Question for you Husker fans

[Palpable Smarm]

I'm new here and I only really know one guy who is a Nebraska fan, so I'm just wondering something. Do you guys miss the option? I know some people say you have to run a pro offense to get the top talent, but man, I remember watching Nebraska for all those years kick the snot out of eveybody they played. And when it's run well, which it was with ya'll, I don't think there's a more fun offense to watch, or a harder one to stop. Just wondering.

[tattooedhusker]

I think a majority of us miss it, but you also have to have the right coach for it (TO) and if you don't have that, your setting up for an epic fail (Solich...that's too critical because he didnt' epic fail, but you get the point). Look at Paul Johnson at GT, that team is fun to watch! I don't know if it's really fun to watch or if it reminds me back in the day! (even though PJ's option isn't the same as what we used to demolish people with.

[holvy83]

one thing about the option now a days is that it has to be "perfect", defenses are more athletic and faster than years past, there are DC coaches out there that have probably mastered a way to stop the option, and now they are trying to stop the "spread attacks". Also the other thing that sometimes the option lacks are good recievers and a QB that can get the ball to them, one thing that I always did not like seeing is having to run the ball in long yard situations, of course most of the time it worked to NU's advantage. i don't know either it might be as plain and simple that kids coming to play college ball do not want to be in option offense anyway? They want the high scores and the high profile stats.

[billdozer15]

one thing about the option now a days is that it has to be "perfect", defenses are more athletic and faster than years past, there are DC coaches out there that have probably mastered a way to stop the option, and now they are trying to stop the "spread attacks". Also the other thing that sometimes the option lacks are good recievers and a QB that can get the ball to them, one thing that I always did not like seeing is having to run the ball in long yard situations, of course most of the time it worked to NU's advantage. i don't know either it might be as plain and simple that kids coming to play college ball do not want to be in option offense anyway? They want the high scores and the high profile stats.

 

This is the one thing that bugs me. Everyone assumes the option or run based offenses are low scoring and dont have high profile stats. B.S. Just take a look at all the points PJ offense dropped on Georgia or look at all the points we used to poor on people when we ran the option. It is an extremely high powered offense, just because you arent chucking the ball around the yard doesnt mean you cant drop 80 points on someone, just ask Minnesota. As far as high profile stats, the option is great for OL, RBs, TE. Those positions get alot of attention in the option. The option is not dead and PJ at GTech is proving it.

 

Back to the subject at hand. I would not go back to the option if we had a choice. I prefer the ability to pass as well as the zone read that this new fangled spread offers.

[junior4949]

I don't think I agree with your assessment that defenses are more athletic or faster than in years past. I know our defense isn't anywhere close to being as physical or as fast as a decade or so ago. How many teams have LB's that run like Farley, D. Williams, etc.? If teams were more athletic and faster, then the spread option wouldn't be so popular now would it? RB's loved the option. WR's, not so much but then again we didn't need high profile WR's back in the day because most of the time their primary job was to block. I would say we had no problem with high scores and high profile stats back in the 90's.

[holvy83]

one thing about the option now a days is that it has to be "perfect", defenses are more athletic and faster than years past, there are DC coaches out there that have probably mastered a way to stop the option, and now they are trying to stop the "spread attacks". Also the other thing that sometimes the option lacks are good recievers and a QB that can get the ball to them, one thing that I always did not like seeing is having to run the ball in long yard situations, of course most of the time it worked to NU's advantage. i don't know either it might be as plain and simple that kids coming to play college ball do not want to be in option offense anyway? They want the high scores and the high profile stats.

 

This is the one thing that bugs me. Everyone assumes the option or run based offenses are low scoring and dont have high profile stats. B.S. Just take a look at all the points PJ offense dropped on Georgia or look at all the points we used to poor on people when we ran the option. It is an extremely high powered offense, just because you arent chucking the ball around the yard doesnt mean you cant drop 80 points on someone, just ask Minnesota. As far as high profile stats, the option is great for OL, RBs, TE. Those positions get alot of attention in the option. The option is not dead and PJ at GTech is proving it.

 

Back to the subject at hand. I would not go back to the option if we had a choice. I prefer the ability to pass as well as the zone read that this new fangled spread offers.

I was not saying you can't score with an option. Ask Percy Harvin, Crabtree, Julio Jones, Maclin if they would play on an option offense? That is what "I" think hurt NU was the ability to get players in here to run the option when other schools were going the other direction, and plus the NFL does not run the option and high profile players want to chance to play in the NFL so they will look elsewhere first.

