Nice OWH Article on Watson

[Husker_x]

I think the idea of Watson having something to prove has gone beyond discussion and morphed into what we normally call an undisputed fact or common knowledge.

 

My prediction is we struggle to put up 21 on Missouri, provided we don't get a handful of Tiger turnovers in the red zone.

 

Watson is great as long as the defense in question is in nearly the worst in the nation at something, or mediocre across the board. Part of it has been talent. Part of it has been injuries. But sooner or later the day must come when you put on a show against someone who can play ball.

[suh_fan93]

My opinion of the 2009 offense was that it reflected having a broken offensive line. Frazier would have failed last year in his prime playing behind last year's offensive line. We spotted Texas 10 points. They shut our running game down. We went to the pass, but none of our receivers wanted to catch it. The last I read, we're averaging 3.8 fumbles per game. I'm not sure how this falls on the OC. I'm neither a Watson lover nor hater, but he has seemed to play the hand that's been dealt him. Last year he had a broken offensive line, and a QB with a bumb arm. I don't see anyone calling for any defensive coaches heads even though our rush defense isn't ranked a lot better than last year's offense was ranked.

Our rush defense does not have a proven track record of not producing.... The guy has stunk as an offensive coordinator in games that were considered true 'tests' for us. That's the bottom line. He hasn't produced. The article even states this. I don't care if we blow out Idaho and have 600 yards and score 6 touchdowns. Can he put points on the board and not put everything on our defense in a big game against someone with a halfway good defense?????

 

Since 2008:

 

Nine opponents have been ranked in the top 50 nationally in scoring defense.

 

Against those teams, Nebraska's record is 3-6. Its offense produced only 10 TDs.....

 

 

 

I respect your opinion. I do not share it however.

[Landlord]

If Watson's gameplan and playcalling was so horrid against Texas, then I'd like someone to explain to me why Burkhead, Paul, Kinnie, etc. didn't have defenders within ten yards of them when they dropped all those passes. I will explain some very poor gameplanning and playcalling. When we played OU a few years back with Clownahan calling the shots, we faced the #1 rush defense in the country while their pass defense was suspect. What was his gameplan? Run the ball up the gut 90+ percent of the time and never stretch the field with a pass. Another great Clownahan gameplan and playcalling would have to be the Texas Tech game in 04'. I guess after you've had 4 balls picked the playcalling should always include throwing up more lameducks to see just how many Texas Tech could retrieve before they got tired.

Firstoff no one's denying the dropped passes killed us against Texas. We would have at least tied if not won the game had we converted those into catches. Do you really think the Texas game should have boiled down to a few dropped TD passes? Did you see the Iowa State-Texas game? UCLA????

 

For me this has nothing to do with just one game. Not even close. It goes well beyond that. 2009 was ugly to watch and IMO it shouldn't have been nearly as bad as it was for NU on offense. (99th nationally) We had the talent but IMO had an offensive coordinator who I feel held us back and who also didn't come close to getting the most out of the players he had on offense. Again just my opinion here.

 

 

 

Bo has stated that it was his call to put the offense into vanilla, ball control mode, not Watson's. Bo came to Watson and said, "Look, we could probably score some more points in the rest of our games, but that's not what I want our focus to be. I want to focus on not turning the ball over and letting our defense carry us." and Watson begrudgingly went along with it.

[suh_fan93]

If Watson's gameplan and playcalling was so horrid against Texas, then I'd like someone to explain to me why Burkhead, Paul, Kinnie, etc. didn't have defenders within ten yards of them when they dropped all those passes. I will explain some very poor gameplanning and playcalling. When we played OU a few years back with Clownahan calling the shots, we faced the #1 rush defense in the country while their pass defense was suspect. What was his gameplan? Run the ball up the gut 90+ percent of the time and never stretch the field with a pass. Another great Clownahan gameplan and playcalling would have to be the Texas Tech game in 04'. I guess after you've had 4 balls picked the playcalling should always include throwing up more lameducks to see just how many Texas Tech could retrieve before they got tired.

