Q&A: Martin Emerson

STARKVILLE - Each week during the 2020 football season, HailState.com will catch up with one football student-athlete to talk about football, personal favorites and everything that makes them unique. This week, we catch up with sophomore cornerback Martin Emerson.

Q: What motivates you on gameday?
ME: Being there for my brothers and doing my job for the team. I just want [my teammates] to know that they can depend on me. That is my main goal. [The fans] motivate me a lot, too. It makes me want to [work] harder.

Q: What were your emotions after your first career interception against Southern Miss last season?
ME: It was a great feeling because in high school I only recorded one career interception. In high school, teams really didn't throw my way, so it felt good [to get that interception]. Playing at this level and to get my first pick [as a freshman] was a great accomplishment.

Q: Do you have a favorite series on Netflix?
ME: All-American. It is about a young black kid growing up and beating the odds. You know, he is just trying to make it. There are a lot of things that I can relate to, a lot of things that I had to face that he had to face.

Q: What is the best way for you to start a day?
ME: I would say wake up and listen to music. I listen to Kodak Black. It is a Florida artist and he is my favorite rapper. Music really motivates me. Music gets me through a lot of stuff. I am always listening to music. If I am not in meetings or class, I am listening to music.

Q: Who has influenced you the most during your football career?
ME: I would say my older brother and my father. My father really put me into the game. The reason why I am playing football is because of him. My older brother, he came before me. We always had dreams of growing up and going to the NFL, playing at a Division I level. He didn't make it to this level, so just doing things that he wasn't able to do motivates me.

Q: What is one thing that you could not live without?
ME: I would say football, but also music.

Q: What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
ME: Don't let anyone outwork you. That is in everything, not just in sports: in the classroom, in the weight room, everywhere. When I take out the trash, I just want to be the best guy to take out the trash. Whatever I do I always give 100 percent. My father and my high school coach Kadetrix Marcus [both would tell me that]...[Kadetrix] always pumps me up and gives me motivation speeches. He is another father figure in my life.

Q: How do you spend your free time when you have some?
ME: I love to play Call of Duty. I play with Jaylon Reed and Esaias Furdge.

Q: How did you find out you were making your first career start last season against LSU?
ME: Our coach always told us whichever corner had the best week would get to start. He never told us [early in the week], he always told us towards the end of the week. He called me in and told me on Wednesday, and it was a great feeling. I called my father and my brother. They were proud because of all the work, time and effort I have put into it. I knew it was coming but I didn't know it was coming that soon.

Q: You have worn the number one most of your football career. What makes that number special to you?
ME: [The number one] is really special to me. My first year, I wore 46 and I played defensive end. My second year, I moved to quarterback and started wearing number one. I have worn that number all the way to this point. Having that number, it is a part of me. I don't want to change. I am thankful for that number. I feel like it is just me.

Q: You played defensive end to start your football career, why did your coach put you at that position? When and why did you move to defensive back?
ME: When I started my career, I was four years old. It was lot of kids and it was my learning year. I started playing cornerback my tenth grade year. I was playing receiver to start that year, but my coach told me they needed me to play cornerback. I didn't want to, but I am happy they made me do it. I was an offensive guy my whole life, I never wanted to play defense. Then, I started the last four games of my tenth grade year at cornerback and I got my first offer from Mississippi State and that was special.

Mississippi State University Athletics

Players Mentioned

Martin Emerson

Esaias Furdge

Jaylon Reed

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