OWH: Riley Faces Difficult Choices with Husker Offense

[SECHusker]

That was a great article. Implicit in it was Mckweon belief that staffing changes may be needed.

I like Tavita a lot but if we get another coaching spot hopefully that'll go to someone that can be a co-offensive coordinator (e.g. Kevin Wilson). Someone that can give insight and strategy, not someone who will just support the status quo.

Cav would be gone IMO......His stubbornness in substituting no one hurts recruiting, depth and development IMO. He has shown nothing the past two years.......Langs called some good games (the first 5-6) and then against athletic defenses he struggled. He really needs to get creative.

I can't stand a pocket passer.

We need to recruit better. Unsure if 25-30 every year will work.

I hope Williams can really help the D.

Great article. Says what a lot of folks on this board have been saying.

I really think next year is make or break for Riley.

I agree with you. If Cav doesn't land Sarell or Filiaga (sp?) then he needs to go. He is a man set in his ways. Still don't understand why Utter was in, when he was downright horrible at times.

Not to mention Davis. That guy needed to go the first day he got here. I'm going to give MR one more year, because I do think he could be the guy to get it done here, but I also think he should be ashamed of himself. MR squandered an immense amount of offensive talent this year (i.e. a te and receivers that will get drafted, a damn near 5 star RB, and a serviceable QB). If next year things don't turn around in a drastic way then MR and his buddies need to go, because there are plenty of coaches that would come here (e.g. Miles, Fleck, Kelly).

 

[theknife]

For me, next year is make or break. They gutted through this year with an O-line composed of many walkons and former walkons, a QB with great heart but not a throw first QB, and a mass exodus at the DT spot. This staff didn't swing and miss so baldly on DE, OT, and OG; however, that excuse can't buy them much more time for me.

My guess is the offense in 2017 will look a lot like the first 3 quarters of the Maryland Game. Pro sets with an emphasis on the run, many shifts, and 52/48 run to pass ratio. If implemented correctly, I think that's a recipe for success here. That's a big if considering the last two years, but I think that's far more likely to be successful than Riley trying to recreate an offensive identify over the course of Spring as the article suggests.

 

[BoNeyard]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

 

[admo]

Plus one other interesting observation:

Nebraska averaged 323.5 yards and 20 points per game after the bye week. That’s a warning sign.

Big Ten defenses have already begun to go to school on Riley’s scheme. You give these coordinators another offseason — and you take away the quarterback run element — and you’re putting a lot on top-shelf execution unless there are a few more wrinkles.

It's kind of sad. After 2 seasons, this offense looks as colorful as the Ivy League schools did in the 1970s. "Huddle up, let's run up the middle and chew up some clock. And then we can do it again. We'll call it a run game."

 

[GBRFAN]

For me, next year is make or break. They gutted through this year with an O-line composed of many walkons and former walkons, a QB with great heart but not a throw first QB, and a mass exodus at the DT spot. This staff didn't swing and miss so baldly on DE, OT, and OG; however, that excuse can't buy them much more time for me.

My guess is the offense in 2017 will look a lot like the first 3 quarters of the Maryland Game. Pro sets with an emphasis on the run, many shifts, and 52/48 run to pass ratio. If implemented correctly, I think that's a recipe for success here. That's a big if considering the last two years, but I think that's far more likely to be successful than Riley trying to recreate an offensive identify over the course of Spring as the article suggests.

+1 for this ^

Our O-line will be a year older and stronger (should see a couple young guys emerge also) - running will be easier

Defense?

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

 

[BoNeyard]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

Usually you have to give up something to get something. To get uptempo offense you have to give up the big nasty O-Lineman. Your lineman are usually more athletic, and slimmer. In this case, you go up against anyone in the SEC and you lose with that personnel on the front.

Sure you might run circles around some B1G teams, but Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, are going to have bigger lineman then you and get penetration into the backfield and your uptempo cute offense becomes stopped.

Let's go the route of how team wins national titles. The slow, methodical, football way. I feel the hurry up no huddle offense has sort of run its course.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

Usually you have to give up something to get something. To get uptempo offense you have to give up the big nasty O-Lineman. Your lineman are usually more athletic, and slimmer. In this case, you go up against anyone in the SEC and you lose with that personnel on the front.
Sure you might run circles around some B1G teams, but Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, are going to have bigger lineman then you and get penetration into the backfield and your uptempo cute offense becomes stopped.

Let's go the route of how team wins national titles. The slow, methodical, football way. I feel the hurry up no huddle offense has sort of run its course.

But the best offenses will run uptempo is certain situations. Alabama does it from time to time. Also, under Osborne, NU would huddle up only 2 yards from the ball so they could play with more tempo. While it wasn't exactly no-huddle, it was a form of an uptempo offense. I think there are certain circumstances where a no-huddle offense can gash a defense that isn't prepared for it.

 

[ZRod]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

Usually you have to give up something to get something. To get uptempo offense you have to give up the big nasty O-Lineman. Your lineman are usually more athletic, and slimmer. In this case, you go up against anyone in the SEC and you lose with that personnel on the front.
Sure you might run circles around some B1G teams, but Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, are going to have bigger lineman then you and get penetration into the backfield and your uptempo cute offense becomes stopped.

