Jeff Sims, the Offensive Struggles, and Overall Physicality

[Guy Chamberlin]

Good stuff, Guy. Especially "what exactly is Big 10 football" at this point.

"Physical & talented defenses" sticks out as being on the list. But as you mention, in recent years a lot of spread offense and snaps from the shotgun have come into play for most teams.

But another that sticks out to me is good coaching. I really didn't expect Barthel & Rhule to do something late in the game like put Grant in over Ervin, really didn't. I'm big on not focusing only on a late game error but rather the game as a whole, and obviously our offense f***** up for pretty much four quarters straight. But if we're even going to be a team that makes a bowl game most seasons, the in-game coaching gaffes have to stop.

It's unfortunate because it felt like the third quarter was going to be the turning point for A New Dawn at Nebraska, where we actually make the right coaching adjustments at halftime, the players are visibly more confident, and the better team has finally asserted itself. Even the Fox announcers seemed to sense that. It felt that way until the fourth quarter fumble, after which Nebaska still had a half-dozen chances to win the game. I still have a hard time calling Grant a gaffe. If you don't trust a player with the ball, there's never a good time to play him. 

 

[Undone]

I still have a hard time calling Grant a gaffe. If you don't trust a player with the ball, there's never a good time to play him. 

I think it's also about how Ervin's YPC number was significantly higher than Grant's heading into that series. And I'm pretty sure we have analysts that feed that data into the coaches' ears during the game. 

Play your starting back. The running game was what was keeping you in the game, so either let Sims keep it or put Ervin in there.

The thing is, I think Grant is probably the better runner all in all but he has trouble with fumbling. Pretty frustrating setup.

 

[Danimal]

While I don’t support calling a player garbage, there’s simply no excuse for having zero quarterbacks on the roster. There’s no excuses for not having someone who can read a defense and look a safety away, the line play notwithstanding. 

Yes, the pooch was screwed in terms of qb. It was hubris to push Thompson aside on the assumption that we'd fix the major issues Sims exhibited over many starts at GT. Staring-down receivers rather than going through reads, eating sacks, and throwing a crap-ton of picks is still what he does. The situation is made worse by not landing a qb in the '23 class. We don't have a qb of the future to put in to learn on the job and be ready in '24. Now we'll probably be left running a dumbed-down O for the season then trying to find a portal qb for next season. 

 

[Undone]

We don't have a qb of the future to put in to learn on the job and be ready in '24.

Well, ready in '25 though, right? Sims is a junior. Plenty of time to bring in a portal QB by then.

This comment isn't directed at you at all, separate train of thought: funny how the fans get what they wish for (smashmouth running QB) and then instantly realize it maybe isn't the way to go. The scheme Rhule wants to run is good, but I think it's hamstrung by talent for this season - sound familiar? Of course you want a QB like LSU's that can do both, but we're a dumpster fire who just isn't going to bring in a guy like that right now.

That game confirmed for me that the preseason worries about the WR room were probably misplaced. Yeah you want much better wideouts than what we have (outside of Washington), but could Sims actually deliver the ball and make good decisions? The answer was "no" against Minnesota. Missed an open guy in the end zone for a TD, threw into coverage...terrible passing game.

 

[Red Five]

Well, ready in '25 though, right? Sims is a junior. Plenty of time to bring in a portal QB by then.

Sims is a 5th year Junior.  I'd say its 50/50 if he's here next year.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I don't know if Rhule addressed anything about his gameplan in the postgame presser, but it looked to me that he knew the offense wasn't quite ready and letting Sims run a modified wildcat was the best chance to win. Let's face it, we were all willing to win ugly in Game One.  

In other words, I'm thinking (and hoping) that wasn't the blueprint for the rest of the season. I know a lot of folks want to see a lot more Gabe Earvin carries, but I think the touches will still be spread around, including safe outlet passes to both Earvin and Rahmir, and a bit more tight end targets, too. 

In hindsight, that first half goal line call was perfect --- the WRs flooded the corner of the end zone dragging the defenders, and the TE slipped into the middle of the end zone with a wide open buttonhook. Did it all happen too fast, or was Sims locked in on only one receiver from the moment they broke the huddle? 

 

[huskerfan74]

Isaiah garcia Castaneda is out for the season. We have very little offensive power as it is and now we have one less weapon. Where are all the players that Rhule recruited? It seems we got little firepower from the transfer portal. If anything, we let some of the bright spots last year leave. Unless Rhule sees something we don’t, our offense will struggle this season and next week will be extremely UGLY. Everyone will have a plan to shut Sims down and do, what next? 

 

[thexyz]

Isaiah garcia Castaneda is out for the season. We have very little offensive power as it is and now we have one less weapon. Where are all the players that Rhule recruited? It seems we got little firepower from the transfer portal. If anything, we let some of the bright spots last year leave. Unless Rhule sees something we don’t, our offense will struggle this season and next week will be extremely UGLY. Everyone will have a plan to shut Sims down and do, what next? 

