Taylor Martinez's Legacy

[robsker]

I say reverse the situation. If Crouch, Frost or Frazier played with what Martinez has had to deal with, where would they rank. Do you feel they were the part that made their teams the winners they were. My guess if any or all played with the surround pieces that Taylor has, it would be very close. That is the way you judge him. Not wins or losses, but how he played, what he gave. He is on the same level as the others in my mind.

 

not an unreasonable position to take. I place him just below... but placing him at that level is as well quite reasonable.

 

TMart is a very, very good college QB. His teams have been 2nd/3rd tier... but he has been a performer.

 

In answer to your query as to how Crouch or Gill or Frazier would have fared were they on the NU teams of the past few years --- they would have been very good... but probably could not have significantly elevated the team beyond what TMart did. They would likely look a lot like TMart. One man cannot do it all.

[knapplc]

From the last time this question was asked.

 

It's only fitting that he won't be fully appreciated until he's gone, though. He has 15-16 more games to play in his career. It's premature to talk about his legacy when he still has 25% of it to create.

 

Let's appreciate the fact that he's our team's leader, the unquestioned MVP of the 2012 season thus far, and that he's engineered some pretty brilliant comebacks this year. Let's appreciate his hard work in the offseason, his dedication to the team in the face of frequent uncalled-for criticism from his own fans, and the fact that he's always represented Nebraska in the most positive light.

 

His legacy isn't written yet. It's being written, but it's by no means finished. Until it is, let's just enjoy having him on the team, as wonderful and frustrating as he is.

[JJ Husker]

I view TM up there with the likes of Gill, Crouch, and Frost. He may fall a bit short in some categories; conference and/or national titles and Heisman consideration, and he may have some quirks that keep many from placing him in that elite group but, he also holds/will hold many team records that overshadow those guys. I can't put him in the Tommie stratosphere but it has little to do with his capabilities as a quarterback. Those back to back titles and that time period for Husker football are just untouchable for a vast number of reasons. It's a team sport even though many try to make about the individual. As some have said, he has not had the supporting cast that the other greats have had (except for Crouch) but Crouch had that little something extra called a Heisman award winner. In no way, shape, or form would I put him in the same category as Zac Taylor or Joe Ganz. I will freely admit I am more than a little predisposed against that era of our history so I probably am not giving due credit to those guys but, I view Martinez as being at a much higher level than them. To make it easy, TM is top 5 all time. With some help and certain outcomes this year, he could jump solidly into 2nd or 3rd place all time.

[Mavric]

From the last time this question was asked.

 

It's only fitting that he won't be fully appreciated until he's gone, though. He has 15-16 more games to play in his career. It's premature to talk about his legacy when he still has 25% of it to create.

 

Let's appreciate the fact that he's our team's leader, the unquestioned MVP of the 2012 season thus far, and that he's engineered some pretty brilliant comebacks this year. Let's appreciate his hard work in the offseason, his dedication to the team in the face of frequent uncalled-for criticism from his own fans, and the fact that he's always represented Nebraska in the most positive light.

 

His legacy isn't written yet. It's being written, but it's by no means finished. Until it is, let's just enjoy having him on the team, as wonderful and frustrating as he is.

I don't seem to ever remember this topic being discussed. Hmmmm......

[FrankWheeler]

I think when we look back after Taylor is done playing he's going to have a pretty special legacy. His stats are already all over the record books and his highlights rank up there with some of the best at ever at Nebraska which is saying something - his run last year against Wisconsin in the B1G Championship game comes to mind. His epic comebacks against Ohio State, Wisconsin and Northwestern. He's a pretty special player.

 

You can't hold him responsible for the defensive failures of last year's team.

[NebraskaShellback]

He took a lot of pokes from fans and news media through his career, he is a good kid. I say I will consider him among the top QB we have had in history at Nebraska. Yes, it would be nice to have a conference championship and/or National championship, or maybe a hesiman for him. We as humans' are not perfect by any means, I take TMagic as a Husker for life, period! Just my opinion. Let us all take this year and amp it up in the house to play football and see where it leads us- ONE GAME AT A TIME! Have Fun doing it!

Go BIG RED!!

[Guy Chamberlin]

Some of his mistakes got the team into trouble, but nowhere near the hole our defense put us into during Taylor's tenure.

 

A championship game and bowl win would obviously be signature games, but some of those insanely exciting comeback wins against our new Big 10 rivals were almost entirely the result of Taylor Martinez playing out of his mind, and getting the offense to believe in him. I think those can count as signature wins, especially given the less-than-legendary defense that rarely had his back.

