Chatelain: Watson adjusts, the offense returns to form and a white-haired wizard waves his wand

[Bos8888]

Agreed. Everyone wants to cut Wats some slack. But come on now... Really? The guy is arrogant and stubborn which is not always a bad thing. But when things are not working all the time and you try zone reads with a 4.7-4.8 QB with no production it makes it hard for me to support him. Yea our skill players had bad games at certain times but that is why you play to our strengths. Back in the day we were good because we played to our strengths. We ran at you until you broke. And we pulled up on play action once and ahwile. We didn't have top athletes but we beat top teams. Our offenses knew what the goal was. To beat the other team down. Which we saw in the 4th quarter on saturday. This was the first time in a long time where I felt our offense was beating the defense up on every play. We kept hitting them over and over and they knew they were outplayed and outworked.

[CENTEXHUSKER]

Yea our skill players had bad games at certain times but that is why you play to our strengths.

 

 

The problem I have is that people are wanting the whole package, the offense from last year + this years D(I don't blame you, but I'm also realistic). We lost alot of talent with Ganz, Swift, Peterson, Lucky and Castille. We have Helu and McNeil left over as our playmakers. Paul is obviously the best WR, but he still is inconsistent at times. Now you plug in inexperienced Lee/Green, Holt, Kinnie, Gilliyen, Robinson etc. and you have to expect a drop in production.

 

Give the coaches some time to 'gel' these guys, we're a very young team. This isn't an 'on-demand' product where you can steal you mom's credit card and instantly have 42 point outbursts...

 

[Igetbored216]

If it is “pretty basic stuff” to not play to what the defense is doing, then why do a lot of the best offenses in the nation wait until the defense lines up before they signal in the play? You would think that since it is so “basic” to just run what you are good at that they wouldn’t need to wait and see before calling a play they would just line up and call whatever they wanted.

 

But the playbook they use is to the strengths of their players. So they are changing from one play to another, but the plays still utilize the strengths of their offensive players. They don't run screen plays with Holt (one of the slowest WRs we have), they don't run zone reads with Lee (who scares the crap out of me everytime he runs the ball), they don't stretch out the running plays to the sideline when our offensive line is not equipped to do it. In short, they don't try to do something just for the sake of being multiple.

 

My point is: there's a HUGE difference between changing what you do based on the defensive alignment while still using your offensive players' strengths and changing what you do based on what the defense is doing even though your players are not able to do it.

 

Bo and the other offensive coaches have a say in the game plan, it is not all on Watson. He just seems to be the whipping boy. Bo is the Head Coach if he wanted something to change he could have changed it.

 

People wanted a coaching staff that would make adjustments and guess what for the second straight year they have made adjustments needed to help us win ball games.

 

No, it's not all on Watson, but when he's paid $375,000 to coordinate the offense, I would definitely have to start there.

 

Yeah, Bo could definitely say something because he is the head coach, but I don't think it's coincidence that all of a sudden a fullback is in there and we are running at the defense more.

 

We also heard in the preseason how awesome Compton, Fisher, May, and the OLine were. That really never panned out did. Just because we heard about them being that way doesn’t make it so. We have one really good TE in McNeil and the rest have proven to be nothing more then decent blockers.

 

Yeah, but how many times has there been an attempt to get McNeill the ball taking out this game? How many times did we even try to get any of the other TEs into the game by passing to them? You have to actually try to get them involved on offense to show what they can do, otherwise they will be "nothing more than decent blockers".

 

For instance, I always thought Reed would be a great playmaker with his speed and athleticism. But they hardly ever used him and the one time they did he gained about 25 yards on a simple crossing pattern. Unfortunately, he got injured on that play and I don't think he has been back since. Yeah, it was one play, but my point is you have to try to get them the ball in order to see what they can do, otherwise, how do you suggest they showcase their talent? If your TE coach is saying how talented he thinks the TEs are, why not try to see if that talent actually pans out on the field?

 

I know some on here are coaches but I highly doubt most are. If any of the “pretty basic stuff” crowd is a coach I would like to know where and when they play again (because they have to be deep in the playoffs with the knowledge they have) because I would love to come watch how a perfect coach, with perfect game plans, perfect decision making, and perfect play calling manages a game.

 

Well, I can tell you that I don't know how to brew beer...but I can tell you if it doesn't taste right. I don't know how to make furniture, but I can tell you if it doesn't look right. I don't know how to make Indian food, but I can tell you if it doesn't taste good. Yeah, you're right, I'm not the "perfect coach" with the "perfect play calling" - which I never said it had to be perfect (this offense is barely average this year) - I can tell you when it's not working or doesn't look right. I don't know, maybe you are seeing something totally different than me, but before this game, all I saw was a below average offense trying to do everything and not having much of an identity.

