The Model for Success at Nebraska: A Strong Physical Running Game

[The Duke]

Every head coach and offensive coordinator football coach has a few choices when they develop their teams...

 

What is our philosophy? What do we want our run/pass ratio to be? What will make us successful in the environment that we play in?

 

For current Nebraska head coach Mike Riley he has now admitted that his preference is to use the pass to set up the run.

 

It is a philosophy that has worked on all levels of football, but this is not the right model for Nebraska. That model had a 4 year experiment and failed. [see Bill Callahan]

 

There is an offensive model that works at Nebraska. It is the model that produced numerous All-Americans, Outland winners, Heisman trophies, a hallway of Conference Championships, and yes...multiple National Championships. It is a model that worked for Nebraska for over 40 years, and it is this model that Nebraska MUST return to if it ever wants to return to producing consistent, competitive, championship level teams year in and year out.

 

 

 

The Model for Success at Nebraska is a commitment to a STRONG, PHYSICAL, Running Game.

 

Tom Osborne explains this in detail in the video below. Pay attention to #2 & #3 on his list.

Tom Osborne: "We wanted to have a strong running game. In our part of the country weather is often a factor. We felt that simply throwing the ball wasn't going to get it done. So we wanted to have a strong running game running both option football and power football. We wanted to play physical football. We were going to play with 11 people, our receivers blocked every play. Our quarterback would take the ball up the field. He would not hook slide, he would not run out of bounds...that was our philosophy. We wanted all ball carriers to get every yard after contact they possibly could."

 

 

Let's not forget that Tom Osborne had a direct hand in All-5 of Nebraska's National Championships. It would be a fool's errand to ignore his experience and expertise when it comes to having a consistent winning model for Nebraska.

 

This is not a suggestion that Nebraska returns to running the option purely out of the I-formation.

 

NO...this is a statement that in order to win big at Nebraska, you must have a commitment to the running game first.

 

 

 

This model, the Devaney/Osborne model lets call it, not only produced results, it gave the Nebraska Cornhuskers an identity for over 40 years. An identity as one of the nation's most physical football teams. It's a model and identity that Nebraska turned its back on 15 years ago, and it is THE model that Nebraska must return to if it ever wants to compete for conference & national championships ever again.

[huskerfan92]

 

"He thought it was important that a team run the ball," Riley said of Osborne. "If you're a team that has to count on throwing 60 times per game, some games that might be difficult."

Riley chuckled. "That's what he said. And I get that."

 

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/blogs/mike-riley-gets-advice-from-tom-osborne-run-the-ball/article_cc25a7e6-becb-11e4-9fed-87b05187389e.html

 

100% with you. Riley says in this article that he gets it, but he's shown so far that he doesn't. Langsdorf and Riley truly believe that the passing is what sets up the run game. However, they veer away from the running game when it stops working, but won't veer away from the passing game when it's unsuccessful. Sure the running game isn't going to get you 7-15+ yards every time you run it. But if you keep pounding that rock, and controlling the time of possession you will wear down the defense so at the end of the game those 3-4 yard runs turn into 8+ yard chunks. Then when they stack up on the run, you hit them with a play action pass. It's pretty simple, but this staff is making it difficult.

[JJ Husker]

+1

I agree. That is the Nebraska I grew to love and that is what has been missing for 15 years. Pound the rock and pound the other team, everything else will fall into place.

 

Set up the pass with the run not the other way around. Force the other team to put 8-9 guys in the box and even then be able to get some yards up the gut if you decide to or the passing game is wide open at that point. If the winds is blowing, the ball is wet, you know the off weather days you're bound to have in Nebraska or B1G country, you need to be able to stuff it down somebody's throat when needed. This fancy dance jet sweep finesse, running comes 2nd BS isn't going to get it done.

[74Hunter]

Well, if you listened to the presser today, Riley talked extensively about the passing game. Don't expect their philosophy to change any time soon, they won't establish and lean on the running game.

 

Square peg, round hole.

[Undone]

The OP just hardly resonates with me at all.