[holvy83]

I don't think I agree with your assessment that defenses are more athletic or faster than in years past. I know our defense isn't anywhere close to being as physical or as fast as a decade or so ago. How many teams have LB's that run like Farley, D. Williams, etc.? If teams were more athletic and faster, then the spread option wouldn't be so popular now would it? RB's loved the option. WR's, not so much but then again we didn't need high profile WR's back in the day because most of the time their primary job was to block. I would say we had no problem with high scores and high profile stats back in the 90's.

 

All i am saying is that our "old" offense would not work today, we have different types of players and the game is different, one thing that is fun about the "spread" of today is that there are 3-4 WR sets and a QB that can run AND throw with speed all around him. That is not power football that is "catch me if you can football". There would be an awful lot of around here if everyone wasn't glad to see the option go away a few years ago.

[Palpable Smarm]

Yeah, I know it has it's downsides (third and long) but if you've got a QB who can throw it pretty well, I still say it's close to unstoppable. Georgia Tech is fun to watch...did you see the Miami game? Wake Forest used some option/flexbone stuff when Grobe first got there, but have kind of gotten away from it since Riley Skinner took over at QB. When ya'll had Frazier and Crouch running the show, it was a great thing to watch.

I can understand WRs not being crazy about the option, though.

Part of the problem for colleges running the option now may be that fewer high schools run it. Most school's around here either run the spread or some Wing-T variation.

[HuskerTrucker]

The option was great in it's day especially when we had a front line that was so much bigger than our opponents. Now days in order to keep up with other offenses, you either have to have a good defense, have an offense that dominates the clock control, or be able to strike quickly.

 

The problems with the options are that if you have a team that can't hang on to the ball, you will fall behind fast. Once you are behind by a couple of scores, it is hard to come back with the option. I also believe that in order to run the option, you have to have a reasonably good defense that can get turnovers or 3 and outs in order to shorten the field in your favor.

 

I think in todays world, you just about have to have someone that can throw the ball, and move in the pocket, as well as being able to pose a run or option threat. The days of lining up and just blowing the defense over are gone...everyone has 280 lbs of meat to throw up on the line, just some of them are more athletic than others now days. Knowing and recruiting good talent can make a good team or break them.

[Blackshirt316]

I definitely miss it. The problem isn't will it or won't it work, the problem is to be a great option team you have to have a great option QB.

 

The Problem is that it's much harder today to get a kid to come run a power I option attack with so many teams running the spread now where they allow a QB to run and throw much more effectively out of the shotgun.

 

Take Tommy Frazier, arguably the best option Quarterback ever. If he were coming out of high school today I'm sure he'd be looking at Florida's offense, Texas's offense, even the current Nebraska offense MUCH more favorably than he would a power option system we used to run or the triple option attack Paul Johnson runs because of the versatility and freedom in the passing game.

 

 

That said, there is a little option flavor in the current Nebraska offense already and you can definitely tell there is a lot more option going to be added in the future based on the techniques being taught and the recruits that are being looked at.

[junior4949]

one thing about the option now a days is that it has to be "perfect", defenses are more athletic and faster than years past, there are DC coaches out there that have probably mastered a way to stop the option, and now they are trying to stop the "spread attacks". Also the other thing that sometimes the option lacks are good recievers and a QB that can get the ball to them, one thing that I always did not like seeing is having to run the ball in long yard situations, of course most of the time it worked to NU's advantage. i don't know either it might be as plain and simple that kids coming to play college ball do not want to be in option offense anyway? They want the high scores and the high profile stats.

 

This is the one thing that bugs me. Everyone assumes the option or run based offenses are low scoring and dont have high profile stats. B.S. Just take a look at all the points PJ offense dropped on Georgia or look at all the points we used to poor on people when we ran the option. It is an extremely high powered offense, just because you arent chucking the ball around the yard doesnt mean you cant drop 80 points on someone, just ask Minnesota. As far as high profile stats, the option is great for OL, RBs, TE. Those positions get alot of attention in the option. The option is not dead and PJ at GTech is proving it.

 

Back to the subject at hand. I would not go back to the option if we had a choice. I prefer the ability to pass as well as the zone read that this new fangled spread offers.

I was not saying you can't score with an option. Ask Percy Harvin, Crabtree, Julio Jones, Maclin if they would play on an option offense? That is what "I" think hurt NU was the ability to get players in here to run the option when other schools were going the other direction, and plus the NFL does not run the option and high profile players want to chance to play in the NFL so they will look elsewhere first.

