Time to let Martinez run

[bshirt]

Funny how after a game like this, there are still husker fans that feel the need to complain about Taylor...

I’m not blaming Taylor or complaining about his play Saturday. He played a great game.

My post was not intended to put any blame on Martinez, it was to point out that in my eyes, that if he is being held back in the running game that it is time to stop it and let him run.

I don't think he was directing that at you. Just comments in general.....

 

[3rd and long]

I think some of his timidness (for lack of a better word) coming into contact is that it looks like he's really making a conscious effort to secure the ball rather than fight for those extra couple of yards. At this point I would rather just have him slide as opposed to that "stop and stand", that's going to get him killed.

I think one way to minimize his hits is to stop running the down the line option. He doesn't run it nearly as well as the ZR, and one thing defensive coordinators always tell their teams when playing good option QBs, is hit the QB every time he runs it.

And while we're talking about protecting our QB, how about no more 35 carry games for Rex. He's a stud and all, but it's clearly apparent that our OL looks much, much better when a healthy Rex is running the ball. Amazing the difference in our offense when its 2nd and six because he turned a two yard loss into a four yard gain because he made that first guy miss.

 

[scarletNcream]

He had one run against NW where I was like, "Damn! Why can't he run like that all the time?" It was a tough run where he put his head down and got the extra yardage for the first down. None of that cradle up in the fetal position and get slammed to the ground business.

You are quick to forgot how quickly/easily he was injured last year.

Taylor got injured on a couple of fluke plays, one where he got nailed on his ankle, and another where he was stepped on by his own lineman. A few inches either way on bang-bang plays and he's not injured.

People think Martinez is fragile. They forget that Burkhead has as checkered an injury list as Martinez. The difference being that we have ample backups at RB. We don't have a QB capable of leading us to the conference championship if Martinez goes down.

Slide and protect the ball, or fumble and all the boards blow up. For now, I'll take the indecisive slide. Next year might be a different story.

 

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

I agree with this sentiment. I have said it several times this season that it looks like Taylor is running timid. Truthfully, I think that he has taken more shots than he normally would because of this. He has taken some licks this year, while trying to slow down/get down/get out....like that monster shot he took against Ohio State.

This. I've thought the same thing several times. Last year he ran with reckless abandon. This year it's like he's not allowing himself to get into high-gear.

 

[zoogs]

Have we been running a lot less zone read lately?

If so, I think that is what is neutering TM's greatest strength (his breakaway long runs) more than anything else. Enough with all this option already.

 

[Mid Coast Offense]

I think we are far enough along in the season where the coaches can tell Martinez to run instead of looking to slide or go out of bounds. If you ask me it appears that they are in his head and it has really affected the way he runs. He appears timid and indecisive and that is not the way he ran last year. He shows his burst every so often but more times then not he is looking for the quickest way to get down (IMO this isn’t his fault either it is on the coaches). He showed it once against OSU and he busted a TD, against Northwestern he showed it on a QB draw but it got called back because of a penalty. Now that it appears Burkhead might be banged up a little it is time to let go of the reigns and allow Martinez to do what he does best.

I agree.

Check out how Taylor ran the ball last year in this video:

http://www.huskerboard.com/index.php?/topic/55714-nebraska-football-pump-up-video/page__p__852100#entry852100

 

[HuskerShark]

I'd rather we keep Martinez healthy, given that the coaches have shown little confidence in Carnes this season.

 

[Spartness]

I don't think he is as good of a runner as everybody has built him up to be. From what I have seen he has much more verticle speed but no lateral speed. I know that he is being coached to slide now, but I think it is always a much better idea for him to do that then the alternate taylor move when someone gets in front of him (stand straight up and take a pounding).

I say keep the kid alive and learning rather than gain 2 more yards and meet the hit stick every play. He played his best game making throws and moving around in the pocket against NU. I think after this year we will be able to rely on him much more in the passing game.

All and all, there is much more low hanging fruit for yards than risking Taylor, I say go for that.

