Offensive Potential

[Ziggy]

First and foremost, I how every topic gets side tracked by people complaining about Tmart, or Coach Cotton, or our Oline or Bo going to another school. How hard is it for people to stay on topic. Wanna complain about the oline go to the topic about the Oline, how bout the way our DT's don't rush and play two gap either start a topic or find one that it applies to. So please stay on topic...because it is already off the topic I will respond...but I'm not happy bout it :ahhhhhhhh

Well I will disagree with you, both of our lines are for once deep and experienced. Name the last time we had a solid 2 deep at every line position. Almost our whole 2 deep on the Oline has starting experience. If we stay healthy this year and rotate appropriately they should hopefully stay healthy. The only position of concern is the Center. Which we have 3 players devoted to figuring out. Our D line returns almost every contributor from last year, plus some freshman and redshirt freshman to add depth. Granted out DT position is hit pretty hard right now with injuries but they are non the less still a deep and talented group. People who complain about how little pressure we get from our o line need to look at the last 2 years and see who got a majority of the tackles. The reason #4 Lavonte David could do what he did was because those DT's kept blocker off him and let him flow to the ball. Pressure should come from the ends or from LBs or DB's blitzing not DT.

The weakest part of our team is our back seven on defense. Lack of experience, and an unknown set of 2 deep at nearly every spot.

 

[The Dude]

I think this will be our best offense since 2008.

 

[HuskerShark]

First and foremost, I how every topic gets side tracked by people complaining about Tmart, or Coach Cotton, or our Oline or Bo going to another school. How hard is it for people to stay on topic. Wanna complain about the oline go to the topic about the Oline, how bout the way our DT's don't rush and play two gap either start a topic or find one that it applies to. So please stay on topic...because it is already off the topic I will respond...but I'm not happy bout it :ahhhhhhhh

Well I will disagree with you, both of our lines are for once deep and experienced. Name the last time we had a solid 2 deep at every line position. Almost our whole 2 deep on the Oline has starting experience. If we stay healthy this year and rotate appropriately they should hopefully stay healthy. The only position of concern is the Center. Which we have 3 players devoted to figuring out. Our D line returns almost every contributor from last year, plus some freshman and redshirt freshman to add depth. Granted out DT position is hit pretty hard right now with injuries but they are non the less still a deep and talented group. People who complain about how little pressure we get from our o line need to look at the last 2 years and see who got a majority of the tackles. The reason #4 Lavonte David could do what he did was because those DT's kept blocker off him and let him flow to the ball. Pressure should come from the ends or from LBs or DB's blitzing not DT.

The weakest part of our team is our back seven on defense. Lack of experience, and an unknown set of 2 deep at nearly every spot.

While we may have a 2-deep on both of our lines, I don't think it is proven quality depth at all. Especially on the O-Line. We only return 2 or 3 people who have gametime experience, which probably isn't ideal. I disagree with you that the back seven on defense is the weakest part of the team. Most of the players in the secondary made huge improvements during the season, and the entire secondary has been praised several times for making huge strides so far in spring camp. Then you throw Seisay and Heard in the mix, and later Charles Jackson, and DB looks pretty deep. LB may be a little bit of a worry, but I think having Compton there with him playing as good as he has since he has been here gives me hope, as well as Alonzo Whaley. Reports from practice also say that Sean Fisher is doing well, but I will take a wait-and-see approach on that one.

My point is, the O-Line is super inexperienced and the D-Line has not shown us that it can be a force in games that can get to the QB in less than 5 or 6 seconds. To me, it's pretty easy to say that the 2 lines are the 2 biggest areas of concern going forward.

With that said, I am still optimistic about this football season. I can't wait to see what this team can accomplish because it seems that everybody has a chip on their shoulder right now, coaches included. With consistent play and maybe a little bit of luck, we could be looking at our first conference championship in a long time.

