BOULDER — Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez will “be available” to play against Colorado on Friday and if he doesn’t, it will be because of his injured ankle. It won’t be because he quit the team.
Coach Bo Pelini did his best to squelch that rumor during today’s Big 12 coaches teleconference after a night of wild speculation.
“There is no truth to any of those reports,” Pelini said. “There’s no issue with him and the football team. I don’t know where all that stuff came from.”
It came from Pelini’s public tirade on his quarterback when Martinez returned to the field after getting his ankle treated during Saturday’s 9-6 loss at Texas A&M.
Pelini would not comment on what caused the verbal assault, caught on ABC cameras, though numerous Internet reports claimed Martinez texted his father during treatment.
“First of all it wasn’t related to his injury,” Pelini said. “It was something completely separate. My policy is I always deal with everything directly. Obviously, I regret it was caught on national TV but it was something I felt needed to be addressed. I addressed it, and Taylor and I are on the same page about it.”
However, Pelini’s behavior caught the attention of Nebraska chancellor Harvey Perlman who said Sunday that he would discuss the matter with him. Also expected to join the discussion will be athletic director Tom Osborne, a former coach known for his calm sideline demeanor.
Martinez wasn’t the only person who faced Pelini’s wrath. Others included tight end Ben Cotton and kicker Alex Henery, but Pelini saved his most vicious diatribe for the officials who called a school-record 16 penalties on Nebraska. Texas A&M had two.
“To the chancellor, I obviously have respect for the job he has to do,” Pelini said. “Obviously, I don’t agree with every call that’s made in a game but there’s a way to deal with it and I probably got too animated at times. For that I regret that. I apologized for it.”
The biggest question is Martinez’s effectiveness. The redshirt freshman was a Heisman candidate last month after rushing for at least 100 yards in five of his first seven games as Nebraska started 6-1.
But in his last four, Martinez’s top rushing total is 71 and he has thrown only one TD pass. No. 16 Nebraska (9-2, 5-2 Big 12) must beat Colorado (5-6, 2-5) to win the North Division.
If he’s replaced it will be sophomore Cody Green, a two-year backup. Senior Zac Lee, last year’s starter, is available after missing two recent games with a sore hand.
“It’s a little too early to say,” Pelini said of Martinez’s strength. “He got beat up a little bit the last week. It’s probably a day to day thing. I would expect by the end of the week that he’ll be available but it’s hard to say.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com.