 

The only thing that makes sense about it even in the slightest is the cold weather seen in November in the B1G. That's about it.

[xlbder]

I too am a fan of the power running game. Alas, we are not going to see it this season. I wanted to see a lot of Cross and Jano with Armstrong under center and a TE on half the plays. But we have the rink-a-dink schizoid offensive game plan. Maybe we will confuse a few opponents.

[alwayshusking]

I mostly agree. I certainly agree with it in regards to this team. Asking Tommy to open up the running game with his arm is making for a long season.

 

It's part of the Air Coryell and West Coast Offense philosophies to throw to set up the run. I'd rather be the opposite.

[RedRex]

Thanks Duke, been looking for something like this while looking at all the "Who do we get?" threads. Made me think, What do I want to see? I'd like an offense that utilizes what we produce here, in Nebraska. Farm-tough kids. Every little hiccup of a town fields a football team even if they're limited to 6-man. Those are tough kids, kids with heart. The kind that make great O/D linemen, FBs, TEs, and LBs. Not ever school can hire the coach with knowledge of how run the WCO, or Spread but he can damn sure get kids to run the ball.

 

I never get it when people act so surprised when a local walk-on shines. As if you have to come from the a specific place to play the game. People are screaming about waiting to get "Riley's recruits" but Rivals doesn't measure what we need most and the most of right now. Heart and the desire to be HERE. The kind you learn day by day whether it's 90 degrees and 85%humidity or 25 degrees with a -10 windchill. You still gotta do the chores and you better do them right the first time or you have to do them over.

 

I want a run based offense. 70-30 ratio ball and clock controlling offense. Couple that with a defensive minded head coach who wants to dominate physically and throw 20" wrenches into the gearings of the modern clock-work offenses. Recruit your skill players elsewhere if you can't find one close, but at least take the time to look thoroughly.

 

I'm not sure who that guy is but I've seen enough to know it ain't MR. Nice guy, but it's obvious to me he doesn't know or get us here. He's not the first to have that problem but I'd like him to be the last as HC for DoNU.

[74Hunter]

The OP just hardly resonates with me at all.

 

The only thing that makes sense about it even in the slightest is the cold weather seen in November in the B1G. That's about it.

What about the past 2 games where the staff decided to pitch it around in 30 to 40 mph winds? It's no coincidence that Tommy had his worst games passing.

 

I don't recall him ever having 2 games this bad, not back to back.

[It'sNotAFakeID]

There's another thread floating around here talking about how difficult it is for a head coach, offensive coordinator, defensive coordinator to change their schemes. It's what they're brought up in, it's what they know, and it's what they believe in. Between all that is asked of a head football coach (not to mention the fact that these guys have families of their own), it's hard to fault them for not adapting and learning a brand new system. It's simply too much of a time commitment.

 

Callahan was never going to be anything other than West Coast, Bo was never going to be anything other than the Peso, and Riley will probably never be anything other than West Coast/Pro Style. This is not to say that these types of offenses or defenses will never work at Nebraska. I think it's a little silly to look at Callahan's 4 years and say that the West Coast will never work at Nebraska. Bo made a commitment towards the running game, and we still failed to win anything big. As much as I'd like the solutions to our problems to be simple, the likelihood is that they're not. I look at our WRs, and Alonzo Moore, Brandon Reilly, DPE, Westerkamp, etc...all of them are serviceable receivers. It's a foolish notion to say these guys shouldn't be used, especially when we don't or might not have the RB or offensive line capable of effectively implementing a power run game.

 

I'd like to see how this offense runs next year (when Tommy might have some legitimate competition for the QB--note: the QB Riley and Langsdorf want). I'm not about to deem this offense a failure, especially when some of the pieces might be missing.

[The Duke]

I'm not suggesting the Cornhuskers immediately turn the script overnight to a power running offense. You can't do that in the middle of the season. Riley & Langsdorf can tinker with what they have installed, but the overhaul in philosophy wouldn't be able to get started until the bowl practices or the offseason. All the more reason why it is so important that we find a way to win at least 6 games this year to get those bowl practices.

