Martell Pettaway
Running Back / Middle Tennessee State
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?
Martell Pettaway: I am currently 5’9 and 212 pounds.
Alex Khvatov: How did you prepare for the 2020 season with no offseason training?
Martell Pettaway: I was doing things on my own in my neighborhood. Circuit training in the garage and in the front yard.
Alex Khvatov: Besides football, what other sports did you play in high school?
Martell Pettaway: I ran track and played basketball a little bit. I ran 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 4x200m.
Alex Khvatov: What positions did you play in high school?
Martell Pettaway: I played RB, receiver and DB.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?
Martell Pettaway: I just got my first offer from Michigan State at the end of my sophomore year. My big offer came from West Virginia late at 11 o’clock at night. I was sleeping at the time. My parents told me about it the following morning.
Alex Khvatov: How did you wind up at West Virginia?
Martell Pettaway: I took a visit. I liked what I saw. The coaches, the atmosphere, and the facilities.
Alex Khvatov: How would you describe your overall career with the Mountaineers?
Martell Pettaway: I was supposed to redshirt my freshman year until we played Iowa State. Everyone in the backfield was injured at RB that week. I burned my redshirt year. I played the last two games of the season including the bowl game. We went 10-3 that year and lost in the bowl game to Miami, FL. Against Iowa State, I ran for 181 yards on 30 carries and a TD. The other two games, I got about five carries. I had a new position coach next year. Tony Dews is the Titans RB coach now. We went 7-6 that year. It was a decent year. I played here and there during my sophomore year. I ended the season with less than 200 yards. Junior year, I kind of took off. I was the second leading rusher on the team. I had over 600 yards on less than 100 carries and seven TD’s. I played four games as a senior, and I redshirted my senior season.
Alex Khvatov: Why did you transfer to Middle Tennessee State for your final season?
Martell Pettaway: I felt like the coaches at West Virginia last year weren’t going to give me a chance that I deserved to be the premier back. I felt that throughout the spring. I sat down for a meeting with the head coach. We decided that it would be best for me to leave. I was in the transfer portal in December. I talked to coach Stockstill. I felt like everything he told me was genuine and true. He kept it real with me. I just want a chance to show what I could do.
Alex Khvatov: What can we expect from your team this upcoming season?
Martell Pettaway: I don’t know how everything will pan out as far as scheduling. I expect a hungry team that is ready to play and win.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths?
Martell Pettaway: I run well behind my pads. I am low to the ground. I can make people miss. I have breakaway speed, and I can run through or around you. I catch out of the backfield. I am a good pass blocker. I am a complete RB.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?
Martell Pettaway: The biggest thing I have been working on is accelerating out of the cut. Going from 0 to 60 quicker. I have been working heavily on it the last six months.
Alex Khvatov: What is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Martell Pettaway: When we played at Texas, we had the best college experience. Junior year, we won on the last play. Our QB Will Grier converted the two-point conversion.
Alex Khvatov: What is the biggest lesson that you have taken away from your coaching staff?
Martell Pettaway: Sometimes you have to make yourself uncomfortable in order to become comfortable.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Martell Pettaway: I have been a Patriots fan growing up.
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Martell Pettaway: Christian McCaffrey.
Alex Khvatov: What players on your team should we keep an eye on for this upcoming season?
Martell Pettaway: RB Amir Rasul, DL Jordan Ferguson, CB Raheme Fuller, QB Chase Cunningham, QB Asher O’Hara and WR Jarrin Pierce. Our whole WR core is good.
Alex Khvatov: Who is the best player that you have faced on an opposing team?
Martell Pettaway: I played against two good LB’s. Gary Johnson from Texas and Kenneth Murray from Oklahoma. They were faster than your usual LB’s in the Big 12. They were always around the ball.
Alex Khvatov: What is the most important trait for a RB?
Martell Pettaway: Good feet. It can get you out of a sticky situation.
Alex Khvatov: What do you enjoy most about football?
Martell Pettaway: The atmosphere and just the hype from the crowd gets me going. I like making plays. I feel very comfortable when I am on the field.
Alex Khvatov: What makes you unique?
Martell Pettaway: Just my natural instincts. Instincts make me stand out.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Martell Pettaway: I am an avid gamer. I like watching YouTube, chilling, listening to music and working out.
Alex Khvatov: What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?
Martell Pettaway: I want to start my own business venture. One of them is landscaping and flooring. Real estate is another idea that I have. I graduated last fall from West Virginia, and I am currently working on my master’s in social work.
Alex Khvatov: What five words best describe you?
Martell Pettaway: Strong, comical, courageous, witty, and chill.
