Legitimate Concern???

[walksalone]

I think for the most part, the majority of the board would concur that the D is where it needs to be.

 

I have been mulling over for the past couple days, what about the offense. I know there were "signs of life" in the UA game, but overall, the offense was pretty brutal (not in a good way) last year.

 

Are wholesale changes need to change or a few minor tweaks here and there to get things back on the right track??

 

I think a lot of it has to do with the "O" line. Too many times it seemed the run blocking wasn't up to par and pass blocking at times probably put Lee in situtations where he essentially was "destined to fail".

 

So, I know we're all giddy over the prospect of the Defense, and their potential. I guess i'm just not completely sold on the potential of the offense just yet.

[BornRedCornFed]

I think our offense will be fine next year. A lot of our problems could be traced to an inexperienced offensive line. They will only be better next year.

 

My major concern is with our QB again. Hopefully we can get some decent production from that position next year

 

As for our defense, Im not really buying into that whole "we're going to be even better next year" thing. Its very hard to improve from where we were in 09 and anytime a unit loses it's leader, there are going to be implications, but I still think that they are going to be great.

 

We should do better in 2010. The games wont ride on our defense as much, and as long as we dont blow a tire in the regular season, we really should walk out with a big 12 championship

[Landlord]

I really believe our offense will be just fine next year. Zac, or Cody, whoever gets the nod, will be healthy (to start out at least), we return everyone but Hickman (which just means players are going to get better, and this year really seems like an anomaly to me. It seems that as soon as things weren't working, the entire coaching staff decided to cut our losses and make sure the offense didn't hurt the team, instead of trying to use the offense to help the team.

 

I really think that if they hadn't decided to do that, we might have lost some more games (that is if we kept trying to run a real offense, instead of just deciding not to) but I think we possibly could have won some that we lost (namely Texas), and I really think that since we aren't going to give up before we even try next year, things will work out well!

[walksalone]

Last year, I might have been the best defense i've ever seen. Aside from some mistakes, they played about as well as you could ask.

 

The offense though really did hose us. Talking to a friend of mine, who's a big Notre Dame fan, he said something that I thought was interesting. "If the Irish had you're defense, we'd win the National Title" Made me think, what if our offense had been more productive?? I know, woulda, coulda, shoulda, but just food for thought.

 

I think if the O line can improve, and we can establish a running game, then we can get back to the "ground and pound" style of offense.

[Count 'Bility]

I believe last year the early problems were caused by inexperience from top to bottom. Think about it. First year starting QB in either a Jr. with very VERY little game experience (if any from what I can recall) or a True freshamn. Basically a returning starter at Running back, then a bunch of freshman behind him. New starters on the Oline, new starters at WR. The offense that was trying to be run was obviously too much for the guys, then injuries started nagging at every position, then the offense was changed to not screw up and lets face it, these guys from receivers to backs to oline are not meant for a 2 tight, i set power running offense, so that was also a struggle. Everyone needs to relax and just ENJOY the inevitable that the offense will be substantially better next year. Im gonna go ahead and say it will probably be a 30 ppg offense, couple that with a defense that is partially as good as this year's, and the expectations are right where they should be.

[Blackshirtsguru]

I also think that Lee's injury had a lot to do with his accuracy and confidence. I did however, like how Watts let him run more with the ball as we all witnessed in the Holiday Bowl. I am not so convinced that Cotton does a good job with the OL. It's true that we had a lot of OL players banged up, but I would have thought that he would have done a better job coaching them up. We shall see next season if he can produce.

[CENTEXHUSKER]

We lose one guy on offense so....same players + same coach + same system = same results? Seems like the staff was hellbent on pounding the rock and then letting Lee toss it on 3rd and long. Lee being the QB was the fall guy on and off during the season, but his WRs didn't help him out very much. I'm anxious to see Kinnie get more invloved and take some pressure of everybody. Gillylen looked like that guy early, but fell off a cliff or something. McNeil needs to be more involved as well. A healthy Helu will definatley open up the offense as well. The line played OK, but not great, but now they have a year experience under their belts.

