Comments from the Line bring more questions, not answers

[SWAMI]

happy trails, captain.

I think all of us should prepare ourselves for more of the same next year. If they didn't let Bo go last year after pissing in his nest with his feelings about the fans and daring his boss to fire him I doubt they do it in 2014. Believe me, there was a vast majority of the pundits who were shocked he "lived" to coach another day in Lincoln. We're held captive because of our loyalty to The Big Red. We don't even get a plate of crumbs slid under the cell door for being good prisoners.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Just another aspect of this team that is over-complicated. I think almost all of us suspect an issue like this in every facet of what we do. It's why I don't, and will continue to not hoard blame on these players.

There is too much lost in translation between the vision in Bo and Becks mind, the abilities of Bo or Beck to teach that vision, the abilities of their assistants to coach this vision, and the players abilities to execute that vision. I'm sure Garrison and Cotton are just experts on the zone blocking schemes Beck wants to use.

Opposing defenses are just toying with us at this point and the staff doesn't even see it. You don't think they get a kick out of us looking at them, then Armstrong looking at the sideline, us adjusting, them adjusting, then them stuffing the play when all along all they were gonna do is blitz the hell out of us anyway. They just think its cute to watch us try to get the perfect play call instead of huddling up, calling a play and running it. Hell, maybe even calling a play that we know we can run really well? Have we found that play yet? That screen pass looked nice. We've ran it once all year as teams continue to blitz. How about that option Tommy ran for 30 yards a few weeks ago? Better put that one on the shelf, it worked far too well.

We b!^@h about the offensive line and the linebackers the most around here but what is this staff doing to help these guys succeed? Serious question.

We have beaten every one of these topics to death and there is nothing I could say that I haven't said in previous seasons. The most disappointing thing is that I bought into the coaches and the things they said this offseason.

We are not good and it's because of the approach by these coaches. If they would let these kids play ball for once, I think you'd see an immediate improvement. Let the offensive line put the guy across from them on their a$$ and go from there. Let the defense attack somebody for once for Christs sake. Instead of watching every opponent do it to us.

At what point to we start dictating to people instead of being dictated to on both sides of the ball.

Hell, everything we do takes so damn long to develop I don't blame these kids on this offensive line for not being able to hold their blocks that long. Every team is throwing 8 guys at us, right up on the line, while Ameer is ten yards deep behind the line of scrimmage with Tommy, running a zone read. By the time Ameer gets to the line of scrimmage the okay is over.

So sick of this fundamental insanity.

I think you hit on the head. Bo/Beck seem to deconstruct every aspect to the point of causing over-thinking. Perfect technique/play/series/game is great goal. Does perfect technique in every aspect grade out higher than putting the D player on his a**? At some point, doing "good enough" at instant reaction speed will get it done...

Boy, I don't see it this way at all.

Bo's "vision" works against less talented teams. The offensive line's "technique" isn't too demanding against less talented teams. It's pretty much the same brand of football other teams practice, and I don't think Bo is any more of a perfectionist.

But against good teams in high pressure games, these same players turn weirdly fragile. They literally stop doing things they know how to do. The lack of confidence spreads like a virus.

And there's nothing in Bo's vision or technique to get their heads back in the game.

Still say this is 90% mental discipline.

And 10% talent.

In fairness, those were big boys on the other side of the line.

 

[Whistlebritches]

I read the whole article at ljs. Price mentioned the defensive shifts, and the blitzing from different angles.

It made me think of an idea --- Huddle, call a play, come to the line and snap the ball. Don't stand there moving the back to the right or left, waiting for the OC to read the D, waggle in a new play only to see the D shift into something different as the play clock ticks down.

Just sayin'...

I've watched someone run their offense like this sometime this year. LSU maybe? All I could think about as I watched it was how much it would just wreck our defense with all our shifts and adjustments and guys waving their arms.

 

[lo country]

Not to defend "Air chair fail" and his comments, but this does give a little background to his comments:

That's the crazy offensive type things that are starting to develop over us like some stuff that we do. We have plays that it's a pass and a run at the same time and we read the guy. If the guy covers the pass, we hand the ball off and if he doesn't, if he's sitting in there playing the run, then we throw it. So we have the best of both worlds and he's wrong no matter what he does. Why? Because they're reading us, so now we're, in turn, reading them, where in the past, the running back would say, "Oh, it looks like a run, and I'm gonna play the run". It doesn't work like that any more.

