Husker fans need to stop obsessing of Martinez's passing

For all of his great attributes as a runner when healthy, the frequent criticism of Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez are "He can't pass" or "His throwing motion is lousy."


True, Martinez will never be Tom Brady but even those who expect him to reach even the passing accuracy levels of recent former Husker quarterbacks Zac Taylor (2005-2006) or Joe Ganz (2008) are going to be sorely disappointed. Granted, Martinez is still very young and growing into his role as a passer but he hasn't really ever shown serious potential as a pocket passer or someone who can progress through four or five reads. He's never going to be throwing the pretty fade for a corner of the endzone touchdown and nor will he be expert a fitting a pass between an underneath linebacker and an over the top safety on a post route.
The promising thing about new offensive coordinator Tim Beck's scheme, at least based on what we heard throughout the offseason, is that these things shouldn't be as big of a weakness. What the offense should do is maximize Martinez's strengths, which are blinding straight-line speed and some experience with running an up-tempo, spread-option scheme.

For those who want Martinez to become Joe Montana, the Huskers don't need him to be a pinpoint passer, if the offense can get the defense to equally fear runs up the middle, options to the boundary, or screen passes to the likes of Kenny Bell or Ameer Abdullah. That's how Chip Kelly does it in Oregon. He makes defenses try to defend horizontally and vertically, while trying to catch their breath and make adjustments with minimal time against a no-huddle offense. If Martinez can get to the level of say Oregon's Darren James or Texas's Vince Young, rather than expecting he will become an NFL-caliber quarterback, that'll be fine.

Here are Nebraska quarterback statistics since 2004:

2004 - Joe Dailey - 2025 yds, 49.4%, 6.53 yds/att, 17 TDs, 19 INTs

2005 - Zac Taylor - 2653 yds, 55.1%, 6.17 yds/att, 19 TDs, 12 INTs

2006 - Zac Taylor - 3197 yds, 59.6%, 8.18 yds/att, 26 TDs, 8 INTs

2007 - Sam Keller - 2422 yds, 63.1 %, 7.45 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs

2007 - Joe Ganz - 1435 yds, 58.6%, 9.44 yds/att, 16 TDs, 7 INTs

2008 - Joe Ganz - 3568 yds, 67.9%, 8.50 yds/att, 25 TDs, 11 INTs

2009 - Zac Lee - 2143 yds, 58.6%, 7.10 yds/att, 14 TDs, 10 INTs

2010 - Taylor Martinez - 1631 yds, 59.2%, 8.32 yds/att, 10 TDs, 7 INTs
All quarterbacks listed from 2004-2009 combined for 575 rushing yards while Martinez had 965 on his own in 2010.
Other than Ganz in 2008 (67.9%), which of those years was any of the guys on this list a "more accurate passer" than Martinez last year? Obviously his yardage and touchdowns are down because he plays in a totally different offense but Keller was the only other one to really exceed Martinez's percentage last year and no one did it in their first year as a starter. Keep in mind, Keller started at Arizona State before transferring. In addition, we all remember how much help Martinez got from his wide receivers last year.
I'm not going to argue that Martinez gets any style points for how he looks in the pocket but he is serviceable as a passer. As for this business of throwing motion, people didn't like Phillip Rivers throwing motion either but that's turned out all right for him with the Sa Diego Chargers. Bernie Kosar nearly won a Heisman Trophy and started for years in the NFL throwing side-arm so I don't get hung up on how the delivery looks.
I'd like to see Martinez work through his progressions a little more as well but when he pulled the ball down and ran against Tennessee-Chattanooga, he got a first down more often than not.

How much upside is there to Paulus coming to NU?

Between Robert Marve and Greg Paulus, I have heard several reasons why Nebraska fans want – or don’t want – a transfer quarterback.

The reasons in favor are primarily centered on the graduation of Joe Ganz, the departure of Patrick Witt and the fact that the Huskers will have very little game experience at the position. The reasons against both players coming to Nebraska stem from the Sam Keller experiment. Keller transferred from Arizona State and started nine games during Nebraska’s 5-7 season in 2007 before sustaining a season-ending injury. However, it should be pointed out that the Zac Taylor experiment worked out pretty good. Taylor was a JC transfer who played two seasons at Nebraska, earning Big 12 Offensive player of the Year honors.

Marve is a former Miami quarterback who departed following his redshirt freshman season. Based on NCAA regulations, Marve will be eligible for two seasons, starting in 2010, meaning he has to sit out the 2009 campaign.Marve started 11 games in 2008, throwing for 1,293 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions while splitting time with true freshman Jacory Harris. Marve was suspended for Miami's season opener and for the Hurricanes' Emerald Bowl loss to Cal for violations of team rules.Sports Illustrated also reported that after Marve decided to transfer, Miami coach Randy Shannon refused to release him to any ACC or SEC school or to any school in Florida. An appeals panel amended Marve's release, allowing him to transfer on scholarship to any school except an ACC member, Florida, Tennessee or LSU.

Paulus spent the last four seasons playing point guard at Duke University and is reportedly interested in broadcast journalism as a possible grad school option while he plays football. Paulus has been exploring the possibility of playing one year of quarterback at the college level — with Syracuse and Nebraska seeming to head his list of options.

While Paulus has spent the last four seasons playing basketball, he is a former national high school football player of the year but how much can he really add to Nebraska’s program now? On the other hand, it’s not as if Paulus has been sitting on the couch eating potato chips the last four years either. He has been an elite athlete. But seriously, even Joe Montana would struggle some if he hadn’t played football in four seasons.

Let’s revisit Marve, who at last check was leaning toward Purdue, for just a moment. He brings baggage. He was suspended twice for violating team rules. While we do not have information of “why” he was suspended, getting suspended “twice” during your freshman year is a definite red flag. In addition, second-year Miami head coach Randy Shannon seems like a good person of character. These are not the loose-ship Hurricanes of the Jimmy Johnson or Dennis Erickson eras.

I would be a little more receptive of Paulus joining the program but don’t really see a huge up or down side to him coming to Nebraska. He has not played football since his senior year of high school. While he has succeeded at a high level for a brand name Div. I-A program in basketball, how will that translate in football?

The competition and publicity he would bring are good but more so the latter. As of now, Zac Lee is viewed as the front-runner to be Nebraska’s quarterback but that’s mainly by default because he has been in the program the longest.

One year is not enough time for Paulus to truly make a difference for the team. What would he be, No. 3 on the depth chart and that’s if true freshman Cody Green redshirts.

Paulus would be less likely to come with a prima dona mentality than Marve. Keep in mind, Paulus did play for coach Mike Krzyzewski. I can’t think of too many (if any) head cases that have come out of his program – and keep in mind, Duke is to college basketball what Nebraska is to college football. I am sure that Husker head coach Bo Pelini and the staff is being honest with Paulus regarding the odds of playing are less than 10 percent. With that said, I doubt Paulus will have unrealistic expectations.