K-State may use QB Adrian Martinez in unique ways against TCU at Big 12 championship

The last time Kansas State football fans saw Adrian Martinez in pads, he was limping off the field with a significant lower-body injury during a road game against Baylor.

More than two weeks have passed since then, and the senior quarterback remains relegated to the sideline. He wore street clothes and a walking boot on his right foot for each of the Wildcats’ past two games while Will Howard led the team to a 48-31 victory at West Virginia and then a 47-27 win over Kansas.

Enough has happened over the past month that K-State coach Chris Klieman has put his trust in Howard as the unquestioned QB1. But he would like to create a new role for Martinez whenever the Nebraska transfer is ready to return, potentially as early as Saturday against TCU in the Big 12 championship game.

“We’ve got to have a package or something for Adrian,” Klieman said on Tuesday, “just because of the the unique skill set that he does have.”

A statement like that could easily be written off as nothing more than gamesmanship from a coach who is looking to make the next opponent on the schedule worry about plays that the Wildcats have no plans to use.

But it is exciting to think about the possibilities that exist with Martinez operating out of a wildcat QB package or being used on trick plays alongside Howard. Martinez is a gifted runner and his playing style complements Howard, who is better known as a passer. Perhaps he could provide a valuable change of pace.

Maybe K-State will save that for its bowl game, but Klieman thinks there is “an outside chance” that Martinez will be medically cleared and ready to play against the Horned Frogs.

“Will is going to be the guy,” Klieman said. “Adrian has helped us get to this moment, without question, because of his body of work that he’s done in the first half of the season. There’s an outside chance that he could be available this week. We’ll learn probably more Wednesday and Thursday.”

Even if K-State has no plans of using multiple quarterbacks in the Big 12 championship game, an active Martinez would give them a quality backup option.

Martinez has remained active as a leader with the team ever since he was injured.

“You see him on the sidelines cheering guys on,” K-State center Hayden Gillum said. “He came up to me before the last game and was just like, ‘I’m going to be the biggest cheerleader today.’ To have a guy like Adrian and all his playing experience helping out is big. He is a competitor and it’s tough for him to sit there and watch and not be able to be a part of it. But he’s more than a part of it.”

If he is unable to play, K-State would turn to Jake Rubley or Jaren Lewis if Howard is unable to play for any reason. Both Martinez and Howard suffered injuries during a 38-28 loss against TCU earlier this season, and Rubley was called upon as the third-stringer. But he did not play well and threw a key interception in the second half.

Martinez would be an upgrade off the bench.

“That is what we hope,” Klieman said. “But we can’t answer that probably until Wednesday. I’m not going to know how many reps he’s going to be able to get. He won’t get any today. We hope he can get some tomorrow. If not, Rubley and Jaren will take those. It’s going to be a day-by-day process. I know this: The kid is chomping at the bit to be available and we’ll see where it’s at.”

If he can play, the Wildcats might not hesitate to play him in some capacity.

“If we need him in a situation,” Klieman said, “whatever that situation is, and we can use him and it’s safe to use him, we will use him.”