Why no screen passes????

[HuskerExpat]

Have we ran a screen pass at anytime this year? There have been various games and the Big 12 Championship was one of them, where the defense was getting a great rush against our O line. Isn't the antidote to that a screen pass, and yet not one was called against OU. I kept screaming at the tv for a screen pass, but apparently it is only a one-way communication device.

[junior4949]

Maybe because the last time we ran one against OU they took it back for six?

[JOEY]

Have we ran a screen pass at anytime this year? There have been various games and the Big 12 Championship was one of them, where the defense was getting a great rush against our O line. Isn't the antidote to that a screen pass, and yet not one was called against OU. I kept screaming at the tv for a screen pass, but apparently it is only a one-way communication device.

Did you get this idea from 1620? They are talking about that now or were a second ago at least.

[I am I]

I think there was kind of a version of a screen run to Rex early in the 4th quarter. I remember thinking, 'oh crap another sack.' then a couple of our lineman were WAY downfield like 6 yds and Martin-ez dumped it off to Rex, he broke a tackle, got a block and made about 7-8 yds.

 

My brother and I were like, 'was that a screen?!!?"

 

i thought for sure they'd throw the flag for Illegal Lineman downfield.

[SOUTHEASTHUSKER]

Maybe screen pass is on page 2 of Watson's playbook?

[HuskerExpat]

Have we ran a screen pass at anytime this year? There have been various games and the Big 12 Championship was one of them, where the defense was getting a great rush against our O line. Isn't the antidote to that a screen pass, and yet not one was called against OU. I kept screaming at the tv for a screen pass, but apparently it is only a one-way communication device.

Did you get this idea from 1620? They are talking about that now or were a second ago at least.

 

No, I have thought this in every game we've lost this year. And I was screaming at the tv on Saturday. And I live in Chicago, so I don't even know what 1620 is about...

[JOEY]

Have we ran a screen pass at anytime this year? There have been various games and the Big 12 Championship was one of them, where the defense was getting a great rush against our O line. Isn't the antidote to that a screen pass, and yet not one was called against OU. I kept screaming at the tv for a screen pass, but apparently it is only a one-way communication device.

Did you get this idea from 1620? They are talking about that now or were a second ago at least.

 

No, I have thought this in every game we've lost this year. And I was screaming at the tv on Saturday. And I live in Chicago, so I don't even know what 1620 is about...

I live in Dallas and I am listening to Omahas 1620 The Zone on the computer.

[zoogs]

I never thought I would see the day when Husker fans gathered in droves on message boards and started BEGGING for screen passes.

 

Full circle, eh?

 

Callahan loved them and it was his specialty, that he installed very well. We've had them over the years, including after he left, but not as prominently. Could be something to do with personnel (Lucky leaving), or Niles being hurt as we threw a few screens to him this year. Mostly it has declined because we have gone from a 60% passing team to a 30% passing team, so I think the route tree shrunk along with that. This is just a guess. I'm not sure how many different kinds of screens are available and installed to us in this new offense, and especially what is available to Taylor. There don't seem to be a whole lot available to Taylor period, as he isn' a fully realized QB with a giant array of plays open to him; got to keep him focused on execution and attack out of basic package of plays. It would be nice to see a screen to maybe Burkhead, who seems to be the only real pass-catching threat at RB but more of a tough, physical runner instead of a lightning breakaway speedster, despite his decent shiftiness. I also wonder if he has great hands. But I don't have these answers.

 

At least people can stop complaining about screens the next time they call one, because now you can literally point to this thread.

[Landlord]

I recall one screen pass on the season, I believe it was against Kansas or Iowa State but I could be totally off base with that. It was the popular Bill Callahan middle screen to Rex. There may have been more, but I didn't see them.

[jsneb83]

Watson probably thinks that since we ran screen plays so much the last couple years that he has to average things out and won't call them for a couple years.

[macroboy]

I think there was kind of a version of a screen run to Rex early in the 4th quarter. I remember thinking, 'oh crap another sack.' then a couple of our lineman were WAY downfield like 6 yds and Martin-ez dumped it off to Rex, he broke a tackle, got a block and made about 7-8 yds.

