can the Huskers do it with the WCO?

[DaveH]

Here we go again... *yawn*

[rawhide]

I definitely think this offense can win a championship. BD, TO both played offenses that worked for them and the players and took what they could. BC is just installing a system that will utilize what works for any given team both offensively and defensively. Will we win overnight or even next year NO. When he has (hopefully)recruited well consistently the wins will come easily. yadayada beat a dead horse. WE WILL WIN A NC within 5 years IMO.

 

GBR

[formerfan]

1. I don't think Belichick led the Patriots to the playoffs the year after their 1st superbowl did he?  He's not a bad coach.

 

2. Lost too many players for those decent players to make a difference.  Why did the Huskers go 7-7 after playing for a title in 01?

1. Yes, but Belichick (sp?) also won 3 SB's, he didnt take 2 very good teams and lead them each to sub .500 years the following year.

 

2. NU lost much, much more in 02 than they did in 04. Losing Crouch was the tip of the iceberg, you cant even compare the talent lost from the 01 team to the 03 team. The main reason for the downfall was the change in coaching, not the miniscule change in players.

 

Besides, according to ya'll, there wasnt any talent down there (in 03), how could they lose any if they didnt have it to begin with?

[formerfan]

*yawn*

Your typical contribution, thanks

[skersfan]

Another spewing of garbage by our local garbage man. Thanks current idiot we needed all your information. NOT

[DJR313]

That is what Callahan knows, so that is what he teaches and coaches(although some would disagree that he even knows it ).

Ah-ha!! Something we agree upon!

Good God that derailed quickly! And no we don't agree, I just knew that some of us(you included in that group) think Callahan knows nothing. I know YOU believe that YOU speak the truth, but does it ever get old turning every thread into the same exact thing?

[DaveH]

Ah-ha!! Something we agree upon!

Good God that derailed quickly! And no we don't agree, I just knew that some of us(you included in that group) think Callahan knows nothing. I know YOU believe that YOU speak the truth, but does it ever get old turning every thread into the same exact thing?

I was gonna say that, but I figured I would let you do it.

[IrishAZ]

While I agree in principle with most of what FF expresses, I'm willing to give BC some time to prove me wrong. I think the position changes he's proposing are a good step. Should things like that have happened last year on a grand scale? Absolutely. But even if they're happening this year, it's a positive sign he's taking a serious assessment in the talent NU has and is willing to work with existing personnel to get the job done.

 

So....anyway.....back to the WCO...

 

The real test will be play calling, I think. The "Dink and Dunk" approach doesn't work all that well against fast defenses either (BShirt34 ). Maybe Dailey wasn't capable of the vertical passing game so much so there weren't that many options available. But if the pass play selection stays in the typical horizontal WCO style, who the QB is won't matter much - averaging 13 yards per completion (the lowest ypc since 1998) only becomes efficient when you get into the 65+%. completion pct range - and that's an extraordinar number to expect from any QB.

 

Even if JD did significantly better than his 49% completion pct. last year, I don't suspect it would have made a huge amount of difference. Even thought it certainly would have been better, I think that alone would account for maybe 1 additional win (against Southern Miss, perhaps).

 

The routes need to be longer, or maybe just sharper, to get separation. Either that or NU suddenly develops out of thin air some big athletic receivers who can slip coverages and pick up YAC by the ton.

 

IRISH!

[Eric the Red]

Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan? And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state? I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time. How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned?

 

another question...

 

.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football? Did someone in the front office get tired of winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working.

 

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it? A good motto I live by: Do you. Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else. Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing. There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska.

It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good. A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.

Specifically "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."

 

Well Turk, it was broken and it, whatever it was needed to be fixed. In 2002, we had very little chance at winning some of those games. At least in 2004, we had a much better chance at winning, but the players did not perform as they were expected to. The players........DID NOT COME THROUGH

[formerfan]

Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan?  And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state?  I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time.  How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned? 

 

another question...

 

.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football?  Did someone in the front office get tired of winning?  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working. 

 

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it?   A good motto I live by:  Do you.   Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else.  Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing.  There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska. 

It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good.  A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.

Specifically "If it ain't broken, don't fix it."

 

Well Turk, it was broken and it, whatever it was needed to be fixed. In 2002, we had very little chance at winning some of those games. At least in 2004, we had a much better chance at winning, but the players did not perform as they were expected to. The players........DID NOT COME THROUGH

Way to pile on the players, very class act. Its obvious that you come from callahans school of blame everone else first.

 

Actually with the record aside, the 02 team performed much much better than did the 04 team. The schedule from 02 was much more difficult, and they still at least were .500.

 

And there were no excuses in 02.

 

There is no way you can convince anyone with with an inkling of football knowledge that the 70-10 pasting at Tech was the fault of the players only. Sure, execution was not good, but the game plan on both sides of the ball was horrendous, which directly led to (and caused) the poor execution.

[formerfan]

While I agree in principle with most of what FF expresses, I'm willing to give BC some time to prove me wrong. I think the position changes he's proposing are a good step. Should things like that have happened last year on a grand scale? Absolutely. But even if they're happening this year, it's a positive sign he's taking a serious assessment in the talent NU has and is willing to work with existing personnel to get the job done.

