cm husker

When we actually ask our OL to come off the ball, they do a great job moving DLs.

When we ask them to run block laterally, often from a two point, that's when they (and most OL) struggle.

I've always had conflicted opinions about this guy, but this is a really good article. Much like Suh (and, dare I say Pelini), I don't think he's the villain he's been painted as in this world where we like clearly defined roles, but there's also no doubt that his reputation is a product of wrongful actions.

Very true statement here:

 

 

It is one of the most uncomfortable truths in a sport that has many: Incognito's personality, and how it fits into the small-group dynamic of an NFL locker room, is prized because of its rough edges, not in spite of them. The culture creates it, fosters it, rewards and then discards it, never particularly interested in whether it can exist in a world that doesn't subscribe to the same rules.

This is true in so many organizations. When I was in the military, I needed a senior enlisted who was rough, almost feared, to crack heads when that was needed and set a tone of toughness. I think coaching staffs need that, too. McBride certainly served that roll for Osborne, for example.

 

There's nothing subtle about Incognito, no hidden complexity. As a 16-year-old at a Nebraska football camp, he collected money from other campers and placed a call to have two strippers come to the dorm. (They were turned away by the staff.) Three years ago, his actions in Miami caused a national debate that touched on a triple crown of social ills: bullying, racism and sexism. And yet within this average American NFL locker room, he is uniformly praised as a leader who is willing -- no, eager; no, determined -- to defend those teammates with unquestioned loyalty.

"He's a guy who's accountable," guard John Miller says. "You have to admire someone who's willing to take up for his teammates. Every team needs one of them."

The article touches on what I think is a cornerstone in leadership and being a teammate, and that's a sense that a person is genuine. A guy may be a complete ass, but if you know where he stands and where you stand, it's much more palatable than a nice guy who smiles while twisting the knife.

Definitely a complex situation.

Very well written article.

Production does not equal talent.

You're a good sport cm. Just felt like saying it - you stir things up but you take on the discussion openly.

Thank you.

If the NU and Iowa staffs swapped rosters, who would win?

If the staff "conceded this year" to preserve red shirts, the staff should be fired.

 

 

I get the feeling CM wants to tie Riley to Callahan because he thinks they are the same person

That and the fact that Bo's still trying to overcome the Callahan problem left by Billy C at Youngstown st.

Seems he overcame it considering he has them in the playoffs (with a win) for the first time in 10 years.

A much bigger challenge this week, though.

I get the feeling CM wants to tie Riley to Callahan because he thinks they are the same person

Nah, Riley is a better coach and almost certainly a better person.

But the segment of fans blaming players are eerily similar.

Great stuff from Turner. I think his brand of discipline would be a bit untenable at the D1A level, but I hope he gets another shot. Kansas is a shitshow and hardly indicative of his coaching ability.

ROFL

It's uncomfortable but true.

That and the similarities with '06 when we played few good offenses, but were blown off the field in a couple of games, including by an "OSU" - those results dismissed as "we don't have the players."

A lot of parallels - hopefully not the same destination.

 

 

 

Not to mention, that's not what Milt used to do. It's been demonstrated that Milt subbed linemen early and often, even in the '94 orange bowl against an outstanding Miami front.

Not this sh#t again....

 

Some people hate facts. I get it. Willful ignorance is rampant.

 

 

the perfect description on the vast majority of your posts.

 

why did milt say they didnt rotate back then either earlier this year or last? oh right, your reason was milt was senile and misremembered.

 

Or, like he has with three to four previous OL coaches, he defended his own, even if he wasn't accurate in his statements.

We have the film. We know that he rotated players. To claim otherwise is simply false. I won't speculate further on why he stated false information.

 

 

This is like 2004/2005/2006 all over again.

In the sense that in 2004 we had a transition quarterback that didn't fit the system, you're wrong there. We're out of the transition period on offense starting next season.

 

If Banker and the defensive players we're bringing to the table for next season do worse than what we saw this season, you might be right, but not for the reasons you have in your head.

In terms of player blaming and pinning hopes on recruiting saving everything.

 

Not to mention, that's not what Milt used to do. It's been demonstrated that Milt subbed linemen early and often, even in the '94 orange bowl against an outstanding Miami front.

Not this sh#t again....

Some people hate facts. I get it. Willful ignorance is rampant.

This is like 2004/2005/2006 all over again.

 

 

 

I'm not trying to put him (cm husker) down. I'm trying to look at his arguments.

 

A mobile QB gives you things a non-mobile QB doesn't. But until we have an amazing offensive line - And that's not happening any time soon - I want a throw-first guy. I think it gives us the best chance on offense given the fact that Bryant and Ozigbo are dynamic runners that can do plenty from just taking handoffs & tosses.

Most people in football think the way to cover for an average OL is to put a QB on the move.

 

The fact you want an immobile QB behind what you say isn't a great OL is very odd

We really put a lot of points on the board against Wisconsin's incredibly stout run defense with Armstrong, didn't we?

 

No, we didn't. We managed to get 17 points on the board because their quarterback threw it to us two times to put us back in the game.

And your solution is to get more QBs like the wisky kid.

You guys expect more from Armstrong than you'd get from 95% of college football players.

I'm not trying to put him (cm husker) down. I'm trying to look at his arguments.

 

A mobile QB gives you things a non-mobile QB doesn't. But until we have an amazing offensive line - And that's not happening any time soon - I want a throw-first guy. I think it gives us the best chance on offense given the fact that Bryant and Ozigbo are dynamic runners that can do plenty from just taking handoffs & tosses.

Most people in football think the way to cover for an average OL is to put a QB on the move.

