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Kyle Bonagura, ESPN Staff Writer
Oregon State running back Damien Martinez plans to enter the transfer portal when it opens April 15, sources told ESPN.
Martinez finished second in the Pac-12 with 1,185 rushing yards and had nine touchdowns on 194 carries in 2023. He was set to make more than $400,000 in name, image and likeness deals to remain at Oregon State, a source told ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
In November, after coach Jonathan Smith left to become the head coach at Michigan State, Martinez announced his intention to remain in Corvallis. He is the latest in a line of high-profile departures at Oregon State, which is one of two teams remaining in the Pac-12 — along with Washington State — following the conference’s collapse last year. The Beavers have a scheduling agreement to play six Mountain West opponents for two seasons.
Martinez was briefly suspended following an arrest for driving under the influence of intoxicants in November, before being reinstated after the Benton County district attorney chose not to file charges. After being reinstated, Martinez did not play in the Beavers’ Sun Bowl loss against Notre Dame.
He has two years of eligibility remaining.