Was Martinez playing hurt at Minnesota?

KingBlank said:
People are hilarious, he couldn't even talk if his jaw was broken.  His ankle is screwed up and he played like it. 
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To be honest i dont watch the post game press conferences. I seen enough of the BS on the field to listen to more after the game.  And you are right, probably not broke but def not right. 

 
TGHusker said:
CAn't disagree wt the reply below.  Where is our # 2 QB after all of these years?
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Exactly. What's the point of getting Smothers reps if we're not able to lean on him when we need to. 

And all we needed was the threat of the QB run to help open things up, something that Smothers can do. Give him some simple swing passes, a healthy dose of RB plays, and then Play Action up the middle to where all Smothers has to do is hit a streaking receiver or his safety valve. 

If you plan for it (like they could have all week long when Martinez wasn't practicing) Smothers' downside could have been mitigated by playcalling and preparedness. Not saying it would be perfect or it would have assured us the win, but it's better than losing a perfectly winnable game with a gimpy Martinez. 

 
VectorVictor said:
Exactly. What's the point of getting Smothers reps if we're not able to lean on him when we need to. 

And all we needed was the threat of the QB run to help open things up, something that Smothers can do. Give him some simple swing passes, a healthy dose of RB plays, and then Play Action up the middle to where all Smothers has to do is hit a streaking receiver or his safety valve. 

If you plan for it (like they could have all week long when Martinez wasn't practicing) Smothers' downside could have been mitigated by playcalling and preparedness. Not saying it would be perfect or it would have assured us the win, but it's better than losing a perfectly winnable game with a gimpy Martinez. 
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It comes across as another excuse as to why they didn't win.  When you don't want to take the responsibility for the loss as a coach, blame it on something else - which in the end is the result of his coaching - not having another QB ready

 
VectorVictor said:
Exactly. What's the point of getting Smothers reps if we're not able to lean on him when we need to. 

And all we needed was the threat of the QB run to help open things up, something that Smothers can do. Give him some simple swing passes, a healthy dose of RB plays, and then Play Action up the middle to where all Smothers has to do is hit a streaking receiver or his safety valve. 

If you plan for it (like they could have all week long when Martinez wasn't practicing) Smothers' downside could have been mitigated by playcalling and preparedness. Not saying it would be perfect or it would have assured us the win, but it's better than losing a perfectly winnable game with a gimpy Martinez. 
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Martinez has led the Conf in rush attempts by a QB 3 of the last 4 years. The one year he didn't was last year when he was 2nd to Clifford, despite appearing in 2 less games. Frost simultaneously is running AM into the ground to the point he's been injured every season, all while not preparing a viable backup. If an injured QB impacts your gameplan, and you run your QB to the point of injury every season, and you don't have a viable backup plan - then you are a freaking idiot. 

 
As much as people like to complain about Martinez we better hope he can make it through this season and returns next year.

I your starting QB is injured to the point you can't run your offense like we saw Saturday and you feel your 2nd string QB is so inferior to the injured starter that you don't dare bring him in, even for a series or two, then the future looks pretty bleak. Better hope you can find somebody in the portal although it's not likely your going to get a very highly ranked player to come to NU with the record we have amassed over the last 4 years.

 
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Born N Bled Red said:
How about saying the oline, receiver and running back rooms all have deficiencies that outweigh, but magnify Martinez's deficiencies. How many of his interceptions were balls that receivers got hands on but didn't catch? How many touchdowns did Warner drop alone? How many other incompletions were balls that may not have been perfect, but better receivers could have made a play on. Do slow receivers that can't create separation have something to do with why Martinez holds the ball so long sometimes? 

Does constant pressure prevent a qb from being comfortable in the pocket? Make him rush through his reads, unload the ball quickly without proper form to avoid a sack? 

Do running backs that can't pass block compound or detract from a poor offensive line? Does a running back that gets 2 yards, runs into the back of the offensive lineman and falls down leaving the offense behind the sticks make it easier for a defense to tee off on the quarterback? 

Those of us who say Martinez isn't the problem can see this impacting his game. A single player can't rise above his supporting cast on every single play. Especially when opposing teams know he is our best weapon.

Martinez isn't perfect, but his deficiencies are amplified and magnified by the cast around him. That is what we mean when we say he is the least of our problems. Unfortunately, these problems will not be resolved by replacing the quarterback. We're lucky to have the one we got.
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Agree.  He's not perfect.  But, the number of QBs that are perfect are....well....extremely rare.  He's good enough to have a better record than what we have.

 
Born N Bled Red said:
How about saying the oline, receiver and running back rooms all have deficiencies that outweigh, but magnify Martinez's deficiencies. How many of his interceptions were balls that receivers got hands on but didn't catch? How many touchdowns did Warner drop alone? How many other incompletions were balls that may not have been perfect, but better receivers could have made a play on. Do slow receivers that can't create separation have something to do with why Martinez holds the ball so long sometimes? 

Does constant pressure prevent a qb from being comfortable in the pocket? Make him rush through his reads, unload the ball quickly without proper form to avoid a sack? 

Do running backs that can't pass block compound or detract from a poor offensive line? Does a running back that gets 2 yards, runs into the back of the offensive lineman and falls down leaving the offense behind the sticks make it easier for a defense to tee off on the quarterback? 