 

My brother and I were like, 'was that a screen?!!?"

 

i thought for sure they'd throw the flag for Illegal Lineman downfield.

 

I don't think that was a screen (I may be wrong). I think Taylor actually just checked down to a RB.

 

This is one of the things that has bothered me about him all year. He has an RB in the flat as a check down and can't seem to find him.

 

But to the OP- yeah, screen would be good once in a while- I like RB screens more than that sideline WR screen that OU took for a pick 6 a few years ago.

[NUance]

I never thought I would see the day when Husker fans gathered in droves on message boards and started BEGGING for screen passes.

 

Full circle, eh?

Screen passes are okay as long as thrown to the fullback.

[I am I]

zoogies, you just don't get why Husker fans are fed up with Watson.

 

once again you're going to bring up the 06-07 seasons and how much everyone complained that Clownahan ran way too many screens.

 

well, guess what? that was then, this is NOW. Watson ran maybe one or two screens ALL YEAR. and against a team blitzing as much as OU was, they could've proved pretty effective. DId you watch the game with your eyes or did you just look at stats and a play sheet?

 

a screen would've held their blizters accountable and may have spared another sack. don't bring up callahan running 13 screens a game and compare the fans attitude to Watson simply not being creative or deceptive in his play calling. now you're not even coming up with excuses for Wats, you're just bagging on the fans attitude. WATSON SUCKS AND HIS OFFENSES DO TO.

[The Maudfather]

Maybe because the last time we ran one against OU they took it back for six?

That was a wide receiver screen. I remember that year...we ran the wide receiver screen play about 5 times a game and knew it was only a matter of time before a good DB jumped it and took it home. Dominique Franks turned out to be that guy.

 

I agree with the OP though and was waiting for it the whole game. We had one middle screen to Rex, but still think we should have thrown in a couple of true screens to neutralize the pass rush that OU was getting. Gotta keep em honest. We had no deep play threat whatsoever. OU didn't have to respect the deep ball, that allowed them to cheat up on our slant routes (that Watson is a little too fond of) and pin their ears back and come with the pressure.

 

Poorly called game, but that's no news to anyone

[zoogs]

I am I you are missing the point completely. This isn't about Watson, this is about the passing offense that everyone loves to hate. And the irony that while we had screens, we wanted to get rid of them, and now that we don't - we want them back.

 

I bring up Callahan just because he was GREAT with the screen passes. When Callahan left, he took that expertise (along with his expertise in the OL) with him. Of course it is something that is still available to us if we want it with the current offensive staff, but I am noting that we lost a wizard in terms of the screen passing game, so it isn't a surprise that the screen pass would fall out of prominence or lose effectiveness compared to before. That's one reason I am speculating, on the decline of the screen.

 

Another reason is personnel and the departure of Lucky, by far the best pass-catching RB we have had in a while. If I recall he was still used in that capacity in 2008, so it could be a combination of this and the reason I said above. And for WR screens I think we run that mostly with Niles, so it could be a reason that is gone, as that was definitely here earlier in the year.

 

You must not be reading posts with your eyes as you key in on a few terms and get all worked up and defensive about nothing I did say I'd like to see screens more. I think reasons they are less prominent this year have mostly to do with personnel, because I'm unsure how Burkhead is in that role, but that's just a complete guess on my part. And the final point to reiterate is that we are passing 30% of the time compared to 60%, so of course we are going to see less of every kind of pass. And this isn't just scaling down our passing offense from before, where we have all the same kinds of plays installed but just run them with half the frequency: going to this offense necessarily reduces the scope of the passing game, particularly with a freshman athlete in at QB that you don't want to fire hose with information. He has to be given what he can handle and there's only room for so much on that plate. Now this is another complete guess but I wonder if that isn't part of the reason too why screens are less now. I'd want to see them more. I think with a back like Green, though, that we would start seeing them again.

 

Calm the heck down, man