In Pelini's post game presser yesterday, he pointed out specifically it wasn't a one game issue for the offense either. Pelini knows we have offensive issues. Based on Beck's comments, I'd say he's well aware also.
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BartonHusker
Five-Star Recruit
Yup that is true but that goes back on both sides of the ball coaching wise and players not performing. I guess I don't see why we should be arguing one over the other... both sides haven't been holding their end of the bargin.
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
That's what I'm so worried about. We have about as veteran an offense as we're going to see in college football in this day and age, and if we still have these utterly fundamental issues on offense, who's to blame for that?
It can only be coaching. We have skill players. We have the right kinds of bodies on the line. These guys miss assignments, fumble, drop passes, make the wrong reads, and in general bumble around out there like an offense filled with Freshmen.
It's one of two things: 1) we've all been looking wrongly at Bell, Enunwa, Turner, Abdullah, Cross, Newby, Martinez, Armstrong and RGIII, & we basically don't have a clue what we're looking at, or 2) these guys really do have quite a lot of skill, but the teaching and game planning are awry.
I'm thinking the latter. And that's why something has to change. And if that change is replacing a coach or two, then let's do it.
Yes, primarily recruiting.....which in on Pelini.....and he has made swift changes in recruiting. Recruits make any coach, including Charlie McBride, look very good. And it's why Urban Meyer called out the Big 10 to pick up their recruiting. I think recruiting may be the steepest part of Pelini's learning curve and I think he's doing much better. It's why I would rather continue with what Pelini has going than start over every 5 years.
zoogs
Assistant Coach
I'm going to point to two things -- the OL, and Taylor. And I'd also pin the blame, maybe, on Beck.
I think what we're seeing is we have RB and WR groups that could probably stack up against any unit in the country. The OL, as a group, isn't near that level, and over the years it hasn't been. That creates a disconnect in what we see, vs what we'd expect when we have guys like the ones you named.
The other thing is Taylor and how to use him. Don't get me wrong, Taylor is unbelievable with the ball in his hands. But something weird is going on. I think almost all of us would agree that the things Taylor does best is blast through a running lane, and use his impressive arm strength to hit our receivers far downfield.
Either it should be laid at Beck's feet completely that we haven't found a way to incorporate this more significantly into our attack (I mean, it's practically got to be our IDENTITY!), or, maybe it's simply not possible and we have to depend on a game management skillset with a straight-up handoff game and varied short passing attack to set up everything else. That aspect I think we'd also agree, Taylor has come a very long way and he's solid at it, but it isn't a category he rates elite in.
One way or another we're unable or unwilling to unlock the latent playmaking potential of this offense and I'm sure it's got to be beyond frustrating for some to watch. Put more succinctly, the system on offense isn't the most efficient possible or the roster makeup makes such efficiency too hard to achieve.
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Veteran doesn't necessarily mean talented. I think it's more #1, but not across the board of who you listed. A quarterback might be an athlete, but just because someone is athletic does not make them a quarterback. Martinez' turnovers have always been worrisome and yesterday his lack of leadership seemed evident to me. An example I was talking about yesterday with a friend......I was at the Mizzou game in '97 and I was confident Frost could drive us down for that score to tie the game. With Martinez, my thought is often "please don't fumble". Pelini knows he needs to pick it up in recruiting and I think he has done so the past couple of years. We still need to do better with OL, but the DL recruits have more early potential than we've seen in a while.
knapplc
International Man of Mystery
That's what bothers me so much about this offense-first blaming thing. It all falls back on Martinez, inevitably. And that's just wrong. We put way too much emphasis on the QB.
AJ McCarron or Johnny Manziel couldn't have won that game for Nebraska yesterday the way that game was called. The line opened up next to no running lanes. The WRs dropped passes. The RBs ran hesitantly. The defense thought the game was won and folded in the second half.
The QB is important. But he is not the reason we lost that game.
AJ McCarron or Johnny Manziel couldn't have won that game for Nebraska yesterday the way that game was called. The line opened up next to no running lanes. The WRs dropped passes. The RBs ran hesitantly. The defense thought the game was won and folded in the second half.
The QB is important. But he is not the reason we lost that game.
All on here will tell you that I have been a huge critic of Bo. I do not like him, do not think that he is qualified for the job to this day. But I do not want him fired. I want him to do the job he said he would do. I do not believe you do it with an on the job head coach and all that work for him lacking experience or results. We can say he is bettering the recruiting, but it is not to the level that is required to win the BIG at this time and we are falling farther behind the big 2 every year. We are rapidly becoming the laughing stock of the country with our defensive genius head coach.
He screwed the pooch with his OC/DC hires, and not bringing in one like Zook who could recruit.
He needs help. If he is so stubborn not to seek it, then he needs to go. But I do not want to go on another teach a head coach to be one either.
He screwed the pooch with his OC/DC hires, and not bringing in one like Zook who could recruit.
He needs help. If he is so stubborn not to seek it, then he needs to go. But I do not want to go on another teach a head coach to be one either.
krc1995
Heisman Trophy Winner
I wonder if Bo thought hiring an experienced OC or DC would precipitate his demise? It's not like that's ever happened before, said Frank Solich
LumberJackSker
All-American
Hayseed
All-American
Danny Bateman
Heisman Trophy Winner
Oh, I totally agree with you. The state of the crap we saw on the field last year defensively was hard to watch. I really, really hope someday soon we get back to a point where our defense is the dominant unit that this team hangs its hat on, and it STAYS that way.
However, it seems the wcoaches have stockpiled more offensive talent than defensive since Bo got here. It probably has a degree to do with recruiting hits and misses for those sides of the ball, but it is what it is.
I just meant, comparatively, everyone knew at the start of the year the offense had all the experience and the majority of the defense was very young. I don't think anyone expected the defense to lead this team.
I just think their the lesser unit this year. It fluctuates year to year, obviously, for every college team. If you have to break in a more or less brand new unit do to player turnover, you probably can't expect perfection right away.
But they damn well better improve in a hurry or our beloved tradition is going to be trashed. We're not even an average defense at this point.
It falls on the coaches, though players aren't entirely devoid of blame. The thing I look at is we've had the same, consistent problems for a few years now and the one constant during that time has been the coaches, specifically, Bo. You play how you practice, and that's a reflection of your head coach.
I'm certainly not calling for Pelini's head but I'm having a tough time putting the blame elsewhere at this point.