Martinez QB Camp Update

A couple of things. First, the Martinez/Frazier comparison joined with the idea of developing players is completely fair, but only if other factors remain constant. In this case most other factors don't. Two almost entirely separate staffs worked with these two quarterbacks, player development is one of our current staff's inconsistencies, and I doubt our coaches seriously believed Martinez would be Nebraska's next starting quarterback when they said they'd give him a chance. Osborne and Co. probably brought Frazier in with serious implications of him eventually being the starter, and that staff was skilled at developing players. It's not fair to compare these two given so many other variables are in play.

Second, I still believe Martinez' play is one of the less problematic issues on this team. Unfortunately for him, he's gone through life with nobody teaching him proper mechanics. It's challenging to overcome this hurdle when one has spent so much time doing something a certain way. I don't blame Martinez in the slightest for his poor mechanics. If this team had better line play, especially offensively, I think we would be a serious BCS bowl contender. Until then, guys like Martinez will continue to take heat for a problem that isn't exclusive to them.

 
I think Martinez has nowhere to go but up. He will be better this year because:

1...He is a little bit faster than he was last year (he has said this and the coaches have said this as well)

2...He has a little bit better footwork (even if it isn't dramatically different, if it isn't where it needs to be it has to be at least a little bit better after the 4 weeks of training he has gone through plus the manning camp coming up)

3... He has a year in the sytem, is going to be mentally faster and sharper than he was last year. He should be better at reading defenses, etc.

I just don't see how he couldn't be better this year. Now, will it be an "earthshattering, he is a magical heisman winning, best QB in the country" kind of year? No, it won't. But he will be a little bit better... I think he will be enough of a threat with his arm that defenders won't be able to load the run. I think he will be sharper with his decisions which will result in 2-3 big play gains a game which will result in a win in the close games. I think our receivers will have more yards and look better because he will actually place the ball in front of them and in their catch zone as opposed to in their area where they have to go fish for it.

 
True,

It may not be as apparent now as in the past, but there was hate for him, he was quitting the team, went home, was a trouble maker, not a leader on and on and on.

I doubt he will ever be the best QB in the land, but you know, neither was Eric Crouch or Tommy Frazier by standards. He was our first freshman All American QB, EVER!!!!

Maybe hate is too strong of a word, and I agree he has become more favored, or accepted the last year. But I bet my last dollar no one is working harder, to improve, to be the best he can be, to make the fans happy and to bring the wins all want.

I have met him, he is a quite kid, not the rah rah type that some are looking for(sorry about the bold type, this thing does stupid things at times) but he has confidence, he wants to win and has always wanted to win at Nebraska.

I do not think he is the reason this team has come up short when we have. He is part of it, but so are every other single player on the team.

I want him to be a winner, (he already is in my mind) just like every kid on the team, but his success will be determined by the big uglies, not his throwing motion or his footwork. He is a college QB and I am sure he knows that. I doubt there are visions of playing on the next level of QB, but can not state that as fact. Many things go into him being a winner this year, lets all hope those things are accomplished and we have the season some think we will.

 
H2h said:
TheW0rld said:
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
EZ-E said:
For the record, TMarts motion dramatically improved from year one to two.
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:hmmph I personally thought it got worse due to the ankle injury and turf toe.
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At any rate it certainly wasn't dramatically improved.
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I'm with you guys. Improvement? Debateable. Dramatic improvement? No way.
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Yeah. T-Mart as a QB improved - but his motion certainly did not. I don't remember him having the shoulder drop, heave of wounded duck lob thingy he was throwing most of the way through last year. I'd say he actually added a half second to each throw just by that change in motion. He likely called it "putting touch on the ball". We all saw it as a heave and a prayer. Fortunately he just made better decisions on when to heave.

 
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I have to agree, he seemed worse in his throwing motion last year. I think it is fantastic, that he has taken this on, head first. Shows that there is leadership by action.

I am not really concerned with his throwing motion as I am with the ability of the Oline to block for him and to open holes for the RB. They do their part and Taylor will be instantly better is my guess. Plus this is the second year in what I guess is the same system with the same OC. That has to help him I would think.

 
Wow, things sure do change. Can you believe that not much longer than a year ago, 95% of the Taylor Martinez bickering was about how he was a cancer to this team, a quitter, coach's favorite?

 
Landlord of Memorial Stadium said:
Wow, things sure do change. Can you believe that not much longer than a year ago, 95% of the Taylor Martinez bickering was about how he was a cancer to this team, a quitter, coach's favorite?
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Like skersfan I wanted Lee to start, but once I saw what Taylor had to offer I was fine with him getting the node and I was able to accept that it was going to be an up and down season. But I think there was a cancer on the team then and it did have to do with Taylor, here me out now. It wasn't a cancer in the sense of one person killing the team but a general attitude. I think most of the guys were comfortable with Lee and he was their man but Taylor starting kind of shook things up. Put yourself in their shoes all of the sudden here comes this freshman and he takes away your guy's job and you're just supposed to accept that and play on, somebody you sweat and bleed with for years? It takes awhile to adjust to that, personally I would have been a little ticked. Some may not even adjust to it at all. I think there were some rumors floating around to back that up and some play that reflected it. I don't think Taylor was a cancer, but I do think there was a cancerous attitude on that team that has since moved on. And from all reports now Taylor is nothing short of a stand up guy who is more of a lead by example player than the rah rah type. Any time somebody shakes up the status quo there is going to be some negative backlash it's unavoidable, but in time things balance out. I really think that now more than any time in the past couple years this team has an excellent chance to shine. Not saying it's going to be easy but they have a shot to do some great things.

Say what you want, but it taste oooh so good. :koolaid2:

 
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For all this talk of OL, I think everything hinges on Taylor this year. And he just might step it up.

Sure, the OL is extremely important, I'm not discounting that. But lack of impact, limited scope, and frequent mistakes from the QB position have held us back as much or more in the past two years as an OL which, last year at least, can be faulted mostly for not being "great". The QB touches the ball first on every play, and sets the offense before every snap. He is critical to the whole thing. Taylor has made big leaps and bounds supposedly in these areas - where he started off greener than Green - and now he's supposedly getting more consistency in how he throws.

He's a junior now and has two full years of starting under his belt. There can be no more "but our line play isn't like the 90s" justifications as long as the line pulls their weight and does a solid job. Taylor's improvement, his leadership, and the rapport he has established with his guys, are going to be everything for us this year. Maybe it's the early morning but I'm full of optimism about his chances. I'm feeling this is the year he earns a lot of credit. If we're able to really succeed this year, a lot of it will be because of him.

 
You can have an average QB with a great line, and do wonders. But you have nothing without a line. I will agree his reads, his drops to the ground were his choice, but when all you can see is DL in your face it is hard to make the choices. I am hoping with his speed back, he can make up for some of their short falls. As bad as he has been at times, he has still out performed the OL it seems to me.

 
You can have an average QB with a great line, and do wonders.
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Yes, that part's true. But you will also do wonders with a good QB and an solid enough line. It's not like we had no line last year, I guess that's the main point. Like with recruiting: people were down (fairly) on recruiting efforts in recent recruiting cycles. But it's a brand new approach and people have been slow to come around to that realization. Similar with the OL. We're still singing the same old down tune about those guys, but a lot has changed, especially last year with the staff shakeup, I think. It's not cringe-worthy as it used to be and I optimism about that unit is merited.

 
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