Rex and Taylor: they have "it"

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

OWH.com

 

Undervalued early ... a year later, priceless

By Mitch Sherman

WORLD-HERALD BUREAU

 

LINCOLN — Rex Burkhead and Taylor Martinez began their careers at Nebraska 13 months ago, a pair of freshmen average in appearance whose looks belied their abilities.

 

By no means did they fly totally under the radar in football recruiting circles, but neither ranked among the most heralded nationally. Burkhead, a running back from Plano, Texas, failed to attract voluminous attention outside of his region. Martinez, of Corona, Calif., couldn't even get listed as a quarterback on the Huskers' official signing day press release in 2009.

 

But signs existed that perhaps NU had landed two unique players — despite the lack of measurables and mega recruiting hype.

 

Media in their own corners of the world had done their homework, with Burkhead named as the offensive player of the year by the Dallas Morning News, and Martinez tabbed southern California's best by the Los Angeles Times.

 

Players and coaches who shared the fields with Burkhead and Martinez told of exploits that were the stuff of legend — or tall tales, to a skeptic.

 

Well, maybe those stories were true after all.

 

Three games into this season, Martinez rates as a fringe Heisman Trophy candidate after redshirting last year. Burkhead gives Nebraska its premier all-purpose threat — a running, catching, returning machine. He'd play defense, too, and probably do it well if the Huskers wanted.

 

“They're players. They have it,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said. “Ask a coach, ‘What's it?' A guy just makes plays. Stay out of his way. That's what both of them have.”

 

Back home, this comes as no surprise.

 

“I don't want to say I told you so, but I did,” said Tom Inman, Burkhead's basketball coach as a freshman at Plano High School. “He's really special.”

 

Both sons of former college players, Burkhead and Martinez are making believers of teammates and coaches all over again.

 

“Rex is just one of the greatest football players I've been around,” said Jeremiah Sirles, another 2009 Huskers signee who starts at left tackle. “I mean, his knowledge around the ball, making the cuts. You saw some of his runs on Saturday, they were almost unreal.”

 

The first two offensive plays of Nebraska's 56-21 win at Washington on Saturday made clear the importance of Martinez and Burkhead, who rank 1-2 at Nebraska in all-purpose yardage this season.

 

The sophomore Burkhead, after an Eric Hagg interception of UW quarterback Jake Locker, took a handoff from Martinez and scooted 24 yards on the first play of his first collegiate start. Martinez then settled calmly into the pocket and fired a strike over the middle, another gain of 24 — this time for a touchdown to Mike McNeill on a throw the QB had badly missed one week prior.

 

This much is clear: They seemingly don't feel pressure. Burkhead, much like in his time at Plano High, displayed leadership qualities even before his freshman season began.

 

“It's something that can't be coached,” McNeill said. “That's just something you have.”

 

Martinez, meanwhile, won the job this year over two quarterbacks who returned with starting experience. In his first road start, with observers wondering how he'd handle the pressure, Martinez rushed for 137 yards and threw for 150, accounting for four touchdown and no turnovers.

 

“I don't want to say I knew, but I kind of knew,” said Todd Gerhart, a longtime Martinez family friend who coached Taylor as a freshman at Norco (Calif.) High School. “There's something about him. You couldn't miss with that kid.”

 

Think Texas and Southern California would take them now? USC and others in the Pac-10 didn't heavily recruit Martinez as a quarterback, and Burkhead didn't exactly show an affinity for the Longhorns, who ultimately never offered a scholarship anyway.

 

Perhaps all the intangibles didn't pop off the game film.

 

“What a novel concept, recruit good people and don't buy into labels,” Inman said. “I like the idea of going out to get high quality kids. Because of that, I think Nebraska has got something really special going on right now.”

 

And the unreal-sounding stories persist.

 

This fall at Harvard, Burkhead's brother, Ryan, starts as a senior on the defensive line. Longtime Burkhead friend Reid McCann also plays at the Ivy League school.

 

Apparently, Rex-mania has arrived in Cambridge, Mass.

 

Teammates at first teased Ryan Burkhead, according to McCann, that his little brother had earned the nickname “Superman.” But soon, they saw Rex play and liked it. Now, he's a regular topic in the locker room.

 

“It's actually spread throughout the (Harvard) team,” McCann said. “After our games, we've always got “SportsCenter” on in the locker room, and people are wondering how many touchdowns Rex scored that day.”

 

On the other side of the country, Martinez casually hung out this summer with 2009 Heisman Trophy finalists Toby Gerhart and Colt McCoy. Gerhart, the son of Martinez's former coach, befriended ex-Texas quarterback McCoy on the awards tour last December.

 

“Taylor was totally at ease with those guys,” Todd Gerhart said. “You would have never known who was there.”

 

Just three guys who have it getting together and hanging out.

[chickenheart]

Great read! I watched Rex all four year of his highschool career and is the reason I'm a Husker die hard now. His love for the game and his atheletic abilities were something I couldn't wait to see on Friday nights here in Texas.

[Husker_x]

Rex is just continuing the saga of Rex. He's a model of consistency and is spoken well of by absolutely everyone. We are lucky to have a player like him. He's the kind of player you can build a team around and not just athletically. By the time he's a senior I firmly believe he'll have carved out a spot for himself in Husker history.

[bshirt]

Rex is just continuing the saga of Rex. He's a model of consistency and is spoken well of by absolutely everyone. We are lucky to have a player like him. He's the kind of player you can build a team around and not just athletically. By the time he's a senior I firmly believe he'll have carved out a spot for himself in Husker history.

 

You bet! Add to that he's got hands of glue....wow....just a terrific player.

 

Haha....we'll have him & Tmart for the 1st two difficult Big10 schedules too. The Big10 better tighten their chin straps.