Hello, everybody. Welcome to another episode of Hawk Blog Mornings. I am Brian M. Howes. You can find me on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, all the places at HawkBlogger. And today, pretty cool day. I get to talk to Damien Martinez, number 22, your new rookie running back for the Shal C. Hawks. How are you doing today, Damien? I'm good. I'm good. Thank you for having me. Man, it's great to have you. And third day of padded practice, yeah? Like, you got a little day off yesterday, a little slower day. How you feeling? I'm good. I'm feeling real good, you know, just connecting with the guys and the vets. You know, they make it real easy'm good i'm feeling real good you know just

connected with the guys and the vets you know they make it real easy connecting with them but

just you know getting ready for the season preseason coming up so just getting ready for that

so you know you've had this this opportunity to to come all the way to seattle after being in

oregon state then going to miami you know pacific northwest seems to be pulling you back. What was your reaction when you came, you know, you were coming back to Seattle, coming back to Northwest? I'm just blessed for the opportunity, you know, coaches wanted to have me, but, you know, just felt like home, really. You know, just being up here before, it feels the same as being in Oregon State and just, you know, kind of similar offense, zone heavy, so just ready to get to it.

Well, and I was talked to one of your rookie teammates, Tori Horton, the other day. The two of you are probably the two most common where people are like, man, how did they get those guys? Those guys are a steel where they got them. And I saw on Tori, the opposite side for you guys, you're like, man, I'm happy to be a steal, but I would have been like I expected to go a little bit earlier.

Were you a little surprised to last till seven?

I mean, you know, I don't really look at it that way. Just like I said, blessed for the opportunity, grateful to be on a team and just happy I got picked. Matt, so a lot of people talk about just how aggressive physical of a runner you are. But I think that sells you short as a change of direction direction you're hezzy and like you've got a lot in the toolbox man you agree with that yeah no for sure i definitely agree with that i just you know you don't probably see it as much as the other guys or i wasn't as i guess a big hype like that so i don't really talk about it i mean most of the times i see that it's in the open field for you. Like you burst through the hole, your physical through the hole.

But then when you're getting to that second level, you are deadlegging guys. You are like, you're making guys miss. And so getting out here going against this defense, what are your initial impressions of this Seahawks defense? I mean, you know, it's nothing too crazy as far as the speed, you know, from college

to NFL, to me at least, you know, just being, like I said, being in a comfortable offense that I've been, I've been a part of before. So it's nothing new to me. But the defense is just, defense of speed is different. You know, the guys are bigger, stronger, faster, all that. but just, you know, how fast they play and just, they know their cues, so they get there a lot quicker to spots.

It seemed like the hitting was ramped up today.

People really bringing it. just, you know, how fast they play and just, they know their cues, so they get there a lot quicker to spots.

It seemed like the hitting was ramped up today. People really bringing it. Anyone get your attention in particular that you met in the hole? No, not yet, you know, a lot of just real thud and things like that, but I'm ready to get to the first preseason game, let it loose for a. And then, you know, offensive line's been a big conversation for the Seahawks, obviously, and they've invested a lot. They've got a lot of young guys up there. How has it been for you so far right in this wide zone? Are you finding holes? You find them like you feel like there's progress being made on how this team's running the ball? Yeah, no, I definitely feel like, you know, there's a lot of, there's a lot of

trust being built. That's where it comes from a lot, you know, where the main, like, kind of

core comes from, you know, just being able to trust your guys and know, they're going to get their job done and trust in that they'll do their part. So, you know, you kind of fit in where it goes, you know and just finding that flow with the offense i feel like there's a lot building right there

we're two days away from you putting on paths and going to the looming field uh for the scrimmage

you're looking forward to to that first moment? Yeah, like I said, just ready to let it loose for real. Full go. So last thing I ask you, you know, obviously Clint Kubiak's in here teaching OC. You got Kennedy, Paul Malu, running that coach. Yeah. What's been that experience?

Like, what are your impressions of Kennedy and the offensive coordinator? Really just two great guys, you know, off the field. But then when it comes on the field, they're just smart and know what they're talking about. You know, Coach KP, he's been around a lot of great. So just, you know, finding that motivation from him. and he kind of brings that fire to every day,

you know,

so it makes you want to play harder

for someone like that.

Well, you know, he kind of, he kind of brings that fire to every day, you know, so it makes you want to play harder for someone like that. Well, Damien,

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