‘Heartbroken’: Boise State to honor Doug Martin, dead at 36, at Nevada game
Boise State football coach Spencer Danielson said Monday afternoon that the team plans to honor former running back Doug Martin during the game at Nevada on Friday night.
Martin’s family announced Sunday afternoon that he died Saturday at the age of 36. It was later revealed that Martin died while in police custody in Oakland, California, following an alleged break-in and subsequent medical emergency.
“Heartbroken for him and his family,” Danielson said Monday. “Obviously, our team is mourning that loss because he’s a part of this brotherhood, and we’re hurting for him and his family.”
Martin played at Boise State from 2007 to 2011 and had a crucial role on teams that went on dominant runs — going 50-3 in his college career, including an unbeaten 2009 season. He ranks in the top 10 in numerous categories for the Broncos, including rushing yards (8th, 3,431), rushing touchdowns (6th, 43) and rushing yards per game (9th, 66).
He was drafted 31st overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012 and enjoyed a seven-year NFL career that included two Pro Bowl invites and being named a First-Team All-Pro in 2015.
When asked what the team had planned to honor Martin, Danielson said they’re still “working through it.” Boise State travels to Reno, Nevada, to take on the Wolf Pack on Friday, with kickoff at 8 p.m. Mountain time.
“We’re working through a decal on our helmet,” Danielson said. “We put some stuff out on social media, just trying to find the right way. I talked to our team today about Doug, and obviously, all of our players know of him and are heartbroken for his family. Gone too soon.”
A floor-to-ceiling decal of Martin celebrating, the big No. 22 on his chest, can be found near the entrance to the team room at the program’s Bleymaier Football Center.
One person still around the program who knew Martin well is offensive coordinator Nate Potter, who played offensive tackle at Boise State at the same time, meaning he was often the one fighting to open the holes for the running back.
“I know a lot of guys get a lot of credit for those teams, but Doug was the heart and soul of our offense,” Potter said Monday. “Just the way he ran the football, he could catch the football, and he protected. He did it all for us, and he brought an energy, a physicality, a spark every time we stepped on the field.”
Potter said he has fond memories of celebrating with Martin in the end zone on countless occasions, and specifically in the 2010 Fiesta Bowl, when Martin leaped over a TCU defender for the game-winning touchdown.
Potter also said one of the things he remembers best about Martin is the sound he’d make when running the football and battling for yards.
“I remember the sound of the contact he made when he finished runs, and the violence that he ran with and the balance that he had,” Potter said. “Just being amazed when I was out on the field with him.”
Former teammate Charles Leno, who played offensive tackle at Boise State from 2009 to 2013 and is from Oakland like Martin, agreed with Potter that his former teammate was the “heart and soul” of those Broncos teams.
“Guys absolutely just loved the person he is, how he showed up every day for his guys,” Leno told the Idaho Statesman. “I don’t think anybody has anything bad to say about Doug while we were at Boise State.
“Doug was just a grinder, a hard worker. Doug would be the first one to do anything; he’ll do anything for his guys, do anything for the team. He was just a team guy.”
Boise State at Nevada
- When: 8 p.m. Mountain time, Friday
- Where: Mackay Stadium (30,000, turf)
- TV: CBS Sports Network (Rich Waltz, Robert Turbin)
- Radio: KBOI 670 AM/KTIK 93.1 FM (Bob Behler, Pete Cavender)
- Records: Boise State 5-2, 3-0 Mountain West; Nevada 1-6, 0-3
- Series: Boise State leads the series 32-14
- Vegas betting line: Boise State by 21.5
- Weather: 66 degrees, partly cloudy, 7% chance of rain
This story was originally published October 20, 2025 at 4:39 PM.
