Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Taylor Martinez has improved his throwing mechanics quite a bit this year. Last season they were just plain unsightly. This fall he looks and throws like a top flight college football quarterback. And the numbers back it up, as he’s tossed 15 TDs against just 4 picks, 1,615 yards and 67% completion.
On Saturday he accounted for 407 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to help Nebraska to a 29-28 road victory against Northwestern. The dual threat QB engineered two fourth-quarter scoring drives, erasing a 12-point deficit and tying the largest fourth-quarter comeback in school history. Martinez threw for 342 yards, the second-most of his career, and three touchdowns on 27 completions, adding 65 yards on the ground and a score. The league’s highest rated passer, he won his fourth career Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week award and third this season.
“Overall, Taylor played pretty outstanding football,” Nebraska coach Bo Pelini said.
“He was poised the whole time.”
When tailback Rex Burkhead went down, the game was on Martinez’s arm and legs.
“He’s been down for several games, and Ameer has come in and done a good job,” Martinez said.
He played perhaps his best game yet.
When asked, Martinez said “I think one of my top ones.”
His main competition for the Chicago Tribune Silver Football Award (Big Ten MVP) are Braxton Miller (Ohio State), Venric Mark (Northwestern), Le’Veon Bell (Michigan State) and Montee Ball (Wisconsin). Maybe you can make a case for the Wolverines Denard Robinson, maybe.
Right now Martinez has to be considered as much of a front-runner as anyone.
Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Chicago Tribune.com, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports
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