I tend to agree with this to a point. Yes, I think he is more timid than last year before he got injured, but he has never been a runner who can make you miss. He tends to take direct hits which makes him vulnerable to getting injured. He was a great runner last year when it came to acceleration and there was an open running lane. But not so good in traffic like a Russel Wilson or Denard Robinson or Eric Crouch. Those guys can juke you. T.M. can't. So sliding the coaches think is his only option, but it has no question made him think too much about not getting hit, which has affected his running.

 

[Enhance]

Keep Martinez healthy to an extent. He's going to take some hits but I would prefer the way he's playing now not be switched up by the coaches.

As far his indecisiveness is concerned, Martinez has been that way for a long time at least by my estimations, even when he's not injured. He's never really looked overtly flashy or good when he has to scramble. His talent is when he has a straight getaway, not when he has to scramble.

 

[Doodlebug]

Taylor sliding or running out of bounds did not lose this football game. Taylor played a great game. Our defense and offensive line lost this football game.

That's 100% true (although wr drops/fumbles didn't help either, or Rex's fumble). But it's difficult to imagine our Oline being able to do much vs a MUCH, MUCH defense than NW. I think we'll need Tmart's run threat in a big way.

Otoh, I've been so wrong about this offense before.....so who knows??

GBR!!

Agreed, I think another reason the coaches don't want Taylor taking on hits is because he tends to put the ball on the turf a lot. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Rex or some of our other players start sliding instead of taking unnecessary hits. It makes sense to try and keep these guys injury free.

 

[schuhbdoo]

Taylor sliding or running out of bounds did not lose this football game. Taylor played a great game. Our defense and offensive line lost this football game.

it was total team loss. 2 big turnovers heading to score is not on the D. even though Taylor played well, he is still on the ball too much on zone reads.

the D go a bunchnof turnovers. 2 pics, 1 fumble recovery on a NW pitch. The O couldn't convert those into points.

 

[Warrior10]

Taylor sliding or running out of bounds did not lose this football game. Taylor played a great game. Our defense and offensive line lost this football game.

it was total team loss. 2 big turnovers heading to score is not on the D. even though Taylor played well, he is still on the ball too much on zone reads.

the D go a bunchnof turnovers. 2 pics, 1 fumble recovery on a NW pitch. The O couldn't convert those into points.

It was in no way Taylor's fault that they didn't convert the turnovers into points. That is pretty obvious.

 

[Undone]

Have we been running a lot less zone read lately?

If so, I think that is what is neutering TM's greatest strength (his breakaway long runs) more than anything else. Enough with all this option already.

This...in part.

He hasn't mastered the option. When we call the option, 90% of the time he pitches, and pitches early at that. He understands the zone read quite a bit more it seems because he ran it last year as well. We have still had a certain level of success with the option...but it hasn't opened up the big runs.

If he could master the option a bit more, it could open up breakaway runs. I think the version of the zone read sweep play that Watson called (waaaaaaaaaaaay too much and became extremely predictable) last season is in the distant past. Beck just isn't going to call that version of the zone read much, if at all.

On a different aspect of Taylor's game...his accuracy was just awesome on Saturday. It's great to see him growing game by game in his passing ability. He is developing at a very good rate at this point, in my opinion.

 

[donesman]

Taylor sliding or running out of bounds did not lose this football game. Taylor played a great game. Our defense and offensive line lost this football game.

That's 100% true (although wr drops/fumbles didn't help either, or Rex's fumble). But it's difficult to imagine our Oline being able to do much vs a MUCH, MUCH defense than NW. I think we'll need Tmart's run threat in a big way.

Otoh, I've been so wrong about this offense before.....so who knows??

GBR!!

Agreed, I think another reason the coaches don't want Taylor taking on hits is because he tends to put the ball on the turf a lot. I actually wouldn't mind seeing Rex or some of our other players start sliding instead of taking unnecessary hits. It makes sense to try and keep these guys injury free.

I agree with what you are saying on players sliding. How often do you see tackles being broken and decent yards after contact racked up in B1G play? We cough up the football so much it make me sick! I only see good things coming out of sliding: Less injuries, improved turnover margin, and longer sustained drives.

 

[junior4949]

I don't really care either way whether he plays balls out each and every play or whether he slides to avoid contact. This offense will remain neutered in the running game as long as our OL continues to play like they did against NW.