Furman quarterback Ingle Martin once dreamed of becoming the best quarterback in the country, so when it came time to pick a college, he chose the one whose coach was generally regarded as the nation's best quarterbacks coach.

But his dream -- to play for Steve Spurrier and the Florida Gators -- was short-lived. Spurrier took the Washington Redskins job after Martin's first season, which was a redshirt year for the quarterback, so he never got the chance to play for Spurrier.

"It still was great to get a chance to learn from coach Spurrier," said Martin, who will lead the Paladins (3-0) against Pitt (1-1) Saturday at Heinz Field. "Even if it was only for a short time, I never regret it. I feel like I took a shot at the big time but then I needed to make a change, and I don't regret either decision because things have worked out."

Martin was Rex Grossman's backup at Florida his redshirt freshman season -- Ron Zook's first as head coach -- and began the season as the Gators starter last year.

But four games into the season, after a loss to rival Tennessee, he was replaced by heralded freshman Chris Leak.

He never played after that and, given that Leak is two years younger than him, Martin understood his time as the starting quarterback at Florida had probably passed. That's when he made the decision to transfer.

This time, his decision was based more on academics than football. He looked at a few Ivy League schools, but he believed Furman gave him the best mix of academics and football.

"People don't realize, but Furman is a world-class university," said Martin, who didn't have to sit out a year because he dropped down to Division I-AA. "And the football we play here is about as good as there is, especially at this level. We obviously don't have all of the big crowds and bright lights, like at Florida, but we still are playing football at a high level and it is still the game I love."

Furman, which is in Greenville, S.C., is one of the best Division I-AA programs in the country and is ranked No. 2 in the most recent coaches poll. It has won three games by an average score of 45-8 and has averaged 545 yards per game.

And academically, the school is ranked very high. The U.S. News and World Report ranked Furman the 38th-best liberal arts school in the country, and the student body sports an impressive average SAT score of 1,282.

Martin has made a solid adjustment so far, despite having to learn a different system. The Paladins utilize a number of offensive sets -- including a version of the winged-T -- and he is usually taking snaps under center as opposed to the Gators' shotgun.

"I'll tell you one thing I've learned, I learned I can throw three interceptions in a game," Martin said, referring to the three he threw in the Paladins' 38-6 win against Gardner-Webb. "I didn't think that was possible, but it is.

"In fact, I'm not sure I ever threw three interceptions in a game, going back to eighth grade.

"I know this, too. Football is football, and once you get beyond the names of plays and a few of the quirks, most offenses are very similar and most teams are running the same stuff."

Martin, who was a Parade All-American coming out of Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville, Tenn., is not only a gifted passer, but also is a talented athlete. He is 6 feet 3, 223 pounds, and his ability to run the option is a big part of the Paladins' offense.

He also punted -- he boomed a 70-yard punt as a freshman in Florida, the fifth longest in school history -- and played receiver for the Gators. As a senior in high school, he kicked field goals and had three of 50 yards or more, including a school record 56-yarder.

The Paladins have taken advantage of his athletic ability and strong legs. Two weeks ago, Martin ran for 81 yards in the Paladins' 45-10 win against Samford and has 131 yards in three games.

"I do what it takes to win and what I am asked to do," he said. "If it means running, I'll run, I don't mind. I trust my coaches are going to call the best plays for our team."

Martin is looking forward to stepping back up to Division I-A, even if it is for only one game.

"Playing Pitt is a win-win for us," Martin said. "Our school benefits financially and we have an opportunity to play against a great, storied program. We have nothing to lose, but I believe we have a chance to win.

"But playing them helps us become a better team, so this a great situation for our program."