 

I couldn't believe the Holiday bowl. The wildcat plays came out of nowhere, really caught AZ off guard. That is what needs to happen next year. Not being so predictible, Watson has too much experience and TO, err...resources not to be able to find a system that works with the personel he has. It wasn't so long ago that Watts was considered one of the top assitants in the country.

 

2008 offense plus 2009 defense = 2010 Big 12 Championship

[sarge87]

I think the O-Line is on everyone's mind for next year. We lose Hickman, Meyer, and Christiansen for 2010.

 

By the middle of the season our depth on the O-Line went from adequate (3 Guards, 3 Tackles, 2 Centers) to resembling a M.A.S.H. ward.

 

1. Williams missed action early in the season with a torn pec.

 

2. Smith missed time also to injury.

 

3. Hickman had a bum ankle, a bowling ball sized hip bruise, and contracted swine flu sometime during the season.

 

4. Freshmen Sirles, Qvale, and Coffey who would have challenged for time this year were banged up.

 

5. Christensen never really was that impressive this year.

 

6. Burkes was out for the season with injury, and now off the team.

 

7. The Joneses didn't have a good year at right tackle.

 

8. Meyer and Caputo were the only genuine backups.

 

9. Henry who was probably the healthiest of the whole bunch, but was also the most inexperienced.

 

In three of the last four games of the season, Bo didn't substitute on the offensive line at all. Looking back, it really surprises me the team actually won 10 games.

 

If Barney doesn't pull it together with the guys returning and the JUCO transfer, then I think it's time they go in another direction without him.

[ESPY]

I think the O-Line is on everyone's mind for next year. We lose Hickman, Meyer, and Christiansen for 2010.

 

By the middle of the season our depth on the O-Line went from adequate (3 Guards, 3 Tackles, 2 Centers) to resembling a M.A.S.H. ward.

 

1. Williams missed action early in the season with a torn pec.

 

2. Smith missed time also to injury.

 

3. Hickman had a bum ankle, a bowling ball sized hip bruise, and contracted swine flu sometime during the season.

 

4. Freshmen Sirles, Qvale, and Coffey who would have challenged for time this year were banged up.

 

5. Christensen never really was that impressive this year.

 

6. Burkes was out for the season with injury, and now off the team.

 

7. The Joneses didn't have a good year at right tackle.

 

8. Meyer and Caputo were the only genuine backups.

 

9. Henry who was probably the healthiest of the whole bunch, but was also the most inexperienced.

 

In three of the last four games of the season, Bo didn't substitute on the offensive line at all. Looking back, it really surprises me the team actually won 10 games.

 

If Barney doesn't pull it together with the guys returning and the JUCO transfer, then I think it's time they go in another direction without him.

 

Yahtzee! I totesmagotes agree that Cotton has to get better results. He's far closer to losing his spot than any other coach. If I didn't know any better, I'd say we should give the Jets O-line coach another shot. He seems to have found his calling with that capacity

[ESPY]

I have confidence the offense will improve next season. Of course they couldn't do much worse. Sure, injuries and inexperience were a part of that, but what NCAA football team doesn't face those situations?

 

I'm typically a believer that a team with as many healthy returning starters as NU will have next season will improve ten-fold if the same offensive system stays intact. HOWEVER, I'm not so sure that's the case with these players and the system they're under with Watson at the helm. Don't get me wrong, there's a decent chance the Husker offense will perform much closer to the tune of that AZ game, but I think Watson's numbers as an offensive coordinator are too daunting to overlook.

 

On Dec 6, 2009, Dirk Chatelain of the Omaha World-Herald provided the following:

"Since 2000, Watson has been an offensive coordinator nine seasons in the Big 12. At Colorado (2000 to ’05), and at Nebraska (2007 to ’09). His standing in the Big 12 offensive rankings:

• ’00: 8th in total offense, 10th in scoring offense

• ’01: 2nd, 4th

• ’02: 9th, 9th

• ’03: 9th, 8th

• ’04: 9th, 9th

• ’05: 8th, 9th

• ’07: 5th, 8th

• ’08: 6th, 6th

• ’09: 11th, 8th"

 

With the entire 2009 season under our belts, the final rankings were 11th in total offense and 8th in scoring offense, and that includes the bowl game. That said, I think Watson has a lot riding on this season. The expectations are higher then they've been in a long time, and he simply must get this offense moving, regardless of personnel issues.

