FARMINGTON, Utah (October 10, 2022) – For the second consecutive year, Northern Arizona quarterback
RJ Martinez earned Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Week for his performance on Family Weekend in Flagstaff.
Throwing for 359 yards and recording four total touchdowns against the Cal Poly Mustangs, Martinez helped the Lumberjacks snap a three-game losing streak with a 31-29 victory at Findlay Toyota Field. It's the second weekly conference award of Martinez's young career, with the first coming after Northern Arizona's 48-17 victory against Idaho State last year. The reigning Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year threw for 369 yards and three touchdowns, with a fourth score on the ground on 57 yards rushing.
Completing 31-of-44 passes for 359 yards, Martinez had plenty of help from his receivers as three different players finished with at least 80 yards receiving and four different players had at least five receptions. Opening the game with a 7-play, 75-yard drive, Northern Arizona capped off the drive with a 30-yard score by
Draycen Hall from Martinez.
On their next drive, the Lumberjacks went 90 yards in 13 plays with Martinez hitting
Jamal Glaspie in the front corner of the end zone for a 3-yard score. Martinez threw for 53 yards on the drive, including three third-down conversions through the air.
Trailing 20-14 with 1:52 left in the first half, Northern Arizona took a 1-point lead as Martinez led an 8-play, 90-yard drive in just 1:34. Opening with completions of 10 and 15 yards to
Isaiah Gerena and Glaspie, Martinez capped off the drive with a 1-yard sneak on fourth-and-2 from the Cal Poly 2-yard line and another 1-yard push through the lines for his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
Martinez's final touchdown of the game came just 1:32 into the second half. Following a pair of runs by Hall, Martinez floated a ball over a defender as
Hendrix Johnson crossed toward the left sideline. Easily coming down with the ball over his shoulders, Johnson broke free for the final 62 yards to the end zone as Martinez completed the 73-yard touchdown, the longest play of the season for Northern Arizona's offense.
Needing a score with just 4:18 left in the fourth quarter, Martinez put the Lumberjacks in field goal position as the sophomore converted a third-and-1 with a 2-yard rush followed by a 41-yard completion to Glaspie along Northern Arizona's sideline.
It's the second consecutive season an offensive player from Northern Arizona has earned Big Sky Player of the Week following the Lumberjacks' game against the Mustangs. Last season,
Kevin Daniels earned the award with his 280 yards rushing and five touchdowns on the ground in the season finale in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Headed back out on the road, Northern Arizona faces the UC Davis Aggies on Oct. 15 at 4 P.M. MST.
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