 

[Enhance]

First and foremost, I how every topic gets side tracked by people complaining about Tmart, or Coach Cotton, or our Oline or Bo going to another school. How hard is it for people to stay on topic. Wanna complain about the oline go to the topic about the Oline, how bout the way our DT's don't rush and play two gap either start a topic or find one that it applies to. So please stay on topic...because it is already off the topic I will respond...but I'm not happy bout it :ahhhhhhhh

Well I will disagree with you, both of our lines are for once deep and experienced. Name the last time we had a solid 2 deep at every line position. Almost our whole 2 deep on the Oline has starting experience. If we stay healthy this year and rotate appropriately they should hopefully stay healthy. The only position of concern is the Center. Which we have 3 players devoted to figuring out. Our D line returns almost every contributor from last year, plus some freshman and redshirt freshman to add depth. Granted out DT position is hit pretty hard right now with injuries but they are non the less still a deep and talented group. People who complain about how little pressure we get from our o line need to look at the last 2 years and see who got a majority of the tackles. The reason #4 Lavonte David could do what he did was because those DT's kept blocker off him and let him flow to the ball. Pressure should come from the ends or from LBs or DB's blitzing not DT.

The weakest part of our team is our back seven on defense. Lack of experience, and an unknown set of 2 deep at nearly every spot.

This isn't side-tracking at all - you said you thought a big bruiser back is what this team was missing, and then go on to explain how you think we have all the weapons/assets to be pretty successful. Then, some of us took it upon ourselves to say we don't think this is all the team is missing, and go on to explain our reservations about the offensive line. It's not disagreement for the sake of derailing a thread - it's disagreeing to prove a point. Personally, I find your opinion a little off-base and simplistic.

Our offensive lines aren't as deep and experienced as you're playing them out to be. A 'solid 2 deep' would mean there's pretty extensive experience at the 2 deep, and this couldn't be further from the truth. We have about 5-6 guys with quite a bit experience, but guys behind them with not nearly as much, or none at all. That's not 'solid.' Our defensive line is in a similar position.

I'm not saying I wouldn't like Marrow to be successful with his size and strength. I'm merely pointing out that, although we have a lot of offensive weapons, our offensive line still needs to be better than they are. A lot better.

 

[Danny Bateman]

I'm not saying I wouldn't like Marrow to be successful with his size and strength. I'm merely pointing out that, although we have a lot of offensive weapons, our offensive line still needs to be better than they are. A lot better.

At the risk of infuriating Ziggy even further or rehashing discussions we've probably already had ad nauseum... WHY is it that our offensive line is not where they need to be at?

I see a few different reasons:

1. We simply don't have the horses or the talent up front to be a dominant O-line.
   
2. The instruction said horses are receiving is flawed in some way-- Barney/Garrison/Stai aren't cutting it and need to find a better way to teach the players how to become great offensive lineman.
   
3. The teaching is fine, but the players either aren't mentally grasping the scheme or aren't physically capable of performing it effectively (similar to #1, but I am thinking more square peg-round hole... we probably have talented offensive lineman but they can't perform in our scheme).
   
4. We are all impossible to please cantankerous old farts who will never be happy with anything our OL does.
   

If you have any other possibilities, please feel free to throw them out. Personally, I think we can finally rule out #1. We have ENOUGH guys, and the ones we do have are definitely talented and healthy, if a bit raw. Think of all the less prestigious teams out there who get great OL play. Think Boise state. I guarantee they don't ahve the same amount of talent on their OL as NU. However, the past 3 seasons, all you've heard about is how Kellen Moore is tearing it up-- he had almost no pressure ever and their running game was healthy to boot.

So which one out of #2 and #3 is more prominant? Or is it something else? I'd like to point out that I think #4 is a distinct possibility knowing this board.

 

[ADS]

I think this will be our best offense since 2008.

I agree with that, hopefully Taylor can provide even half the passing attack Ganz gave us. If he does, we could be very dangerous on offense. I do think that our running game right now is well beoynd what it was in 2008, especially with Burkhead having some legit help.

