Husker coaches excited about Martinez's potential

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Nexus

All-American
Taylor Martinez came to Nebraska because coaches promised the all-around athlete from California an opportunity to play quarterback.
That chance has come this spring. And if you’re thinking it’s a coaching staff’s token move to appease a young kid before moving him to another position ... well, think again.

“The more I work with him, the more pleased I am with who he’s becoming,” Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said after Saturday’s scrimmage.

“I don’t want to give him up. I want to see where we can take this.”

Nebraska coach Bo Pelini was adamant in his pre-spring news conference about the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Martinez playing — and staying — at quarterback.

Not wide receiver. Not safety.

Sure, they’re options. Watson said those doors aren’t closed, and that the quiet, humble Martinez is open-minded about playing another position.

“But are we going to do it? No, because we want to see this through,” Watson said. “He’s got talent.”

Martinez played scout team quarterback while redshirting last season. This spring is his first time working exclusively with Nebraska’s offense. He’s taking snaps along with Cody Green, Latravis Washington and Kody Spano, while returning starter Zac Lee is recovering from elbow surgery.

“That man has been competing big-time,” wide receiver Brandon Kinnie said of Martinez. “I’ve seen him stepping up, competing, not really shying away, like, ‘Well, Cody’s getting this.’ He’s competing every day, and I see it in him a lot.”

What everybody sees in Martinez is speed. Wide receiver Niles Paul noted that, last summer, Martinez ran the fastest pro-agility run of anybody on the team.

After playing with Martinez this spring, Paul is convinced that stopwatch wasn’t lying.

“I’m telling you, he’s fast. He’s got a different speed,” Paul said. “When he goes, he goes. You’ve got to be ready, because Taylor Martinez will take off. He’s a fast guy.”

Martinez, a dual-threat quarterback at Centennial High School in Corona, Calif., threw for more than 3,000 yards and 28 touchdowns as a high school senior. He completed 61 percent of his passes.

“He c$%ks that thing back, and he throws it, man,” Paul said. “You better be ready to catch it.”

His feet, though, are why Martinez is heavily involved in Nebraska’s quarterback race.

Centennial coach Matt Logan said Martinez, who ran for 750 yards as a senior, would be “the perfect fit” in a wildcat offense. Nebraska used that formation in the Holiday Bowl, with running back Rex Burkhead taking direct snaps from center.

“I can definitely see him running the wildcat offense as well,” Burkhead said of Martinez.

Spring practices, though, have been a time for developing fundamentals, so the wildcat has been temporarily shelved. But Watson did say that Martinez’s natural ability is running the football.

“That’s what he’s got, and that’s what he brings to the table,” Watson said. “He’s getting better with the passing aspect and is really growing in that area. Again, he’s got a long way to go. He knows it.”

Watson said his job with Martinez is to coach to his ability and find a way to fit him into Nebraska’s plans.

“Some guys want to make (a player) the product of a style or system, and I’m not that way,” Watson said. “I want to fit what he does well into what we do, and enhance what we do through what he does well.

“He just needs time. He just needs development. Spring ball is a development time, and we need to develop him through the spring.”

Martinez isn’t available to the media because he hasn’t played in a game. Teammates describe him as a quiet player. Paul said he’s “mellow” and doesn’t joke around much. Burkhead said he’s a humble guy who gets the job done.

“When he gets in the huddle,” Burkhead said, “you can see his leadership characteristics come out.”

This spring, he’s showing determination, too.

“He’s done a nice job of coming to work every day with a humble attitude and his hard hat and keeps working,” Watson said.

“I like where he’s headed. I just see him growing leaps and bounds right now. I want to stay with him.”

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Wow. That was an awesome article. Basically they're saying he's impressed them enough in the short time he's been there that they aren't even thinking about moving him to another position. It sounds like he has the poise that a good quarterback needs too. I can't wait for the spring game.

 
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Yes! I'm so excited for this kid, I dont know why but I've hoped for this kid to good since we went after him. Im so happy that he's getting a chance to play QB. I kinda wish they would have pulled his red shirt last year instead of Cody's. Oh well I think he could possibly beat out CG and ZL

 
FWIW, Tommie Frazier has been high on Martinez for awhile now. I can't remember where he made the remark, but it was about a month or two ago at one of those out-of-state alumni gatherings when he said "Martinez is the real deal."

 
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HSKRNOKC said:
Competition only makes everyone better.
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I think the fact the he is very mobile and can make plays with his feet is going to get him a shot here at NU. The future is the mobile QB, pound the rock and make sure the QB can make plays with both his arm and his feet. Carnes and Turner are really good on the run/running with the ball, so Martinez may have a shot at being the guy. I am rooting for this kid from CALI!!!

 
suh_fan93 said:
Wow. That was an awesome article. Basically they're saying he's impressed them enough in the short time he's been there that they aren't even thinking about moving him to another position. It sounds like he has the poise that a good quarterback needs too. I can't wait for the spring game.
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I definitely would not say that, at all.

Martinez's athleticism was never a question mark, it's his ability to understand the offense, clean up his throwing motion, understand reads, etc,. I have no doubts Taylor will be the guy to talk the 'Wildcat' from Rex, just because we need his athleticism on the field. But right now, Taylor offers about as much with his arm as Cody did last year.

 
BigWillie said:
suh_fan93 said:
Wow. That was an awesome article. Basically they're saying he's impressed them enough in the short time he's been there that they aren't even thinking about moving him to another position. It sounds like he has the poise that a good quarterback needs too. I can't wait for the spring game.
Click to expand...
I definitely would not say that, at all.

Martinez's athleticism was never a question mark, it's his ability to understand the offense, clean up his throwing motion, understand reads, etc,. I have no doubts Taylor will be the guy to talk the 'Wildcat' from Rex, just because we need his athleticism on the field. But right now, Taylor offers about as much with his arm as Cody did last year.
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If there was a move, what's the most likely scenario?

 
BigWillie said:
suh_fan93 said:
Wow. That was an awesome article. Basically they're saying he's impressed them enough in the short time he's been there that they aren't even thinking about moving him to another position. It sounds like he has the poise that a good quarterback needs too. I can't wait for the spring game.
Click to expand...
I definitely would not say that, at all.

Martinez's athleticism was never a question mark, it's his ability to understand the offense, clean up his throwing motion, understand reads, etc,. I have no doubts Taylor will be the guy to talk the 'Wildcat' from Rex, just because we need his athleticism on the field. But right now, Taylor offers about as much with his arm as Cody did last year.
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Yeah, along those lines, I don't see TM ever being the QB. If they don't trust Zac or Cody to throw the ball against teams like UT and OU, I doubt they would with TM. If he's the best wildcat guy, they should try to get him as many reps doing that as possible.

 
I don't really know what to make of Martinez. I have to admit, I did not really take him seriously as a QB until recently. Now I'm starting to think he very well may be the best QB on our roster. We saw what he did in high school; he made it happen on the field.

 
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i really really REALLY hope the only lasting impression Martinez leaves isn't his asz imprint on the bench off in some corner...... the kid can play just where

but my gut says he wont ever get a real chance....

 
Husker_x said:
If there was a move, what's the most likely scenario?
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Taylor would be going to WR. He played there quite a bit on scout team last year. Niles needs some help out there to keep teams from rolling coverages all to him.

Regardless if he did move, he would still likely be the guy in the Wildcat.

 
I just don't want him to go the same route as a kid named Leon Jackson where he has all the talent in the world and we can't figure out how to get him on the field. Then, he transfers.

 
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