By Sam McKewon / World-Herald staff writer

Former Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez became interested in smartphone apps during his football career in Lincoln. Though he put the pastime on the back burner while he broke several Husker records, he dove back in this January under his Magic3Apps development umbrella, and, along with his brother Keaton, Taylor has developed a new free app, Stupid FAST, describing in a press release “a game designed for football enthusiasts.”

The app is scheduled to be released Sunday, and, as seen in a YouTube trailer, features a runner trying to escape the clutches of a defender while jumping over or knocking down pylons. Users can share their scores and compete for prizes as well.

In May, doctors for the Philadelphia Eagles chose not to clear Martinez for training camp — and thus voided his free agent contract — because of a lingering left foot injury.

Martinez hasn’t necessarily set aside a potential pro career, but as his left foot continues to heal from an injury suffered in the 2013 season opener against Wyoming — that injury caused him to miss all but four games last year — Martinez hasn’t slowed down a bit on other career fronts. He’ll be a “Demo Day” speaker Tuesday at N Motion, an Internet startup incubator on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Innovation Campus. He’s also preparing to be a residential real estate agent.

In a phone interview, Martinez talked about his excitement about the app, just when he hurt his foot last season, what he thinks of the Huskers and current starter Tommy Armstrong, and an upcoming real estate exam he’ll take in California.

Q: Why did you get back into app development?

A: I enjoy doing it. It takes my mind off things. It’s a lot of fun. I think this new app, Stupid FAST, should be pretty good. We’ve been figuring out ways to promote it and the best way to get it out there. This is by far the best app I’ve created.

Q: How long did it take to develop?

A: It’s going on three months now.

Q: What’s the goal in terms of number of downloads?

A: My goal is to get it within the top 25 overall in the (iPhone) app store. That’s a pretty hard goal to meet, but that’s why you set goals.

Q: What has been your most successful gaming app to date?

A: I’d say Wobble, Wobble. But I’ve contacted a lot of people for this Stupid FAST app and I should have a pretty good promotion. So I’m pretty confident about this app. I just created a YouTube trailer for it.

Q: What’s cool about Stupid FAST? What will users like?

A: Inside the game is a reward system. Based on how you do, you can win a reward or enter into a raffle, which is neat. That’s what makes my app different from anyone else. I think people would play just to try and win the rewards.

Q: What was the inspiration behind developing it?

A: Football season is right around the corner. It’s a perfect fit. I know a lot of kids love playing sports games on their phones. My brother Keaton and I came up with it. He’s my partner. Those other apps I’ve developed since January, he’s also helped with those. He’s a very smart kid. He’s in school at Nebraska.

Q: Why did your brother want to go to Nebraska?

A: He knows how much I love it and he loves the state, he loves Lincoln and how it’s grown. It’s grown tremendously. It’s an awesome city to be in with the Haymarket and the new basketball arena and the basketball team making the turn it did last year.

Q: Do you have any plans of moving back to Lincoln or do you intend to stay in California?

A: We’ll see what happens. As of right now, I’ll be doing real estate down in Orange County for four or five years and we’ll see how that goes. I may end up moving back to Nebraska.

Q: Your dad has been involved in real estate. Is this something you’ve loved since you were a kid?

A: It’s kind of different because my dad is a real estate investor, and I’ll be a real estate agent. But I’ve always loved being a part of real estate. That’s part of what I did growing up, going to houses, seeing the houses and how much they’re pricing and how to fix it up. Little stuff like that. It’s going to be residential real estate in Orange County. Probably for Berkshire Hathaway.

Q: What have you been up to in terms of football? Where are you with your foot injury?

A: Lately, I’ve been rehabbing, trying to get my foot back to normal. The only way for it to get completely back to normal would be getting surgery on my foot.

Q: So the only way it would completely heal is if you got surgery and you’re not ready to do that?

A: Not yet. I want my foot to heal. If I do decide to come back and play football, I’ll get the surgery and make the comeback.

Q: So you’ve put your football career on hold until when? Do you have a final date?

A: Not really. I know this guy — Jordan Campbell — who plays for the Chiefs (on the practice squad). He’s an entrepreneur like myself. He owned a workout facility and started a clothing company. He kept pursuing his career in the NFL over a few years. And he finally made a team. You never know later on down the road.

Q: The Eagles’ medical staff did not clear you to play because of the foot. How hard was that news to hear?

A: It was very difficult, just because I know I’ve worked so hard in my life to get to this point and it comes down to a ligament I tore early in the season. I was hoping by the time I took the MRI that it was going to be healed. And they found out about my shoulder by looking at it and testing it. And then they ended up taking an MRI on that. It was two things that happened.

Q: What was wrong with your shoulder?

A: I also separated my (non-throwing) shoulder in the first game (against Wyoming). I had both things going for me in the first game. I really didn’t put that out to the media. A lot of the injuries I had throughout the seasons I really didn’t release to the media. I didn’t feel the need to release that to the media. I hurt (my shoulder) at the very beginning of the third quarter. You can tell if you go back and watch the film that I can’t even hold my shoulder up. I think I was handing off with my right arm the whole time after I hurt it.

Q: Which play did you hurt your foot on in the Wyoming game?

A: It was the very last run play against Wyoming. Right up the middle. My foot got caught in between defenders and my left foot kind of snapped on me. It was third-and-5. The last running play.

Q: Last season must have been hard to endure.

A: It was very difficult. It was hard on me. It’s still hard on me. I’m still getting through it.

Q: We didn’t hear much from you after your final season. What are your thoughts about this 2014 team?

A: I wish them the best of luck. I’ll try to watch as many games as I can because I still have friends on that team. I love Nebraska. I’m going to miss it.

Q: What was it like watching Nebraska as a “fan” for the Florida Atlantic game?

A: It was really weird because I’d been a part of that program for five years. I was really proud of Tommy (Armstrong) and how the offense did.

Q: How good can Armstrong be?

A: I think he can be really good. The key thing for all quarterbacks is making sure they stay in the film room and making sure you can read defenses and check into any play so the offense can run the correct play against the defense. If he does that, the sky’s the limit.

Q: In terms of your career, do you feel like you left anything unfinished because of the injury?

A: Not at all. I’m truly happy with how I did at Nebraska.

Q: What is one misconception Nebraska fans had about you when you were here? What’s one thing you’d like to correct about what they may think?

A: I don’t know. I haven’t really thought about that one.

Q: Your favorite memory?

A: My first touchdown. My first carry.

Q: Favorite game?

A: Probably Oklahoma State (2010) when we played at their place.

Q: Is there a game you wish you could have back?

A: No. Not at all. I think I played my heart out every game and I gave it my all. I left my body out there. I wouldn’t take any game back.

Q: Of the three things — the football, the app, the real estate — which one excites you the most right now?

A: Just because it’s about to come out in a few days, I’m most excited about (the app), to see how it does and what people think of it.

Q: But if an NFL team called you tomorrow and said, ‘Hey, we want you to come and try out,’ would you get on a plane and do it?

A: Yes. Definitely.

In down time, Taylor Martinez is in the download business

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Replies

  • Taylor had a shoulder injury last season? He didn't feel the need to inform anyone? He had several injuries during his career that he didn't feel the need to inform anyone? That says a lot. Good luck with your phone apps.

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