 

[kchusker_chris]

I think this will be our best offense since 2008.

I agree with that, hopefully Taylor can provide even half the passing attack Ganz gave us. If he does, we could be very dangerous on offense. I do think that our running game right now is well beoynd what it was in 2008, especially with Burkhead having some legit help.

So better than the 2009, 2010, and 2011 offense? That's not saying much

 

[ADS]

I think this will be our best offense since 2008.

I agree with that, hopefully Taylor can provide even half the passing attack Ganz gave us. If he does, we could be very dangerous on offense. I do think that our running game right now is well beoynd what it was in 2008, especially with Burkhead having some legit help.

So better than the 2009, 2010, and 2011 offense? That's not saying much

Hey come on now, it's an improvement chuckleshuffle

 

[zoogs]

I think if we top 2010 it'll be pretty awesome. Remember that 2010 was a tale of two halves. We had some struggles with freshman Taylor but we did also light it up and show that kind of potential. And Taylor's mistakes and passing limitations, some of which won't go away, were balanced out by some insane highlight reel stuff, whether runs or deep playaction passes. Then he got hurt and played hurt and we sunk the rest of the year.

Still finished with better stats than '11.

If we get first half '10 again, and just sustain it for a year with no injuries and the safer play that hopefully comes with more experience, I think that's what we hope for.

 

['SkersRule]

There's only two things limiting this offense from reaching it's potential and becoming dominant; 1) our WRs hands and 2) our OLs focus. If our WRs can focus and catch the damn ball when it is thrown to them and if our OL can remember the snap count and minimize holding and other stupid mental errors there's no limit to what this offense will be able to accomplish.

 

[carlfense]

There's only two things limiting this offense from reaching it's potential and becoming dominant; 1) our WRs hands and 2) our OLs focus. If our WRs can focus and catch the damn ball when it is thrown to them and if our OL can remember the snap count and minimize holding and other stupid mental errors there's no limit to what this offense will be able to accomplish.

I'd probably say:

1. OL. First and foremost.

.

.

.

2. Taylor Martinez's decision making/ball security.

3. WR's hands.

 

[ADS]

There's only two things limiting this offense from reaching it's potential and becoming dominant; 1) our WRs hands and 2) our OLs focus. If our WRs can focus and catch the damn ball when it is thrown to them and if our OL can remember the snap count and minimize holding and other stupid mental errors there's no limit to what this offense will be able to accomplish.

I'd probably say:

1. OL. First and foremost.

.

.

.

2. Taylor Martinez's decision making/ball security.

3. WR's hands.

4. Rex Burkhead's health.

 

[jsneb83]

There's only two things limiting this offense from reaching it's potential and becoming dominant; 1) our WRs hands and 2) our OLs focus. If our WRs can focus and catch the damn ball when it is thrown to them and if our OL can remember the snap count and minimize holding and other stupid mental errors there's no limit to what this offense will be able to accomplish.

I'd probably say:

1. OL. First and foremost.

.

.

.

2. Taylor Martinez's decision making/ball security.

3. WR's hands.

4. Rex Burkhead's health.

That should probably be 2 or 3.

 

[carlfense]

There's only two things limiting this offense from reaching it's potential and becoming dominant; 1) our WRs hands and 2) our OLs focus. If our WRs can focus and catch the damn ball when it is thrown to them and if our OL can remember the snap count and minimize holding and other stupid mental errors there's no limit to what this offense will be able to accomplish.

I'd probably say:

1. OL. First and foremost.

.

.

.

2. Taylor Martinez's decision making/ball security.

3. WR's hands.

4. Rex Burkhead's health.

Good call. jsneb83 might be right . . . I'd probably put that at #3.

 

['SkersRule]

Not disagreeing about Taylor or Rex because obviously the QB's ball security and decision making, coupled with the health of the #1 RB, are always tantamount to a team's success. That being said, our OL and WRs will determine how this offense does because we're going to run the ball there's no question about that. The biggest key is that when we do throw the receivers make the catch.