The growth of Taylor Martinez

[irafreak]

I gather that we'll be having a few stories/blogs like this over the next few weeks as the team tries to dispel the stigma that Taylor is not a "team guy" or whatever his rep is.

 

Martinez growing, in more ways than one

 

We first heard of quarterback Taylor Martinez’s summertime growth last week, from running backs coach Tim Beck.

 

Thursday at Big Ten media days, we heard it again.

 

“I’m not around Taylor a whole lot, but what I see of him, he’s talking to his guys, he’s getting after them. That’s something that you wouldn’t see before at all,” defensive tackle Jared Crick said.

 

And from what Crick said, Martinez isn’t just bigger in a figurative sense.

 

“Taylor in the weight room, he’s working extremely hard. He’s gained a whole lot of weight,” he said. “He’s huge now.”

 

Bo Pelini also talked of Martinez’s improved leadership.

“We feel really good about where Taylor is,” Pelini said. “He's had a great off-season. He had a tremendous spring. He's had a phenomenal summer. I think he's more engaged as a leader. I think he's really taken it upon himself to grow in that area. I think he's becoming a tremendous leader on our football team, holding his teammates accountable, holding himself accountable. I think he's poised to have a great year.”

 

Pelini declined to give specific examples of how Martinez is better as a leader. But Crick talked of how Martinez was with the team at every team barbeque, every team event this summer.

 

“He’s just out there chilling with us. He’s just one of the guys. He's just doing his part to be a leader on the team, and he's doing a great job at it. I couldn't be more proud of him."

Are you sure this article wasn't written last offseason?

[knapplc]

Good catch, Ira! +1 for you.

[Fuzzy]

HA, he changed it to Former Running Backs coach. He is watching us.

[NUance]

We first heard of quarterback Taylor Martinez’s summertime growth last week, from offensive coordinator (and FORMER running backs coach) Tim Beck.

Rev. 1.0

[huskrinmissouri]

 

Pelini declined to give specific examples of how Martinez is better as a leader. But Crick talked of how Martinez was with the team at every team barbeque, every team event this summer.

 

 

Barbeque? I think we can only expect good things if Martinez never missed a barbeque. I couldn't conceive of missing a barbeque–especially if there is bacon involved. Mmmmmm....bacon. I think I'll try to walk on next year. I just turned 40 and still have all four years of football eligibility left. But I'll probably leave early to go to the NFL–sorry. Ah forget it, I've had too much bacon.

[Haspula]

Any pics of how he looks like this off season? Maybe he has a beard now with a buzz cut

[kchusker_chris]

I gather that we'll be having a few stories/blogs like this over the next few weeks as the team tries to dispel the stigma that Taylor is not a "team guy" or whatever his rep is.

This article brings further legitamacy to the "not a team guy" rep he had last year though. The fact that everyone is coming out and saying he's working on that, or he's getting better, etc...puts a lot of truth to the fact that it was an issue last year. Crick said as much...

 

"...he’s talking to his guys, he’s getting after them. That’s something that you wouldn’t see before at all,” defensive tackle Jared Crick said

 

It's certainly been blown into a bigger deal than it probably was, and I think that a lot of it had to do w/ a select few seniors on that offensive squad (and him being a freshman) - but it's getting old seeing people post every single one of these articles in a new thread crying from a top of a mountain "SEE, TAYLOR IS A LEADER/TEAM PLAYER". Can we have a single "TAYLOR'S LEADERSHIP" thread for this stuff? I annoint this one.

[irafreak]

Why not correct it to Offensive Coordinator? Trying to be subtle...

[Husker from Kansas]

I gather that we'll be having a few stories/blogs like this over the next few weeks as the team tries to dispel the stigma that Taylor is not a "team guy" or whatever his rep is.

This article brings further legitamacy to the "not a team guy" rep he had last year though. The fact that everyone is coming out and saying he's working on that, or he's getting better, etc...puts a lot of truth to the fact that it was an issue last year. Crick said as much...

 

"...hes talking to his guys, hes getting after them. Thats something that you wouldnt see before at all, defensive tackle Jared Crick said

 

It's certainly been blown into a bigger deal than it probably was, and I think that a lot of it had to do w/ a select few seniors on that offensive squad (and him being a freshman) - but it's getting old seeing people post every single one of these articles in a new thread crying from a top of a mountain "SEE, TAYLOR IS A LEADER/TEAM PLAYER". Can we have a single "TAYLOR'S LEADERSHIP" thread for this stuff? I annoint this one.

