Guy Chamberlin

I'll bet Frost is wishing his offensive line was more PHYSICAL at the line of scrimmage. I have no idea what Herman was doing last night, but it was painfully obvious to me (and probably the majority of you all) that Oregon couldn't stop the run at all last night, cept on a few 3rd and shorts. P.S. - as a guy who 'watches football' - and actually coached it on both sides of the ball, I can tell ya that most offensive coordinators aren't going to call a pass play if the defense can't stop the run. Ergo.... Ezekiel Elliott. Game 1. 20 carries, 220 yards. Game 2. 20 carries, 230 yards. Game 3. 36 carries, 246 yards. Seems like Urban Meyer thinks that "ramming it forward" actually works. Hey, I'm not gonna argue with any of this. ESPN did a couple telestrator slow-mo's to show how the OSU offensive line executed sophisticated pulls to stretch out Oregon's defensive line, and generally got forward push on every play. OSU has prided itself on offensive line play for years. Like Nebraska used to. There's not an OC alive who wouldn't look better with OSU's line, and run the ball if that's all it took. As for the game call, it was similar to what Beck called against Miami. That included establishing a passing game quickly in the first half, preventing Oregon from simply loading the box. It also included Cardale Jones passing on first down, even when Elliot was killing it, and letting the strong armed young quarterback take some deep shots downfield that didn't always work but stretched the defense for the next play. With a defense that helped stake OSU to a two touchdown lead, they were free to ram at will for the entire fourth quarter (which also included a couple passes). Even then, Jones passed for as much or more than Ezekiel Elliot ran over the last three games, including passes on 3rd and short. "Ramming it Forward" works great when it works, but it's more than a decision to just run the ball. As for Nebraska's toss sweep success against Penn State? Loved it. But it would require really stupid Defensive Coordinators not watching game film to make that your weekly gameplan. Urban Meyer is the king of college football at this moment. He could hire virtually anyone on his staff, and is not about to make sentimental or uninformed decisions. He doesn't need to. I'll take his understanding of football over most posters on this board. Beck is gone and I don't really mind because Nebraska needs a complete refreshing. But if we're going to continue to debate offensive philosophy and playcalling, we gotta stop pretending that Beck calling a pass play on 3rd and 2 signifies anything.

If you watch much football, you'll notice many if not most successful OCs calling pass plays on 3rd and 2. Sometimes two passes in a row. I'm thinking of Scott Frost less than 24 hours ago. Of course sometimes the same OC chooses to run the ball. Sometimes that works, but sometimes the runner gets stuffed because the defense saw it coming. You have seen that happen, haven't you? Even Marshawn Lynch behind Seattle's offensive line wasn't a given on 3rd and 1 last Sunday. It's adorable how Nebraska fans think victory is as simple as just "ramming it forward" every time. You covered all of us with that ludicrous generalization. Yeah. I know. I'm speaking mostly to the folks who wildly contradict themselves with what what they think Beck shoulda called, what he did call and what the guy they wish was OC would have called. I think a majority of Beck critics want to go back to a smashmouth game from Nebraska's glory days, but they don't accurately recall what went into that offense, including the support of a smashmouth defense, the single biggest component this team is missing. Tim Beck and Shawn Watson enabled the rushing careers of Roy Helu, Rex Burkhead and Ameer Abdullah, three of the best in Nebraska history. They did not abandon the run. Reading post-game criticism on this board, it often appeared that the definition of "getting too cute" and "out-thinking himself" was simply Beck calling a forward pass. In that case, pretty much every OC in the NCAA is too cute. Beck typically called a 5:3 run pass ratio over his Nebraska career. Some folks choose to remember the pass play on 3rd and 2 that didn't work. They don't remember the pass play that did work. Or the running play on 3rd and 2 that got stuffed. There's often a savvy DC on the other side of the ball, too. I may be wrong, but it often appeared that the criticism aimed at both Watson and Beck was a deflection from Bo Pelini. At least for some posters. We had problems, and some of them were offensive problems, but rarely was it the play-calling, imo. That was actually a pretty fun offense to watch. If you didn't like Beck's playcalling, get ready for more frustration because most OCs will call similar games. If we get a stout offensive line, better QB decision-making and defensive support you probably won't notice.

