Is this still part of the problem?

[blackshirts5115]

We need an Alabama-style offense. With our geographical location, it's alot harder to recruit the stellar athletes. But, as we have proved in the past, we can recruit and build strength and technique. We can rely on pounding the rock and let that open up the pass. Many of our quarterbacks of the past that couldn't throw very accurately (Lord, Crouch, Frost, Frazier, etc.) had decent passing stats because passing works when the run game is great. Instead of playing four wide receivers (one of our weakest positions when it comes to recruiting), we can play two tight ends and two receivers, or a fullback with a TE and two WRs. This is the style of offense I thought would come to Nebraska when Bo got here, but unfortunately he decided to keep Wats. I wasn't a fan of that decision at the time. Even when our offense was thriving (end of last year), something inside just made me feel like Wats wasn't right, and now it's showing. He needs to go at the end of this year. People will say that his offense always starts slow at the beginning of the year, but when we're back in the National Championship picture, we can't let that happen, because every game matters, not just conference games. I hope Wats can prove me wrong, but I just don't see it happening.

[AngryHusker88]

320 is ridiculous and unnecessary. All you need are about 15 plays that you run well. Execution wins not exotic plays TBH.

Try telling that to Shawn Watson

[knapplc]

You execute better than they do, you win. Ball game.

Wrong.

 

Why even prepare for Iowa State this Saturday? None of that matters, the only thing that matters is how we execute against them, right? Wait, execute what?

 

Not only do you need to execute your strategy, but you need to have the right strategy. If the other team puts 11 players in the box every play, leaving our WRs uncovered, yet we handed the ball off to Tyler Legate, how would that game turn out? We'd still be executing the play well, wouldn't we?

 

Our defense executed pretty darn well that first drive against Texas Tech, yet they still managed to catch fluke tip passes and turn it into a TD.

 

But whatever, being smart about how you play the game has nothing to do with football, apparently.

 

Is there some reason you took the last part of my whole post out of context? And... half the people in this thread are talking about execution. Curious why you chose just that one line of my post to pick at.

 

Weird.

[HuskerGBR]

We need an Alabama-style offense. With our geographical location, it's alot harder to recruit the stellar athletes. But, as we have proved in the past, we can recruit and build strength and technique. We can rely on pounding the rock and let that open up the pass. Many of our quarterbacks of the past that couldn't throw very accurately (Lord, Crouch, Frost, Frazier, etc.) had decent passing stats because passing works when the run game is great. Instead of playing four wide receivers (one of our weakest positions when it comes to recruiting), we can play two tight ends and two receivers, or a fullback with a TE and two WRs. This is the style of offense I thought would come to Nebraska when Bo got here, but unfortunately he decided to keep Wats. I wasn't a fan of that decision at the time. Even when our offense was thriving (end of last year), something inside just made me feel like Wats wasn't right, and now it's showing. He needs to go at the end of this year. People will say that his offense always starts slow at the beginning of the year, but when we're back in the National Championship picture, we can't let that happen, because every game matters, not just conference games. I hope Wats can prove me wrong, but I just don't see it happening.

 

I agree...I said this a long time ago and people laughed at it. Geographically we have proven that we can grow the big boys in the trenches. Our TE's, FB's, and OL can be found right in our own back yard, but we need to have an offensive identity that fits these big boys. We can recruit guys for our skill positions from different states. Use the speed argument all you want...I would love to see a 230 lb DE take on a 290 lb O-lineman any day. You just wear them down all day long.

 

I thought when Bo got here that he would bring back a smashmouth offense...a no nonsense beat the crap out of the opposing D and impose your will on them. But instead we have Wats who says lets take what the defense gives us...sounds like a little sissy mentality to me.

 

With this offense and these 320 plays of crap...we will never be able to win a national championship and we might get lucky to win a CCG. I don't care if Watson tries to run the ball 40 times a game it still won't work with this offense. We run the ball around 30 times a game right now and so far it has been very random and we don't have a clear dedication to running the football.

[jjamuss]

After watching last weekend I think Watson could eliminate about 20 of those plays!

or is that the ONE play they ran 20 TIMES?!?

[junior4949]

You execute better than they do, you win. Ball game.

Wrong.

 

Why even prepare for Iowa State this Saturday? None of that matters, the only thing that matters is how we execute against them, right? Wait, execute what?

 

Not only do you need to execute your strategy, but you need to have the right strategy. If the other team puts 11 players in the box every play, leaving our WRs uncovered, yet we handed the ball off to Tyler Legate, how would that game turn out? We'd still be executing the play well, wouldn't we?

 

Our defense executed pretty darn well that first drive against Texas Tech, yet they still managed to catch fluke tip passes and turn it into a TD.

 

But whatever, being smart about how you play the game has nothing to do with football, apparently.