Firstoff no one's denying the dropped passes killed us against Texas. We would have at least tied if not won the game had we converted those into catches. Do you really think the Texas game should have boiled down to a few dropped TD passes? Did you see the Iowa State-Texas game? UCLA????

 

For me this has nothing to do with just one game. Not even close. It goes well beyond that. 2009 was ugly to watch and IMO it shouldn't have been nearly as bad as it was for NU on offense. (99th nationally) We had the talent but IMO had an offensive coordinator who I feel held us back and who also didn't come close to getting the most out of the players he had on offense. Again just my opinion here.

Bo has stated that it was his call to put the offense into vanilla, ball control mode, not Watson's. Bo came to Watson and said, "Look, we could probably score some more points in the rest of our games, but that's not what I want our focus to be. I want to focus on not turning the ball over and letting our defense carry us." and Watson begrudgingly went along with it.

 

Bo might have some input here and there but he has always maintained that he lets his coaches 'coach'. Sounds like Bo wanted to incorporate more running by our quarterback but the 'vanilla' offensive game plan is all Watson and it's still Watson who calls the individual plays.

 

 

Watson said inexperience at receiver as well as injuries at offensive line and running back limited him to a vanilla approach. "I knew I was going to take criticism, but it was the best thing for our team," he said. Not until the Huskers' 33-0 Holiday Bowl win over Arizona did he feel the unit was healthy and inexperienced enough to open up the playbook.

^

Until the Holiday Bowl. Umm...too little too late Sean.

 

Link: http://sportsillustr...ense/index.html

[mnhusker]

When I saw this article earlier I couldn’t wait to comment on it here on the board. I details how I have felt in general about the Watson Offenses. I had a general feeling that they were a paper tiger who folded against real competition. I was glad to see us start moving to bit more of a run philosophy because I felt like it would help us learn how to score on tough teams.

 

I think we are on the right path and I look forward to the season.

 

A second note after reading some of the stuff after last weeks game about how T-mart frustrated them I think it is starting to sink in for me that this kid is good and how much trouble he can be for the opposing teams.

[NebraskaShellback]

:boxosoap :boxosoap :boxosoap :boxosoap

 

Beating the dead horse again on this thread on Watson

 

:boxosoap :boxosoap :boxosoap :boxosoap

 

Personally, I like our chances this Saturday against the little tigers.

[zoogs]

Watson will always have something to prove to a fanbase that is determined to find something wrong with him, and (for the present) believes Bo and Carl are walking on water. I don't believe either to be reality, and am glad we have all of these guys.

[Landlord]

If Watson's gameplan and playcalling was so horrid against Texas, then I'd like someone to explain to me why Burkhead, Paul, Kinnie, etc. didn't have defenders within ten yards of them when they dropped all those passes. I will explain some very poor gameplanning and playcalling. When we played OU a few years back with Clownahan calling the shots, we faced the #1 rush defense in the country while their pass defense was suspect. What was his gameplan? Run the ball up the gut 90+ percent of the time and never stretch the field with a pass. Another great Clownahan gameplan and playcalling would have to be the Texas Tech game in 04'. I guess after you've had 4 balls picked the playcalling should always include throwing up more lameducks to see just how many Texas Tech could retrieve before they got tired.

Firstoff no one's denying the dropped passes killed us against Texas. We would have at least tied if not won the game had we converted those into catches. Do you really think the Texas game should have boiled down to a few dropped TD passes? Did you see the Iowa State-Texas game? UCLA????

 

For me this has nothing to do with just one game. Not even close. It goes well beyond that. 2009 was ugly to watch and IMO it shouldn't have been nearly as bad as it was for NU on offense. (99th nationally) We had the talent but IMO had an offensive coordinator who I feel held us back and who also didn't come close to getting the most out of the players he had on offense. Again just my opinion here.