 

You saying this reminds me of Watson when Dirk (correctly) pointed out that the offense is not young and Watson replied, "Have you played at this level...well, then you don't know." (paraphrased).

[carlfense]

I think Osborne is less responsible for this than my "What do you want to see from the offense" thread. I think I'm owed some gratitude.

 

Kidding, kidding.

 

I was glad to see the offense find it's identity. I'm not happy that Watson always seems to figure out what his offense is best at when he is halfway through the season (see: this year and last year). I'd think they could work that out in pre-season or at least during the out of conference schedule. Maybe playing Sunbelt teams doesn't present enough of a defensive challenge to give the offensive coaches sufficient game tape to spot flaws. I don't know. I'm happy he changed his play calling but I'm still not too happy with him overall.

[imevenodd]

Some of you need to step back into reality. Watson had been coaching some of these guys using this offensive scheme for a couple of years now....it would not be easy to out of nowhere right in the middle of the season change up the play book. Even if it is just a simple I-Form package. The guy was in a bind and really the whole mess was on his shoulders. I guarantee you the thought crossed his mind to go to a power package, but a little reassurance from Tom Osborne is just what he needed.

 

Imagine being the OC and taking all this heat and then right in the middle of the season changing the offensive gameplan. You would have to be scared as hell that it wasn't going to work after preparing the kids all that time to run a completely different gameplan. Tom Osborne did the right thing by saying, "yes, it's ok to make the change....it will work." That was all Watson needed to hear.

 

Some of you act like Watson should just be able to make changes without feeling any pressure. It's easy for us to sit here and say what needs to change, because if we are wrong we don't have a million people calling for our heads.

[Igetbored216]

Some of you need to step back into reality. Watson had been coaching some of these guys using this offensive scheme for a couple of years now....it would not be easy to out of nowhere right in the middle of the season change up the play book. Even if it is just a simple I-Form package. The guy was in a bind and really the whole mess was on his shoulders. I guarantee you the thought crossed his mind to go to a power package, but a little reassurance from Tom Osborne is just what he needed.

 

Imagine being the OC and taking all this heat and then right in the middle of the season changing the offensive gameplan. You would have to be scared as hell that it wasn't going to work after preparing the kids all that time to run a completely different gameplan. Tom Osborne did the right thing by saying, "yes, it's ok to make the change....it will work." That was all Watson needed to hear.

 

Some of you act like Watson should just be able to make changes without feeling any pressure. It's easy for us to sit here and say what needs to change, because if we are wrong we don't have a million people calling for our heads.

 

This has been my point for a while now. These players have been in the system for how long and they still don't get it! This offense is too dependent on precision, meaning all 11 players have to be doing the correct thing at the correct time in order for this to be successful. It's great if you have really experienced players in there (Ganz, Swift, Peterson, Murtha, Slauson), but if you have younger players, well, we get this year's results.

 

I am tired of the West Coast passing scheme. Dump it and get something different next year.

[Street Novelist]

bout time Watson

[cscott2win]

Everytime you see a coach interviewed after the so called "light bulb comes on" and his struggling team finds success, they always credit it to "staying the course". I believe it is a trait that all coaches have and they try and make players fit into their system. That is probably the same as in Watts case. It has also probably taken a while to get the timing down and such to depend more on what they are doing now. I, as is everyone else watching, am sure glad to see it. Evolution will dictate that this offense will end up with a combination ot the WCO and the smash mouth I formation as Watts melts them together. I loved that option pass!!! One of my all time favorites. It brought everybody out of their seats when they saw it coming back in the day and it still does!!!!

[dergibog]

There was always something I appreciated in the old option offense. One play set up the next play. Like the option set up the fullback up the middle. Against KU we saw where the pitch play set up the bootleg. The option set up the option pass and the Iso and Power plays set up the play action passing game.

 

I always had the sense under the Watson Coast offense that there was just a list of plays and they just tried stuff. I'm glad to see we put together an offensive series that worked. I'm glad that TO shared his wisdom, and Watson was wise enough to learn from the Wizard.

[EbylHusker]

People who love to hate Watson will find a way to do it no matter what. It's just that simple. They can keep crying while he stays here, though, lol.

[zoogs]

There was always something I appreciated in the old option offense. One play set up the next play. Like the option set up the fullback up the middle. Against KU we saw where the pitch play set up the bootleg. The option set up the option pass and the Iso and Power plays set up the play action passing game.

 

I always had the sense under the Watson Coast offense that there was just a list of plays and they just tried stuff. I'm glad to see we put together an offensive series that worked. I'm glad that TO shared his wisdom, and Watson was wise enough to learn from the Wizard.

 

Plays set up other plays in ANY system. The run sets up the pass. The pass sets up the run. Etc. Run up the gut, then hit them over the top with a playaction...

