Martinez the scapegoat?

[Enhance]

Did Frost, Frazier or Crouch "ever" throw the ball around 12 times in 15 plays? I very seriously doubt it.

Beck needs to determine if we're a "run-first" offense or not. If we're gonna throw the ball around 12 out of 15 plays let's junk our new offense again and go back to the WCO or something similar.

Spot on. And to answer that question I think it's a definite hell no.

 

[3rd and long]

People wI understand many of us need something to point our fingers at to explain that pitiful game yesterday, but many of you are unhinging the blame on one problem for a game that had numerous problems.

The 3 INTs were AWFUL, but so was the secondary's play, the defense in general, the play calling, the team's motivation and inability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

This team's problems go much further than Taylor's throwing motion and we all know that. In all honesty, I don't think our offense has performed much different than has the last 2 seasons (actually I think they're a little better). THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS ON DEFENSE! We counted ourselves lucky to even get off the field yesterday! The numbero uno problem to fix is this team's lack of fundamentals on defense. From tackling, to play reading, to pursuit angles, to coverage, there are problems across the board! THe D-Line has consistently missed tackles all season while the entire secondary has been consistently confused and shaked and baked.

Just remember this folks. THis was the biggest reason we lost by the amount we did yesterday.

Turning the ball over 3 times is a huge part of losing the game, it keeps the defense on the field and wears them down at the game goes on. That's the biggest problem with what Beck did throwing the ball, it didn't keep the offense on the field and led to the D wearing out.

Here's what happened once we got the ball back with a 1 point lead

1st down- Burkhead gains 7 yards, but called back for illegal formation

1st down- Taylor sacked

2nd down- Taylor runs for 1 yard

3rd and 14- Rex catches a 9 yard pass

Punt

So now the D hits the field and stops White for a 1 yard loss on 3rd, Toon catches a 4 yard pass then Wilson gets sacked, punt back, D stepped up.

Offense gets the ball back

1st- Burkhead stuffed for a 1 yard loss

2nd- Incomplete to Cotton (dropped)

3rd- False start on Reed to get us to 3rd and 16 at the 41, rather than check down Taylor forces it and Wisconsin gets the ball back at the 46 (TOP, 45 seconds)

UW gets the ball back, 5 yard pass, incomplete, 6 yard pass 1st down, 5 yard run, 2 yard run, playaction over the top on 3rd and 3 for a TD

So now you're down 20-14 with 2:00 left

1st down incomplete

2nd down 26 yards to midfield to a wide open Turner

1st, 4 yards to Kinnie, OB to stop clock

2nd incomplete

3rd picked again

TOP 41 seconds

So in that swing the Huskers held the ball for 2 possessions under 1 minute, and the D was forced right back on the field and gave up two long throws.

Hindsight is 20/20, Beck got greedy since Taylor had thrown it pretty well up till then and it bit us, we could have ran the ball and probably made it into half within 3 or even in the lead.

Then the start of the half was just greedy, once that pick was made it was over

I agree with just about everything you've said. But the one thing I've been thinking about was that play call to open the second half. I gurantee no one was expecting us to throw it there. If that play hits for big yardage, everyone is talking about what a great play call it is. The thing is, any call is only has good as it is executed on the field. It was a horribly thrown ball that led to the interception, not the call itself. While I do agree %110 that we tried to throw the ball way too much in that second quarter, I'm not as upset over that particular call.

We are going to have to be able to throw the ball at some point, it's going to be forced upon us, and if we are going to win those games where they do take away our runs, we just have to be able to execute in the passing game. Our 95 team could be one dimensional with that line, but obviously thats not the case now. I really believe if we could even just get TM to take his one look deep and if its not wide open dump it off to his back it would open up things dramatically.

 

[Malth]

Yea there were a lot of factors that led to the loss. The interceptions were just obvious critical errors that can be attributed to a single player.