 

 

i think the point that crick was trying to get across was that taylor wasnt a leader last year and that he has really improved since last year. even tho i think that very few freshman step right in and are leaders from the get go so what happened with taylor really isnt that big of a deal but i also think that almost everything that involves taylor is blown out of the water due to the sucess he early in his career.

[Eric the Red]

For all the criticism Taylor took about the whole 'be a leader' thing, imagine being a freshman anything where leadership is expected. Now imagine playing under a veteran like Suh. Suh's doing something, and since you're supposed to be a leader, you're supposed to 'get after him,' 'encourage him,' 'lead him.' Replace Suh with any upperclassmen you like. Tell me what you'd say to those guys when you're three or four years behind them and green as wetland grass? Most guys would keep their yaps shut.

 

As I've said before, Taylor's situation was ridiculous. Usually QBs are at least redshirt sophomores before they start seeing significant time at major programs. There are plenty of exceptions, obviously. What people sometimes neglect to think about is that being a leader is like being a quarterback, a coach, a teacher, a marine, a X, a Y, a Z––you get better at it as you go along. You get better at it as you get comfortable with it.

 

 

Well put Husker X...makes perfect sense. You are talking about the most important position in sports.

[zoogs]

It's why it is not a good idea for redshirt freshmen to start, unless there's no alternative. JMO. "Best player regardless of seniority" and all that, but that's just another dimension of this position.

[bshirt]

I gather that we'll be having a few stories/blogs like this over the next few weeks as the team tries to dispel the stigma that Taylor is not a "team guy" or whatever his rep is.

This article brings further legitamacy to the "not a team guy" rep he had last year though. The fact that everyone is coming out and saying he's working on that, or he's getting better, etc...puts a lot of truth to the fact that it was an issue last year. Crick said as much...

 

"...he’s talking to his guys, he’s getting after them. That’s something that you wouldn’t see before at all,” defensive tackle Jared Crick said

 

It's certainly been blown into a bigger deal than it probably was, and I think that a lot of it had to do w/ a select few seniors on that offensive squad (and him being a freshman) - but it's getting old seeing people post every single one of these articles in a new thread crying from a top of a mountain "SEE, TAYLOR IS A LEADER/TEAM PLAYER". Can we have a single "TAYLOR'S LEADERSHIP" thread for this stuff? I annoint this one.

 

Well, after reading 10,000 posts from you, Hujan, Huskerscott, ect dissing the kid every damn day in every way imaginable for the last seven months or so it's VERY refreshing hearing positive things about him from the coaches. I guess you'll just have to hack it.

[zoogs]

That is quite true. All they and I and others have done is literally, diss the kid in every way we can imagine, every single day, hell, for over a year. You're quite right.

[Hercules]

It's why it is not a good idea for redshirt freshmen to start, unless there's no alternative. JMO. "Best player regardless of seniority" and all that, but that's just another dimension of this position.

 

I think you have to commit yourself to playing the best player at every position, regardless of seniority. You can't make exceptions.

 

As far as I can tell, just trying to read in between the lines of what the coaches and players say, Martinez getting the start and the offense changing last year did disrupt team chemistry. But I would put that more on the immature character of the team than I would on the decision to start Martinez. So some of Zac Lee's buddies were ticked off that he didn't start? Some of the wide receivers were ticked off they weren't going to get the ball as much in the new offense? Tough. Grow up. It's a team game.

 

What if we had started Zac Lee, for the sake of chemistry, even if Taylor was the best at that position? Then the next year, Cody Green is the most popular QB, with the most buddies on the team, so we start him for the sake of chemistry instead of starting the best player in Taylor. Then we finally decide, ok, Taylor's a junior now, I guess he's got enough seniority to start - but now Cody Green is a senior and the returning starter, and it's still going to disrupt chemistry. What if coaches didn't change their schemes when they wanted to because some of the players thought they weren't going to get the ball as much?

 

Championship teams overcome all of those issues. Nebraska had to start three different QBs in 1994-1995, and the players were always torn between Berringer and Frazier. They didn't let it affect their execution on the field, however. They played with an unselfish attitude and with a unified purpose, no matter who was under center.

 

The best player plays. It's simple, it's clear, it's fair. Frankly, it would probably disrupt team chemistry even more if you didn't start the best players.

[Danimal]

Think we'll see a more cohesive O this year. Scheme was too hodge-podge. Wats didn't fit. Guys weren't happy with Bo pushing the hell out of TM. TM wasn't mature enough. etc. Think this season we see an O with a cohesive vision, players buying-in, and everybody on the same page. There will be growing-pains of-course but we should finally see some progress anyway.