The Unbeaten 13

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Rivals.com

 

NEBRASKA

Games to watch: Oct. 16 vs. Texas, Oct. 23 at Oklahoma State, Oct. 30 vs. Missouri

Buzz: Before the season, this week's game with Texas looked to be the game of the year in the Big 12. But Texas is coming in with a two-game losing streak and suddenly it looks as if the Huskers could get through the regular season unscathed. The defense is nasty and redshirt freshman QB Taylor Martinez has been a revelation running the ball. But, as with LSU, the Huskers eventually will need to make some plays in the air. Can they do it?

Verdict: One loss

 

And this little tidbit about Martinez:

 

Who is this guy?

Here's what one week in the fickle world of college football can bring about: The "hot" quarterback this week isn't Michigan's Denard Robinson, considered the Heisman frontrunner last week before he was brought back to earth by Michigan State. No, the hot quarterback now is Nebraska redshirt freshman Taylor Martinez.

 

Martinez is fourth nationally in rushing at 147.4 yards per game, and he leads the country with 12 rushing touchdowns. He is coming off his best performance of the season, a 241-yard, four-TD performance -- on just 15 carries -- in a rout of previously unbeaten Kansas State.

 

It was his fourth multi-TD game of the season. Strangely, the only team that held him without a TD was one-win FCS member South Dakota State; South Dakota State also has been the only team to hold him under 100 rushing yards.

 

Martinez has been the focal point of a surprisingly potent rushing attack. The Huskers are second in the nation in rushing at 337.6 yards per game and have three players averaging at least 72.2 yards.

 

The flipside? The passing attack been non-existent, as the Huskers average 156.8 yards per game. Martinez has completed 60.9 percent of his passes, with three TDs and three picks.

 

Obviously, one reason for the lackluster passing numbers is that the rushing attack has been so potent. Then again, the Huskers aren't exactly carving up great rushing defenses. Three of their four FBS opponents rank 106th or worse in rush defense. The other is Idaho, which is 63rd but hasn't played anybody who even tries to run the ball except for the Huskers.

 

At some point, then, you figure Nebraska is going to have to throw the ball to win. Maybe it'll be this week against Texas, which is 19th nationally against the run and sixth in total defense.

 

This could be considered a statement game for the Huskers, and Martinez has come through with flying colors in the other two. Washington was seen as important because it was considered the Huskers' toughest road trip of the season. Martinez ran for 137 yards and three TDs and also tossed a scoring pass. K-State was seen as important because the Wildcats were unbeaten and it was Nebraska's first Big 12 game of the season. Martinez responded with his virtuoso performance.

 

While Martinez has been made off-limits to the national media except on game days, it's clear he doesn't lack confidence.

 

"They were asking me [about nervousness] before the game," Martinez told reporters after the Washington blowout. "I don't get nervous before games, so they should probably stop asking me."

 

In addition, he has been known to sign off text messages with the phrase "Taylor Magic."

 

Martinez took a circuitous route to Nebraska, arriving in Lincoln after attending three high schools in the Los Angeles area. He was at Norco High, in Riverside County, as a freshman and a sophomore. He played free safety as a freshman but missed his sophomore season with a hamstring injury. He left after the football season because, he told the Los Angeles Times, "Norco is a running offense and there's no point for me to be a quarterback there because all I'll be doing is handing off the ball and throwing just a couple of times a game."

 

He moved to Cajon High in San Bernardino -- which is north of Norco, in San Bernardino County -- midway through his sophomore year when his dad was offered a job as an assistant coach. He was the starting quarterback for Cajon as a junior in 2007.

 

But he moved on again, transferring to Centennial High in Corona -- a few miles south of Norco, back in Riverside County -- after the end of the first semester of his junior year. His father, who had coached the secondary at Cajon, left his job at the same time. The family said complications incurred by Taylor's pregnant mom led to the move.

 

Because he still lived in Norco's school district, Martinez that spring had to petition to be allowed to play sports at Centennial. Cajon High officials signed off on the petition, but it was disallowed by the state.

 

Two big things happened that summer. One is that the family moved into the Centennial district, which meant Martinez was eligible to play for Centennial. Another is that Nebraska defensive coordinator Carl Pelini was impressed enough by junior-season film that the Huskers offered Martinez -- who would end up being a three-star prospect -- a scholarship. It was Martinez's first offer and he snapped it up.