[Paul in WI]

If you love Watson, stop reading now.

 

Most know that I'm one of those people that would be the first to throw Watson under the bus and the first guy to put it in reverse and back over him. Nothing has changed in that regard for me. I think he's a gel-haired, pompous, pretty boy with a stubborn streak that overrules coherent thought. He belongs in the Pac 10 screwing up USC. Now let me tell you how I really feel.

 

We cannot afford to have an inconsistent offense that puts points on the board one game and then lays a big egg the next, because the OC is too stubborn to be able to adjust his team on the fly. At Nebraska, he shouldn't get any mulligan games because he's too prideful with his play-calling. That, my friends, is what a Watson-style offense is going to give you year-in and year-out. Even if it is only one or two games throughout the course of a season, is that what you are willing to accept? People say that we should never expect success like the 90's again, and they're right when you have your OC throwing a game or two each year for you. When confronted with a square peg and a round hole, this guy just keeps getting a bigger hammer.

 

I'm not done either. Don't apologize and make excuses for this man's lack of offensive success this year. He knew who was graduating last year and had a pretty darn good idea of what he'd have this year for personnel. This is his full-time job, forgodsakes. If he can't adjust his offensive strategy for graduation, the inevitable injuries, etc, then what good is he to us? How many mulligans/losses does he get each year before he adjusts?

 

Good lord.....go back through the threads on this forum. Half the people here look like geniuses after the KU game. You'd swear Watson was taking notes while reading the threads, so if it was pretty apparent to the average fan, why did it take this guy so long to figure it out if he's such a bloody genius? It is glaringly apparent to me that while he could be brilliant working with the hypothetical, he's no practical field general. He fails miserably under fire. He should get choked up and teary-eyed when talking about Osborne's plays, because he's definitely NO Osborne.

 

Now we've suddenly found a "power game" against a mediocre KU defense. News flash folks: NU's power game is a bloody abortion. It may gain some yards against mediocre defenses like KSU's this weekend, but the instant it goes against a semi-competent defense, it will be totally shut down. Why? It is because we don't know how to run a power game anymore, nor do the players run it enough in practice to be effective against a good defensive squad. As far as finesse running goes.....just look at the option pitches and clunky execution. It looks like something they've just tried practicing in the past week.

 

In short, we may have beaten KU and we may beat KSU, but we still suck offensively and that will be apparent if we face Texas. Thanks for coaching 'em up this year Wats! You're excellent in every area!

[EbylHusker]

Thankfully, you are not the one that makes staffing decisions for us.

[Malth]

Yea, he knew what personnel he had. But let's go over the season real quick

 

Game 1:

15/22

213 Yards

2TD

 

49-3

 

Game 2:

27/35

340 Yards

4 TD

 

38-9

 

Wow. Looks like the offense is f'ing kicking ass! Lee is one of the most proficient passers in the league! Watson sure is calling an awesome game!

 

Game 3:

11/30

136 Yards

0 TD

 

15-16

 

OK wtf. 1st road game in a tough stadium against a good team. Should have won, surely Lee will recover and get better

 

Game 4:

15/18

238 yards

1 TD

 

55-0

 

So. Lee is on track, offense is kicking ass and taking names, we stand a good chance of winning just about every game from here on out. Keep on keepin on

 

 

Game 5:

14/33

158 yards

3 TD

 

27-12

 

Road game in sh**ty weather. Hard to determine how much effect the weather had, but the rally late in the game was very nice and we win an important game. Still on track to win the rest of the games, with an exception to possibly losing to OU

 

 

Game 6:

 

The loss to TT. This is where we actually start to find out that we have a problem. Halfway into the season, it becomes apparent that Lee can't handle big games, and it's something we need to work on. Not before the season. No. The offense looked competent during the regular season, and there were no real calls for Watson's head until HALFWAY INTO THE SEASON.

 

 

Game 6:

 

Iowa State disaster. We should have won this game no problem. We were moving the ball well enough, but the turnovers absolutely killed us

 

Game 7:

 

Crybabies get their wish and Green starts. Offense sucks and we barely win

 

 

 

OK I'm tired of spelling out every game. Hopefully you get the point though. Don't sit there with your 20/20 hindsight and tell us that Watson should have known exactly how this offense was going to pan out in the regular season against tougher opponents. Lee looked amazing during multiple games, and it's kind of hard to replicate something like an away game at VT during practice to know exactly how it's going to pan out. Over the course of a few games, our offense has changed to something that fits what we have better. We also finally have a healthy Helu back which is HUGE.

 

In short: you make a great armchair coach. Stay in the armchair.

[Paul in WI]

That is why you don't eat cupcakes early in the season. They don't tell you anything about yourself.

 

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