Trick Plays?

[Syzygyone]

What is all this concern about NU using "trick" plays?

 

A "trick" play is a play where you use the opponents mind set against him.

A "trick" play is no different than a bootleg, cross buck, counter, reverse, or other mis-direction play.

A "trick" play takes MUCH more in the way of precision to execute than a straight dive play. It usually involves multiple ball handlings. They are MUCH riskier than regular plays but actually take more skill and practice to accomplish.

If a defense is on its toes, and playing their assignment properly, "trick" plays usually don't work.

On a reverse, if the outside contain player over persues, the play works. If they stay home, it doesn't. On the half back pass, if the safety or corner stays with his coverage, the play usually doesn't work. On the fake timeout walk off, the ball had not moved. The offense had not moved. The backs had not moved. the whistle hadn't blown. The refs hand't signaled dead ball or time out. Instead, the Defense allowed themselves to assume ZT was calling a time out. If they don't asume that, and the Defensive end and Corner continue to play their position, the play probably doesn't work.

 

But that's the point of this being a game of inches. It's also a game of seconds. A seconds in attention and you can be toast. A second's hesitation and you can be toast.

 

I am not the least bit concerend about "trick" plays. It shows a deep commitment to excellence that the "tricks" have worked as well as they have.

 

Go Big Red.

Whatever it takes to get the W!

[DJR313]

I agree, they aren't like trick plays as in that NU cheated or used some unfair advantage to win. It shows how much preparation goes into the game and how well prepared the team is because every trick play they have run this season has been successful for the most part. I think it shows how cerebral Callahan is with his offense. The trick plays have been able to open the game up for the offense as well.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

I think the term "trick play" is simply a moniker given to a play that's unconventional but I agree with your assessment. They take a lot of practice to make the play work. And I hope we see more in the Big 12 CCG game

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Coach Callahan's playbook weighs eight pounds for a reason. Amongst those pages are a miriad of plays they have yet to unleash on the world. I think Coach Callahan summed it up when he said they work on those plays to keep it fun for the players. It also shows that the team is grasping the WCO pretty well if they have time to work on those plays.

[DaveH]

I agree with what you are saying.

 

On the Coach Callahan show last night, he said they cleared that "walk away" play with the head official before the game. I guess the staff had a slight concern that there would be a problem with the ethics of such deception. He said the head official for the game contacted the head official for the Big 12 to make sure it was OK. Rock on,

[BRS]

Good assessment by all. Here is my problem with those plays being used. WE HAD TO USE THEM AGAINST A 2-9 TEAM TO GET A VICTORY! Those are the types of plays you break out to beat USC, not Colorado.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

I have no problem with them being used whether it's against a 2-9 team or a 9-2 team. If the opportunity presents itself, then by all means use it.

[DaveH]

Good assessment by all. Here is my problem with those plays being used. WE HAD TO USE THEM AGAINST A 2-9 TEAM TO GET A VICTORY! Those are the types of plays you break out to beat USC, not Colorado.

I disagree. You use them when the opportunity presents itself. I'd bet these plays could have been used against OSU, Missouri, etc because they have been practiced for weeks.

 

If you ask me against a team like USC that has one of the best, most disciplined defenses in the country you'd be lucky to catch them off guard which is a key to the "trick" play working. Although we did use one against USC.

 

We definitely haven't seen the last of the "trick" play IMO. With as many as we have ran, you gotta believe there is more where that came from. However, teams gotta be on their toes every down because they never know when the next one could come. A punt formation isn't necessarily a punt when you are talking Nebraska

[Syzygyone]

Good assessment by all. Here is my problem with those plays being used. WE HAD TO USE THEM AGAINST A 2-9 TEAM TO GET A VICTORY! Those are the types of plays you break out to beat USC, not Colorado.

 

Your underlying assumption, that it's okay to use trickery to beat great teams has facial logic. But, ony facial I think. The first rule of offense is to take what the defense gives you and each play is designed to either maneuver the defense into a mind set or to take advantage of an already established mind set.

 

You open up the run by passing deep. You open up the pass by running up the middle. You use play action to get receivers open. You run the bootleg after several pitches. If the defense over pursues, you run reverses. If the Corner is 10 yards deep, make five yard down and out passes (Coz, pay attention)

 

CU's defense had NU a bit symied in the first half. They had the off tackle runs pretty well shut down. So, BC decided to shake them up. And it worked brilliantly. You could see the physical let down on the CU side. Yet, you also saw the great enthusiasm when NU broke down and allowed them to catch up. Twice!

 

The underlying assumption is that CU had no business being on the field. Yet, they had 11 players out there. Once they had 12 but the refs didn't see it. The point is they came to play. They had helmets and shoulder pads and cleats. They have atheletes who had talent and were motivated. They were a danger.

 

So, given that, if whatever they did wasn't working, it was incumbent upon NU to figure out a way to break that pattern. The "tricks" did so. And, it was only 5 times or so, out of how many plays? 80 or 90?

 

Sorry, I used to agree with your thought that NU should just physically dominate everyone and steam roll them on offense and every defensive play shoudl result in a tackle for a loss. But, that's not realistic is it? Never was really. The more I think about it, the more there is parity in athletic conditioning (thanks largely to NU and Boyd Epplye's leadership) and talent than there used to be. The modern game is more finesse than it used to be. The mental game is a very large part of it.

 

So, I see absolutely nothing wrong with "trick" plays. Use 'em when they make sense. You can't rely on them because they don't always work and actually don't work as regularly as routine plays. But, they have a role and BC did a great job in both developing them and deploying them at the precise right time.

 

Go Big Red! Beat them Sooners!

[Spartness]

When you lack clear separation against an opponent, even one that is 2 and 9, use what you can to win.

[EbylHusker]

We had to use "trick" plays to beat Colorado? Please... That's so absurd I'm just going to assume you didn't bother to watch the game and are talking out of your...well, you know.

 

As for keeping it interesting, that applies to the fans as well. I know I will never forget the Taylor "walk off" play. That was unreal.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

Good assessment by all. Here is my problem with those plays being used. WE HAD TO USE THEM AGAINST A 2-9 TEAM TO GET A VICTORY! Those are the types of plays you break out to beat USC, not Colorado.

 

Your underlying assumption, that it's okay to use trickery to beat great teams has facial logic. But, ony facial I think.

What were you trying to say?

[Syzygyone]

Your underlying assumption, that it's okay to use trickery to beat great teams has facial logic. But, ony facial I think.

What are you trying to say?

He is implying that it would be okay to use trick plays to beat the likes of USC but that somehow using them to beat a lowly CU was unnecessary or unjustified. Facially, that might make sense because he thinks that NU should dominate CU using regular plays. But when I analyze it in depth, I don't agree with him.

 

But, that's just me.

 

[vwaldoguy]

I honestly don't have any problem with the "trick" plays, if you can really call them that. It's not that they are trickery or deceitful in any way, they're just different. You have to do whatever it takes (that is legal) to win. I think the Survivor mantra really applies to all things. The person, or team, that can Outwit, Outsmart, and Outlast will be the ultimate survivor. It's that way in life, it's that way with sports. To me, the whole idea is to keep changing things up so your opponent never knows what to expect. If we run the same ol schtick every time, the other team would have our number after the first series. For those that say we shouldn't need to use trick plays, and that we should be winning the game by shear dominance, well, those are the days of the 90s. We're not that team anymore. Will we ever be? Who knows, but I do know, a coach has to do whatever it takes to win the game.