Former Auburn RBs Martin, Ingram join Troy program

Former Auburn running backs Asa Martin and Jordon Ingram have joined the football program at Troy, a school spokesman confirmed to AL.com.

Both Martin and Ingram are enrolled in spring semester classes and will participate in spring practice for the Trojans, the 2022 Sun Belt Conference champions. Martin has one year of eligibility remaining, while Ingram has three.

Martin — who spent the last four seasons at Memphis — signed with Auburn in the 2018 class after being name Mr. Football by the Alabama Sports Writers Association at Decatur’s Austin High School the previous fall. A four-star prospect coming out of high school, he played in five games mostly on special teams as a true freshman.

Then-Auburn head coach Gus Malzahn later admitted the Tigers planned to play Martin in only four games that season in order to preserve his redshirt year, but staffers apparently miscounted and played him in five. Martin transferred to Miami, but never played for the Hurricanes before transferring a second time to Memphis.

After sitting out the 2019 season under NCAA transfer rules, Martin played three seasons as part of Memphis’ running back rotation. He rushed for a career-best 435 yards and seven touchdowns and also caught 36 passes this past season for the Tigers, and entered the portal as a graduate transfer two weeks ago.

Auburn running back Jordon Ingram (24) carries the ball during the 2022 A-Day spring game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. Ingram has transferred to Troy. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)AP

Ingram originally signed with Central Michigan out of Mobile’s St. Paul’s Episcopal School, but did not play as a true freshman in 2020. He transferred to Auburn and got two carries for eight yards against Alabama State in his lone appearance of the 2021 season.

Ingram did not see any game action for the Tigers in 2022, and entered the transfer portal in December. He was rated a three-star prospect coming out of high school.

Martin and Ingram join a Troy running back group that returns leading rusher Kimani Vidal in 2023, but must replace highly productive graduating senior DK Billingsley. Vidal rushed for 1,132 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2022, with Billingsley adding 670 yards and eight scores.