 

What they can do in this second half of the season is make more of a commitment to the running game. Shoot for a 60/40 run pass ratio instead of 50/50.

 

Riley is a West Coast/Pro-Style guy...I get that, but he has also admitted to learning new schemes, having an affinity to film study, and implanting new philosophies into his offense. That's why he incorporated the fly-sweep into his offense at Oregon State several years ago.

 

I think this offseason will be paramount for how successful Riley & staff are at Nebraska. They need to study how to incorporate more of a power game into their offense, and they need to heavily study the read-option, inverted veer, speed option/counter read-option schemes.

 

 

If they don't switch their philosophy to a more 60/40 run-pass ratio or even a 70/30 run-pass ratio, it's hard for me to see this staff being here for only 2 or 3 years, and that hurts to say because I really like everyone on this staff. They are very good people. They conduct themselves exactly how Nebraska fans want their coaches to act around the players, fans, and media.

[Nebhawk]

Yes weather plays a part......Don't tell the Packers that though.......

 

The game has changed. Yes running the ball still wins games, but you have to have a threat of a passing game. You have to have deep threats, mid range threats, and over alll threats that hit home runs on a moments notice.

 

Watch other teams play football. Those who do run, have Heisman candidates at RB. They have NFL draft pick material on the lines. Watch, LSU will play a defense that can stop the run, and then watch them get embarrassed because they don't have a passing game. You saw what Ole-Miss did to Alabama via the passing game and run game, and shut down Bamas run game for the most part, forcing a QB to win it.

 

The logic of running the ball is still the number one thing to do to win. Having a balanced team is what wins championships at any level or conference in College football. Bring back LP or Ahman, or Rozier and you might be able to just run the ball and win games. I dont see those types of RB's in the current lineup or on the roster. Ameer was a great back, and they won games thru his 3 years of playing the main RB. Since Ahman, I would say that Ameer was the best since him. Talent people, talent wins games as much as coaching does in this age of ball. You got to have horses to go and win games 50-49, and win games that are 14-13. With the old systems, we haven't been able to win playing either way. Callahan could score on nobodies and got scored on by somebodies. Pelini offenses could score 20 points on good top 25 teams and couldn't score 35 or more on crappy teams. The last few years allowed more points each and every year he stayed here. The game has changed, you have to able to score in the 50's sometimes to win and sometimes you have to win games that are scored in the teens. Regardless talent is the key for success. That starts this off season with recruiting. Make your judgments next year and the year after if you want to judge the current staff. This season isn't enough to make anykind of decisions on what we have seen. At the best this team would be 3-3 under any circumstances. No matter who the coaching staff is. I truly believe in this theory. Now if Riley next year at this point is 2-4, and lost some games in the same manner, I would say theres no chance for improvement. At this point, a coaching change will completely send this program in a tailspin, and it won't recover. It might end up on the same level as Iowa St or Texas Tech.

[Haspula]

Reggie Davis was at OSU 2008-2010. 3 straight 1000 yard rushers (all jacquizz)

 

'08 - 48%pass / 52%run

'09 - 52%pass / 48%run

'10 - 49%pass / 51%run

 

Nebraska is currently 50/50. Last year 38/62.

 

Should of hired a power run coach at the RB spot instead of Davis. Or just keep Ron Brown, who knows the big ten pretty well.

[Undone]

Aside from the obvious issues with certain weather factors, there are clearly a bunch of people in this thread that are conflating what they'd prefer to watch with what could actually be made to work for us.

 

How you can't see this is beyond me.

[Michiganball]

That's the Nebraska I remember. Big guys smashing the D out of the I. Lot's more room for local talent with that style play as you dont need as much speed but brute size and strength on that O line. Get some full backs to pound those 3-4 yards till they break a big one or block and make the qb's life easier. Whatever happens though, first the mistakes need to be eliminated and old school discipline instilled in these kids, as Nebraska takes just to many damn penalties and that goes back several years now. There are to many games lost because of lack of fundamentals and I hope this coaching staff get's that.