This guy (Coach Austin) gets it.

Reading this article (coach speak warning?) says several things to give me hope for this up coming season (better than my original 4-8/5-7).  Here are a few of the comments.

"You look at the Iowa game, we need to run the ball at them not try to run around them," Austin said this week while trying to explain some of what his new role will involve. "Let’s attack them. Let’s get vertical.”

Part of Austin's new job is to make sure the Huskers are choosing what works for them in the run game. That starts long before game day with a renewed focus on what Nebraska practices and how. It will carry over to game-planning. When Nebraska's coaches talk about how they want to run the ball against a particular opponent, Austin's the starting point.

"There’s a million things to work on. There’s a million ways to run the ball," he said. "But what are you really good at? That’s what you have to determine—what you’re really good at, what your kids are really good at and what you can practice effectively and make that your bread-and-butter.

“Last year we got into the habit of doing this and doing that. Hey, let’s just get really good at doing these few things and then we can have little trinkets, little things off of that, but let’s get really good at this core.”

At my core, I am a "run the damn ball guy".  (last year was the most a Frost led team ran)  I love what he says about identifying what we are good at. Getting that bread-and-butter play.  I have a feeling Lubick will also be evaluating what we can't not be good at, but what we can be great at.  Philosophies that remind of another guy that use to coach here.... 

We might run it more or less than last year, but we will run it different.  

The bolded comment makes me think of when posters would comment "we got too cute".....IMHO, the "doing this and doing that" had a negative impact on play calling and red zone success. (Impacted by injuries as well).  Gotta find those plays, passing and running, that we can execute.  That can be our identity.  

Spring practice, new kids, staff changes etc.....I like what he's saying.....

https://hailvarsity.com/s/9136/hot-reads-run-game-role-allows-austin-to-put-philosophy-on-display

When does the season start....

I actually watched that interview last night and came away impressed once again by Austin. He's about his business and like the way he communicates.

I also thought there were times where we needed to be more of a vertical running team, even though our IZ game was trash for the most part. It will help our entire offense(especially Martinez) if that can be improved. I really hope GA being in charge of the run game well see this.

Wasnt Ryan Held the run game coordinator last year?    

I like that we may get more run blocking as opposed to pass block on run plays so much.  

6 minutes ago, 84HuskerLaw said:

Wasnt Ryan Held the run game coordinator last year?    

I like that we may get more run blocking as opposed to pass block on run plays so much.  

There was no run-game coordinator last year.

My opinion is that the "we got too cute thing" is a nice, generic statement that feels good to say out loud. It's like a one size fits all scapegoat.

But I'm guessing Frost "got too cute" because there was basically no faith in the offensive line for at least the first 2/3 of the season. It's basically blaming play calling when in reality we didn't actually execute anything all that well.

And I think at the core of the lack of execution was poor line play. So it doesn't make sense to be all that excited about philosophy changes for this season because at the end of the day, your line either blocks and creates chances (whether it's a run or pass play, doesn't matter) or it doesn't. 

Austin was a little more up front about Jurgens performance early in the year too. Talking about things like the other lineman not hearing calls and Jurgens not being able to provide feedback because his head was spinning. Definitely makes me question that decision again - Austin also pointed out he was a full-time healthy center for like a week of fall camp. But that got a lot better at the end of the year, and should continue to get better. The center knowing what he's doing makes a huge difference, like Farmer taking over for Conrad.

7 minutes ago, Husker in WI said:

The center knowing what he's doing makes a huge difference, like Farmer taking over for Conrad.

Agreed, and I'll say that I actually am not really worried about Jurgens all that much heading into year 2. If he follows the strength program stuff they've laid out for him and he stays healthy all the way to Week 1, I think he'll be a good center.

19 minutes ago, Undone said:

 

Agreed, and I'll say that I actually am not really worried about Jurgens all that much heading into year 2. If he follows the strength program stuff they've laid out for him and he stays healthy all the way to Week 1, I think he'll be a good center.

As a former QB, I'd be more concerned about his snapping abilities than his weight training.

1 minute ago, BIG ERN said:

As a former QB, I'd be more concerned about his snapping abilities than his weight training.

Obviously the snaps were bad and persisted that way for way too long. I can honestly say I'm more worried about the right side of the line getting blown apart than I am that the snapping won't have improved by Week 1.

Yeah, as appealing as the left side of Jaimes/Farniok is - a right side of Wilson/Hixson/Piper and Benhart does not fill me with confidence. Obviously some talent, but that's either entirely raw with Piper or not physically imposing with Wilson/Hixson. Wouldn't hate Corcoran just taking a job, but he's also not that big yet.

23 minutes ago, Husker in WI said:

Yeah, as appealing as the left side of Jaimes/Farniok is - a right side of Wilson/Hixson/Piper and Benhart does not fill me with confidence. Obviously some talent, but that's either entirely raw with Piper or not physically imposing with Wilson/Hixson. Wouldn't hate Corcoran just taking a job, but he's also not that big yet.

Why are we giving Farniok a pass? Jaimes also been exposed badly when we play good DEs

What I'm taking from the article and the comments is that we might want to be a "North and South" running team rather a "West and East".  

Like the concept.  Seems like a great idea for the passing game as well, more "Vertical" rather than "Horizontal" with all the "bubble" stuff.

To me, if we could add in more 20 yard routes and some more deep balls it would open up the running game better.  Yet, in all that, we are back to the OL, which can't pass protect well enough for longer routes nor open up a whole for the vertical running.  Maybe that can happen in 2-3 years.

11 minutes ago, BIG ERN said:

Why are we giving Farniok a pass?

Largely because he's being moved inside to guard, which pretty much everyone has been saying for a long time is his more natural position.

8 minutes ago, BIG ERN said:

Why are we giving Farniok a pass? Jaimes also been exposed badly when we play good DEs

I thought the second half of the year both were solid honestly - I'm fine moving Farniok inside if the coaches think that'll make the line better, but who did either of them struggle against other than Young and Epenesa? Which, to your point, were the good DEs we faced.

But as far as why I'd be happy with that left side, Farniok's problems were with speed and he just won't have to deal with that much at guard. He's probably below what we want athletically for a tackle, but he's got great size and more athleticism than most guards.

1 hour ago, Husker in WI said:

 

I thought the second half of the year both were solid honestly - I'm fine moving Farniok inside if the coaches think that'll make the line better, but who did either of them struggle against other than Young and Epenesa? Which, to your point, were the good DEs we faced.

 

But as far as why I'd be happy with that left side, Farniok's problems were with speed and he just won't have to deal with that much at guard. He's probably below what we want athletically for a tackle, but he's got great size and more athleticism than most guards.

I feel that he will be better at guard, but because someone isn't as bad as the other players doesn't make them a good player. I feel that has happened a lot with Nebraska lately.