Productive Foxcroft Academy receiver passes up scholarship offers to play for UMaine football team
By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff
When it comes to assessing skill position players, their productivity is at the top of the list of requirements for University of Maine head football coach Nick Charlton.
So when Foxcroft Academy wide receiver Logan Martin was introduced Feb. 3 as a member of the Black Bears’ recruiting class, Charlton had numbers.
He revealed that Martin scored a touchdown for every 4.8 times he touched the ball during his junior year in 2019. The 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Productivity is the first thing you want to look at and he’s been very productive,” said Charlton, adding that Martin can play multiple positions. “He’s a great kid from a good family and he is excited about playing in his home state.”
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Martin carried the ball 90 times for 750 yards and 15 touchdowns, caught 44 passes for 725 yards and 11 more TDs, and he also returned three interceptions for touchdowns and had two kick return TDs.
He will be a preferred walk-on initially, a non-scholarship player.
“Not a lot of Maine kids have played Division I football,” Martin said. “Not a lot of Maine kids have been to the NFL, not a lot of Maine kids have been recruited.
“I’m blessed to be in this position but one thing I’ve learned throughout this process is patience,” added Martin, who said he chose UMaine over New Hampshire and Wagner College on Staten Island in New York City, one of two programs he said offered him a full scholarship along with Division II Saint Anselm College of Manchester, New Hampshire.
Fryeburg Academy senior tight end Eli Mahan was the other in-state player. He is 6-4, 240 pounds.
“Eli joins the University of Maine as one of the top in-state prospects with great versatility on the football field,” Charlton said. “He brings a lot of talent and skill on the field and in the classroom. We are thrilled he has chosen to stay at home and play for the Black Bears.
“Eli will join an already exciting tight ends room,” Charlton added.
The Black Bears had started practicing to prepare for their six-game Colonial Athletic Association spring season. The traditional fall campaign was canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
The class also includes three transfers in offensive linemen P.J. Barr (Bucknell) and George French (Penn State) and long snapper-linebacker Charles Eberle (Ithaca). The group also features kicker-punter Cole Baker of Wrentham, Massachusetts, wide receiver Tyrese Baptiste of Everett, Massachusetts, defensive lineman Xavier Holmes of Clarksburg, Maryland, and quarterback Joey McCracken of Lititz, Pennsylvania.
Barr and Eberle will be in Orono in the fall but the 6-8, 320-pound French is practicing with the team after spending the fall semester at Penn State.
Charlton said the offensive line is one of their top recruiting priorities because, even though they return four veterans with a lot of experience, UMaine wants to develop depth and create competition for the starting jobs.
Another key position was defensive back and the Black Bears brought in five earlier.
Third-team All-America offensive tackle Liam Dobson has committed to Football Bowl Subdivision school Texas State.
Barr (6-3, 285) was a Bucknell captain in 2019 and was chosen the team’s top offensive lineman. He started all 11 games, nine at left tackle and two at left guard.
Baker, a first-team all-conference kicker at King Philip Regional High School, booted nine field goals, including five of 30 yards or more.
Kicker Kenny Doak passed up his final year at UMaine to transfer, landing at Southeast Missouri, and Charlton has brought in other kickers to compete for the vacancy.
The long snapper is another key special teams position and UMaine has an outstanding one in senior Bryce Colee. Eberle will bring that experience to UMaine next fall.
Charlton said UMaine has always placed a high priority on special teams players and has made them scholarship players.
“We feel we need to find areas to gain an edge at the University of Maine and we have done that with our special teams,” Charlton said.
McCracken is the third Pennsylvania quarterback to join the program over the last five years. Chris Ferguson (Fort Washington) started for three seasons before suffering a season-ending injury midway through the 2019 season and being replaced by true freshman Joe Fagnano (Williamsport).
McCracken, a two-time 5A All-State selection, completed 75 of 121 passes for 1,312 yards and 11 TDs for 8-1 Warwick High School and threw for 6,154 yards and 65 TDs in his career. He was only intercepted 11 times and he also rushed for 446 yards and 3 TDs.
Holmes was a dominating defensive lineman at Jireh Prep where he had 21 tackles for loss, including 12 sacks, with three forced fumbles and an interception return for a TD in his last season.
Baptiste was a game-changing wide receiver who was also recruited by FBS schools.
“I am very excited about this class,” Charlton said. “We have a good mix of players at different positions from all over the country. The staff did a great job.”
Bangor Daily News reporter Ernie Clark contributed to this report.