 

That season, he threw for more than 3,000 yards in Centennial's no-huddle, spread attack and led the Huskies to a 15-0 season and a state title.

 

Nebraska's fast start this season means Martinez has a 20-game winning streak as a starter. To get to 21, though, Martinez may need to throw it around some. Huskers offensive coordinator Shawn Watson isn't fazed by that possibility.

 

"He'll be ready if we have to [pass]," Watson told the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald. "Don't worry about it."

 

[Street Novelist]

He sure did move around a lot in high school, just to play sports.

[knapplc]

Taylor Martinez can't pass. Those 3,000 yards passing he threw in his senior season were a fluke. Probably all just luck. The defender slipped.

 

Are you listening, Texas? Taylor Martinez can't pass. Nine in the box is the way to go.

[HuskerMav11]

Taylor Martinez can't pass. Those 3,000 yards passing he threw in his senior season were a fluke. Probably all just luck. The defender slipped.

 

Are you listening, Texas? Taylor Martinez can't pass. Nine in the box is the way to go.

 

 

Only problem is, they put nine in the box, not only are we going to pass on them all night, but with Helu and Martinez's speed, we'll be bouncing it outside all day.

 

Can't WAIT for Saturday.

[Husker_x]

There's passing, and then there's passing against Texas' secondary. If Texas loads the box and slows the run game, we will indeed find out what Taylor is made of. I think we're going to get our pound of Bevo flesh on the ground, but I fully expect Taylor to be tested on Saturday.

[Huskerballz]

All this talk about how Nebraska won't be able to run on Texas' defense is silly to me. Our O line is blocking alot better and the run offense is set up to neutralize even the most outstanding run stopping defenses. Watch a game and look at how wide our offensive line lines up. There are massive gaps between each one. When the play is hiked, the O linemen use those gaps to create even bigger running lanes. Then you just let Taylor Made do the rest. I'm not that worried.

[ESPY]

Remember this is Texas we're talking about. Their rush D will be the best we face this season b/c even though they haven't had as much success stopping the run lately, they're still a bunch of speedy athletes who cover ground like no one's business. I know our skill guys have speed and our blockers are doing a great job right now, but Texas is fast, physical and hard-hitting, make no mistake of that. We have our work cut out for us against that D. No doubt our guys MUST come out focused and ready to execute b/c we'll be in trouble if we don't.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Fortunately, UT's offense is terrible this year. UT could face a lot of 3 and outs putting UT's defense on the field alot. If NU's offense is conditioned properly, I see our Offense grinding out a victory. Maybe not a huge one, but a W just the same.

[HuskerT]

Taylor's coach has mentioned that he really didn't need to run because that team was so talented it wasn't really necessary, but every time he had to he did.

[Huskerballz]

Taylor's coach has mentioned that he really didn't need to run because that team was so talented it wasn't really necessary, but every time he had to he did.

 

I assume you mean pass?

[Nebula]

Taylor Martinez can't pass. Those 3,000 yards passing he threw in his senior season were a fluke. Probably all just luck. The defender slipped.

 

Are you listening, Texas? Taylor Martinez can't pass. Nine in the box is the way to go.

 

Hello all, new board member here. This is one of the very first posts I read, and I gotta say; knapplc has nothing but solid, sound logic for you there, Longhorns. I only wish we weren't freely giving away this highly valuable, sensitive information.

[hskrfan4life]

Taylor Martinez can't pass. Those 3,000 yards passing he threw in his senior season were a fluke. Probably all just luck. The defender slipped.

 

Are you listening, Texas? Taylor Martinez can't pass. Nine in the box is the way to go.

 

Hello all, new board member here. This is one of the very first posts I read, and I gotta say; knapplc has nothing but solid, sound logic for you there, Longhorns. I only wish we weren't freely giving away this highly valuable, sensitive information.

Yes it is very valuable, I mean this could cost us the game!

[RedDenver]

Taylor's coach has mentioned that he really didn't need to run because that team was so talented it wasn't really necessary, but every time he had to he did.

 

I assume you mean pass?

No, Martinez's high school team was a spread passing attack and TM rarely had to run. He threw for over 3000 yards that season. His success running at NU was something of a surprise to his HS coach.

[HuskerT]

Taylor's coach has mentioned that he really didn't need to run because that team was so talented it wasn't really necessary, but every time he had to he did.

 

I assume you mean pass?

Sorry, that was a little vague. My point was that Taylor passed so well his senior year in H.S. that he really didn't even have to run.