If you watch much football, you'll notice many if not most successful OCs calling pass plays on 3rd and 2. Sometimes two passes in a row. I'm thinking of Scott Frost less than 24 hours ago. Of course sometimes the same OC chooses to run the ball. Sometimes that works, but sometimes the runner gets stuffed because the defense saw it coming. You have seen that happen, haven't you? Even Marshawn Lynch behind Seattle's offensive line wasn't a given on 3rd and 1 last Sunday. It's adorable how Nebraska fans think victory is as simple as just "ramming it forward" every time.

Kids are being told lots of things that aren't necessarily valid, but play to their emotions. And whatever is trending on Twitter. Can't imagine any Big 10 recruiter not bringing a little extra swagger this morning.

I am gonna bet that recruiters use conferences as recruiting tools: The chance to play in the SEC is touted as high-visibility every Saturday and a pipeline to the NFL The chance to play in the Pac-12 offers a more wide-open game for players of certain talents, and vacation destination at most campuses. And if a recruit is known to be considering a team in another conference, I have no doubt a Pac 10 or SEC recruiter would try to portray the Big 12 as a conference in disarray, and the Big 10 as a dinosaur, being left behind by the current college game. Ohio State's win is nothing but good for Nebraska.

Too many variables. I'm going to wait until the end of next season to make my picks.

Next year a half-dozen mid-tier teams will defy expectations and beat a seemingly dominant, talent-laden, well-coached Top 5 opponent. This prediction is based on the fact that it happens every single year. There is no reason Nebraska can't be one of those teams. It was a statistical oddity that Bo Pelini didn't pull off an upset in his seven years here. We don't have the horses yet to do real damage for an entire season, but we have to take the field every game knowing we belong there. I also liked Ohio State's strategy of losing four turnovers and winning by three touchdowns. Nebraska needs to do more of that.

That's half the conference either in good shape or headed there. That is a very good base to build around. Now, if teams like Maryland, Iowa, Indiana, Rutgers can up their game, it all helps the conference in so many ways and thus helps Nebraska even more. Yes and no. A more competitive conference helps our reputation as a competitive conference, but our 10 - 3 champion will not make it to the playoffs.

Who said Taylor paid? I believe there are NCAA rules against a University coaching a player in the off-season. There are a handful of highly sought-after quarterback gurus, and utilizing one doesn't infer failure of the OC.

I certainly won't miss Tim Beck, based soley on having conversations like this every week.

You know pal, you can understand football and not like what Beck was doing. Yes he did what a lot of other teams were doing. So what? I dont like half the other teams offenses in college football either. Too cute, was a lot of people's way of saying "too finesse". I always thought it that way anyways. A zone read option offense where there really is no "read" or "option"? They literally said the play was usually pre-determined. Tommy rarely made the read and kept it. Sorry, but most teams DO NOT do it that way. Stretch zone with literally no north and south run game. A QB lined up ten yards in the backfield with the running back behind him. Plays taking 1.5 seconds to even get back to the line of scrimmage or point of attack. Not my style of football and I understand the game just fine. The lack of a short passing game was that ridiculous, unless it was that overused WR screen? Not my kind of football. An offense where the TE doesn't exist? No thanks Beck. Tim Beck still doesn't know what a HB screen is. Even as we've watched opposing defenses put 7-8 defenders in the box and blitz like madmen for years now. We'll agree, the offensive line was pathetic. Has been for some time. Yet, as pathetic as it continually was, it seems we kept forcing the same zone blocking schemes down their throats, even as they demonstrated year after year their inability to understand their assignments. As far as Oregon being multiple, I think too many of you misunderstand Oregons multiple compared to Nebraska multiple. It's not the same thing. Oregon runs multiple variations of the same few plays. They'll line up in similar formations and run simple variations out of those formations. They execute very well. they use their QB's mobility. Nebraska ran multiple formations. We would line up in nearly every formation known to man in a single game. We used our QB as a pocket passer instead of a mobile passing threat. We didn't execute anything to perfection, but we were multiple. Good for us, That's some mighty fine cherry-picking that ignores just as many examples of the exact opposite.

