Scott Frost provides status update on QB Adrian Martinez for Nebraska-Iowa game
A shoulder injury Adrian Martinez suffered in the first half of Saturday’s game against Wisconsin will end his season.
Nebraska head coach Scott Frost announced on Monday that Martinez will miss Nebraska’s regular-season finale against Iowa on Friday due to the injury.
Scott Frost announces Adrian Martinez will not play on Friday against Iowa due to a shoulder injury. pic.twitter.com/6mwDsfPVVb
— Kevin Sjuts (@kevinsjuts) November 22, 2021
“He’s such a tough kid, I didn’t expect him to play in the second half and he came up to me right before the second-half kickoff and said he wanted to go,” Frost said. “(I) feel terrible for him but appreciate him.”
Frost went on to say that he’d encourage Martinez, who’s in his 4th year with the program, to take part in Senior Day festivities but that doing so wouldn’t necessarily signal Martinez leaving the program after the year or not.
Scott Frost on Adrian Martinez: “I don’t want to talk about him like he’s gone.”
The Nebraska coach says he’ll encourage Martinez to walk on Senior Day Friday — because Frost wants to see the QB get honored. But Frost will talk later with Martinez about a possible 2022 return.
— Mitch Sherman (@mitchsherman) November 22, 2021
Against Wisconsin, Martinez became the Nebraska program’s all-time leader in total yards of offense for a career. His career total stands at 10,792 yards of offense. The California native is one of only 3 active FBS players with 8,000 career passing yards and 2,000 career rushing yards and only the 4th Big Ten quarterback to reach those marks in a career.
Martinez has thrown for 2,863 yards and 14 touchdowns this season for Nebraska. He also has 525 rushing yards and 13 scores.
Because of the freeze on eligibility the NCAA enacted during the 2020 season, Martinez could return for a 5th season of college football in 2022. There has not been an announcement one way or the other on whether he plans to do so.
Nebraska (3-8, 1-7 Big Ten) hosts Iowa (9-2, 6-2 Big Ten) on Friday, Nov. 26, at 1:30 p.m. ET on BTN. Freshman quarterbacks Logan Smothers and Heinrich Haarberg will lead the Huskers in the game. Smothers will start, though Haarberg could see action.