[Guy Chamberlin]

Hey Knapp, does IP. Board 3.2.2 have a function that automatically creates a Taylor Martinez thread every 24 hours, just in case a board member forgets?

[74Hunter]

I say reverse the situation. If Crouch, Frost or Frazier played with what Martinez has had to deal with, where would they rank. Do you feel they were the part that made their teams the winners they were. My guess if any or all played with the surround pieces that Taylor has, it would be very close. That is the way you judge him. Not wins or losses, but how he played, what he gave. He is on the same level as the others in my mind.

 

not an unreasonable position to take. I place him just below... but placing him at that level is as well quite reasonable.

 

TMart is a very, very good college QB. His teams have been 2nd/3rd tier... but he has been a performer.

 

In answer to your query as to how Crouch or Gill or Frazier would have fared were they on the NU teams of the past few years --- they would have been very good... but probably could not have significantly elevated the team beyond what TMart did. They would likely look a lot like TMart. One man cannot do it all.

Agree with all of this. But some people think that Tommie had magic fairy dust in his pocket, sprinkled it on his teammates, and willed them to win.

 

Anyhow, I think I'm somewhat familiar with tfree32.

[Ric Flair]

I say reverse the situation. If Crouch, Frost or Frazier played with what Martinez has had to deal with, where would they rank. Do you feel they were the part that made their teams the winners they were. My guess if any or all played with the surround pieces that Taylor has, it would be very close. That is the way you judge him. Not wins or losses, but how he played, what he gave. He is on the same level as the others in my mind.

 

not an unreasonable position to take. I place him just below... but placing him at that level is as well quite reasonable.

 

TMart is a very, very good college QB. His teams have been 2nd/3rd tier... but he has been a performer.

 

In answer to your query as to how Crouch or Gill or Frazier would have fared were they on the NU teams of the past few years --- they would have been very good... but probably could not have significantly elevated the team beyond what TMart did. They would likely look a lot like TMart. One man cannot do it all.

Agree with all of this. But some people think that Tommie had magic fairy dust in his pocket, sprinkled it on his teammates, and willed them to win.

 

Anyhow, I think I'm somewhat familiar with tfree32.

 

How are you?

[DrunkOffPunch]

Statistically he's one of the great Husker quarterbacks, but he doesn't have that signature victory that really highlights a career. I think a conference title is what he needs to really cement that legacy. Otherwise, I think a lot of people will see him as a statistically significant quarterback that couldn't win the big one.

 

Unfortunately, I've always felt Martinez had what it took to win us big games, but he hasn't been surrounded by the best pieces.

I think the Ohio State comeback along with the numerous comebacks last year could count as 'signature' wins. Of course he didn't win those on his own I don't think we win without him. Also, we get blown out last year by UCLA/Northwestern/Georgia.

 

I think if he plays like he did last year along with the few improvements he's made as he has every subsequent year he's played, his name and number end up under the jumbotron, with or without a conference title. Although I could guarantee it with a conference title/BCS bowl win.

[HuskerUnity]

I say reverse the situation. If Crouch, Frost or Frazier played with what Martinez has had to deal with, where would they rank. Do you feel they were the part that made their teams the winners they were. My guess if any or all played with the surround pieces that Taylor has, it would be very close. That is the way you judge him. Not wins or losses, but how he played, what he gave. He is on the same level as the others in my mind.

 

not an unreasonable position to take. I place him just below... but placing him at that level is as well quite reasonable.

 

TMart is a very, very good college QB. His teams have been 2nd/3rd tier... but he has been a performer.

 

In answer to your query as to how Crouch or Gill or Frazier would have fared were they on the NU teams of the past few years --- they would have been very good... but probably could not have significantly elevated the team beyond what TMart did. They would likely look a lot like TMart. One man cannot do it all.

Agree with all of this. But some people think that Tommie had magic fairy dust in his pocket, sprinkled it on his teammates, and willed them to win.

 

Anyhow, I think I'm somewhat familiar with tfree32.

It wasnt fairy dust, but it was something. Mainly athletic skill, but more important, an attitude that Mike Grant did not have when Tommie took over in '92. A play that stands out was one of my favorite all time beat down games I attented, was against Colorado. He keep the ball and just plowed over their all american senior Deon Figures and stood up and just gave him that stare, like thats right not even you can stop me. So I do think he willed them to win, at least made everyone around him better. What was the final score of that game against a very highly ranked Colorado team again, oh yeah 52-7

[grandpasknee]

Hmmm...never figured T-Mart to be a Subaru guy.