When Matt Schaub went down with a shoulder injury against Duke Saturday night, backup Anthony Martinez jumped off the bench and into the spotlight surrounding the 15th-ranked Virginia Cavaliers. Martinez was successful in his first college game, leading the Cavaliers to a 27-0 victory. This Saturday, he makes his first start since high school, as Virginia travels to take on the South Carolina Gamecocks. Thus far, he's kept his cool.
"It will be loud, but our stadium gets pretty loud, too," Martinez said of the 82,000 fans expected at Saturday's game. "I'm just ready to go down there. I'll have confidence in myself. I'm just ready to go play the game, I won't pay much attention to that."
Martinez will face intense pressure from a number of conditions Saturday, including the fans, the heat and the Gamecocks themselves. But his performance against Duke should have him well prepared. He came in unexpectedly and struggled with a number of challenges, including coordinating the offense and getting plays off on time -- after two delay-of-game penalties on the first drive, he settled down. This whirlwind trial by fire should have him ready for most of the challenges the Gamecocks will throw at him.
"It shocked me at the beginning, but I knew I didn't have time to think about myself and me going into the game," Martinez said. "It was just so much at one time. I was trying to keep up with the play clock and trying to keep up with my wristband and trying to be loud in the huddle for the teammate. As the game went on, I started to get a little more comfortable."
Against Duke, a flustered Martinez received help from the best place possible: Schaub, the veteran quarterback he came in to replace. Schaub spoke with Martinez in-between series and helped calm him down.
"That made me look at [Schaub] in a different way," Martinez said. "That was something he didn't have to do. That showed a lot of class and that helped me out a lot."
As Martinez settled down, he began to move the ball more effectively. His first completion came on a pass to Art Thomas. He hit the converted wideout on a 37-yard strike to reach the Duke five-yard line. The completion gave his confidence a shot in the arm.
"That was my first completion in a real game so that calmed me down a little bit," Martinez said.
By game's end, Martinez put up 24 points and guided the Cavaliers to an impressive shutout victory. It was the first experience of his sporting career where he had to come off the bench at such an important time.
"In high school, [there were] a couple of baseball games where I would come in and pitch, but that's no comparison to Saturday night," Martinez said.
Martinez is a product of Patrick Henry High in Hanover County, where he starred in both baseball and football. During his recruitment, some speculation existed about whether he would continue both sports at Virginia, but Martinez claims that he's given up baseball for now.
"I miss it, but it's a comparison thing," Martinez said. "On the baseball field, the pitcher is the spotlight position. On the football field, quarterback is the spotlight position."
Martinez's experience on the pitcher's mound surely helped his football-throwing ability, which he displayed with the bomb to Thomas.
"When he hums it, it goes a long way," Virginia coach Al Groh said.
After Saturday's victory, Martinez spent time with his family, who came to the game in hordes.
"My whole family was there, my mom, my grandma, brother and sister and friends of the family I've known since I was a baby," Martinez said. "It was good having their support. They're not expecting me to play like that. After the game, I gave my mom the game ball that coach Groh gave me. She was pretty emotional about it."
This Saturday could be another emotional day for Anthony's mom. If he can pull this one off, it will be his greatest relief performance yet.
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