College Football: 7 quarterbacks with something to prove in 2022

Adrian Martinez

The former Nebraska Cornhusker has taken his talents to Kansas State in hopes of being the Wildcats’ primary signal-caller. Martinez’s four seasons as the starting quarterback for Nebraska were filled with ups and downs.

He burst onto the scene his true freshman season by posting impressive numbers: 2617 passing yards, 17 TD-8 INT, 629 rushing yards, 4.5 yards per rush, and 8 rushing TD.

His subsequent seasons were marred by a losing record, turnover issues, health concerns, and a seemingly awkward fit with the offensive scheme. In a sudden turn of events during his time in Lincoln, he went from being a Heisman hopeful to questions arising about his future at the quarterback position.

Martinez decided to enter the transfer portal and chose the Wildcats as his preferred destination. Unfortunately, he underwent shoulder surgery on his throwing arm in November 2021, which sidelined him for contact during spring practices with Kansas State. Nonetheless, he was able to take mental reps and was an active participant in walkthroughs, non-contact periods, and footwork drills.

From an evaluation standpoint, it is evident that Martinez possesses ideal athleticism for the position and provides a unique element to an offensive system by creating plays with his legs. At Nebraska, especially during the 2021 season, his “escape-ability” was a key element in the generation of explosive plays.

On the other hand, there have been inconsistencies with his accuracy as a passer and downfield ball placement. To be fair, this is not solely an indictment on him, as there were aspects of the offense that were executed poorly and were out of his control.

The offensive system at Kansas State will provide Martinez with a heavier reliance on running the football with the use of both tight ends and fullbacks. This aggressive, physical approach to offensive play will allow him to utilize the play-action passing game to promote easier post-snap reads and get him outside the pocket to accentuate his strengths using his athleticism.

He will be looking to prove that his time at Nebraska was not indicative of his ability to consistently lead a program to success.

Most importantly, Martinez will be looking to lead the Wildcats to a Big 12 championship and a prestigious bowl game appearance. The criticism that he’s endured and navigated with professionalism throughout his career will hopefully end in triumph. He has all of the physical and mental tools to be successful and the 2022 season will be his time to prove it.