Spring Game - Discussion Thread

[Scarlet]

21 minutes ago, Guy Chamberlin said:

I'm glad I don't put a lot of stock in the Spring Game because it really wasn't a great showing yesterday.

 

Or was it? Maybe the defense is pretty damned good.

 

But given that the coaches were more willing to go for broke/have a little fun with fourth down calls and fake punts, I was discouraged to see them call five yard hook routes on 3rd and 7.  It's not like they're saving a look to fool Minnesota. 

 

I remember crisper Spring Games with fewer turnovers in years that turned out really s#!tty, so let's roll with Bizzarro World and the promise of crisper real life games in a few months. 

Kind of like spraying it all over the driving range and then tubing it down every fairway?

[Guy Chamberlin]

15 minutes ago, Scarlet said:

Kind of like spraying it all over the driving range and then tubing it down every fairway?

 

I have a history of the opposite. 

[admo]

My simplistic perspective from what I took away from the red/white spring game is this...

 

They looked like a Big Ten Football team.  Let me try to explain what I mean.

 

We know there is talent, but the identity and style they are going to play as a team has been set for the future. 

 

This team looks like a traditional B1G football team because both sides of the ball is in position and ready to go before the play.  

 

On offense, they start from the huddle, they break the huddle with a clap, quickly get into position, run some play clock, and mix it up with shotgun and under center I-formation.  Sending a guy in motion is normal for all offenses, but the o-line and rest of the offense looked locked in and ready to go.

 

Sure, there was some orbit motion a few times.  Not much though.  The offense was not looking to the sideline for the play call or moving around with crazy window dressing pre-snap or jet sweep motion runners.  They pretty much got to the line quickly and in position, like most big ten teams do, and ran a little clock before the play.

 

Defensively, it was also nice to see the guys ready to go before the snap and defend/attack.  I have grown tired of seeing the DL slowly going down in a stance between plays, and the linebackers looking left and right and shuffling around  - right before the ball snaps.   

 

Bottom line, IMO we looked like Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, Illinois, Northwestern.....  not in a bad way, but in a good way....  a big ten football team not shuffling around (window dressing) offensively and defensively (get in position) before a snap. 

 

I just think the Huskers finally have an identity that can play and compete within this league.  We just have to build on it the next few years, rebuild the OL, become a solid defense, bring in speed, and have good QB play.  It takes time.  There really isn't much difference among the normal big ten teams, but the best of them get to Penn State level - which is a touch below the Michigan / Ohio State level.  

[brophog]

23 hours ago, Mavric said:

I'll give the OL the benefit of the doubt on lack of available bodies and lots of snaps. 

One thing I'd add to this is the defense gave them a lot of mental reps in this game. Blitzes, stunts, twists, multiple fronts. The offensive line saw more variety than they may see in the first 4 or 5 weeks of the season.

[admo]

1 hour ago, brophog said:

One thing I'd add to this is the defense gave them a lot of mental reps in this game. Blitzes, stunts, twists, multiple fronts. The offensive line saw more variety than they may see in the first 4 or 5 weeks of the season.

No holding calls   Give Raiola an extension !  

 

 

Side note:  Only one more year with #54 and #69  

 

 

I just don't get it anymore.  

[runningblind]

4 minutes ago, admo said:

No holding calls   Give Raiola an extension !  

 

 

Side note:  Only one more year with #54 and #69  

 

 

I just don't get it anymore.  

There are no other OL options sadly, on the roster or in the portalat this stage. Retaining Raiola was 100% about recruiting his nephew, yet some around here don't think we should try to play ball in NIL land to get him.  If we don't get his nephew, I would expect a change in OL coaching next offseason.

[admo]

1 hour ago, runningblind said:

There are no other OL options sadly, on the roster or in the portalat this stage. Retaining Raiola was 100% about recruiting his nephew, yet some around here don't think we should try to play ball in NIL land to get him.  If we don't get his nephew, I would expect a change in OL coaching next offseason.

He got a lil brother. 

 

Dylan was the lottery, but I feel like you do,  that he got kept for it... but also because younger brother will be in the future picture too.  

 

I like coach Raiola, but I just don't get it.  I think his time won't last too long here.  Next season will be crucial. 

[Toe]

8 hours ago, Decked said:

Looked at the Wisconsin one as well and they threw pick galore

 

You can take Wisconsin's number of interceptions and fumbles combined, and it still doesn't add up to the number of fumbles alone that we had yesterday.

[gobiggergoredder]

56 minutes ago, runningblind said:

There are no other OL options sadly, on the roster or in the portalat this stage. Retaining Raiola was 100% about recruiting his nephew, yet some around here don't think we should try to play ball in NIL land to get him.  If we don't get his nephew, I would expect a change in OL coaching next offseason.

100%?  
 

The ONLY reason he was the O line coach is for his nephew?  Wouldn’t you fire him now then?

[The Dude]

Colorado's dudes look so tiny.  Good skill players though.  Minnesota just looks lame all around.

[Undone]

Scattered thoughts...

 

Despite what people who had attended practices and then reported on it had said, I was still waiting for the spring game to see roughly what kind of offense Rhule was going to run. And I think it's safe to say that, just merely in generic non-football terms, it's a "the QB runs a fair amount of the time" type of power offense.

 

The offensive line didn't create many holes for running backs to plow through. I wasn't surprised at this but it was still depressing. And maybe I need another re-watch before entirely committing to this one, but I thought we were especially bad on the big sets. Somebody's going to quote me and throw in one play that shows the opposite. But we just looked bad on those plays. I remember a ton of this during the Riley years; just a bunch of bodies not doing their job and it winds up being a big mixing bowl the running back can't traverse.

 

Sims throws the ball way better than I expected him to after watching film of him from last year. Now that's not to say I think he's a great passer yet - but he's serviceable and with improvement between now and the end of fall camp I can easily see him being the guy. But mainly by virtue of this seeming like it's a "the QB runs the ball a fair amount of the time" kind of scheme.

 

Probably will get blasted for this one, but we just don't have a great running back on this roster at all. Honestly, Johnson seemed to make the most out of what he was given - and I'm not surprised there. Kid's a fighter. 

 

The defense made some good plays. I think the quickest way to turn around a dumpster fire like our program is to focus resources heavily on the defense. And it seems like there's already some improvement. MJ Sherman being one of them.

[Decked]

2 hours ago, Toe said:

 

You can take Wisconsin's number of interceptions and fumbles combined, and it still doesn't add up to the number of fumbles alone that we had yesterday.

Still had a lot. I think a lot of that is pretty easily fixable. Especially switching back and fourth between different personnel. 

[runningblind]

3 hours ago, gobiggergoredder said:

100%?  
 

The ONLY reason he was the O line coach is for his nephew?  Wouldn’t you fire him now then?

100%

[gobiggergoredder]

6 hours ago, runningblind said:

100%

Pretty reckless of Rhule to select a position coach for a new gig only to get a high school recruit.

[BigRedBuster]

1 hour ago, gobiggergoredder said:

Pretty reckless of Rhule to select a position coach for a new gig only to get a high school recruit.

I doubt very seriously that this is what happened. 
 

Watching this game, I was reminded that even back when we were very good with a high powered offense, many times the defense looked way ahead of the offense this time of year. 
 

Im just hoping that more reps in fall camp gets the offense clicking more.