This offense

[SnowBigRed]

I'm probably going to catch some crap for this. So be it.

 

The entire time we've had this offensive coaching staff, I have always told myself, "they just need their players, they'll get things turned around, cut out the mistakes and we'll be fine, blah blah blah, etc.". I have always backed Watson. Stayed on his bandwagon all last season, and up until now in this season. But tonight, I've seen enough. Watson's playcalling and offensive schemes are neither creative nor effective. The offense is extremely undisciplined (see false starts, illegal formations, etc.), inconsistent, and doesn't seem to really have a knack for what is going on. Tonight, I actually had the chance to watch the game all by myself in the comfort of my living room. Now, as lame as that sounds, I did this for a reason. I really wanted to analyze what we are trying to do offensively. After dvr'ing the game and watching most of it twice, I still have no clue. The route combinations on passing plays are so simple that any defense (even bad ones such as A&M's, although they played lights out tonight, go figure) seem to be able to figure it out. Up front, we absolutely get manhandled more often than not (see the play in which Martinez gets stepped on, Caputo was getting absolutely b*tched). Watson is terrible at making adjustments on the fly when something isn't working. I could go on and on and on. All in all, as a staff, this offensive football team is not prepared to win a majority of football games. The Nebraska D played spectacularly against a very good offense tonight, but losing games like this seems to be the offense's specialty. Throw out the KSU and Washington game (and the 1st and half of the 4th quarters of the Mizzou game), this offense has been stagnant. Good coaching staffs can still score points when everything isn't ideal (Martinez not being 100%). Tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I will no longer have any confidence in this offense to win a game. Colorado seems to be coming around in their own right, and this game is far from a guaranteed win as it can be. It's just frustrating to see a defense play as well as it did, only to lose the game due to an anemic offensive showing, most of which was on the coaching than anything else. We've got enough talent to score more than 6 pts on an average at best A&M, 20 on a bad Kansas, 17 on a bad SDSU, essentially 6 on a bad Texas, essentially 17 on a bad ISU, and so on and so forth. Here's to Watson turning it around, because this team is going to need it.

 

Blackshirts, we pray for you.

[Hujan]

I'm probably going to catch some crap for this. So be it.

 

The entire time we've had this offensive coaching staff, I have always told myself, "they just need their players, they'll get things turned around, cut out the mistakes and we'll be fine, blah blah blah, etc.". I have always backed Watson. Stayed on his bandwagon all last season, and up until now in this season. But tonight, I've seen enough. Watson's playcalling and offensive schemes are neither creative nor effective. The offense is extremely undisciplined (see false starts, illegal formations, etc.), inconsistent, and doesn't seem to really have a knack for what is going on. Tonight, I actually had the chance to watch the game all by myself in the comfort of my living room. Now, as lame as that sounds, I did this for a reason. I really wanted to analyze what we are trying to do offensively. After dvr'ing the game and watching most of it twice, I still have no clue. The route combinations on passing plays are so simple that any defense (even bad ones such as A&M's, although they played lights out tonight, go figure) seem to be able to figure it out. Up front, we absolutely get manhandled more often than not (see the play in which Martinez gets stepped on, Caputo was getting absolutely b*tched). Watson is terrible at making adjustments on the fly when something isn't working. I could go on and on and on. All in all, as a staff, this offensive football team is not prepared to win a majority of football games. The Nebraska D played spectacularly against a very good offense tonight, but losing games like this seems to be the offense's specialty. Throw out the KSU and Washington game (and the 1st and half of the 4th quarters of the Mizzou game), this offense has been stagnant. Good coaching staffs can still score points when everything isn't ideal (Martinez not being 100%). Tonight was the straw that broke the camel's back for me. I will no longer have any confidence in this offense to win a game. Colorado seems to be coming around in their own right, and this game is far from a guaranteed win as it can be. It's just frustrating to see a defense play as well as it did, only to lose the game due to an anemic offensive showing, most of which was on the coaching than anything else. We've got enough talent to score more than 6 pts on an average at best A&M, 20 on a bad Kansas, 17 on a bad SDSU, essentially 6 on a bad Texas, essentially 17 on a bad ISU, and so on and so forth. Here's to Watson turning it around, because this team is going to need it.

 

Blackshirts, we pray for you.

 

 

Well said. Stuff about needing the right athletes is BS. If the scheme and coaching is sound, the offense will be consistently good. Just look at Oregon. They have had a LOT of turnover at their key skill positions and continue to have a ridiculously potent offense. Between 2007 and 2010, they've had three different starting, dual-threat QBs and three different starting RBs, all of whom put up ridiculous numbers. It almost doesn't matter who they plug in, they just get production. See also Boise State.

