For a metaphor to describe work ethic, a motor works just fine.

It implies mechanical efficiency and clean, precise movement.

But for Tennessee defensive end Ben Martin, that phrase hardly seems adequate.

"Sometimes, he might be in there for 15 plays going the same speed," defensive tackle Dan Williams said.

Martin doesn't just have a motor. He's got a nuclear reactor driving him.

Case in point came early this spring.

Williams recalled a play during an 11-on-11 scrimmage at the end of practice in which Martin came loose and "sacked" the quarterback.

Because UT's quarterbacks are off-limits for tackling during practice, UT coach Phillip Fulmer let the play continue.

And Martin didn't downshift.

"(He) ran back and tipped the ball," Williams said. "Ben, he has a motor out of this world."

For Martin, that work ethic shows up in the weight room and on the field.

It's an inherited trait, too.

"My motivation just comes from my mother, watching her as I grew up," Martin said. "Every time she went to work, she went to work to be the best and she went to work hard every day. That was my way of approaching school. If she could work that hard to provide for us, why couldn't I do the same thing in school and everything I did in life?"

That attitude more than matches the considerable talent made him one of UT's prized recruits in its 2007 signing class that ranked No. 3 in the nation according to Rivals.com.

Had he not suffered a knee injury that required minor surgery last August, Martin likely would have been on the field sooner.

Still, that motor never gave out, and he went on to play in eight games, contributing mainly on special teams.

Martin says his knee is fully healed, and he has his eyes focused on making a bigger impact this fall.

"I've got a few minor things I need to work on like my pad leverage," Martin said. "My hand placement's a lot better than it was in the fall. I understand the plays and what's going on now better than I did in the fall. Everything's just looking good for me right now."

That's certainly how Fulmer feels about it.

"I love Ben Martin," Fulmer said. "I love Ben Martin. He plays hard every down.

"He's one of those guys you just love to coach. You love to be around him as a person. You love to watch him practice because he's going hard every day. I cannot wait to see him in a game."

To get to that point, Fulmer acknowledges that Martin still has work to do from a technique and assignment standpoint.

So does Martin, and it begins with fighting the natural urge to stand up.

"My first thing is, I want to come off and stand up and see what's going on," Martin said. "That's not my job. My job is to come off, defeat my tackle or whoever I'm going against first, and then I can slide around and see what's going on there.

"In high school, you can get away with stuff like that. But here, it really comes into play."

With the departure of ends Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds, Martin should factor into Tennessee's plans at defensive end, along with Wes Brown and Robert Ayers.

To that end, Martin has added about 10 pounds to his 6-foot-5 frame since arriving on campus last summer at 230 pounds. He hopes to add an extra 10-15 pounds in time for the fall.

Still, size isn't a problem for Martin, and neither is his desire or work ethic.

And with a little refinement, Williams sees big things down the road for his teammate.

"If not this year, I know for sure next year, a lot of people are going to hear about Ben Martin," Williams says. "I promise, he's going to be a real good one."

© 2008, Knoxville News Sentinel Co.