Nebraska sophomore quarterback Taylor Martinez picked up his second watch list recognition of the summer on Friday, as he was named to the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award watch List.

The O’Brien Award recognizes the nation’s top collegiate quarterback, and Martinez was a semifinalist for the award in 2010. He comes off a freshman campaign where he threw for 1,631 yards and 10 touchdowns, while rushing for 950 yards and 12 scores.

Martinez nearly became the third freshman quarterback in FBS history to rush and pass for 1,000 yards in a season. He finished the 2010 season with five 100-yard rushing games, including a NU quarterback record 241 yards against Kansas State. Martinez became the first Husker quarterback to rush for 100 yards and throw for 300 yards in a game at Oklahoma State, when he ran for 112 yards and completed 23-of-35 passes for 323 yards and five touchdowns in a win over the Cowboys.

Martinez is one of three returning semifinalists from Big Ten teams,  joining Michigan’s Denard Robinson and Michigan State’s Kirk Cousins, and is one of six Big Ten quarterbacks on the O’Brien Award watch list.

Also, Junior running back Rex Burkhead became the latest Husker to earn preseason recognition, as he was named to the Doak Walker Award watch Friday afternoon.

Burkhead comes off a sophomore season when he rushed for 951 yards and seven touchdowns, while also completing three touchdown passes out of the wildcat formation. Burkhead totaled three 100-yard games while splitting time with All-Big 12 performer Roy Helu Jr. in 2010. Burkhead rushed for a career-high 129 yards in a win at Iowa State. In addition to his running and passing exploits, Burkhead also hauled in 15 catches out of the backfield in 2010.

He is one of seven Big Ten running backs on the 51-member Doak Walker watch list, which is presented to the nation’s top running back.

— NU Sports Information —