Let's go the route of how team wins national titles. The slow, methodical, football way. I feel the hurry up no huddle offense has sort of run its course.

Auburn, tOSU, the latest version of Bama (probably) say hello...
Tempo is not going away unless the rules change. You can still be the most physical team on any field and run up tempo. Linemen don't have to be smaller, it's conditioning and a mindset that matter most.

 

[ColoradoHusk]

I think Riley chooses to not go uptempo for a number of reasons.

1) He likes to control things as a head coach and not leave a lot of pre-snap reads to the players.

2) He likes to take more time on offense, limit the number of possessions for both teams, and limit the exposure for Banker's defense. Limiting the number of possessions is something that underdog teams usually strive to do.

3) Slower pace on offense allows Cavanaugh to only have to play 5-6 offensive linemen and not worry about rotating linemen. This is another trait that undermanned teams undertake to limit the exposure of their roster.

 

[cornstar]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

Usually you have to give up something to get something. To get uptempo offense you have to give up the big nasty O-Lineman. Your lineman are usually more athletic, and slimmer. In this case, you go up against anyone in the SEC and you lose with that personnel on the front.
Sure you might run circles around some B1G teams, but Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, are going to have bigger lineman then you and get penetration into the backfield and your uptempo cute offense becomes stopped.

Let's go the route of how team wins national titles. The slow, methodical, football way. I feel the hurry up no huddle offense has sort of run its course.

But the best offenses will run uptempo is certain situations. Alabama does it from time to time. Also, under Osborne, NU would huddle up only 2 yards from the ball so they could play with more tempo. While it wasn't exactly no-huddle, it was a form of an uptempo offense. I think there are certain circumstances where a no-huddle offense can gash a defense that isn't prepared for it.

True. Osborne was a tough guy, not always demonstrative but a tough guy. He went up tempo, huddled 3 yards from the LOS, and beat the opponent into submission.

If you want to see a gimmicky offense, see what Langsdorf did against Maryland, and watch what he does next year with out a dual threat quarterback.

 

[BoNeyard]

You can't go full uptempo offense without committing to going with smaller athletic lineman. Occassional uptempo works with the big guys, but you cant have it both ways.

I feel like Nebraska has the roster and has had the roster for uptempo spread attacks the past 6 or so years, and it has resulted in the frustration that we can't beat Wisconsin or Iowa, and get destroyed by good teams.

 

[cornstar]

Do people forget that TM completed like 63% of his passes...Yet NU still couldn't win the conference. What magical freaking # do the PP lovers want? I mean, you are not getting much higher than 70%...

It's the 2004/2005 mindset all over again.
"Oh, just you wait until Coach Callahan gets his guys in here, then the offense will be humming."

It's fools gold.

*****

​Thank You

I find it interesting that those who are most ardent in their support of this staff also look back fondly on the 2004 to 2007 seasons. I'm not really sure that they are actually Husker fans.

I'd prefer taking advice from our last great coach. Have a power-run based offense, a fast, a$$ kicking attitude defense, with nasty special teams to boot.

 

[lo country]

Oh please dont go Wildcat formation and uptempo. How about line up, and beat the other line and wear them down? Sure go ahead and pass the ball, but enough of this gimmick stuff.

What is gimmicky about uptempo offenses? If anything that says "my guys are in better shape than your guys and we're gonna whip you up and down the field".

Usually you have to give up something to get something. To get uptempo offense you have to give up the big nasty O-Lineman. Your lineman are usually more athletic, and slimmer. In this case, you go up against anyone in the SEC and you lose with that personnel on the front.
Sure you might run circles around some B1G teams, but Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, are going to have bigger lineman then you and get penetration into the backfield and your uptempo cute offense becomes stopped.

Let's go the route of how team wins national titles. The slow, methodical, football way. I feel the hurry up no huddle offense has sort of run its course.

Auburn, tOSU, the latest version of Bama (probably) say hello...
Tempo is not going away unless the rules change. You can still be the most physical team on any field and run up tempo. Linemen don't have to be smaller, it's conditioning and a mindset that matter most.

Clemson is a great example of a team that can run up tempo and does, to get advantages in certain situations. They are very effective in this, buts its not the norm. I like their O and D a lot. Great receivers and TE play. Dual threat QB (actually a very good QB capable of running), strong running game, road grading (and quick ) OL and a very aggressive and mean D at all 3 levels.... Cabo has put together a winning recipe IMO.

 

[lo country]

Do people forget that TM completed like 63% of his passes...Yet NU still couldn't win the conference. What magical freaking # do the PP lovers want? I mean, you are not getting much higher than 70%...

It's the 2004/2005 mindset all over again.
"Oh, just you wait until Coach Callahan gets his guys in here, then the offense will be humming."

It's fools gold.

*****

​Thank You

I find it interesting that those who are most ardent in their support of this staff also look back fondly on the 2004 to 2007 seasons. I'm not really sure that they are actually Husker fans.

I'd prefer taking advice from our last great coach. Have a power-run based offense, a fast, a$$ kicking attitude defense, with nasty special teams to boot.

Go back to what got us to where we were historically. Just gotta get a staff with that mindset.