Adrian Martinez

@Mavric - I've been trying to make the argument that pass protection has been arguably the most underrated thing that has made people perceive Martinez as being an incompetent passer.

These taller linemen could really improve things in this department in 2021.

*sips Kool-Aid*
Late in the 2020 Iowa game, Matt Farniok gets whipped by an Iowa D-lineman and that guy forces a fumble against Adrian, just as AM is about to throw the ball.  Adrian was defenseless in that play.  The Adrian detractors point to that being "another fumble lost" and he can't lead a comeback victory.

 
Late in the 2020 Iowa game, Matt Farniok gets whipped by an Iowa D-lineman and that guy forces a fumble against Adrian, just as AM is about to throw the ball.  Adrian was defenseless in that play.  The Adrian detractors point to that being "another fumble lost" and he can't lead a comeback victory.


Agreed.

Pass protection was in my opinion better in 2020 than it was in 2019, and I expect it to continue in the right direction again this year.

 
*sips Kool-Aid*


NO SIP! ONLY CHUG!

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Idk... When Taylor was healthy, he was pretty elusive as well.  Watch those freshman highlights again.  
He was, but then started to fumble and lost running instinct in order to mitigate turnovers.  Some plays Taylor would be 1 v 1 with a defender and run right into him in an upright position with the ball protected.  It was sad to see his running regression.  The injury also didn't help.

 
He never was a juker. He just saw the seams. Someone should have taken a chance on him as a kick returner.
He would have been absolutely obliterated as a kick returner. TM was tough as nails, but needed to be because never learned to take a hit properly (see B1G championship suplex). In the open field he always stood straight up and down in contact and would just turn his body away from the tackler losing all his momentum and absorbing all the force of the hit.

 
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He would have been absolutely obliterated as a kick returner. TM was tough as nails, but needed to be because never learned to take a hit properly (see B1G championship suplex). In the open field he always stood straight up and down in contact and would just turn his body away from the tackler losing all his momentum and absorbing all the force of the hit.


I know what you're talking about. But I don't recall it during his freshman year.

In 2011, when Pelini and staff realized the team's fortunes rested entirely on a healthy Martinez, I'm almost certain they told him to get whatever he could in the open field, but go down prior to contact. That ended up looking like you describe: it totally went against his competitive instinct and he never figured out when or how to hook slide. 

I still think he could have been a good kick returner. He wouldn't have been obliterated any more than he was in his other successful open-field ventures. 

 
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