 

 

Why do you need a Maclin or a Crabtree to run our old option? This is the point. You don't need gamebreaking WR's to run the option. Anyone remember the itty bitty committee? You need good blocking WR's.

 

Here's my take on the option. Very few teams run the option which means we could get the pick of the litter in terms of true option QB's and skill players. The only other major D1 school I even remember really recruiting Frazier hard was Notre dumb and he was one of the best QB's in D1 history. If we went back to the option, we could get these kind of players. If we continue to run the same offense everyone else is, then we will continually face the same kind of recruiting pressures from the likes of USC, Florida, OU, Texas, etc.

[SkullandBones]

that's a good point jr. If I'm not mistaken we still run some options, it's just not the basis of our O anymore.

[HuskerTrucker]

Options ARE NOT necessarily low scoring offenses. Look at how many games we put up 70 pts on people when we ran the option. You do have to have a good defense that gets the ball for the offense's hands a lot, but it is possible to run the score up with it, if the opposing team don't have the athletes to catch up to your backs.

[cb1954]

I'm new here and I only really know one guy who is a Nebraska fan, so I'm just wondering something. Do you guys miss the option? I know some people say you have to run a pro offense to get the top talent, but man, I remember watching Nebraska for all those years kick the snot out of eveybody they played. And when it's run well, which it was with ya'll, I don't think there's a more fun offense to watch, or a harder one to stop. Just wondering.

 

Yeah, I miss the option. I guess I'm getting old but this spread offense stuff seems like something kids or girls would run.

 

I think it might be harder to run the option today, but if you had the right QB and the right guy calling the plays it would still work. Like any offense you need the right players and it might be hard to find the right QB to make it go. Players know they might have less of a chance to make the NFL if they are in an option offense in college.

 

People seem to think NU ran the option all the time (NU rarely ran a true triple option) like the wishbone or something, which is nonsense. NU ran a power running game and the option about 25% of the time. For example Tommie Frazier had 18 TD passes his senior season, for comparison Kerri Collins with Penn St and their high powered offense the year before had 21. Also I think OU probably broke the record this year but 1983 NU with Turner Gill still shared the NCAA record for offensive TDs in a season, so its not low scoring.

 

If you had Tom Osborne calling the plays in his version of the spread, and someone like Frazier, or Gill running the offense with the option, it would be devastating. (IMO)

 

[caveman99]

I'm new here and I only really know one guy who is a Nebraska fan, so I'm just wondering something. Do you guys miss the option? I know some people say you have to run a pro offense to get the top talent, but man, I remember watching Nebraska for all those years kick the snot out of eveybody they played. And when it's run well, which it was with ya'll, I don't think there's a more fun offense to watch, or a harder one to stop. Just wondering.

 

Yeah, I miss the option. I guess I'm getting old but this spread offense stuff seems like something kids or girls would run.

 

I think it might be harder to run the option today, but if you had the right QB and the right guy calling the plays it would still work. Like any offense you need the right players and it might be hard to find the right QB to make it go. Players know they might have less of a chance to make the NFL if they are in an option offense in college.

 

People seem to think NU ran the option all the time (NU rarely ran a true triple option) like the wishbone or something, which is nonsense. NU ran a power running game and the option about 25% of the time. For example Tommie Frazier had 18 TD passes his senior season, for comparison Kerri Collins with Penn St and their high powered offense the year before had 21. Also I think OU probably broke the record this year but 1983 NU with Turner Gill still shared the NCAA record for offensive TDs in a season, so its not low scoring.

 

If you had Tom Osborne calling the plays in his version of the spread, and someone like Frazier, or Gill running the offense with the option, it would be devastating. (IMO)

 

 

What NU ran wasn't really a true triple option attack like what you see PJ or Navy run. NU ran a power running attack, hence the power I base formation. One of Solich's issues was that he increased the frequency of the option play thus taking out the balance in the offense that TO had, I think this is what killed him in the biggest games. If you didn't watch NU in the 80's or 90's and all you saw was post '98 then you don't realize how important it was for TO to run the power runs with the IB. The option play was a way to strech the field after the D was centered to stop the power run, much in the same way the spread works today. TO did about 25-30% option and another 10-15% Play Action Pass to stretch the D, but bread and butter was the IB power runs. PJ does this out of the Triple Option, the fullback becomes the power runner that keeps the defense honest and not cheating to the outside.