Husker Chalk Talk - Recapping NIU

[Cdog923]

https://huskerchalktalk.com/2017/09/19/tuesday-recap-team-schizophrenia/

[Mavric]

Usually a fan of these articles but I'm not sure he really put a lot of thought into this one.  Kind of seems to me like his frustration is keeping him from looking at things objectivity.

 

He bemoans Gates and Farniok missing their blocks.  And they are definitely not highlights for them.  But take a little closer look at what we are trying to do and what NIll is trying to do.  We have all 11 guys in tight formation and NIll has seven in the box.  Not only that but NIll has four guys between our guards which is exactly where we try to run.  Simple math tells you that we only have three guys there so someone has to try make up the difference.  So Gates is left trying to reach block a guy lined up over the guard and then push him outside.  That's all but an impossible task.  He gets him blocked but by the time he gets him turned they are down in the gap where we're trying to run.  Farmers effort is not all that good.  However he does get his butt to the hole and it should have been fine except that Gates had to work so hard to get around his guy that they ended up closing the hole.

 

Other that Farmer getting a better push, I'm not sure what else those guys were supposed to do with the situation they were put in.  Trying to run in A gap with four defenders between the guards is a tough way to make a living.

 

[Cdog923]

8 minutes ago, Mavric said:

Usually a fan of these articles but I'm not sure he really put a lot of thought into this one.  Kind of seems to me like his frustration is keeping him from looking at things objectivity.

 

He bemoans Gates and Farniok missing their blocks.  And they are definitely not highlights for them.  But take a little closer look at what we are trying to do and what NIll is trying to do.  We have all 11 guys in tight formation and NIll has seven in the box.  Not only that but NIll has four guys between our guards which is exactly where we try to run.  Simple math tells you that we only have three guys there so someone has to try make up the difference.  So Gates is left trying to reach block a guy lined up over the guard and then push him outside.  That's all but an impossible task.  He gets him blocked but by the time he gets him turned they are down in the gap where we're trying to run.  Farmers effort is not all that good.  However he does get his butt to the hole and it should have been fine except that Gates had to work so hard to get around his guy that they ended up closing the hole.

 

Other that Farmer getting a better push, I'm not sure what else those guys were supposed to do with the situation they were put in.  Trying to run in A gap with four defenders between the guards is a tough way to make a living.

 

There's a lot that's wrong here; terrible push by the O-line, terrible vision by Wilbon, unimaginative playcalling and scheme, and NIU knew exactly what was coming by formation and motion. 

[Mavric]

Just now, Cdog923 said:

There's a lot that's wrong here; terrible push by the O-line, terrible vision by Wilbon, unimaginative playcalling and scheme, and NIU knew exactly what was coming by formation and motion. 

 

Exactly.  I wouldn't call Gates' block a "miss".  That is basically the best he could do in that situation.  Just to get around the guy and get faced the other way is a pretty good accomplishment.  Farmer's block is definitely a miss.  But it's a "good" miss in that we should have been able to get away with it because he was between his guy and the hold the play was designed to go through.  

 

The problem is the combination of the two with what we were trying to do didn't work at all.

[Cdog923]

1 minute ago, Mavric said:

 

Exactly.  I wouldn't call Gates' block a "miss".  That is basically the best he could do in that situation.  Just to get around the guy and get faced the other way is a pretty good accomplishment.  Farmer's block is definitely a miss.  But it's a "good" miss in that we should have been able to get away with it because he was between his guy and the hold the play was designed to go through.  

 

The problem is the combination of the two with what we were trying to do didn't work at all.

Honestly, looking at Gates and Foster on that, one would think it was a B-Gap run to the back side. 

[Mavric]

Just now, Cdog923 said:

Honestly, looking at Gates and Foster on that, one would think it was a B-Gap run to the back side. 

 

I would think the look the defense gave us would have made a lot more sense to run B gap either side.

 

But I would sure not think we'd start Wilbon right then expect him to cut all the way back to the opposite B gap on 3rd & 2.  Pretty sure it was just a simple inside zone play.