 

So....anyway.....back to the WCO...

 

The real test will be play calling, I think. The "Dink and Dunk" approach doesn't work all that well against fast defenses either (BShirt34 ). Maybe Dailey wasn't capable of the vertical passing game so much so there weren't that many options available. But if the pass play selection stays in the typical horizontal WCO style, who the QB is won't matter much - averaging 13 yards per completion (the lowest ypc since 1998) only becomes efficient when you get into the 65+%. completion pct range - and that's an extraordinar number to expect from any QB.

 

Even if JD did significantly better than his 49% completion pct. last year, I don't suspect it would have made a huge amount of difference. Even thought it certainly would have been better, I think that alone would account for maybe 1 additional win (against Southern Miss, perhaps).

 

The routes need to be longer, or maybe just sharper, to get separation.  Either that or NU suddenly develops out of thin air some big athletic receivers who can slip coverages and pick up YAC by the ton.

 

IRISH!

Exactly what I would like to say, just a little more eloquent.

 

To answer the original question, the WCO has never worked in college football on a large scale. Certain teams may have had minimal success with it in college, but I cant think of any team that has won a NC using it (and no, again, USC DOES NOT RUN THE WCO). Just when the players finally get the grasp of it, they are gone. There are aspects of it that can be run successfully with college athletes if the system is tinkered with, changed a little, and fine tuned.

 

This staff has shown that it doesnt have the ability to do so.

[DJR313]

QUOTE (formerfan @ Mar 11 200 Utah St. 5, 04:49 PM)

Actually with the record aside, the 02 team performed much much better than did the 04 team. The schedule from 02 was much more difficult, and they still at least were .500.   And there were no excuses in 02. 02   W   McNeese St. Troy St. Kansas Missouri Arizona St. Texas A&M   L   Penn St. Oklahoma St. Mississippi Iowa St. Texas Colorado Kansas St.   04   W   Western Illinois Pittsburgh Kansas Missouri Baylor   L   Southern Mississippi Texas Tech Iowa St. Oklahoma Colorado Kansas St.     I just don't see much difference in the bottom line. A couple of the games may have been close, but the old adage, "A 'W' is a 'W', an 'L' is an 'L.'" I think the Texas Tech game and the Penn State game are pretty much a wash as far as 2 of the worst games ever played by the Huskers. Penn St. killed Nebraska running the football, which was pretty terrible. Iowa St, this year was a close game playing probably the best Iowa State team in the past 60 years. In 02 it was over in the first half already. The loss to Southern Miss in 04 is similar to the loss to Ok St. in 02, should have won, but let it slip away. The Colorado and K State games were pretty pathetically similar. Texas in 02 was a good effort, Oklahoma in 04 was sad, but both were losses to top tier teams. The only win in 02 that impressed me was the win at College Station, eventhough A&M wasn't very good, the Huskers came back on the road at a very tough place. In 04, Missouri was about it, and that was a pretty sad game from both sides. Personally, I think both seasons were huge disappointments.

[IndyHusker]

I'm gonna disagree with most of you on the effectiveness of the option as ran by TO and FS. The option can still be effective with the proper personel, even in the power I formation, or wishbone variations, proven by Navy this year against equally talented teams. The 94' and 95' teams kinda prove that too, they played against very fast and very agressive defenses and won, as a matter of fact throttled an extemely athletic UF defense that they wouldnt have a chance against if i remeber right, because the had equivialant talent. The talent level in college football has remained the same for the most part, its just that you cant seem to draw it to an option based offense as easily anymore, so its not very popular as the main atttack. The WCO has the same basic scheme as the option, short consistant gains with losts of different "choices", WCO lots of short routes, Option has three runners and possible pass, not much different on basic philosophy, just how they plan to get those short consistant yards, it just requires different athletes than NU had in stock, which is why BC should have adjusted his offense until he got his type of personel, he seems to be kinda inflexable which is what im not happy with so far, which is why you should be so happy Irish. Hopefully with some consistant recruiting and adjustment on offense BC can make the change sucessful, but like Irish i'm hoping we're not seeing the second coming of the Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham era at NU instead of ND.

[formerfan]

Personally, I think both seasons were huge disappointments.

I would agree with you on that, no doubt!

 

On the contrary, I do think that Iowa St was better in 02 than in 04. Regardless, neither of those NU teams should have lost to ISU, period.

 

I think that PuSsU was pretty good in 02 if I remember correctly. I could be wrong, but didnt all the losses in 02 at least come against bowl teams?

 

And, there is nothing that can compare to the Tech game in 04. Not CU in 01, not OU in, what was it, 91?

 

I would agree with you about A&M in 02, but the same can be said for 04. Pitt was the only "decent" win, yet when NU played them, they were horrible on O. They werent a very good team, and I think that they got exposed in their bowl game.

[IndyHusker]

I agree with you there FF Pitt was junk this past year, highly over rated, and NU didnt look very impressive against them.