 

[irieboy8]

sometimes i've noticed that after big losses (hell any lose) we tend to over digest (over state of the year) everything that happened... hell sometimes when when we win and i log onto this board it sounds like the way we played we lost by 50 +..... you know i know we had some big dreams for this season and we all bought the mag and read the blogs and listened to the stories about the hype (like every year)...but we are still in a great spot to be in and have many chances still to prove the doubters wrong.... so lets really pull together and encourage the team to pull together..... to rally.... to support

there is a lot of football left to be played and a lot of dreams still left to achieve

 

[Danimal]

TM obviously screwed the pooch, he did, he needs to get better, would have no problem with Carnes going in. That said, TM is what he is, a running qb, and Beck off all people should realize that. They were focusing on stopping TM from running and sitting in zone waiting for TM to make a bad read. So what should we have done? FEED THE **** OUT OF REX BURKHEAD. He is the best guy on our O and he was getting respectable yards per pop.

 

[C N Red]

Yeah, we really have to work on Taylor forcing it when it's not there. The lack of consistently taking a checkdown is completely killing us unless the play is set up perfectly and the defense bites hard.
The deep ball is a big part of what we want to do though, it seems. And it makes sense. It's one of Taylor's strengths that he gives us, and by that I mean his speed running is supposed to allow guys to run open down the field as opposing safeties load the box. Taylor being a bad passer is supposed to be negated by how it opens up the passing game this way.

But against any disciplined defense, that ONLY works if Taylor is going to stop forcing the throws when they aren't there and taking the wide-open underneath option. Otherwise, sooner or later one of these balls is going to get picked off.

On the checkdown thing, ur totally right. There were countless times the RB was open in the flat on the checkdown. Hell, i dont think wiscy even defended it b/c they knew TM can only get through 2 progressions max b4 he tucks and runs. There was alot of yardage to be had with checkdowns, but instead TM forced it or tucked it. You have to be able to read progressions fast and get thru them all if you wanna be a QB.

 

[bdubb75]

I'll agree he's getting a lot of the blame and rightfully so. He threw three picks in critical times but at the same time, you have to set your offense up as a play caller and OC. You have to mix up the run (which was working pretty damn well) to setup the pass. That in the fact that throwing an INT shouldn't automatically mean 6 the other way unless it's a pick 6. The defense could have gotten a take away or they could have stopped Wisconsin too but of course, we didn't. It started unraveling and from there, we got beat up pretty bad and never regained any rhythm. I thought it would go that way especially with our young corners and WRs/OL but I'll say the DL played a lot better especially against the big, bad Wisconsin OL and also I thought our OL was doing a little better as well. The game is over now so we have to move on. There is a lot of football left and if we stay the course and improve, we can make a run at the Big10 title still and maybe have a shot at beating Wisconsin in the bowl game which, to me, would be better than beating them early and losing to them late.

 

[Huskers Fan Too]

Pretty much exactly that. Beck wasn't protecting his defense at all. Passing 12 out 15 plays (and leading off the third quarter with it!) is unreal. Now was it a critical error? Abso-frigging-lutely. So what should we (using the royal we here, I should say Bo) do here?

Bo should talk to him about it. He's in his first year here. It was inevitable there was going to be hiccups like this. Couple that with a wealth of young people (extraordinarily talented young people, but young people) at skill positions and you get nights where a veteran, elite team puts it on us in one of the toughest venues in college football at night.

Absolutely no part of sky hit me in the head when the sun indeed rose today.

Exactly! I am so excited about the quality, depth, and talent of the four RBs. Why is Beck trying to hrow so much? Run the dang ball and wear out the defenses. With four quality backs (and the legs of Martinez and Legate) we should be pounding that ball rather than forcing Taylor to make the throws that he can't seem to make. Why try to be something we aren't (an air attack team) and focus on what we are best at (rushing the ball)?