 

On the other hand, look at Texas. They get two big time QBs in Young and McCoy and things work okay, but as soon as they leave, the wheels fall off the cart. That is a player-driven system that will be erratic.

 

Or just look at our D, for crying out loud. It almost doesn't matter who is in there, they are going to look like all stars because of the coaching and the schemes. Is it too much to ask for an offense to function like that?

 

Maybe we give Mike Leach a call . . .

[HuskerJosh]

Funny how we didn't see these threads when our QB was healthy, huh?

[shyndy]

yeah but thats just it, without a blazingly fast and full of moxie qb this offense reverts to what it was last year, which was one of the worst offenses in football

[HuskerJosh]

yeah but thats just it, without a blazingly fast and full of moxie qb this offense reverts to what it was last year, which was one of the worst offenses in football

How would you like to change that? Offenses revolve around the QB. If your QB is no threat to run and little threat to pass, what do you think is going to happen? It doesn't help that our talent at WR is mediocre at best, we even had Will Henry out there at one point on a 3rd down. How good do you think the Colts' offense would be without Peyton Manning? Or Auburn's without Cam Newton?

[bshirt]

yeah but thats just it, without a blazingly fast and full of moxie qb this offense reverts to what it was last year, which was one of the worst offenses in football

 

Exactly, without greased lightning at qb....it's 2009 again. Torch the creampuffs and get stuffed by any decent defense.

[Hujan]

Funny how we didn't see these threads when our QB was healthy, huh?

 

You're implying that if Martinez was healthy, we'd still be in love with Watson. How do you explain our failure to score a touchdown against either SDSU or Texas, one of which is a FCS school, the other of which will be lucky to go to the Meineke Car Care Bowl? Martinez was fine then.

 

We've had exactly three full games of quality offense: Washington, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. What do these teams have in common? They are among the worst in college football on defense. We have exactly one-and-a-half quarters of offense against a quality defense in the Mizzou game. Otherwise, we've done jacks*** on offense.

 

This is not okay. How come A&M can bench a pre-season All Big 12 QB for a freaking wide receiver and continuously run up huge points, but we can't do jack with anyone but Martinez, and even then only against horrible defenses?

 

To anyone who is still backing Watson, I have a legitimate question for you: What would it take for you to conclude that he has to go? How badly would the offense have to perform in order for you to agree that he is not the coach for us?

 

I say this because we've basically got 4 total TDs all year against top-50 defenses.

[HuskerJosh]

Funny how we didn't see these threads when our QB was healthy, huh?

 

You're implying that if Martinez was healthy, we'd still be in love with Watson. How do you explain our failure to score a touchdown against either SDSU or Texas, one of which is a FCS school, the other of which will be lucky to go to the Meineke Car Care Bowl? Martinez was fine then.

 

We've had exactly three full games of quality offense: Washington, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. What do these teams have in common? They are among the worst in college football on defense. We have exactly one-and-a-half quarters of offense against a quality defense in the Mizzou game. Otherwise, we've done jacks*** on offense.

 

This is not okay. How come A&M can bench a pre-season All Big 12 QB for a freaking wide receiver and continuously run up huge points, but we can't do jack with anyone but Martinez, and even then only against horrible defenses?

 

To anyone who is still backing Watson, I have a legitimate question for you: What would it take for you to conclude that he has to go? How badly would the offense have to perform in order for you to agree that he is not the coach for us?

 

I say this because we've basically got 4 total TDs all year against top-50 defenses.

We didn't score a touchdown against SDSU? That's news to me. And scoring 9 is "continually run[ing] up huge points"?

[Hujan]

Funny how we didn't see these threads when our QB was healthy, huh?

 

You're implying that if Martinez was healthy, we'd still be in love with Watson. How do you explain our failure to score a touchdown against either SDSU or Texas, one of which is a FCS school, the other of which will be lucky to go to the Meineke Car Care Bowl? Martinez was fine then.

 

We've had exactly three full games of quality offense: Washington, Kansas State, and Oklahoma State. What do these teams have in common? They are among the worst in college football on defense. We have exactly one-and-a-half quarters of offense against a quality defense in the Mizzou game. Otherwise, we've done jacks*** on offense.

 

This is not okay. How come A&M can bench a pre-season All Big 12 QB for a freaking wide receiver and continuously run up huge points, but we can't do jack with anyone but Martinez, and even then only against horrible defenses?

 

To anyone who is still backing Watson, I have a legitimate question for you: What would it take for you to conclude that he has to go? How badly would the offense have to perform in order for you to agree that he is not the coach for us?

