Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez hopes to show new dual-threat style at Kansas State
Anyone who watched Adrian Martinez carve up defenses with both his arm and his legs over the past four seasons at Nebraska would describe him as a dual-threat quarterback.
He threw for 8,495 yards and rushed for 2,288 more while he was with the Cornhuskers. That kind of versatility helped him keep opposing teams off balance and allowed him to celebrate 80 touchdowns while wearing red.
But those numbers weren’t always as impressive as they looked on paper, because Martinez was always turnover prone and he never won more than five games in a season.
For those reasons, the “super senior” quarterback is hoping to change things up now that he has transferred to Kansas State for his final season of college football. He hopes Nebraska fans don’t completely recognize him if they watch him play next fall.
“Running is definitely a part of my game,” Martinez said earlier this week. “It’s something I’m looking to do maybe a little bit less this year, in all honesty, but it does provide a spark to the offensive side of the ball as I try and make plays. The next evolution of that is to make plays and turn over the ball less.”
Martinez had several options when he entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal following the end of the 2021 season, but he chose the Wildcats because he thinks a pass-first, run-second style will fit perfectly into Chris Klieman’s offense under new coordinator Collin Klein.
He called his transfer “a business decision” and selected K-State because the thinks playing here will help him reach the NFL.
Together, he thinks the Wildcats can play a more exciting brand of football next season.
“I would say the offense is a lot more similar to NFL type schemes in the way we go about things,” Martinez said. “With Coach Collin as their offensive coordinator I think he’s going to bring in some spread elements that I’m more used to coming from Nebraska and maybe we’ll mix in some tempo stuff. I think it will really complement the already existing offense.”
There is no guarantee that Martinez will take over as K-State’s starting quarterback next season, but he is the obvious heir apparent to Skylar Thompson. And he sounded like a team captain while speaking to reporters for the first time since he arrived on campus.
The hardest thing he is dealing with at the moment is injury rehab. Martinez had surgery on his throwing arm before he left Nebraska. He is expected to be back at full strength in time for summer practices, but it will be a while before he can participate in most team activities. He is hoping to throw during the spring, but he won’t take part in any scrimmages.
Becoming a leader under those circumstances isn’t easy. Still, he’s looking forward to it.
“I needed a new challenge,” Martinez said. “One of those things is overcoming my injury. Going through the rehab process, finding ways to get involved in the weight room while I’m doing maybe a little bit different lifts than some of the other guys. Part of that is from a leadership aspect. Part of that is from a physical aspect. So I’m adjusting on both of those fronts.”
When he puts on a K-State uniform for the first time in September, he hopes those adjustments help him play like a brand new quarterback.
It’s time to turn the page from his Nebraska days.
“I’m in an offense I felt like I could fit in and thrive and show some skills of mine that I haven’t been able to display,” Martinez said. “That’s what it was about for me.”
This story was originally published February 3, 2022 at 1:09 PM with the headline "Nebraska transfer Adrian Martinez hopes to show new dual-threat style at Kansas State."