 

[NoLongerN]

Did Frost, Frazier or Crouch "ever" throw the ball around 12 times in 15 plays? I very seriously doubt it.

Beck needs to determine if we're a "run-first" offense or not. If we're gonna throw the ball around 12 out of 15 plays let's junk our new offense again and go back to the WCO or something similar.

Maybe Beck could start recruiting a passsing QB saying, "We want you ... look what I did with Martinez ... he's an athlete playing the QB spot, he doesn't throw the ball well but I had him throw 12 times in 15 plays. Your a 5 star QB ... just think how many times I'll have you throw."

Some humor there ... but it does make me think ... if we are gonna throw that often with this QB, working to his weakness ... then why the hell not bring in the passer that can atleast do the reads and make the throws.

 

[bulletbait]

Are people seriously naive enough to ask that we try to run the ball over and over and over, without throwing when the D stacks the box? Do you guys have any concept of how football works? Beck's playcalling in the 2nd quarter was football 101. Are they stacking the box to stop the run? Hey, better start throwing it to those wide-open receivers. Martinez is the sole reason we lost that game. He threw 3 picks in situations with wide open receivers, either because he forced the ball into a guy that was covered, or he badly, BADLY missed the pass. Move him to WR or, better yet, DB, and get a competitive offense onto the field.

 

[huskered17]

We were doing OK till the interceptions started. Put that on Martinez's throwing or Beck's play calling. We got beat by a better team that night. The officiating could have been called a little better, but that wasn't going to help the way we played. There was one play that I thought was a huge miss by the official's. The series after the pick to start the third quarter, on third and 6 or 8 when Wis they ran the ball and picked up the first down, if you look at that play we had a player waiting to make that stop for no gain or 1 to 2 yard gain. He was pushed in the back as the ball carrier was coming at him. We all thought there's a flag coming, but no call. First down Wis. Not saying that would have made a difference in the out come, but they did go on and score.

GBR!!!

 

[gobiggergoredder]

Are people seriously naive enough to ask that we try to run the ball over and over and over, without throwing when the D stacks the box?

Yes

Do you guys have any concept of how football works? Beck's playcalling in the 2nd quarter was football 101.

I don't really want to insult anyone, so I won't answer this one.

Are they stacking the box to stop the run? Hey, better start throwing it to those wide-open receivers. Martinez is the sole reason we lost that game. He threw 3 picks in situations with wide open receivers, either because he forced the ball into a guy that was covered, or he badly, BADLY missed the pass. Move him to WR or, better yet, DB, and get a competitive offense onto the field.

The drive charts show what I thought I saw Saturday. A team that was moving the ball using a 'balanced' attack. All the sudden 3 passes in a row makes you Drew Brees. Whether it be a fumble, penalty, sack or INT, T-Mart has proven his is not the guy to take this team to the next level.

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=312740275&period=2

http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/playbyplay?gameId=312740275&period=3

 

[robsker]

People I understand many of us need something to point our fingers at to explain that pitiful game yesterday, but many of you are unhinging the blame on one problem for a game that had numerous problems.

The 3 INTs were AWFUL, but so was the secondary's play, the defense in general, the play calling, the team's motivation and inability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

This team's problems go much further than Taylor's throwing motion and we all know that. In all honesty, I don't think our offense has performed much different than has the last 2 seasons (actually I think they're a little better). THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS ON DEFENSE! We counted ourselves lucky to even get off the field yesterday! The numbero uno problem to fix is this team's lack of fundamentals on defense. From tackling, to play reading, to pursuit angles, to coverage, there are problems across the board! THe D-Line has consistently missed tackles all season while the entire secondary has been consistently confused and shaked and baked.

Just remember this folks. THis was the biggest reason we lost by the amount we did yesterday.