 

I don't agree with this assessment. About 10 years or so ago, I went to watch a high school football game featuring the #1 ranked and the #2 ranked teams playing in the regular season. After watching 4 plays, I already knew who was going to win. When the ball was snapped, team A which was on defense came off the ball faster than team B which was on offense. This is all about execution. Team B knew the snapcount, but they still were slower off the ball than team A. Team A ended up winning by 20+ points. If our OL beats the DL off the ball, they get an instant push. Even if they can't blow the DL back, they've given the RB enough to get at least 3 to 4 yards. Even with 8 in the box, only 4 to 5 will be right up the middle. Granted, we probably couldn't run much to the outside with 8 or in your example 11 in the box. However, we still should be able to get 3 to 4 yards up the gut if the OL is beating the DL off the ball. This is execution.

[teachercd]

check out this quote from Mike Leach "There's two ways to make it more complex for the defense," Leach told journalist Michael Lewis, writing for The New York Times Magazine. "One is to have a whole bunch of different plays, but that's no good because then the offense experiences as much complexity as the defense. Another is a small number of plays run out of lots of different formations. That way, you don't have to teach a guy a new thing to do. You just have to teach him new places to stand."

 

 

It makes a ton of sense, the first guy I coached for who I still believe is the very best coach in the state of NE said something similar to me 10 year ago. You dont need a lot of plays, you can just formation defenses to death running a lot of the same things from different looks.

[BeachBuffs]

I cannot remember which game it was, but I was watching a QB flip through his little play chart thing on his belt. He had to flip through several pages to find the correct play, needless to say, his team received a delay of game....lol

[blackshirts5115]

I hope this whole Pelini-Watson relationship doesn't cost Bo his job in the long run. It's what first started talks of dumping Callahan (his love for Coz). Obviously Bill wasn't the right fit for NU, but he still made the mistake in tending to his friends needs rather than the state of Nebraska's needs. Even if Watson gets it together for the rest of the season, I just think he needs to be let go. He may be a good offensive mind at HIS offense. But HIS offense isn't the right offense for the skers. He belongs in the NFL with Cally. They have an entire NFL career to learn his complicated offense. Our players have 4 to 5 years. We need to get rid of him after this season. I'm not even a huge fan of Cotton, but I would rather have him as the OC because I know we'd play smashmouth football. Maybe struggling on offense for the rest of this season could be a blessing in disguise for the future (though I'd never be able to root for that to happen).

[Huskerfan60]

Just wondering if more then 1 of the 320 is a pass downfield. Zac seems to have lost those.

[HuskerNMO]

You execute better than they do, you win. Ball game.

Wrong.

 

Why even prepare for Iowa State this Saturday? None of that matters, the only thing that matters is how we execute against them, right? Wait, execute what?

 

Not only do you need to execute your strategy, but you need to have the right strategy. If the other team puts 11 players in the box every play, leaving our WRs uncovered, yet we handed the ball off to Tyler Legate, how would that game turn out? We'd still be executing the play well, wouldn't we?

 

Our defense executed pretty darn well that first drive against Texas Tech, yet they still managed to catch fluke tip passes and turn it into a TD.

 

But whatever, being smart about how you play the game has nothing to do with football, apparently.

 

I don't agree with this assessment. About 10 years or so ago, I went to watch a high school football game featuring the #1 ranked and the #2 ranked teams playing in the regular season. After watching 4 plays, I already knew who was going to win. When the ball was snapped, team A which was on defense came off the ball faster than team B which was on offense. This is all about execution. Team B knew the snapcount, but they still were slower off the ball than team A. Team A ended up winning by 20+ points. If our OL beats the DL off the ball, they get an instant push. Even if they can't blow the DL back, they've given the RB enough to get at least 3 to 4 yards. Even with 8 in the box, only 4 to 5 will be right up the middle. Granted, we probably couldn't run much to the outside with 8 or in your example 11 in the box. However, we still should be able to get 3 to 4 yards up the gut if the OL is beating the DL off the ball. This is execution.

 

Great theory, but that's not the mentality of a zone blocking offense, it's more about engaging and neutralizing the push of the D line then getting to the next level. It's not about moving the line of scrimmage.

[BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA]

I believe it was during the third game they showed a graphic on tv that Nebraska had 256 plays at that time. It makes sense that you would add a few twists each week but to get up to 320 is ridiculous. No wonder the offense has an identity crisis!!

[Hunter94]

lots of interesting posts, whether it be a lack of play makers or lack of play callers, we all agree, we have a big problem on offense and something will likely change, especially at the end of the season...you can just tell, the chemistry isn't right on the O side of the ball.....the guys are not playing together at all...i think the kids have lost confidence in Wats as well......

[Jeremy]

Very true, jliehr. The blocking schemes we've had here since Callahan showed up are almost the opposite of what we were used to for well...the beginning of Nebraska football.

I'm not saying it can't work - it's working very well in other parts of the country, but it just seems...I don't know, un-Nebraskan, if that makes sense.

 

I guess we all want to see the Huskers physically dominate opponents like they used to, not dink and dunk to the red zone and throw into the stands on 4th and goal.