The above is from Beck and his offensive philosophy as seen on his discussion with Corn Nation........

So not only do we have receiver/QB "read plays, we also have run/pass "read" plays where, if I am reading correctly, the RB reads someone, the QB reads someone and the both make the same read and do a pass or a run. Of course if the RB reads run and the QB reads pass.......Now I have no idea how an OL can instantly read the "key defensive" player, and then make the correct read to get into pass pro or run block...... WTH....That's a lot to read in about 2 seconds tops.....Not to mention if the "key defensive read" "shows" blitz or dropping back etc......

Now people read linemen, so if a lineman steps like this, you're gonna go over here. That's why some of this stuff where we're reading defensive linemen, we'll block a certain way because I know if he's reading the guard, and I pull the guard, he's gonna go like this, so I'm gonna pull the guard and I'm gonna go the other way.

Well Tim, what happens when the DL doesn't "go like this"? Because I know he's reading the guard and if I go this way with the guard he will go this way.....

Beck continues to amaze me.........It's the staff. not the players.......

 

[JJ Husker]

Well, it is just basketball on field turf after all. When he first said that, I thought he meant it as some sort of analogy or generalization. I'm now pretty sure he really doesn't understand the difference.

 

[Hunter94]

just listen to Beck-speak and you will know why the O is f'd up! no mas!!!

 

[LumberJackSker]

So much for Garrison being the savior and rebuilding the pipeline. This o-line is really pathetic, I mean upper class men across the board and they just stink. Out side of Spencer Long this staff has yet to develop a offensive lineman they recruited. I know guys like Farmer, Foster and the guys we already have committed this class and next are supposed to be real good but how can you have any faith in this staff to do any thing with them when they can't develop anyone on the line. I'd rather we struggle with some of the you guys out there then watch these upperclassmen get knocked down by wind or watch Sterup get blown past any more

 

[Enhance]

Just another aspect of this team that is over-complicated. I think almost all of us suspect an issue like this in every facet of what we do. It's why I don't, and will continue to not hoard blame on these players.

There is too much lost in translation between the vision in Bo and Becks mind, the abilities of Bo or Beck to teach that vision, the abilities of their assistants to coach this vision, and the players abilities to execute that vision. I'm sure Garrison and Cotton are just experts on the zone blocking schemes Beck wants to use.

Opposing defenses are just toying with us at this point and the staff doesn't even see it. You don't think they get a kick out of us looking at them, then Armstrong looking at the sideline, us adjusting, them adjusting, then them stuffing the play when all along all they were gonna do is blitz the hell out of us anyway. They just think its cute to watch us try to get the perfect play call instead of huddling up, calling a play and running it. Hell, maybe even calling a play that we know we can run really well? Have we found that play yet? That screen pass looked nice. We've ran it once all year as teams continue to blitz. How about that option Tommy ran for 30 yards a few weeks ago? Better put that one on the shelf, it worked far too well.

We b!^@h about the offensive line and the linebackers the most around here but what is this staff doing to help these guys succeed? Serious question.

We have beaten every one of these topics to death and there is nothing I could say that I haven't said in previous seasons. The most disappointing thing is that I bought into the coaches and the things they said this offseason.

We are not good and it's because of the approach by these coaches. If they would let these kids play ball for once, I think you'd see an immediate improvement. Let the offensive line put the guy across from them on their a$$ and go from there. Let the defense attack somebody for once for Christs sake. Instead of watching every opponent do it to us.

At what point to we start dictating to people instead of being dictated to on both sides of the ball.

Hell, everything we do takes so damn long to develop I don't blame these kids on this offensive line for not being able to hold their blocks that long. Every team is throwing 8 guys at us, right up on the line, while Ameer is ten yards deep behind the line of scrimmage with Tommy, running a zone read. By the time Ameer gets to the line of scrimmage the okay is over.

So sick of this fundamental insanity.

I think you hit on the head. Bo/Beck seem to deconstruct every aspect to the point of causing over-thinking. Perfect technique/play/series/game is great goal. Does perfect technique in every aspect grade out higher than putting the D player on his a**? At some point, doing "good enough" at instant reaction speed will get it done...

Boy, I don't see it this way at all.

