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November 12, 2014
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BIG STAR
The unlikely MVP of the 2013 New Era Pinstripe Bowl refuses to stay in the
shadows
When former Notre Dame left tackle Zack Martin took home the 2013 New Era Pinstripe Bowl David C. Koch MVP trophy
after he helped lead the Fighting Irish to a 29-16 win over Rutgers, it marked the first time an offensive lineman had
been named sole MVP of a bowl game since 1959. The Dallas Cowboys selected Martin with the 16th overall pick in the
2014 NFL Draft, and he picked up right where he left off. The Indianapolis native immediately earned a starting spot, and
midway through the season, while fans and pundits were calling him a potential Pro Bowler and Offensive Rookie of the
Year candidate, Martin took some time to talk with Yankees senior editor Jon Schwartz about his New Era Pinstripe Bowl
experience, along with plenty of other topics.
Jon Schwartz: So, midway through your first year, how’s your transition going?
Zack Martin: It’s been good. It’s been really fun. A big learning experience and something that I obviously love doing.
You get to learn something new every day and really work on what you love to do.
JS: What are some of the things that have surprised you about the league? I know you expected the players to be
bigger, better and faster, but what has caught you off-guard?
ZM: I don’t know about off-guard, but I think the biggest surprise is the consistency of the players you’re going against.
Every week you have a very hard matchup. You come in, you play a game, and then the next day you come in and take
a look at tape for the next week and you’ve got another really hard matchup. So, I think it’s just the consistency of the
players, week in and week out.
JS: Going back to the 2013 New Era Pinstripe Bowl, what was your favorite part about that experience?
ZM: I think just being [in Midtown]. We were right there in Times Square. We were able to go out and see the city. And it
being Christmastime was pretty special. We had a blast walking down through Times Square and doing all that.
JS: You also played in the first football game at the new Yankee Stadium — Notre Dame’s 27-3 win over Army on Nov.
20, 2010. How did the two games compare, in your mind?
ZM: Well, the last one was a lot better because we got to enjoy it a little more. The first time we went there, we flew in
the night before, played the game, and left. So, this last time we were there for a whole week. We really got to go around
and see the history of the Stadium, be in Times Square, enjoy the city a little bit. So it was a much better experience.
JS: At this point you have people talking Pro Bowl, Offensive Rookie of the Year. Has this all escalated pretty fast? Is it
shocking to you?
ZM: I mean, yeah, it’s gone by fast so far. The biggest thing is to live in the moment. We’re judged on a week-to-week
basis, and what we’ve done so far doesn’t really matter; what matters is the following week. So, we have a big game this
week, and let’s keep rolling like that.
JS: Was playing football in the NFL always your dream, or did you have other ideas?
ZM: No, this has kind of always been it for me. Where I come from, it’s a football town. This is what I always wanted.
JS: Is it scary to be there at this point? Is it strange?
ZM: I mean, yeah. You think back and kind of enjoy the moment a little bit, but you stay grounded each day.
This interview is an excerpt; the full-length version will appear in the 2014 New Era Pinstripe Bowl official game
program.
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