Ready to report: Ivory Kelly-Martin
Running back Ivory Kelly-Martin has been dreaming of playing Division I football since he was seven years old. This fall, the 5-foot-11, 200-pound Illinois native will get to live the dream as he enrolls at the University of Iowa where he will wear #21 for the Hawkeyes. We caught up with Kelly-Martin to discuss his upcoming freshman year at Iowa and much more.
Q: When do you make the move to Iowa City this summer?
KELLY-MARTIN: June 11th.
Q: What are you looking forward to in starting workouts with the team?
KELLY-MARTIN: I’m looking forward to weight training, learning the new offense and running plays versus the defensive team. I am also hoping to get some drills in at DB. I love playing both positions, but we will see if that happens.
Q: You want to try to play both ways?
KELLY-MARTIN: I have always played both sides of the ball, so I would love to try.
Q: What are your goals for your freshman year? Are you hoping to play or expecting to redshirt?
KELLY-MARTIN: My goals are to learn the offense, learn the system, build a rapport with the coaching staff and compete all out for playing time. I trust the coaches and the team needs to decide if I redshirt or not, but either way I plan to be ready to compete 100% every day in practice.
Q: What was it like visiting spring practice last month now that you are so close to being there and what did you see from the new look offense?
KELLY-MARTIN: I was extremely curious about the new offense, so I was very excited to see its unveiling. Also being a senior in high school, I didn’t get to do 7 on 7 much anymore, so I was also just looking forward to seeing some good football. Also, imagining myself within the system was fun for me. I like what I saw with the offense. The running game did not look much different from what I saw. I love that Coach is keeping the Iowa pro-style running game in the offense.
Q: What will it mean to you to walk out of the tunnel at Kinnick Stadium for the first time?
KELLY-MARTIN: It will solidify that all my hard work, sacrifice, sweat, blood and tears was worth it. My family and I started this journey when I was seven years old, setting goals and implementing plans for success, so earning the opportunity to play D1 Big Ten college football was one of my first long term goals. Accomplishing it confirms that I’m on course to successfully achieving some of my more distant life goals and that means everything to me.
Q: When you look back at everything, what was it about Iowa that made it the right place for you?
KELLY-MARTIN: The coaches. I trust them and my parents trust them. The pro-style offense, the facilities and Hawkeye Nation. Hawkeye Nation has shown me so much support and love as I close out my high school career. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to give everything I can on the field for the team, the school, and Hawkeye Nation to show my appreciation.
A three-star prospect, Kelly-Martin committed to Iowa last April, choosing the Hawkeyes over scholarship offers from Illinois, Arizona, Wisconsin, Syracuse, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Toledo, New Mexico, Western Michigan, Buffalo, Northern Illinois, and Miami of Ohio, among others.
As a senior, Kelly-Martin had 159 carries for 1,360 yards and 22 touchdowns on the ground to go along with 19 catches for 287 yards and four touchdowns.
See highlights from Kelly-Martin's senior year at Oswego East in the video below.