[T_O_Bull]

You never know anything about how well your offence or defence will turn out from year to year. Chemistry changes, seniors move on with life, freshmen and red shirts are expected to contribute in ways that they never have. Our defence looks to be the strong backbone of the 2010 Huskers, at this point we can only hope. Our offence finished the year with a totally unexpected performance. Let's hope that they can maintain the momentum they got from their Holiday Bowl win over the U of A.

T_O_B

[whateveritis1224]

Really think that the offense we saw in '08 is the offense we will strive too be every year. Next year I see the running game and Wildcat take the place of all those short throws that Ganz did with Swift and Peterson. Biggest problems with the offense this year were o-line depth/injury problems and inconsistent WR and QB play. Our No. 1 was too inconsistent and out no. 2 and 3 dropped off a cliff and by the time we brought in new players to replace them we went to our vanilla offense.

 

This has been hashed and rehashed but as long as our O-line stays healthy, our WRs don't drop passes, and our QBs can be somewhat accurate against the top flight teams. I see our offense not having the same problems we had this year because of the amount of experience we are returning.

[REDSTEEL]

Really think that the offense we saw in '08 is the offense we will strive too be every year. Next year I see the running game and Wildcat take the place of all those short throws that Ganz did with Swift and Peterson. Biggest problems with the offense this year were o-line depth/injury problems and inconsistent WR and QB play. Our No. 1 was too inconsistent and out no. 2 and 3 dropped off a cliff and by the time we brought in new players to replace them we went to our vanilla offense.

 

This has been hashed and rehashed but as long as our O-line stays healthy, our WRs don't drop passes, and our QBs can be somewhat accurate against the top flight teams. I see our offense not having the same problems we had this year because of the amount of experience we are returning.

I hope not otherwise Nerbaska will never ever sniff a conference championship let alone a National championship.

[knapplc]

Really think that the offense we saw in '08 is the offense we will strive too be every year. Next year I see the running game and Wildcat take the place of all those short throws that Ganz did with Swift and Peterson. Biggest problems with the offense this year were o-line depth/injury problems and inconsistent WR and QB play. Our No. 1 was too inconsistent and out no. 2 and 3 dropped off a cliff and by the time we brought in new players to replace them we went to our vanilla offense.

 

This has been hashed and rehashed but as long as our O-line stays healthy, our WRs don't drop passes, and our QBs can be somewhat accurate against the top flight teams. I see our offense not having the same problems we had this year because of the amount of experience we are returning.

I hope not otherwise Nerbaska will never ever sniff a conference championship let alone a National championship.

¿qué pasa?

 

You realize that our offense scored 35 points per game in 2008, si? With that offense and this defense, there isn't a team in all the land we couldn't beat.

[Enhance]

Really think that the offense we saw in '08 is the offense we will strive too be every year. Next year I see the running game and Wildcat take the place of all those short throws that Ganz did with Swift and Peterson. Biggest problems with the offense this year were o-line depth/injury problems and inconsistent WR and QB play. Our No. 1 was too inconsistent and out no. 2 and 3 dropped off a cliff and by the time we brought in new players to replace them we went to our vanilla offense.

 

This has been hashed and rehashed but as long as our O-line stays healthy, our WRs don't drop passes, and our QBs can be somewhat accurate against the top flight teams. I see our offense not having the same problems we had this year because of the amount of experience we are returning.

I hope not otherwise Nerbaska will never ever sniff a conference championship let alone a National championship.

¿qué pasa?

 

You realize that our offense scored 35 points per game in 2008, si? With that offense and this defense, there isn't a team in all the land we couldn't beat.

2009 defense with 2008 offense is an 11-1 team at worst. The game that would have been most challenging would have been 08 Oklahoma.