[RedDenver]

Looks to me like Wilbon is looking at the backside at first.

[krc1995]

Just read the email teaser and in hell did happen to DPE? He's turned inside out. 

[BigRedBuster]

Gates and Farmer get absolutely owned in that play.  It's amazing that a left tackle can miss his block so bad that the defender disrupts a short yardage play going right.  Still, I think Wilbon could have squeaked by for a first down if Farmer's wasn't also totally owned.  These are one on one battles being lost.  These aren't the offense expecting these guys to pick up two defenders.

 

Can we dispense with the idea that Nebraska should be able to just line up with everyone and their dog knowing what we are going to run and force our will on people....just because we are Nebraska?

Like you have pointed out, part of the problem is the defense knows exactly what we are going to do.

 

These tight formations are fine.  BUT....like every thing in football, you have to have a counter punch.   You have to have some way to get Wilbon the ball quickly off tackle and actually show that play working at times.  You have to have some type of quick out to a TE at times.  You have to give it to DPE at times.

[Mavric]

6 minutes ago, BigRedBuster said:

Gates and Farmer get absolutely owned in that play.  It's amazing that a left tackle can miss his block so bad that the defender disrupts a short yardage play going right.  Still, I think Wilbon could have squeaked by for a first down if Farmer's wasn't also totally owned.  These are one on one battles being lost.  These aren't the offense expecting these guys to pick up two defenders.

 

I don't see how you come to this conclusion.  The DT is lined up over Foster - several feet right of Gates and then Gates is supposed to get to the right of him in a split second?  I don't know how that is possible.

[BigRedBuster]

14 minutes ago, Mavric said:

 

I don't see how you come to this conclusion.  The DT is lined up over Foster - several feet right of Gates and then Gates is supposed to get to the right of him in a split second?  I don't know how that is possible.

Valid point.

[Cdog923]

35 minutes ago, Mavric said:

 

I don't see how you come to this conclusion.  The DT is lined up over Foster - several feet right of Gates and then Gates is supposed to get to the right of him in a split second?  I don't know how that is possible.

The blocking on this makes absolutely no sense to me. We've decided they're running A gap to the right side, correct? There's a 2 tech sitting right in the hole that Farmer whiffs on. Aside from that, why doesn't Foster man block the 3 tech and Conrad push towards the MLB? 

[Mavric]

Just now, Cdog923 said:

The blocking on this makes absolutely no sense to me. We've decided they're running A gap to the right side, correct? There's a 2 tech sitting right in the hole that Farmer whiffs on. Aside from that, why doesn't Foster man block the 3 tech and Conrad push towards the MLB? 

 

I would say it's an inside zone run which wouldn't have a specific hole to target but generally toward the right A gap.

 

Farmer doesn't exactly whiff.  It's a poor block but it was somewhat effective in that he has the DT shielded away from the A gap.

 

Foster doesn't  block the 3 tech because he and Conrad both have to block up on both MLBs who are in A gap.  That leaves Gates to try to reach the 3 tech, but that's a long ways to go in a short amount of time.

[Cdog923]

1 minute ago, Mavric said:

 

I would say it's an inside zone run which wouldn't have a specific hole to target but generally toward the right A gap.

 

Farmer doesn't exactly whiff.  It's a poor block but it was somewhat effective in that he has the DT shielded away from the A gap.

 

Foster doesn't  block the 3 tech because he and Conrad both have to block up on both MLBs who are in A gap.  That leaves Gates to try to reach the 3 tech, but that's a long ways to go in a short amount of time.

You're right; Farmer doesn't do a terrible job to at least get his butt in the hole, but Wilbon is forced to go wide because Gates can't get the 3 tech blocked. 

[BIG ERN]

I think something that also isn't talked about enough is that Lee isn't a throw it around the yard QB. I'm not giving him a pass at all since he's played terrible, but it's something to note. I see him more as a game manager who can hit the passes needed once the run game has been established. If Bryant can't go this weekend we need all RBs on deck for Rutgers. Ridiculous how our line has played against pedestrian defenses thus far