Bo has stated that it was his call to put the offense into vanilla, ball control mode, not Watson's. Bo came to Watson and said, "Look, we could probably score some more points in the rest of our games, but that's not what I want our focus to be. I want to focus on not turning the ball over and letting our defense carry us." and Watson begrudgingly went along with it.

 

Bo might have some input here and there but he has always maintained that he lets his coaches 'coach'. Sounds like Bo wanted to incorporate more running by our quarterback but the 'vanilla' offensive game plan is all Watson and it's still Watson who calls the individual plays.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, you're wrong. Bo said he pulled back the reigns on the offense, it was his call and Watson didn't like it but went along with it, and even admitted that he (that is, Bo Pelini, our head coach) probably overreacted a bit and could have let Watson and the offense do a bit more.

[suh_fan93]

If Watson's gameplan and playcalling was so horrid against Texas, then I'd like someone to explain to me why Burkhead, Paul, Kinnie, etc. didn't have defenders within ten yards of them when they dropped all those passes. I will explain some very poor gameplanning and playcalling. When we played OU a few years back with Clownahan calling the shots, we faced the #1 rush defense in the country while their pass defense was suspect. What was his gameplan? Run the ball up the gut 90+ percent of the time and never stretch the field with a pass. Another great Clownahan gameplan and playcalling would have to be the Texas Tech game in 04'. I guess after you've had 4 balls picked the playcalling should always include throwing up more lameducks to see just how many Texas Tech could retrieve before they got tired.

Firstoff no one's denying the dropped passes killed us against Texas. We would have at least tied if not won the game had we converted those into catches. Do you really think the Texas game should have boiled down to a few dropped TD passes? Did you see the Iowa State-Texas game? UCLA????

 

For me this has nothing to do with just one game. Not even close. It goes well beyond that. 2009 was ugly to watch and IMO it shouldn't have been nearly as bad as it was for NU on offense. (99th nationally) We had the talent but IMO had an offensive coordinator who I feel held us back and who also didn't come close to getting the most out of the players he had on offense. Again just my opinion here.

Bo has stated that it was his call to put the offense into vanilla, ball control mode, not Watson's. Bo came to Watson and said, "Look, we could probably score some more points in the rest of our games, but that's not what I want our focus to be. I want to focus on not turning the ball over and letting our defense carry us." and Watson begrudgingly went along with it.

 

Bo might have some input here and there but he has always maintained that he lets his coaches 'coach'. Sounds like Bo wanted to incorporate more running by our quarterback but the 'vanilla' offensive game plan is all Watson and it's still Watson who calls the individual plays.

 

 

 

 

Sorry, you're wrong. Bo said he pulled back the reigns on the offense, it was his call and Watson didn't like it but went along with it, and even admitted that he (that is, Bo Pelini, our head coach) probably overreacted a bit and could have let Watson and the offense do a bit more.

Link???

[sd'sker]

Watson will always have something to prove to a fanbase that is determined to find something wrong with him, and (for the present) believes Bo and Carl are walking on water. I don't believe either to be reality, and am glad we have all of these guys.

qft.

[zoogs]

suh_fan, I don't know have a link but I think there have been plenty of people saying that was the case, that Bo pulled the reins back last year. But, I don't think it's like Watson was dragged kicking and screaming and protesting "No! Let me open the O up!" I don't think the two coaches were at odds at all on that one, although someone can correct me if wrong. I think it was something where Bo made the call, "We can't keep trying and failing to execute, because it's going to cost us games. Turtle down and ride the D to the win."

 

That was absolutely the right call last year, IMO, and if fans have a problem with it they should really take it up to Bo.

[JTrain]

i just do not know what makes people who are calling for watson's head think we can find a better coordinator. first, i like watson and have confidence in him. second, i do not see any reason to believe we could get a better one. great offense coordinators, that can win through coaching and schemes alone, are few and far between. i think watson is doing a fine job with the talent he has gotten. offensive coordinator is the easiest position to criticize, but calling an actual college football game is not like picking plays in ncaa '11.