Those of us who say Martinez isn't the problem can see this impacting his game. A single player can't rise above his supporting cast on every single play. Especially when opposing teams know he is our best weapon.

Martinez isn't perfect, but his deficiencies are amplified and magnified by the cast around him. That is what we mean when we say he is the least of our problems. Unfortunately, these problems will not be resolved by replacing the quarterback. We're lucky to have the one we got.
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I can’t speak for everyone who points a finger at Martinez as a part of the problem, but he certainly isn’t THE problem. Thinking so is oversimplifying our situation and QBs usually take the brunt of the blame.
 

But to think that Martinez isn’t A PART of the problem is also untrue. He can be both. A part of our issues but not our biggest problem. I have a bunch of respect for the kid and root for him every Saturday.

I think the coaches haven’t properly set him up for success due to their seemingly inability to develop him and our talent around him. The fact that we continued to trot a guy out at center that couldn’t snap the ball for over a year and a half absolutely baffles me. I think it can’t be stressed enough how difficult it is to play the quarterback position when your first pre-snap thought is “where the hell is this snap going to be?”. Not only does it throw off the timing of plays but takes his eyes off of the defense and his reads. And when he finally secured the knee dribblers and vertical jump testers, if he had time to throw, he only had one guy who could get open anyways.

Even with the offensive line issues and lack of play makers around him after his freshmen year, there have been opportunities to make plays when we desperately needed them (not just in the first 3 quarters) and he hasn’t produced. I get that a lot of games we wouldn’t even be in if it weren’t for him, but coughing the ball up at the end or missing open receivers down the stretch seem to erase all the good he does in the first 3 quarters.

Like I said, all of that isn’t on him. His supporting cast hasn’t been anything to brag about and our play calling (especially in the redzone) has been horrible. Martinez isn’t the whole problem but he is a part of it. However, he is the undisputed best QB on our roster. We ride or die with #2. 

 
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I still don’t know what our offensive identity is. Run Martinez into the ground apparently. 
 

Why can’t they just run 2nd half offense from the the Michigan game?  That was as good of play calling and execution that I’ve seen. At least in a while.
 

And I mean brilliant  up to the waning  witching minutes of the game . Then it predictably sputters in Frost like fashion. 

 
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VectorVictor said:
Exactly. What's the point of getting Smothers reps if we're not able to lean on him when we need to. 

And all we needed was the threat of the QB run to help open things up, something that Smothers can do. Give him some simple swing passes, a healthy dose of RB plays, and then Play Action up the middle to where all Smothers has to do is hit a streaking receiver or his safety valve. 

If you plan for it (like they could have all week long when Martinez wasn't practicing) Smothers' downside could have been mitigated by playcalling and preparedness. Not saying it would be perfect or it would have assured us the win, but it's better than losing a perfectly winnable game with a gimpy Martinez. 
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So we sh!t the bed so AM can play because your boy Verduzco sucks.....But you get him the healthiest he's been in weeks for Purdue...While you pi$$ away a chance to get one more win closer to a bowl...I'm done. Frost needs to go.  You play a guy you know you can't use the whole playbook. Idiot.  Out coached.....Over his head.....see ya.

 
FrantzHardySwag said:
Martinez has led the Conf in rush attempts by a QB 3 of the last 4 years. The one year he didn't was last year when he was 2nd to Clifford, despite appearing in 2 less games. Frost simultaneously is running AM into the ground to the point he's been injured every season, all while not preparing a viable backup. If an injured QB impacts your gameplan, and you run your QB to the point of injury every season, and you don't have a viable backup plan - then you are a freaking idiot. 
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The more that comes out, there is no way you bring him back to simply fire him next year when we have a 100 ranked class.....But Frost will defend this year as not ranked as high because it's a small class.... (which can effect, but we have no 4/5* guys)

 
MementoMori said:
I can’t speak for everyone who points a finger at Martinez as a part of the problem, but he certainly isn’t THE problem. Thinking so is oversimplifying our situation and QBs usually take the brunt of the blame.
 

But to think that Martinez isn’t A PART of the problem is also untrue. He can be both. A part of our issues but not our biggest problem. I have a bunch of respect for the kid and root for him every Saturday.

I think the coaches haven’t properly set him up for success due to their seemingly inability to develop him and our talent around him. The fact that we continued to trot a guy out at center that couldn’t snap the ball for over a year and a half absolutely baffles me. I think it can’t be stressed enough how difficult it is to play the quarterback position when your first pre-snap thought is “where the hell is this snap going to be?”. Not only does it throw off the timing of plays but takes his eyes off of the defense and his reads. And when he finally secured the knee dribblers and vertical jump testers, if he had time to throw, he only had one guy who could get open anyways.

Even with the offensive line issues and lack of play makers around him after his freshmen year, there have been opportunities to make plays when we desperately needed them (not just in the first 3 quarters) and he hasn’t produced. I get that a lot of games we wouldn’t even be in if it weren’t for him, but coughing the ball up at the end or missing open receivers down the stretch seem to erase all the good he does in the first 3 quarters.

Like I said, all of that isn’t on him. His supporting cast hasn’t been anything to brag about and our play calling (especially in the redzone) has been horrible. Martinez isn’t the whole problem but he is a part of it. However, he is the undisputed best QB on our roster. We ride or die with #2. 
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Because in year 4 Verduzco and frost still can't develop a #2....And that's unacceptable.

 
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