Offensive line

[North Alabama Husker]

I realize we have made some changes to the coaching staff along all of the offense. Some how though we managed to keep Barney Cotton. He may be a great coach and the previous system was just to predictable or maybe the talent just wasn't there. If the offensive line play doesn't improve we will see another season of a team that only needs a few points to win and they can't do it.

The size of the offensive line looks to have improved. I just hope that the skill and footwork has also improved. It just seemed last year that defensive ends had a step on the line almost as if they had the snap count patterned. To me that points to fundamentals. The main job of the offensive line coach is to teach the fundementals. So as I watched last year while everyone else was screaming at Watson through the tv I was screaming at Cotton. The fact that the fundementals I saw in d-2 football games was better than those of the Nebraska offensive line made me sick. Maybe the offensive play book was so extensive that Cotton had little time for fundementals and had to focus on the game plan. It is my hope that with Beck in as coordinator and a simpler play book Cotton will be able to focus on the fundementals. Maybe if this happens we will have the kinds of offensive lines that I grew up watching in the 90's.

 

[zoogs]

The good news is that this year, for the first time since 2007, we might have a OL coach that cares about fundamentals and technique.

 

[suh_fan93]

Yep. Also a change in scheme not to mention coaching could have a positive impact as well. Bottom line: it's not just 'Barney's' offensive line anymore.

 

[74Hunter]

More than anything, hopefully, Barney is on the same page with Beck. I may be in the minority, but I think that he CAN be a decent OL coach. I don't think that Bo would have brought him back, and kept him around if he didn't feel the same way. I think that part of his deal has been the situations he has been in, first with Solich, then with ISU, and lastly with Watson.

Obviously, the OL played like crap during the last half of the season (and a couple other games). Was it Barney? Was it Watson? Was it the OL not wanting to block for T-Mart any more? I'm not sure, but, I can't imagine that he, along with Garrison and Stai, will have more than 2 years to get this turned around. Maybe being in an admin role would serve him better.

It's time for Barney to put up or shut up.

 

[Enhance]

With three guys on the staff coaching the offensive line, I think it will be difficult for this team not to succeed on the line. Stai has been very opinionated on the matter on radio broadcasts after Husker games, and for the most part he had some good thoughts.

 

[tmfr15]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

 

[Hercules]

The other day, Pelini himself said that he thought they mis-blocked some things this past year, as in the scheme was bad. The further along we get, the more I think our offense is going to improve significantly because of scheme and coaching alone.

 

[bshirt]

I think Barney working for a coherent OC will help make his job far, far easier. Rather than having to coach kids for 15 different "multiple" schemes (that changed completely halfway through each year) he can concentrate on a developing an identity. HUGE difference.

I'm also VERY happy to have Stai's insights. I honestly look for Heard/Green/Rex/Tmart to run wild this year.

 

[The Dude]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

He's not. He just gets credit as such because of the talent the Jets have on the offensive line (when healthy). When they're not healthy, he doesn't look so hot.

 

[VectorVictor]

I think Barney working for a coherent OC will help make his job far, far easier. Rather than having to coach kids for 15 different "multiple" schemes (that changed completely halfway through each year) he can concentrate on a developing an identity. HUGE difference.

I'm also VERY happy to have Stai's insights. I honestly look for Heard/Green/Rex/Tmart to run wild this year.

I'm reminded of the Cardinal Mooney coach that Stoops/Pelini had that would keep them out on the practice field until 8 or 9 at night some times to run a single sweep or toss play over and over again until it was perfect.

Quality > Quantity

 

[74Hunter]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

He's not. He just gets credit as such because of the talent the Jets have on the offensive line (when healthy). When they're not healthy, he doesn't look so hot.

Even though I agree on all accounts, I don't recall anyone talking about the great OL coaching of BC in this thread. I do concur, our OLs during his tenure were no better than the ones Barney has coached.

 

[Spartness]

I think bshirt is on the right track. What you will perhaps see is one or two blocking schemes ... the coaches will work over and over on this scheme until the OL gets really good at it. Kind of like Osborne's later teams.

As far as being too predictable in the recent years ... Osborne's offenses were predictable. But as you saw in his later teams, it didn't matter ... as long as he had the bodies who were able to execute the plays. As Barry Switzer us to say ... you may know what Nebraska was going to run, but that doesn't mean you are going stop it. Kind of what I'm hearing from Beck.

 

[Enhance]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

He's not. He just gets credit as such because of the talent the Jets have on the offensive line (when healthy). When they're not healthy, he doesn't look so hot.

What offensive line looks good when they aren't healthy, though? The Green Bay Packers toughed out a lot of injuries this year and still succeeded, but that is definitely not the case for most teams. Any team with an injured offensive line is going to struggle.

 

[TemporarySaint]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

He's not. He just gets credit as such because of the talent the Jets have on the offensive line (when healthy). When they're not healthy, he doesn't look so hot.

BS. BC is roundly considered to be one of the best o-line coaches in the business. I don't see how this matters much either way, Wags was the primary guy in charge of the line regardless.

While our lines weren't anything at all special during the BC years, our pass blocking has deteriorated quickly in the last couple years. I would give anything to see tackles forming a decent pocket this year or at least not being repeatedly beaten by simple speed rushes.

 

[The Dude]

I fail to see how Bill C was a great offensive line coach. Zac got hit often, Keller was lost to a season ending injury and Ganz only had success because he was mobile enough to get out of the way. Not the notes of an accomplished front wall.

He's not. He just gets credit as such because of the talent the Jets have on the offensive line (when healthy). When they're not healthy, he doesn't look so hot.

BS. BC is roundly considered to be one of the best o-line coaches in the business. I don't see how this matters much either way, Wags was the primary guy in charge of the line regardless.

While our lines weren't anything at all special during the BC years, our pass blocking has deteriorated quickly in the last couple years. I would give anything to see tackles forming a decent pocket this year or at least not being repeatedly beaten by simple speed rushes.

Yeah based on one year when they had the most talented line in the NFL. Nobody was singing his praises last year.