The fact you want an immobile QB behind what you say isn't a great OL is very odd

 

 

 

 

Many of the receivers in those lobs TA made were actually open. They just weren't "Tommy Armstrong Open"

Explain what that means.

 

Serious question, do some of you watch any other football games? Or is it only NU games?

cm, did you watch the Auburn/Alabama game? Auburn's athlete-turned-QB had a similar game for them. Probably 8-9 times he had guys open that he just couldn't/wouldn't find. Auburn could have been in that game.

I did not have a chance to watch this game, but I've watched enough games that a lot of "true QBs" miss the same throws, and they don't bring anything to the table that athletic QBs do in terms of running.

Not 7 or 8 times in a game. I'm sorry but our passing game will always be unreliable with a guy like Tommy back there. It's boom or bust there is no consistency. I guarantee if a heathy Fyfe was throwing those balls against Iowa he would have at least complete one of them

 

I've re-watched the game.

Here are his throws (and some info on the runs that I jotted down) during the first half:

Incomplete to Westy (wide throw, nearly picked)

Incomplete throw away (arguably a WR broke his route off wrong)

Complete swing pass to Westy (he took it for 11 yards)

Boring up the middle run out of a single back set (for 3 yards)

Complete over the middle to Carter (8 yard gain)

Zone read by Armstrong (1 yard)

Swing pass (wide throw)

Incomplete to Morgan (good throw but Morgan wasn't ready)

Jet sweep to DPE (3 yards)

Middle zone run by Bryant (1 yard)

Pass batted down

Middle zone run (6 yards)

Middle zone run (5 yards)

Incomplete long throw into single coverage (announcer: "good throw, hard to throw it perfectly when it's 40 yards downfield and there's wind blowing)

Middle screen (6 yards)

Incomplete long throw (Reilley stumbled and alos may have ran a bad route by not getting wider; announcer: "this is odd play calling")

Complete pass to DPE on a long out pattern from a rollout look (this is Tommy's best look, and I think we ran it once for him - we also have no "couple play" with it)

Middle zone run for 8 yards (Newby hurt on play)

Zone read by Armstrong (5 yards)

Middle zone for no gain

Complete to Westy (14 yards)

Complete to Westy (5 yards)

Middle zone run (1 yard)

Zone read by Armstron (1 yard)

Incomplete (Reilly fell down)

Outside zone (2 yard)

Middle zone (3 yards)

Complete to Morgan (15 yards) - negated by a questionable holding call

Complete to Reilly on deep in pattern (15 yards) - great catch by Reilly

Outside zone run (5 yards)

Outside zone (4 yards)

Sneak by Armstrong (1 yard)

Incomplete deep in route to Reilly (looked like a wide throw)

Zone read by Armstrong (1 yard)

Incomplete deep throw to Reilly (this was an overthrow)

So, at the end of a half, Tommy had one true overthrow on a deep pass. At this point, NU is down 20-3. I hardly think you can blame 20-3 on an overthrow.

Armstrong's biggest problem as a passer isn't his lack of accuracy, but the fact that he predetermines his reads prior to the snap. He does the same in the run game. And that's partly a function of a unfamiliarity with the system. It's also a function of coaching.

 

 

 

 

Many of the receivers in those lobs TA made were actually open. They just weren't "Tommy Armstrong Open"

Explain what that means.

 

Serious question, do some of you watch any other football games? Or is it only NU games?

cm, did you watch the Auburn/Alabama game? Auburn's athlete-turned-QB had a similar game for them. Probably 8-9 times he had guys open that he just couldn't/wouldn't find. Auburn could have been in that game.

That is how Auburn can compete with Alabama. They did it a few years ago with #14 I can't remember the name but he was an athlete QB but he was dropping deep balls on Bama like nobodies business

 

 

Nick Marshall. A guy I'd describe as a "quarterback first, run second" kind of a guy. Not the other way around.

 

Nick Marshall was no more of a QB than Tommy Armstrong.

And that's kind of my point: had Armstrong been used like Malzan has used his QBs, he's like quite a bit more efficient.

For sure. And look at what Alabama's QB was able to do in that game. But again, the point I'm making is that the "run first, throw second" guys always put you at potential risk.

 

We're into year eight of this. Year eight.

8? Other than a short stretch under Callahan, we're into 3+ decades of it.

Thank god.

 

 

Many of the receivers in those lobs TA made were actually open. They just weren't "Tommy Armstrong Open"

Explain what that means.

 

Serious question, do some of you watch any other football games? Or is it only NU games?

 

 

cm, did you watch the Auburn/Alabama game? Auburn's athlete-turned-QB had a similar game for them. Probably 8-9 times he had guys open that he just couldn't/wouldn't find. Auburn could have been in that game.

 

I did not have a chance to watch this game, but I've watched enough games that a lot of "true QBs" miss the same throws, and they don't bring anything to the table that athletic QBs do in terms of running.

I'm not so sure Frost would take the job.

If he turns UCF around, he'll have better options open up.

I think we missed our chance with him.

TO and Devaney earned every year they were given.

If this staff struggles next year, they will rightfully be on a short leash.

my concern has always been: where do we go from Riley.

There really is no clear path should he be fired after 2018 or retire after 2020.

Nebraska is in a pinch.

You can take a maximum of 25 a year, but can't have more than 85 at a time.

So, unless we move to an SEC team's level of attrition, that means you can't really take 25 a year.

Feel however you want. Wisconsin is bad on offense. And they will be exposed.

Not to mention, that's not what Milt used to do. It's been demonstrated that Milt subbed linemen early and often, even in the '94 orange bowl against an outstanding Miami front.