NEW QB IN THE HOUSE FOR NITRO MORE OF A RUNNER, CHRIS MARTIN WON'T TRY TO OUTDO PREDECESSOR

Publication: CHARLESTON DAILY MAIL
Published: 08/12/1997
Page: P1B
Headline: NEW QB IN THE HOUSE FOR NITRO MORE OF A RUNNER, CHRIS MARTIN WON'T TRY TO OUTDO PREDECESSOR
Byline: TOM ALUISE

Chris Martin probably wishes he could get a bit of advice from Johnson
& Johnson, the ex-presidents.

Andrew Johnson and Lyndon Johnson knew what it was like to follow in
the famous footsteps of highly successful people, namely Lincoln and
Kennedy.

At Nitro High School this season, Martin is taking over the
quarterback position vacated by last year's Kennedy Award winner, J.R.
House.

All House did as a sophomore was lead the Wildcats to the Class AAA
playoffs for the first time in over 30 years. He threw for 3,641 yards
and 31 touchdowns, both West Virginia prep records and set another
single-game passing mark with 457 yards against Herbert Hoover.

House left Nitro following the football season for Seabreeze High,
near Daytona Beach, Fla. In two years as the Wildcat QB, he amassed
5,656 yards through the air with 42 TDs.

So, how does Martin top that?

Easy. He doesn't try.

"I don't have to do the same things he did,' said the 5-foot-9,
165-pound junior, who played receiver in 1996 and caught 67 of House's
offerings for 1,210 yards and six TDs during the regular season. "I'm
a different quarterback.'

While the Wildcats had a House at QB last year, this season they'll
feature a mobile home.

House, who unleashed an average of about 40 passes per game, liked to
sit in the pocket and search out receivers.

Martin, who can run a 4.5 40-yard dash, favors moving around.

"I can still pass some, but I'm more of a runner,' said Martin, who
last played QB at Andrew Jackson Middle School.

Nitro Coach Robert "Little' Burdette said the Wildcats will throw
about half as much as last year. They open the season Aug. 29 at
Winfield.

"Chris can hurt people with the run, whether he's running down the
line, around the end or up the middle,' Burdette said. "Chris can
make something out of nothing.

"We'll still throw 20 to 25 times a game,' Burdette said. "We like to
throw. We've got a lot of confidence in our passing game and we've got
a lot of confidence in Chris.'

Nitro returns almost every starter from last year's 7-4 team. The
Wildcats lost, however, perhaps the one guy they couldn't afford.

"Obviously we lost a real good player,' Burdette said. "But that
doesn't mean we can't win ballgames. We just have to find a way to do
it.'

Burdette didn't rule out a return this season by House, who worked out
with his former teammates last week before heading off to the Sunshine
State.

"He's gone,' Burdette said. "But if he ever comes back to Nitro High
School and he's eligible, he's our quarterback. Period. There's no
controversy.

"And our kids are fine with that. The kids wanted him to stay in the
first place.'

Including Martin.

"I was wanting him to come back,' Martin said.