Now that the Taylor Martinez era is over, Huskerfan can take a step back and examine what impact he had, and where he sits among the all-timers.
     Taylor has been the most divisive quarterback in recent memory. I can not recall any other quarterback who generated so much outright hatred. When the news broke that he was done, there was a significant chunk of Husker Nation that replied with a flat, 'Good'.
     He has been the center of quite a few highlights and lowlights in his career, from bursting on the scene against a good Washington team, in Seattle, where the T-Magic nickname was born, to getting a pan-galactic ass-chewing on the sideline from coach Bo.
     He has allegedly quit the team, like Eric Crouch did. He was the one guy who could get nailed for a safety and rip off an 80-yard touchdown run in the same quarter.
     He is the guy who was Johnny on the spot, who kept gaming despite numerous injuries. He worked hard at getting better as a passer and a leader, but, in the end, didn't get quite good enough at either.
     He went 29-14 as a starter, and carried an undue burden for quite a few of those losses. Dropped passes against Texas, the defense flickering like a guttering candle in Columbus, and the nightmarish yielding of 10 yards a carry against Wisconsin in the Conference Championship Game. Those all go down as his losses, as well as the games won when the defense refused to yield, and the offense just needed one good drive.
     He notched up a record of 6-5 in what I call the 'just one play' games. Games that the final margin was 7 points or less, either way. He led the team to come-from behind wins against Ohio State, Wisconsin, Northwestern and Michigan State.
     The biggest knock on Taylor has been his performance in 'Big Games'. I put that in quote because every loss at Nebraska counts as a 'Big Game'. Throwing three picks against Wisconsin in 2010 led to a blowout loss, even though the defense was getting shredded by a future NFL quarterback. Playing hurt, but ineffectively at Texas A&M who had a future NFL qb and having to overcome 16 penalties during the Big 12 conspiracy days. Getting chewed on by Wolverines in the big house when nobody could hold on to a kick return, The Buckeye blast in Columbus, where Ohio State showed that their running quarterback was just that much better.
     Dropping back to back games against UCLA, where the defense seized up when the offense couldn't generate anything after halftime.
     The biggest albatross around Taylor's neck, the 0-2 in conference championship games and 0-3 in bowl games. Sometimes the competition was just plain better, Oklahoma in the 2010 Big 12 Championship or Georgia in the Bowl game, last year. Sometimes it wasn't, Washington in the Holiday Bowl in 2010, after dropping 56 on them in their house; or Wisconsin, whom had been beaten earlier in the year, had 5 losses and a backup quarterback starting.
     Taylor could be electric. A twisting, turning live wire of energy that could turn a busted play into a long gainer. He could also turn a simple mistake into a catastrophe. A simple fumble? Not with Taylor. When he fumbled you could feel the air get sucked out of 80,000 plus people as they watched helplessly as the ball skittered and careened toward Nebraska's goal. The stats may not be there to back it up, but the prevailing sense is that Nebraska almost never recovered a T-Mart fumble.
     Around here, more ink has been spilled regarding Martinez's throwing motion than just about anything except for maybe the presidential runs of William Jennings Bryan. Yes, he looked awkward. Yes, he underthrew the deep ball...constantly. Yes, he tried to force the ball into areas the defenders were not going to let it go. With that all said, he holds the records for passing yards, touchdown passes and total offense. Oddly enough, he does not hold the record for interceptions. Taylor has 29, good enough for second, behind Dave Humm, with 42. Even if you look at his Interception Frequency, he threw picks less often than Humm, Eric Crouch, Steve Taylor or Vince Farragamo.
     Martinez never had the benefit of a great offensive line. This was supposed to be the year, the best front line of his tenure, and he gets hurt, and then the line becomes a MASH unit, anyway. The line has progressed each year since he took over, but was never up to the 'Pipeline' standards. It is admittedly speculation, but I wonder if Taylor could have overcome more of his 'rabbit' tendencies if he would have been better protected.
     When it comes right down to it, the quarterback at Nebraska is supposed to 'just win, Baby', in the immortal words of Al Davis. Taylor won more than he lost, and he lost more of the Big Ones. Now that all is said and done, Taylor will probably take his place among the good but not great quarterbacks in Husker Lore. Definitely not a Tommie Frazier, a Jerry Tagge or a Turner Gill. Probably not in with Steve Taylor, Dave Humm or Eric Crouch. I would fit him in with Jamaal Lord, Mike Grant or Scott Frost. Yes, Scott Frost, who was branded a turncoat, traitor, coward and worse, but a National Championship can rehabilitate a lot of images. That's another story, though.
     The kid gave it his all. He played hurt, he worked hard and at the end of the day, he left everything he had out on the field. Even if you didn't like him, or didn't think he was the best option at quarterback, at the very least he deserves a thank you for giving it his all. More than us couch coaches ever have, anyway.
     Martinez can now take solace that, like fellow Californian, Richard Nixon, Huskerfan won't have him to kick around anymore.