Bo's "vision" works against less talented teams. The offensive line's "technique" isn't too demanding against less talented teams. It's pretty much the same brand of football other teams practice, and I don't think Bo is any more of a perfectionist.

But against good teams in high pressure games, these same players turn weirdly fragile. They literally stop doing things they know how to do. The lack of confidence spreads like a virus.

And there's nothing in Bo's vision or technique to get their heads back in the game.

Still say this is 90% mental discipline.

And 10% talent.

In fairness, those were big boys on the other side of the line.

I 100% agree with you Guy.

For the most part, Pelini hasn't had much trouble taking care of the lesser teams on the schedule or winning against good teams in an average game. But, just like you said, there's something about facing good teams in high pressure situations (like going on the road with a division title on the line) that the team mentally wilts.

One argument I regularly bring up is Kansas State under Bill Snyder. Not overly talented - in fact, Nebraska is much more talented than KState. But, the Wildcats have played some pretty darn good football in recent years. They don't wow you with size or speed - they beat you with fundamental play and smart football. That's what really lacks at Nebraska. Quite frankly, I'm just baffled as to where it comes from.

The only correlation I can make is that when things get rough for Bo and his team (big penalty, big miscue on defense, etc.) he loses it. Teams are often an extention of their head coach. He flips a switch, and the team often does the same thing. And when that switch flips and the pressure is REALLY on, the team drowns.

 

[lo country]

Just another aspect of this team that is over-complicated. I think almost all of us suspect an issue like this in every facet of what we do. It's why I don't, and will continue to not hoard blame on these players.

There is too much lost in translation between the vision in Bo and Becks mind, the abilities of Bo or Beck to teach that vision, the abilities of their assistants to coach this vision, and the players abilities to execute that vision. I'm sure Garrison and Cotton are just experts on the zone blocking schemes Beck wants to use.

Opposing defenses are just toying with us at this point and the staff doesn't even see it. You don't think they get a kick out of us looking at them, then Armstrong looking at the sideline, us adjusting, them adjusting, then them stuffing the play when all along all they were gonna do is blitz the hell out of us anyway. They just think its cute to watch us try to get the perfect play call instead of huddling up, calling a play and running it. Hell, maybe even calling a play that we know we can run really well? Have we found that play yet? That screen pass looked nice. We've ran it once all year as teams continue to blitz. How about that option Tommy ran for 30 yards a few weeks ago? Better put that one on the shelf, it worked far too well.

We b!^@h about the offensive line and the linebackers the most around here but what is this staff doing to help these guys succeed? Serious question.

We have beaten every one of these topics to death and there is nothing I could say that I haven't said in previous seasons. The most disappointing thing is that I bought into the coaches and the things they said this offseason.

We are not good and it's because of the approach by these coaches. If they would let these kids play ball for once, I think you'd see an immediate improvement. Let the offensive line put the guy across from them on their a$$ and go from there. Let the defense attack somebody for once for Christs sake. Instead of watching every opponent do it to us.

At what point to we start dictating to people instead of being dictated to on both sides of the ball.

Hell, everything we do takes so damn long to develop I don't blame these kids on this offensive line for not being able to hold their blocks that long. Every team is throwing 8 guys at us, right up on the line, while Ameer is ten yards deep behind the line of scrimmage with Tommy, running a zone read. By the time Ameer gets to the line of scrimmage the okay is over.

So sick of this fundamental insanity.

I think you hit on the head. Bo/Beck seem to deconstruct every aspect to the point of causing over-thinking. Perfect technique/play/series/game is great goal. Does perfect technique in every aspect grade out higher than putting the D player on his a**? At some point, doing "good enough" at instant reaction speed will get it done...

Boy, I don't see it this way at all.

Bo's "vision" works against less talented teams. The offensive line's "technique" isn't too demanding against less talented teams. It's pretty much the same brand of football other teams practice, and I don't think Bo is any more of a perfectionist.

But against good teams in high pressure games, these same players turn weirdly fragile. They literally stop doing things they know how to do. The lack of confidence spreads like a virus.

And there's nothing in Bo's vision or technique to get their heads back in the game.

Still say this is 90% mental discipline.

And 10% talent.

In fairness, those were big boys on the other side of the line.

I 100% agree with you Guy.

For the most part, Pelini hasn't had much trouble taking care of the lesser teams on the schedule or winning against good teams in an average game. But, just like you said, there's something about facing good teams in high pressure situations (like going on the road with a division title on the line) that the team mentally wilts.