 

I think Watson's a really likable guy, but as an OC he's very, very average and the long-term stats show this. I don't keep up with assistant coaches around the country enough to know who would replace him, but I figure we would at least have a 50/50 chance of getting someone more productive. And probably higher considering the guy that would be making the hire knows a thing or two about offense.

[suh_fan93]

suh_fan, I don't know have a link but I think there have been plenty of people saying that was the case, that Bo pulled the reins back last year. But, I don't think it's like Watson was dragged kicking and screaming and protesting "No! Let me open the O up!" I don't think the two coaches were at odds at all on that one, although someone can correct me if wrong. I think it was something where Bo made the call, "We can't keep trying and failing to execute, because it's going to cost us games. Turtle down and ride the D to the win."

 

That was absolutely the right call last year, IMO, and if fans have a problem with it they should really take it up to Bo.

Sorry, have a hard time believing that. Watson is the offensive coordinator and no one in their right mind would simply put everything on any defense regardless of how good they were and hope that defense alone would win games. A lot of Watson defenders (in this thread anyway) and by all means I'm open to hearing both sides. That's what makes this place so interesting and keeps things going. As for me Watson needs to go and it's over due. I wish the best for our team, I want us to win every game we play and am not immune to the fact that even the best teams lose. Losing because your competition is better is one thing. In the end it's still Watson calling the individual plays and our record and offensive output against teams with halfway good defenses speaks for itself. That's all I need.

[knapplc]

suh_fan, I don't know have a link but I think there have been plenty of people saying that was the case, that Bo pulled the reins back last year. But, I don't think it's like Watson was dragged kicking and screaming and protesting "No! Let me open the O up!" I don't think the two coaches were at odds at all on that one, although someone can correct me if wrong. I think it was something where Bo made the call, "We can't keep trying and failing to execute, because it's going to cost us games. Turtle down and ride the D to the win."

 

That was absolutely the right call last year, IMO, and if fans have a problem with it they should really take it up to Bo.

Sorry, have a hard time believing that. Watson is the offensive coordinator and no one in their right mind would simply put everything on any defense regardless of how good they were and hope that defense alone would win games. A lot of Watson defenders (in this thread anyway) and by all means I'm open to hearing both sides. That's what makes this place so interesting and keeps things going. As for me Watson needs to go and it's over due. I wish the best for our team, I want us to win every game we play and am not immune to the fact that even the best teams lose. In the end it's still Watson calling the individual plays and our record and offensive output against teams with halfway good defenses speaks for itself. That's all I need.

 

If it helps, I'll throw my hat in that ring. I have no link, but this is what I heard, too. It was pretty commonly discussed this past offseason.

[Landlord]

suh_fan, I don't know have a link but I think there have been plenty of people saying that was the case, that Bo pulled the reins back last year. But, I don't think it's like Watson was dragged kicking and screaming and protesting "No! Let me open the O up!" I don't think the two coaches were at odds at all on that one, although someone can correct me if wrong. I think it was something where Bo made the call, "We can't keep trying and failing to execute, because it's going to cost us games. Turtle down and ride the D to the win."

 

That was absolutely the right call last year, IMO, and if fans have a problem with it they should really take it up to Bo.

Sorry, have a hard time believing that. Watson is the offensive coordinator and no one in their right mind would simply put everything on any defense regardless of how good they were and hope that defense alone would win games. A lot of Watson defenders (in this thread anyway) and by all means I'm open to hearing both sides. That's what makes this place so interesting and keeps things going. As for me Watson needs to go and it's over due. I wish the best for our team, I want us to win every game we play and am not immune to the fact that even the best teams lose. In the end it's still Watson calling the individual plays and our record and offensive output against teams with halfway good defenses speaks for itself. That's all I need.

 

If it helps, I'll throw my hat in that ring. I have no link, but this is what I heard, too. It was pretty commonly discussed this past offseason.

 

 

This, I don't have a link, just a slightly above average memory.