It was kinda interesting that in the only game Tim Beck coached without Bo Pelini, the Nebraska offense ran 94 plays in an uptempo offense with only one turnover and few penalties, almost 30 more plays than they averaged the rest of the season. I would have guessed it was Beck who had the offense stand-up and look over to the sidelines to get every play call. But since they suddenly stopped doing that for the USC game, I gotta wonder.

Yes. Clearly. Urban Meyer got to where he is by making stupid football decisions. If only the people in charge of successful football programs were as savvy and observant as sporadic posters on HuskerBoard.

I liked Shawn Watson's offense. I liked Tim Beck's offense. Wished I could have seen them with slightly better quarterbacks, offensive lines and supporting defenses. Even then there was a lot of excitement, including three of the best individual rushing careers in Nebraska history. I honestly thought the folks who considered Nebraska "pass happy" "too cute" and "unwilling to stick with what works" didn't understand football. Or simply didn't watch other teams do the exact same thing, slightly better. Without turnovers. And stupid penalties. And having to get out of those holes created by your historically bad defense. On a team where the head coach had everyone -- players and staff -- wound too tight. Every OC will call plays and sequences that don't pan out. Every single game. Tim Beck was no more or less egregious than most. And if you don't like "cute" or "multiple" don't watch Scott Frost's team tonight. Glad to see me and Urban Meyer on the same page.

It's the statistic that runs throughout every human endeavor and people tend to overlook: Genius is rare.

Certainly wouldn't be unsusual if the move worked out to the benefit of both Oregon State and Nebraska. I'd like to think Wisconsin was the loser, but who knows?

Boy, this sure is a different take then virtually everything I read everywhere in the first 24 hours after the Riley hire.

Experience Dedication to recruiting Bringing in the fanbase for a greater product. Better QB development Better coordinators who aren't piss boys or yes men It seems to me that at his age you know exactly what you are going to get. Maybe slightly better than his results at Oregon State but not much better. It is just how I see it but maybe he will prove me wrong. I tend to agree here. There is something to be said about being a winner and knowing how to do it. By all accounts Mike Riley has not won anything of significance in his coaching career (CFL does not count) Is he at an age where he can afford to learn how to get over the hump? Maybe, but time will tell. Cfl doesn't count....interesting. can't count the CFL since that goes against his premise. CFL field is absurd.....have you seen that thing? Its 150 yds long and the end zones take up half an American football field. Anyone could score with that much space to work with. It's 110 yards. And did you realize they only get three downs instead of four? Didn't think so.

There are too many teams in the Big 10 having this exact same conversation, believing their legacy, coaching staff, existing talent and promising recruits demands nothing less than division and conference championships. Immediately or very, very soon. It's not gonna happen for everybody. Nebraska is not uniquely positioned. We're just in the thick of the mix. I love the change at Nebraska and maintain my optimism, but I'm kinda done with numerical expectations. My hope is that we breakaway from the Minnesota/Northwestern/Penn State/Iowa tier of the Big 10, and start striking legitimate fear into the Ohio State, Michigan State, Wisconsin wing of the conference. If we don't see improvement in the next five years, I expect to blame the SEC, ESPN and Tim Beck.

I think Jim Harbaugh would like to keep his distance from Greg Roman at this time. I honestly don't think Harbaugh was laying in wait for the Michigan job. Every indication was that he wanted to stay in the NFL, ideally on a team that would let him quickly retool and embarrass the San Francisco 49ers. The Chicago Bears job would have come closest to that, but the Michigan job would likely go away (recruiting pressures) if Harbaugh dithered too long weighing offers from the NFL, which couldn't happen until last week. Too much money and too much love from Michigan made the decision easier.

Keaton Kristick was definitely my first choice for this position that I knew nothing about before today.

Yeah, I caught "Stepbrothers" on TV last night, too. Props for the reference.

I just chanted in my pants.

It's silly to argue which insults were worse, but relevant that Bo Pelini can be compared to the worst anonymous trash-talker on an internet message board.

You don't have any reason to be sold. You don't have any reason to be sarcastic, either. There is enough of a kernal in these hires to feel a twinge of upbeat. Do yourself a favor and run with it.