And part of coaching is to ensure that you do not ask your players to do, by design, what they cannot physically do. To design a game plan where Taylor Martinez is expected to pass the ball a great deal, placing him in the pocket and having him fling the ball around is indeed a very questionable game plan. TMart has some positive attributes... design the game plan around those attributes --- do not force him into a context where he has little chance to succeed. Now, game situations may dictate that we must pass ... and that is what it is... but really, it appears to me that NU has placed TMart into a context where he will not succeed.

 

[gobiggergoredder]

And part of coaching is to ensure that you do not ask your players to do, by design, what they cannot physically do. To design a game plan where Taylor Martinez is expected to pass the ball a great deal, placing him in the pocket and having him fling the ball around is indeed a very questionable game plan. TMart has some positive attributes... design the game plan around those attributes --- do not force him into a context where he has little chance to succeed. Now, game situations may dictate that we must pass ... and that is what it is... but really, it appears to me that NU has placed TMart into a context where he will not succeed.

When did that happen? What part of the plan deviated and went to the pass a great deal? When did Beck get away from the same thing they have done all year? Why does 3 passes in a row change the complete identity of your offense? Would we even be talking about his if T-Mart had average passing skills and/or vision? Wisky stats look like the other 4 games. I don't want to hear the excuse they abandoned the pass in the 4 quarter so those numbers should just be for 3 quarters. No team is going to overcome 21 points off pathetic turnovers.

CHATTY

Passing - 11/22(50%)

Total Plays - 65

% Pass - 34%

% of Total Yards from pass - 34%

FRESNO STATE

Passing - 10/21(48%)

Total Plays - 56

% Pass - 38%

% of Total Yards from pass - 50%

WASHINGTON

Passing - 10/21(48%)

Total Plays - 76

% Pass - 28%

% of Total Yards from pass - 33%

WYOMING

Passing - 12/21(57%)

Total Plays - 70

% Pass - 30%

% of Total Yards from pass - 55%

WISCONSIN

Passing - 11/22(50%)

Total Plays - 65

% Pass - 34%

% of Total Yards from pass - 53%

SEASON

Total Plays - 332

% Pass - 32%

% of Total Yards from pass - 45%

 

[Saunders]

And part of coaching is to ensure that you do not ask your players to do, by design, what they cannot physically do. To design a game plan where Taylor Martinez is expected to pass the ball a great deal, placing him in the pocket and having him fling the ball around is indeed a very questionable game plan. TMart has some positive attributes... design the game plan around those attributes --- do not force him into a context where he has little chance to succeed. Now, game situations may dictate that we must pass ... and that is what it is... but really, it appears to me that NU has placed TMart into a context where he will not succeed.

When did that happen? What part of the plan deviated and went to the pass a great deal? When did Beck get away from the same thing they have done all year? Why does 3 passes in a row change the complete identity of your offense? Would we even be talking about his if T-Mart had average passing skills and/or vision? Wisky stats look like the other 4 games. I don't want to hear the excuse they abandoned the pass in the 4 quarter so those numbers should just be for 3 quarters. No team is going to overcome 21 points off pathetic turnovers.

CHATTY

Passing - 11/22(50%)

Total Plays - 65

% Pass - 34%

% of Total Yards from pass - 34%

FRESNO STATE

Passing - 10/21(48%)

Total Plays - 56

% Pass - 38%

% of Total Yards from pass - 50%

WASHINGTON

Passing - 10/21(48%)

Total Plays - 76

% Pass - 28%

% of Total Yards from pass - 33%

WYOMING

Passing - 12/21(57%)

Total Plays - 70

% Pass - 30%

% of Total Yards from pass - 55%

WISCONSIN

Passing - 11/22(50%)

Total Plays - 65

% Pass - 34%

% of Total Yards from pass - 53%

SEASON

Total Plays - 332

% Pass - 32%

% of Total Yards from pass - 45%

From the second, to 3rd quarter, we passed 15 out of 17 plays. 3 of those were interceptions. Taylor played horrible, and Beck called a terrible game after the 1st.