Martin to grayshirt at UCF

By ADAM PRUIETT

adamp@nwfdailynews.com

Finding out your shoulder is a wreck would be devastating news to most football players. For Chris Martin, it was a relief.

The former Choctawhatchee standout and University of Central Florida signee injured his left shoulder last season in the fourth game while making a tackle against Niceville. After being diagnosed with a grade one separation, which is characterized by tenderness but no actual separation, he missed one game and returned for the rest of the season.

Problem was, Martin never felt right and there was significant pain after every game. When he got to Central Florida and was examined by team doctors for his physical, Martin finally found out why: He actually had a grade three separation and had torn all the ligaments in his shoulder.

Martin underwent surgery approximately three weeks ago and won't play football this season. Instead, he's going to grayshirt, which means he'll rehab at home for the fall semester, enroll at Central Florida in December and begin next year football-wise as a freshman.

"It's the best thing for me and my eligibility," Martin said of grayshirting. "It's the best thing considering the surgery had to be done."

Speaking by phone from Central Florida's fieldhouse on Friday, Martin sounded upbeat and optimistic. While he's saddened about missing this season, any sense of despair doesn't compare to the relief he feels from getting some closure on his shoulder.

"I'm glad they found it my freshman year instead of me living with it and suffering later in life," Martin said.

He said Central Florida's coaches were disappointed after learning the extent of the injury, which Martin said will take four to six months to rehab. The All-Area performer, who still managed 10 sacks and 62 tackles last season, was slated as a second-team defensive tackle on the Knights' depth chart.

"I'll continue to work hard when I'm not here and come back even better," Martin said.

Martin will return home Monday. Right now at Central Florida, he's doing leg workouts, learning the playbook, attending meetings and helping with defensive hand signals during practices, all while looking forward to a healthy future.

"I'm glad I'm getting it fixed and will be able to come back without any pain," Martin said.