Taylor Martinez Quotes

Nebraska Football
Weekly Press Conference
Memorial Stadium (Lincoln, Neb.)
Monday, Nov. 17, 2012
Pre-Iowa

Taylor Martinez
Jr., Quarterback, Corona, Calif.

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On the winning streak over the past weeks and how they’ve been able to unite as a team
“We play with so much heart out there. I think that if you play with heart, anything can happen. We won every game at home so hopefully we can keep it going.”

On if they have changed their mindset at home from a couple years ago
“No, not really. We just have to keep playing our game. If we keep doing that, then we’ll keep winning. I think early on when we lost at UCLA and Ohio State, I don’t think we knew exactly who we were yet. Now I think we know who we are and we have to keep going from there.”

On how difficult it is for the team to not think about the Big Ten Championship with just one game left
“We have a lot of maturity on the team and I think we know we have to beat Iowa for us to go to the Big Ten Championship. I think we know what we have to do.”

On what challenges, if any, there are preparing for the game this week with one less day
“I don’t think there are any challenges at all. I actually like it better because there is one less day of practice and one less day of beating on your body. I kind of like it better.”

On how he feels
“I feel pretty good right now.”

On if he likes morning games
“Yes I actually do because we don’t have to stay in the hotel so long. We can wake up earlier and start getting things going. If it’s a later game you have to stay in the hotel and you don’t really do anything at all. I think the team likes it better.”

On if the Iowa game feels like a rivalry
“It does, just because it’s right next to us. We just got into the conference and I think later on down the road it will feel a lot better. Right now it’s starting to get there.”

On what it takes to be a rival of Nebraska
“I don’t know. I don’t know how to answer that question.”

On who is Nebraska since he said now they know who they are
“We’re a fast, physical team.”

On how much he’s learned about his team
“That we have a lot of heart and that we can come back from any point. I think that if you play with heart, you can accomplish anything.”

On what has impressed him most about Ameer (Abdullah) stepping in for Rex (Burkhead)
“He’s been doing a great job for us. He’s run between the tackles and he hasn’t really been that dinged up at all. He’s been at every practice. I’m excited that he’s able to keep on running through the tackles and keep carrying 30 carries a game. He’s been really good.”

On if he sees a better receiver in the Big Ten than Kenny Bell
“No, not that I can think of. We have really good receivers. They’ve been doing really good.”

On if he feels like he’s gotten better at the fundamentals throughout the season
“Yes. I think so. You can’t go for the homerun shot every time. If you’re down by 21 (points), you just have to try to get five yards at a time. If that happens, then you can march right down the field and score. Eventually maybe a receiver will break a tackle and go for a long gain like Kenny Bell on that bubble pass when he took it for a touchdown. You just have to play within the game. If you do that, big plays will happen.”

On  if the bubble throw to Jamal Turner is an example of that
“Yes. I think he picked up 10 or 12 yards. Get the ball to the receivers on those quick little passes, because if that happens they have to bring their DBs up and you can take shots down the field. It all just depends. With those athletes out there you can do a lot of stuff.”

On if those bubble passes were available all season or if it was just due to how Minnesota plays
“It all depends on our game plan. Like with Penn State we ran that toss I think about 22 times so it all just depends on what they give us. We go from rushing a bunch to passing a bunch. It all depends on the game plan and how the defenses are playing us.”

On if his audibles have ever unfolded and not gone as expected
“Yes it happens a few times a game. Sometimes a defense catches us off guard and you just have to go with the moment. You just have to try to make something happen.”