One argument I regularly bring up is Kansas State under Bill Snyder. Not overly talented - in fact, Nebraska is much more talented than KState. But, the Wildcats have played some pretty darn good football in recent years. They don't wow you with size or speed - they beat you with fundamental play and smart football. That's what really lacks at Nebraska. Quite frankly, I'm just baffled as to where it comes from.

The only correlation I can make is that when things get rough for Bo and his team (big penalty, big miscue on defense, etc.) he loses it. Teams are often an extention of their head coach. He flips a switch, and the team often does the same thing. And when that switch flips and the pressure is REALLY on, the team drowns.

Every melt down has started with one play. In recent memory:

Michigan and the penalty for the blocking the punter

UGA and the AA fumble

USC and the hail mary

Wisky 2014 the first Gordon run and Coop diving miss

Wisky 2011 the INT and then the next 2-3 in a row....

These are just the ones I remember. Its that kick in the balls that NU can't recover from.......

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

You mean that moment when the team --- and us fans -- all say "here we go again?"

 

[Jeremy]

Some of you might have seen the new catch phrase - 'Bo-gatory.'

We're just good enough to win 9 or 10 games, but get plastered for the nation to see when it matters. Every year, with no end in sight.

I would like to know what happened to the Beck that ran 22 toss power sweeps in one game vs. Penn State? Ameer ate that up, averaging something like 6 yards a carry on that one play. You could then counter back with Cross behind two pulling guards who know that their only job is to knock somebody with the wrong color jersey on into next week. No footwork or analysis involved.

It really isn't that complicated.

 

[Hayseed]

I'm going Chapman.....I got nothin'.

 

[Kernal]

I would say his comments are unbelievable.......but they're not. This is a classic example of being to worried about mechanics and not letting your instincts take over. You practice mechanics in practice and drills not during the game. In the game you line up and you hit the S.O.B on the other side of the line as hard as you can and then you ear hole the LB as you move into the secondary. These guys are too worried about whether their a$$ is high enough in the air as opposed to knocking someone else on their a$$. This is so far beyond unacceptable........there aren't words that can even describe my frustration at this point.

I don't blame the players. Cotton is thinking about all this stuff because they're not PRACTICING it enough. Most of what he said should be second nature by now. You're exactly right, billdozer15: in the game you line up and hit the guy on the other side of the ball- not try to remember what the hell is going on.

There are two possibilities. These coaches have no idea how to practice, or more likely, the coaches are trying to do too much different stuff that players aren't able to effectively implement. Sure, maybe the players are just too lazy to learn basic techniques, but that also falls directly on coaching and the culture of the program. Any way you slice it, it's on the coaches.

I feel bad for the players, to be honest. They deserve coaching that gives them the opportunities for big wins and championships- a big reason they come to Nebraska.

happy trails, captain.

I think all of us should prepare ourselves for more of the same next year. If they didn't let Bo go last year after pissing in his nest with his feelings about the fans and daring his boss to fire him I doubt they do it in 2014. Believe me, there was a vast majority of the pundits who were shocked he "lived" to coach another day in Lincoln. We're held captive because of our loyalty to The Big Red. We don't even get a plate of crumbs slid under the cell door for being good prisoners.

Agree. After Pelini survived last year, which seemed impossible to everyone, he'll survive this year. I'd love for Eichorst to put an end to these blowouts and fan antagonism coming out of North Stadium, but I just don't see it happening. The athletic department doesn't seem to care what ordinary fans think or want, they listen only to the big donors.

 

[Kernal]

Some of you might have seen the new catch phrase - 'Bo-gatory.'

We're just good enough to win 9 or 10 games, but get plastered for the nation to see when it matters. Every year, with no end in sight.

I would like to know what happened to the Beck that ran 22 toss power sweeps in one game vs. Penn State? Ameer ate that up, averaging something like 6 yards a carry on that one play. You could then counter back with Cross behind two pulling guards who know that their only job is to knock somebody with the wrong color jersey on into next week. No footwork or analysis involved.

It really isn't that complicated.

It's baffling.

 

[lo country]

You mean that moment when the team --- and us fans -- all say "here we go again?"

Yep. As soon as Wisky tied, I told my wife we are going to get blown out.......