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[True2tRA]

I've pointed this out before and I'll say it again. I'm not excusing Tommy by any means as far as not checking down to the HB in the flat, but if you've watched Husker football for the last 7 years, its been an every game occurrence. Taylor Martinez did it constantly with Burkhead and even forced some difficult throws when he had a HB standing all alone. Just like Tommy.

So yeah, its a serious issue that has been an issue for a long time. What I'm getting at is why the hell were we never able to get our QB's to get better at this? That's a long time to watch the same problem over and over and never see it resolved. It just makes me wonder.

 

[Saunders]

It's because we recruited athletes playing QB, not QB's that were athletic.

 

[Enhance]

I've pointed this out before and I'll say it again. I'm not excusing Tommy by any means as far as not checking down to the HB in the flat, but if you've watched Husker football for the last 7 years, its been an every game occurrence. Taylor Martinez did it constantly with Burkhead and even forced some difficult throws when he had a HB standing all alone. Just like Tommy.

So yeah, its a serious issue that has been an issue for a long time. What I'm getting at is why the hell were we never able to get our QB's to get better at this? That's a long time to watch the same problem over and over and never see it resolved. It just makes me wonder.

I hate to rag on the old staff, but, they're the one constant when it comes to QB play in that time frame. For whatever reason, be it intentional or developmental, there were certain issues that seemed to persist in various parts of the team.

I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of progression TA makes throughout the year. It's still fall camp and these guys need to be able to make mistakes and learn, but, I think we'll know a lot more after next weekend. The coaches will probably have a better grasp on what the team can do well and a lot can change in a week of fall camp, hopefully, for the better.

 

[The Dude]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

 

[Hedley Lamarr]

It's because we recruited athletes playing QB, not QB's that were athletic.

I've been saying that for years and couldn't agree more. We have had some of the most gifted athletes play qb. Problem is most played qb in HS because they were the best athlete on the team not because they were a great qb.

 

[True2tRA]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

That's what I've always said. Where's the OC saying " Hey Tommy/Taylor, I don't give a damn what you see, or what you think you want to do, you're gonna look down field, then look over and throw the ball to Ameer on each of the next 5 plays until somebody decides to cover him."

 

[PaulCrewe]

I totally agree about Ameer/ any RB in the flat as an earlier option. Hell look what happened the one time they told Tommy to throw it to Ameer in the flat

 

[admo]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

I totally agree about Ameer/ any RB in the flat as an earlier option. Hell look what happened the one time they told Tommy to throw it to Ameer in the flat

Agreed. It's a safe play. It can create a mismatch (a shifty RB against a LB or DB in the open field), and when a team does it often, it will open up the middle of the field a little more. It's a great option to utilize.

 

[Landlord]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

That's what I've always said. Where's the OC saying " Hey Tommy/Taylor, I don't give a damn what you see, or what you think you want to do, you're gonna look down field, then look over and throw the ball to Ameer on each of the next 5 plays until somebody decides to cover him."

This happened sometimes, just not nearly often enough. We had a play out of diamond that we ran a lot with a wheel route to a runningback, Ameer caught a huge pass in the 4th quarter against UCLA, Taylor to Burkhead OSU, etc. Just rare occurences - rare enough that you can usually remember a lot of them individually.

 

[True2tRA]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

That's what I've always said. Where's the OC saying " Hey Tommy/Taylor, I don't give a damn what you see, or what you think you want to do, you're gonna look down field, then look over and throw the ball to Ameer on each of the next 5 plays until somebody decides to cover him."

This happened sometimes, just not nearly often enough. We had a play out of diamond that we ran a lot with a wheel route to a runningback, Ameer caught a huge pass in the 4th quarter against UCLA, Taylor to Burkhead OSU, etc. Just rare occurences - rare enough that you can usually remember a lot of them individually.

The old diamond formation. Why the hell didn't we just build on that? Make that our identity? Would've been a hell of an identity.

If I recall correctly, old Urban Meyer had a few good things to say about that Diamond Formation. Now Urb's the HC at Ohio St. and Beck is an offensive assistant. Hmmm.........

 

[Mierin]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

That's what I've always said. Where's the OC saying " Hey Tommy/Taylor, I don't give a damn what you see, or what you think you want to do, you're gonna look down field, then look over and throw the ball to Ameer on each of the next 5 plays until somebody decides to cover him."

This happened sometimes, just not nearly often enough. We had a play out of diamond that we ran a lot with a wheel route to a runningback, Ameer caught a huge pass in the 4th quarter against UCLA, Taylor to Burkhead OSU, etc. Just rare occurences - rare enough that you can usually remember a lot of them individually.

The old diamond formation. Why the hell didn't we just build on that? Make that our identity? Would've been a hell of an identity.

If I recall correctly, old Urban Meyer had a few good things to say about that Diamond Formation. Now Urb's the HC at Ohio St. and Beck is an offensive assistant. Hmmm.........

Because Beck's philosophy was "If it works really well we'll have to stop using it because we need to trick the defense."

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

It's not against the rules for the RB to be the first or second option in pass plays. More striking to me is our offensive coordinator didn't seem to notice Ameer was open.

That's what I've always said. Where's the OC saying " Hey Tommy/Taylor, I don't give a damn what you see, or what you think you want to do, you're gonna look down field, then look over and throw the ball to Ameer on each of the next 5 plays until somebody decides to cover him."

This happened sometimes, just not nearly often enough. We had a play out of diamond that we ran a lot with a wheel route to a runningback, Ameer caught a huge pass in the 4th quarter against UCLA, Taylor to Burkhead OSU, etc. Just rare occurences - rare enough that you can usually remember a lot of them individually.

The old diamond formation. Why the hell didn't we just build on that? Make that our identity? Would've been a hell of an identity.

If I recall correctly, old Urban Meyer had a few good things to say about that Diamond Formation. Now Urb's the HC at Ohio St. and Beck is an offensive assistant. Hmmm.........

Because Beck's philosophy was "If it works really well we'll have to stop using it because we need to trick the defense."

Some fans tend to forget the plays and series where opposing defenses had clearly adjusted and stopped the plays that had previously been working. It's what good defensive coordinators do.

Ameer Abdullah was clearly working. Until he wasn't. Teams no more talented or clever than McNeese State were able to bottle up the same player who had run wild against other defenses. When dared to pass, the Nebraska offense often passed pretty well, and sometimes not. But plenty of fans on here -- not you necessarily -- considered any forward pass a "trick" play.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I totally agree about Ameer/ any RB in the flat as an earlier option. Hell look what happened the one time they told Tommy to throw it to Ameer in the flat

Abdullah and Newby had 30 receptions last year.

That's a couple or more a game.

It's not like we refused to call the play, or that Armstrong rarely completed it.

But Armstrong could take a lesson from Brett Favre, who compiled thousands of yards on 6 yard completions to RBs, because they were almost always there for the taking.

 

[JJ Husker]

But plenty of fans on here -- not you necessarily -- considered any forward pass a "trick" play.

Funny......but oh so true.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

Tommy may be classified as a dual threat, but if he remains a 60% passer, or less, it won"t really matter.......he needs to make the throws that are there, if he does not, we will struggle.

Completion % is nice, but it's still about yards per attempt.

Last year we averaged 7.7 yards per pass attempt, 5.3 yards per rushing attempt. Not great, but not bad, confirming that we probably didn't pass too much or too little.

An incompletion followed by a 20 yard completion is a 50% rate and 10 yards per down if you choose to look at it that way.

Ameer might get stuffed for no gain, then rip off a 20 yarder, but we don't judge the rushing game by the same standard.

Incompletions don't kill you, but interceptions do.