Someone suggested streaking awhile back!  :laughpound

 

[TGHusker]

Nearly everyone expected Neb to lose by a TD, or more. We actually played toe to toe with a better team.  We made more mistakes and nearly won the damn game. We lost on a final play FG to prevent OT.  To read this board and most other reporting, Neb should suddenly have been a three TD winner?

What gives?   I just don’t understand the entire attitude.  
 

A last minute change of mind and all the negative naysayers become Nebraska fans for a few days only to quickly transform back into bashers.    I suspect that the 3 year resurrection plan became a one game miracle failure.  
 

What head coach would ever want the job if he’s given one game?   What players / recruits would even consider Big Red with a rotten egg fan base?  This team and staff deserves better than this crap.  Just my opinion. 
 

Constructive criticisms are one thing.  Name calling and mean spirited BS spewing is outrageous.  
 

We could have won that game, despite some glaring first game errors.  A win would have been a HUGE upset.  Period.  It almost happened. 
 

I, for maybe the only one, see a lot of positives and look forward to moving forward in the long term Husker football rebuilding plan.  This season may surprise people. It may not, for those, who somehow, imagine that one game is the beginning and ending of Husker football, once again. 

All good points.  I had the Mini game down as a loss with us winning 7 other games.  I had an outside hope for an upset getting us to 8 wins.  There is a lot of gnashing of teeth since Thursday night.  What if we had lost by the predicted 7 points - would everyone be cool.   All of a sudden, because we had the game won and we lost in an all familiar way, the team is a great failure - when in actuality they exceeded expectations.   Change of perspective might do the ledge jumpers some good. 

I was impressed by the D & ST play  and if we can get the O on track, then we can get to 7 wins - 6 for sure.  

 

[BigRedBuster]

All good points.  I had the Mini game down as a loss with us winning 7 other games.  I had an outside hope for an upset getting us to 8 wins.  There is a lot of gnashing of teeth since Thursday night.  What if we had lost by the predicted 7 points - would everyone be cool.   All of a sudden, because we had the game won and we lost in an all familiar way, the team is a great failure - when in actuality they exceeded expectations.   Change of perspective might do the ledge jumpers some good. 

I was impressed by the D & ST play  and if we can get the O on track, then we can get to 7 wins - 6 for sure.  

Before this game, the vast majority had this as a loss. 
 

People need to stop overreacting to one game. 

 

[84HuskerLaw]

I felt the offense would be slow to develop.  Sat said about mid season in his recent pressers leading up to the game.  If Sims holds to form, the INTs will decline and his play will improve. But he needs better play around him too. 
 

The line should be pretty much as good as it will be by game three.  The RBs should settle in by the next game.  WRs probably take three or four. 
By Michigan, I’m guessing the offense should be about as good as it can be.  That won’t be good enough but we will have chances to make some progress.  

 

[Undone]

If Sims holds to form, the INTs will decline and his play will improve.

For your information, here are Sims' career passing stats:

31 TD's / 26 INT's

So, if he "holds to form" I'm not sure his results look too much different than they did against Minnesota. He needs better coaching, and he needs to execute at his position much better than he has throughout his career, in my opinion.

But he needs better play around him too. 

If we're saying that the running backs need to pick up more yards on the ground, then I agree. But when it comes to the INT's he had last Thursday, he needs to recognize when he's throwing into traffic and when to just wrap the ball with two hands and take a sack. He could have all day to throw, but if he's throwing into coverage it's going to be an interception.

"Better play around him" would have been huge as it pertains to the boneheaded false starts inside their 5 yard line. And then of course also Grant's fumble. But in the passing game, his INT's were really all him.

 

[BigRedBuster]

If we're saying that the running backs need to pick up more yards on the ground, then I agree. But when it comes to the INT's he had last Thursday, he needs to recognize when he's throwing into traffic and when to just wrap the ball with two hands and take a sack. He could have all day to throw, but if he's throwing into coverage it's going to be an interception.

"Better play around him" would have been huge as it pertains to the boneheaded false starts inside their 5 yard line. And then of course also Grant's fumble. But in the passing game, his INT's were really all him.

I've seen some people blaming the O line for his interceptions claiming he was under pressure.  No....just no.  I rewatched the game and there was only one interception where there might have been some pressure and that was was still just a very bad decision.

 

[BigRedBuster]

So, if he "holds to form" I'm not sure his results look too much different than they did against Minnesota. He needs better coaching, and he needs to execute at his position much better than he has throughout his career, in my opinion.

We can blame coaching.  But, at some point, the players just need to make plays and not mistakes.  He is not being coached to stare down his WRs and throw into coverage.  He needs to just be better and that's no him.

 

[Mavric]

We can blame coaching.  But, at some point, the players just need to make plays and not mistakes.  He is not being coached to stare down his WRs and throw into coverage.  He needs to just be better and that's no him.

:yeah

Same with the false starts.  People like to blame the coaches for everything.  At some point the players have to make the plays and do what they are supposed to do (or not do what they're not supposed to do).