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Kirk Ferentz has seen a lot in his 20 years in the B1G. He’s coached plenty of NFL-caliber players and has seen some incredible talent across the sideline, as well.
Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez ranks right up there with some of the best.
Iowa and Nebraska are preparing for their annual bout in the season finale on Friday, a rivalry game that’s grown immensely since the Huskers joined the B1G. And, this year, with Nebraska’s explosive offense and Iowa’s stingy defense, we should be in for a fun afternoon.
But Ferentz is a little worried about that guy under center. He understands just how magnificent of a player Martinez has been for the Huskers this fall.
“He seems to be the center of everything,” Ferentz said, according to Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald. “It’s hard to believe he’s a freshman.”
Ferentz also compared him to Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley, which is pretty good company.
Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on Nebraska QB Adrian Martinez: "He seems to be the center of everything. It’s hard to believe he’s a freshman."
— Sam McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) November 21, 2018
Martinez has been at the center of Nebraska’s offense this season. He’s thrown for 2,357 yards this fall, most by a B1G freshman quarterback since Ohio State’s J.T. Barrett tallied 2,834 yards in 2014.
The freshman gunslinger has also been dangerous with his feet, totaling 553 yards on the ground. He’s accounted for 22 touchdowns in 10 games this season.
Saturday will be another huge test for Martinez, who hasn’t seen many defenses quite as talented as the Hawkeyes. But he’s made plays all year long and Nebraska has been firing on all cylinders over the last month.
Ferentz needs to find a game plan to slow down Martinez on Friday. He’ll have to worry about the next three years at a different time.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB