Scott Frost finds his quarterback of the future, and present, naming Adrian Martinez Nebraska’s starter
Scott Frost has found his quarterback of the future and the present, naming Adrian Martinez, a freshman, the Nebraska starter.
Scott Frost is back in Lincoln as Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach, as he tries to bring the program back to the glory days. It won’t be an overnight job in the competitive Big Ten, and perhaps to that end, Frost named true freshman Adrian Martinez the starting quarterback on Sunday.
Martinez was competing with redshirt freshman Tristan Gebbia for the starting job. He missed his senior season of high school in Fresno, California with a shoulder injury, but was able to play in the Under Armour All-America game and was the prized signing in Frost’s first recruiting class after switching his commitment from Tennessee.
Despite missing last season, Martinez was still ranked 103rd in the ESPN 300 for the Class of 2018. His dual-threat ability is a good fit for Frost’s high-powered offense and that will conjure up comparisons to UCF quarterback McKenzie Milton, who was one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the country last year.
The Cornhuskers are deep at wide receiver and running back. Three anointed starters return along the offensive line, among eight that started at least one game last year.
No true freshman has ever opened a season as the starting quarterback at Nebraska. The last true freshman to start any game under center for the Cornhuskers was Cody Green in 2009. Tommie Frazier somewhat famously took over as the starter six games into the 1992 season. But Martinez is in rare territory for the program, not coincidentally at the start of a new era.
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The Cornhuskers open the season next Saturday at home against Akron. Where the 2018 campaign goes is anyone’s guess, but Martinez could very well hold down the most important position in football for Nebraska and be a four-year starter for Frost.