please explain the WCO

[godd2]

I am not a person that knows a whole lot about football strategy and such but from my memory and understanding of the WCO, it consisted of short quick passes to receivers and running backs coming out of the back field...i am really confused by BC play calling...the short passes seem to come on 3rd and long so that we can punt better...we seem to usually run only 2 receivers at a time..we did that when we were an option team....it seems to me that we could move the ball with quick slants and outs for 3-7 yards at a time and through in the running game occasionally...bore the opponents and then go over the top...the hype said that these quarterbacks we have gotten are accurate throwers..i did not see that tonight...i guess i am frustrated because it seems like nobody knows what is going on with the offense and the play calling doesnt seem to be making progress...please someone explain to me what i do not see or understand

[BigRedJake]

I am not a person that knows a whole lot about football strategy and such but from my memory and understanding of the WCO, it consisted of short quick passes to receivers and running backs coming out of the back field...i am really confused by BC play calling...the short passes seem to come on 3rd and long so that we can punt better...we seem to usually run only 2 receivers at a time..we did that when we were an option team....it seems to me that we could move the ball with quick slants and outs for 3-7 yards at a time and through in the running game occasionally...bore the opponents and then go over the top...the hype said that these quarterbacks we have gotten are accurate throwers..i did not see that tonight...i guess i am frustrated because it seems like nobody knows what is going on with the offense and the play calling doesnt seem to be making progress...please someone explain to me what i do not see or understand

The reason you saw innacurate throws is because Taylor had to try to put it out of reach of the defender. The reason there were so many short passes on 3rd and long if because no one downfield was open. They ran quick slants...they were never open. The problem isn't the play calling as far as I can see, every reciever out there looks like Rice did in Denver. NO seperation. NO ONE is getting open.

[mcrooks7]

I am not a person that knows a whole lot about football strategy and such but from my memory and understanding of the WCO, it consisted of short quick passes to receivers and running backs coming out of the back field...i am really confused by BC play calling...the short passes seem to come on 3rd and long so that we can punt better...we seem to usually run only 2 receivers at a time..we did that when we were an option team....it seems to me that we could move the ball with quick slants and outs for 3-7 yards at a time and through in the running game occasionally...bore the opponents and then go over the top...the hype said that these quarterbacks we have gotten are accurate throwers..i did not see that tonight...i guess i am frustrated because it seems like nobody knows what is going on with the offense and the play calling doesnt seem to be making progress...please someone explain to me what i do not see or understand

The reason you saw innacurate throws is because Taylor had to try to put it out of reach of the defender. The reason there were so many short passes on 3rd and long if because no one downfield was open. They ran quick slants...they were never open. The problem isn't the play calling as far as I can see, every reciever out there looks like Rice did in Denver. NO seperation. NO ONE is getting open.

I don't agree. The play calling is largely the problem. Yeah, those things are true too, but the play calling and the routes are difficult to understand, much less execute effectively. The sad thing is the boys upstairs don't seem to care what the players can or cannot do, just keep blindly trying to force this WCO into the Nebraska way of life. Ease up on the reigns a bit, let the Nebraska offense find some connectivity with itself, then start upping the ante. Coach Callahan is simply trying to do too much without concidering the consequences. The plays need to change. The players are doing the best they can that their age and experience can allow being thrown into such a style of offense. More time to learn, better team. For the moment though, let the plays simplify!

[Foppa]

Cally was really starting to develop the play calling in the 1st half...then, after half time, complete SHELL game.

 

Apparently, 7 points is all you ever need. It showed with him, anyway.

 

Yes, I know, no players, we need others in system, gotta learn it, etc.

[BigRedJake]

I am not a person that knows a whole lot about football strategy and such but from my memory and understanding of the WCO, it consisted of short quick passes to receivers and running backs coming out of the back field...i am really confused by BC play calling...the short passes seem to come on 3rd and long so that we can punt better...we seem to usually run only 2 receivers at a time..we did that when we were an option team....it seems to me that we could move the ball with quick slants and outs for 3-7 yards at a time and through in the running game occasionally...bore the opponents and then go over the top...the hype said that these quarterbacks we have gotten are accurate throwers..i did not see that tonight...i guess i am frustrated because it seems like nobody knows what is going on with the offense and the play calling doesnt seem to be making progress...please someone explain to me what i do not see or understand

The reason you saw innacurate throws is because Taylor had to try to put it out of reach of the defender. The reason there were so many short passes on 3rd and long if because no one downfield was open. They ran quick slants...they were never open. The problem isn't the play calling as far as I can see, every reciever out there looks like Rice did in Denver. NO seperation. NO ONE is getting open.

I don't agree. The play calling is largely the problem. Yeah, those things are true too, but the play calling and the routes are difficult to understand, much less execute effectively. The sad thing is the boys upstairs don't seem to care what the players can or cannot do, just keep blindly trying to force this WCO into the Nebraska way of life. Ease up on the reigns a bit, let the Nebraska offense find some connectivity with itself, then start upping the ante. Coach Callahan is simply trying to do too much without concidering the consequences. The plays need to change. The players are doing the best they can that their age and experience can allow being thrown into such a style of offense. More time to learn, better team. For the moment though, let the plays simplify!

Of course it's the play's fault that when Taylor takes his three steps and not one reciever has gotten himself open and he has to sit there and wait for them.

[Red Snow Sword: Husker Sentinel]

I think there's a lot of blame to go around. I'm almost positive that the routes could be more effectivly run.