 

I say this because we've basically got 4 total TDs all year against top-50 defenses.

We didn't score a touchdown against SDSU? That's news to me. And scoring 9 is "continually run[ing] up huge points"?

 

You're right about SDSU. We got two TDs. That was a brain fart. Still, two TDs in two games to teams that either are in the FCS or will likely finish with a losing record doesn't really do much to advance Watson's cause. We're splitting hairs here. The point is, his offense sucks unless (1) all our players are tip top, and (2) the defense we're facing is horrible.

 

As for your second point, "continually" doesn't mean "always." It means regularly. For f*** sake, Cal just held Oregon to 15 points a week ago. That is called an off night. It happens. But when that becomes more frequent, it can no longer be explained away. It has to be recognized for what it is: a fundamental problem with the offense.

 

Why is it that virtually everyone else can regularly score +20 points, but we can't?

[Hercules]

Wouldn't be surprised to see major changes coming to the offensive staff in the next season or two. Unless results change significantly.

[SnowBigRed]

yeah but thats just it, without a blazingly fast and full of moxie qb this offense reverts to what it was last year, which was one of the worst offenses in football

How would you like to change that? Offenses revolve around the QB. If your QB is no threat to run and little threat to pass, what do you think is going to happen? It doesn't help that our talent at WR is mediocre at best, we even had Will Henry out there at one point on a 3rd down. How good do you think the Colts' offense would be without Peyton Manning? Or Auburn's without Cam Newton?

 

 

I haven't done the research, nor will I take the time to do it, but I would like to ask someone to go back to even the KSU, Wash, or OSU games and take out the big TD plays (40-50+ yds) and tell me what the average yds per play are? Watson is too impatient to grind out an entire drive. He wants to get quick hitters like he did against the teams mentioned before, but if those aren't there, we're done. Passing every 3rd down, whether it be 7 or 2 yards? Give me a break. The O-Line isn't coached up well enough to make changes on the fly against D's that switch it up mid-game. Missed assignments, lack of discipline, lack of accountability are all coaching errors. Yes, we do have a decent game here and there, but these days I blame that on Watson and Co. getting lucky with their scheme that particular week. The very next week we lay an egg because the opposing D called Watson's bluff. We've seen it time and time again over Watson's tenure. I don't know who or what is the answer, but something needs to change.

 

On a side note, no one fears the "Pipeline" anymore. The offensive line is young, and I get that, but they just don't maul people like they should. For a self-proclaimed running team, the offensive line seems soft across the board. They've got the size and strength I think, I just think they lack the fundamentals. Again, that is coaching. You put this same line under Oregon's tutelage for a year or two, and Oregon still puts up huge numbers. I believe there is a real lack of development on the offensive side of the ball (with the exception of possibly Martinez).

[I am I]

Amen

 

and, I was starting threads like this earlier in the year when we were playing the creampuffs.

 

anyone who watches football knows you can't win just scoring on 48 yd td runs the whole year.

 

watson and his finesse offense freaking sucks.

[wilber24]

I would say at this point in the season, the offense just is not where I thought it would be.

Some of that has occured because of Green not improving and Lee being hurt.

I would hope Carnes and Turner would be ready, so we could have some quality depth at QB

[melscott62]

Basically unless taylor or roy have record breaking performances our offense looks pretty bad.

[huskerswnc]

Thats the problem with Shawn's offense. He always says we "take what you can get" on offense, take what the defense is giving us. Ok, so if the defense isn't giving us anything, we don't take anything. Also, to defend against our take what we can get offense, the defense just has to mix up looks to make us think we have an advantage somewhere but actually be assigned to stop the play. No wonder we just take 6 points against good defenses. Imagine if our defense wasn't this damn good, we'd be worse than Duke hands down.

 

In addition, how can you say we are a PHYISICAL football team and then "take what we can get?" What a joke, to be physical, you bully people. To be physical, you dictate whatever you want to do. Do something so well that they can't stop us. Obviously there are scheme advantages in running certain plays against other ones but seriously, zone read, zone read, dropped pass, zone read won't always work so SWITCH IT UP wats. I agree with you that Wats has to go. Colorado can take him back to Boulder next week. Hes a good guy but think about it unemotionally from a 3rd party standpoint. He claims to be a QB coach, are you impressed? Is Cody Green not talented enough that two years in a system and he hasn't improved almost at all? Is it because the system they are in makes it hard for them to produce? Well, that goes back to the OC too. Either way, with what Watson does now, we will never win a national championship with him. Hate on but Wats is a mediocre coordinator and it is proven by the resources around him. If Chris Petersen can make a consistent offense out of nothing, we should not and can not settle for what Wats has done with what he has.