bruce Harreld shortly after Harreld was hired as the Iowa President in 2015.
“I said keep your eye on a tipping point and the tipping point being that eventually from an entertaining standpoint selling beer and wine in stadiums and arenas across the country will probably become the norm,” Barta said. “The NCAA has now approved for all championshipos. You’re seeing more and more schools every year approve it.
“So I anticipate at some point we’ll get there. The goal won’t be financial, although, that could be a side benefit.”
Injurt report: Ferentz said his team is healthy for the most part. Junior linebacker Barrington Wade has been slowed by a foot injury, but Ferentz said Friday that Wade should be ready for the start of practice.