Trick Plays?

[EbylHusker]

So if these "trick" plays are bad because they are intended to fool the other team, counter runs are bad too, right? I mean, you start your runner one direction, then he suddenly changes direction and gets handed the ball, catching the defense moving the wrong way. Nobody should ever use that again, it's a tricky play!

 

And the pump fake. Obviously a very nasty trick play. You fake like you're going to throw the ball, and then you don't! omgwtfbbq!!

 

And then we have the infamous reverse, not to mention the end around. They should be banned and all teams using them should be sanctioned!!

 

What about the play action pass! It's evil and shameful!! A trick play designed to make the defense you're going to run, omg! Burn anyone that uses it!

 

I think you get my point.

[Syzygyone]

[MCAT800]

Callahan should run the wrong ball play!!

I am the "O" coordinator for the local high school and we have from what I have seen through playing in HS and college the best trick play out there.

 

The line goes to the LOS, they don't set (hands on Knees) the center calls out "hey wrong ball" he touches the ball hands it back to the QB and the QB starts walking over to the sideline yelling hey coach wrong ball.

When he gets to the split end he either stuffs it in his belly or takes off himself down the sideline.

We only used it once against an Anchorage team that played like the guards in the longest yard and we were tired of hearing the coaches and players bitching so we padded the score a liitle more.

Man you should have seen the look on that CB's face when the split end took off.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

The line goes to the LOS, they don't set (hands on Knees) the center calls out "hey wrong ball" he touches the ball hands it back to the QB and the QB starts walking over to the sideline yelling hey coach wrong ball.

When he gets to the split end he either stuffs it in his belly or takes off himself down the sideline.

We only used it once against an Anchorage team that played like the guards in the longest yard and we were tired of hearing the coaches and players bitching so we padded the score a liitle more.

Man you should have seen the look on that CB's face when the split end took off.

 

I've seen the video of that play. To be honest, there would probably be a flag thrown on that one in the NCAA under their unfair deception rule (or something to that affect) although it's a helluva trick play

[DJR313]

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!

 

Agree with you 100% The trick plays helped open everything up, they weren't the reason NU won. They got in CU's head and then they didn't know what was coming. I think Nebraska could win any game 63-3 and some people will still complain that we should have scored more and the other team should have never gotten 3. Nebraska came out with fire in the second half, pulled away big time and showed the ability to adjust. 3 things that had been question marks up until this point. I thought it was a great effort and a good way to roll into the Big 12 title game.

[strigori]

Most coachs call them 'special' plays, or 'gadget' plays. Nothing 'tricky' about them. It is more or less just trying to suprise the other team and catch them offguard, which is what you really want to do every down.

[NUpolo8]

Most coachs call them 'special' plays, or 'gadget' plays. Nothing 'tricky' about them. It is more or less just trying to suprise the other team and catch them offguard, which is what you really want to do every down.

 

 

And some coaches for the Cowboys call them..... no offense to any of them.......Surprise things..........

[Husker Maniac]

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 think the whole point of using all those tricks plays goes back to the Buff's stated intentions of having Nebraska limp into the Big 12 Championship game. By throwing that many trick plays against the Buffaloes, Callahan was able to keep CU's defense honest and force them to back off from attempting more late hits on Zac than they had already done. Had Zac gotten hurt from any late hits or successful pass rushes, Nebraska's chances of a win in the CCG would be greatly diminished, therefore Callahan did what he had to to nullify that type of scenario. That's my take on the game plan.

[Glass]

Callahan is amazingly creative and it's a great testament to him and his players that they have pulled off so many of these unorthodox plays so frequently. Great offensive mind at work. I also liked his comment that he goes with these plays on "feel and instinct." He's been pretty clued in thus far.

[omahaustin]

The way I see it is that NU didn't even have to win to go to the champ game. Things were getting a little 'tight' so Cally just decided to let the team have fun and relax - enjoy the game. After that, we started letting loose. It's a game, it's supposed to be fun, despite what most of us fans think. Plus, potential recruits. They see how much our guys enjoy playing the game and seeing the fans go crazy. I hope he's got a bunch more 'trick' plays. I can't wait to see what else he can come up with.

[BIGREDIOWAN]

The way I see it is that NU didn't even have to win to go to the champ game. Things were getting a little 'tight' so Cally just decided to let the team have fun and relax - enjoy the game. After that, we started letting loose. It's a game, it's supposed to be fun, despite what most of us fans think. Plus, potential recruits. They see how much our guys enjoy playing the game and seeing the fans go crazy. I hope he's got a bunch more 'trick' plays. I can't wait to see what else he can come up with.

 

I agree.........and people are saying he should have saved some of those plays for Saturday, but I have a feeling he has a lot more plays up his sleeves.......

[husker rob]

i bet even the coaches have no clue what he has up his sleeve sometimes. i dont think we have seen the same one twice have we?

[BIGREDIOWAN]

i bet even the coaches have no clue what he has up his sleeve sometimes. i dont think we have seen the same one twice have we?

 

Besides the halfback pass no I don't believe so.........

[ForRealBigRedFan]

On Unsportsmanlike Conduct, they were saying that this gimmick plays have given the perception that NU needs to pull out all the stops against a 2-9 team at home. It doesn't reflect well upon them.

[Always a husker]

On Unsportsmanlike Conduct, they were saying that this gimmick plays have given the perception that NU needs to pull out all the stops against a 2-9 team at home. It doesn't reflect well upon them.

I dont think the trick plays against CU would have affected the game. We were just trying to have fun and carry on confidence to the Big 12 championship.