 

At the same time, I did like the playcalling early in the game.

 

I don't know why that changed, I rreallly wasn't aware of what happened, because I couldn't pay attention in the 3rd quarter to the game.

 

 

But, that games impression on me was that BC needs to refine a few things if THIS offense THIS year is going to score the many points neccesary to sustain Victories

[DaveH]

One think people have to understand, including the people I was sitting around yesterday, is that Taylor usually has 3-4 recievers to choose from on a given pass. If we are 3rd and 15, there ARE ROUTES that will go that far. However, there are also "safe" routes that only go, say 5 yards. Would you rather have him throw an INT trying to throw it 15 because the guy was covered, or would have him throw it 5 and hopefull the receiver can get the remaining yards?

 

I think the playcalling is decent. However, it didn't matter what play was called yesterday. If it didn't work, it was automatically a bad call. To that, I call shennanigans.

 

We need to score more than 7 points if we are going to keep our heads above water this year, obviously.

[Red Snow Sword: Husker Sentinel]

EDIT (whoops, I forgot to finish my intro sentance)

 

One thing I, personally, through my own personal ignorance or experience, either way, (and, slightly, from playing football videogames ((which I know is really meaningless))), one thing I wonder about is if we are attacking all parts of the field, consistently. I was going to add "and properly", but, I'll start small.

 

 

About the WCO - I think it's neccesary to attack on all levels of the field, and not just short to medium range passes on. In regards to 1st down, in particular. Essentially, if you combine that with the running game, then the Defense can just stand still, essentially, and thoug man was used, zones could be effective as well.

 

My point is, (though I didn't get to see the plays, I heard them last night), do you think that BC spreads the field enough?

An earnest question.

 

 

I know we had one deep pass that was over thrown just a little. But really.... regardless of the coverage, I feel it is important to go down field. Even simple go routes and stuff, just to get vertical, instead of too many slants, etc.

 

I think that would help with the run, too, even if we just lob one deep once per drive. Though we did decent with the run this time. But I mean, I think it is integral to make sure the D knows we can throw deep at any time.

[DJR313]

I dunno about the passes for 5-6 yards on third and long. It helps with field position and is safer than throwing it up for grabs, but as a fan it sucks to basically see the team concede to a punt sometimes. I think the main problem is the fact that there were so many 3rd and 15's. The coaches spoke about that during the week, they were looking at the problems and it was getting 2 yards on first and making for 3rd and 6+ and wanted to have 3rd and 2's and 3rd and 1's. In the first half, this seemed to happen for a while, then got bit by the penalty bug. This offense isn't going to do jack s**t if the team can't line up properly, continually holds, receivers don't catch passes, and if/when they catch it, they don't break tackles. Someone else pointed this out in another thread, but this team has nowhere near the playmakers USC has. Their receivers are awesome, their 2 running backs are awesome, their quarterback is awesome. It is a well-oiled machine there. Nebraska doesn't necessarily need these kind of playmakers to win and have a good season, but these guys HAVE TO BE FUNDAMENTALLY SOUND if there is going to be any success whatsoever.

[Red Snow Sword: Husker Sentinel]

^ I do agree with that.

[nebr_bob]

I also agree with DJR - but lets break football down to the simpleist for - Blocking and Tackling and execution execution execution - IMO it does not matter what offensive or defensive schemes that any team runs - it is about the execution of said plays and I do not see that on a consistant basis from this offense - Do they have the same problems on 'O' this year as the 'D' had last year or is there an underlying problem

that we dont know about? New QB? guys not smart enough to understand the O? coaches? hell I dont know. But they need to do something in the next 2 weeks if they want a W.

 

[mcrooks7]

I must say that the offensive schemes are a problem if they are too advanced for the players we have to understand immediately. I know I sound like a broken record, but the players are in over their heads. This is why execution is off, because the play calling is too advanced. This is not a bash against our boys, they are doing the best they can. But the style of west coast offense BC is trying to implement takes proffessional players several seasons to fully understand. This means that our incoming players are expected to do something that the Pros don't expect from thier players. This is simply too much. And remember, Pro players don't have to worry about keeping thier grades up and going to class on top of practicing something that requires full and complete concentration. Callahan's expectations are simply too high. Simplify, simplify, simplify. A win against Iowa State is all but a conceded lost cause, unless someone allows the offense to play with what they are comfortable with.

[nebr_bob]

how can they simplify any more - against Maine they ran 5 diff running plays and maybe 2-3 diff pass plays didnt get to watch the game yesterday but it didnt sound like they were running the WHOLE offensive pkg. USC is running the same O or very similar anyway and THEY get it -- are they any smarter than our players - i think not. These guys must step up and PLAY!!!!!!!

 

[DaveH]

The plays they are calling now are really no more complex than some high schools around the country are calling. Last year at this time it may have been a problem with complexity, but these days, not to much.

 

Yesterday, the offense itself was it's biggest hurdle. We can't have 11 penalties for 91 yards again and expect to win many games. Mistakes in execution were the offenses biggest problems yesterday IMO. However, the Pitt D did play decent so give them a little credit, but we just can't keep shooting ourselves in the foot with dumb procedure type penalties and holding.

[mcrooks7]

I'm sorry, that simply isn't true. Listen to what plays are being called, and you'll realize the system is over the heads of this brand new Husker team. No, there is no excuse for the poor performance of the offensive line, but just watching the vast illegal formation calls, our boys don't get it. Sorry.