Moiraine Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 We've gotten called for 5 men in the backfield on at least 2 occasions. Perhaps that's why the formation hasn't been used that often. I'm assuming that on each occasion we had a WR who didn't line up on the line of scrimmage. Quote Link to comment
flatwaterfan Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Burkhead at FB was killer. He hits the gaps quick and his natural ability makes a short gain into a 5 or 6 yarder easy. Then the fact that Aaron Green and Abdullah are on the field too.....it just makes the defense have to think about all kinds of things. I'm loving it. I think it will develop into a big part of our game. Of course, Martinez always has the option of keeping it as well. Which as we have all seen, can really pay huge dividends. Burkhead, Martinez, Abdullah and Green all in the backfield at the same time.........Yep, sounds like a winner to me. +1 Quote Link to comment
ZRod Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Does anybody remember seeing the diamond or this new triple option set before half-time? I personally don't, so I wonder if Beck would prefer not to use them? It seems that we started this game with our basic formation of power-i/pistol/shotgun, and then ran the diamond/nebraska-flexbone/power-i exclusively to finish the game. Seriously, props to Beck for making the switch and getting our guys rolling, but I wonder what the reasoning is behind not using them earlier? My best guess is that Beck wants to test the defenses early with the basics and then go to these formations later if he has too, but I'm wondering what you guys think. I sure don't remember seeing it before. It's a "very" good question about why it surfaces now. I'm in the "reps required" camp so I think it's silly to hide it almost to halfway into the season. Heh....otoh, there's no arguing the great results. So what do I know? Maybe da skers will swing by and give us the scoop. GBR!! It's been used a few times during the first hand full of games this season, but I don't think it surfaced more than once or twice in a game. And I think I recall Rex being in at fullback in the I against Washington or Wyoming for a few plays. Quote Link to comment
Husker_in_Tarheel_land Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Being a critic of Martinez I agree these types of option offenses play to his strength and to the strength/depth of our RB corp. Also to give Martinez some credit he did start checking down to Rex on pass plays. Something that was completely missed in the Wisc game. Quote Link to comment
VectorVictor Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 That formation killed tOSU defense it put them on their heels. Why Beck hasn't tried initiating earlier blows my mind, but its gonna be very hard to stop. tOSU was still attacking and bringing players up, even when we were running the diamond during those first few series. And while the Diamond formation contributed, it was the downfield strike to Qunicy that ultimately put tOSU back on their heels and put the fear of God in them. Though the Diamond did help keep tOSU on their heels after-the-fact... Quote Link to comment
Enhance Posted October 10, 2011 Author Share Posted October 10, 2011 Being a critic of Martinez I agree these types of option offenses play to his strength and to the strength/depth of our RB corp. Also to give Martinez some credit he did start checking down to Rex on pass plays. Something that was completely missed in the Wisc game. As I mentioned in another thread, I was really impressed with the adjustment we made to make Burkhead a more obvious target. Instead of always swinging him out to one side of the field, we'd sometimes have him go between the tackles and then sit just past the line of scrimmage so Martinez could pretty much look right in front of him and see an open man. It worked pretty well. Quote Link to comment
ZRod Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 I don't know if that was an adjustment or if Taylor was talked to and finally started seeing it and learning that 2-3 yards is better than a sack, fumble, or pick. Those dump-offs/check downs were there last week but I think he was just focusing on the big play everytime. Quote Link to comment
DJR313 Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 This formation puts 4 potential ball carriers that you are afraid of in the backfield. If the line can hold a block, it puts the ball carrier in position to make a big play by making someone miss and will usually leave a receiver with 1 on 1 coverage and no safety over the top. You put a formation out there with Taylor, Rex, Aaron Green, Abdullah, Enunwa/Turner and Kyler Reed/Ben Cotton, that is an awful dangerous formation that will be very difficult for teams to defend. Looking ahead at the schedule, I do not see many teams (if any) that have the athleticism on defense to shut down on all that speed. We'll see if they can continue to execute. Quote Link to comment
hskerprid Posted October 10, 2011 Share Posted October 10, 2011 Didn't Osborne use this as well? Wasn't it the "double wing set"? The diamond is just set up deeper in the backfield. We used to use the double wing alot with Shevin Wiggins. Quote Link to comment
PaulCrewe Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Didn't Osborne use this as well? Wasn't it the "double wing set"? The diamond is just set up deeper in the backfield. We used to use the double wing alot with Shevin Wiggins. The formation that TO ran with Frost and Wiggins among others, was more of a double wing. The motion of the wingbacks back into the backfield before the snap is straight old school. What I really like the "diamond/inverted wishbone" formation. The fact that this formation allows NU to feature all of its offensive weapons in any mixture in many ways, really plays into the style of where this offense is supposedly going. TMart, Rex, Green, Abdullah, and Heard(when healthy) running the ball. Any combo of Turner/Bell//Kinnie/Enunwa/Reed/Cotton, the options are endless and quite frankly scarey are all the mismatch possibilities. I thought this formation would be featured more against the likes of Wiscy. Quote Link to comment
Scarlet Overkill Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 This zone read T-Mart scored on out of the diamond was such a great play! I can't imagine a drawn up play being executed better, and there's so many different things that can be done out of it. Either decision the end makes, if the safety whiffs it's a big gainer. And the next score came off a zone read fake out of the diamond where the safeties came way up and allowed Enunwa to get a step and haul in it. That formation makes me drool. More please. Quote Link to comment
CFHusker Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 This formation does not seem that hard to defend and is probably the reason they run it more when the defense is tired. Pre snap it is confusing and the defender would need to realize how many possible outcomes. However once the ball is snapped they just have to find the direction, once that is determined it becomes only an option between hand off or keep. Realitstically only the QB or one RB could get the ball. In this case as soon as the ball is snapped Abdullah is no longer an option for a run play. The lb can leave him for a safety. If it is not a quick pitch to Burkhead he is out of the play, if it would be a quick pitch the numbers favor the defense (although I could see Burkhead throwing out of this formation). So the option is only keep or give to Green. On this play Yoshi was down field quick so the pass option was eliminated. The D end needed to step up and take on Long, and disrupts the play. A fresh defense flowing to the ball shuts this down, a tired defense craps themselves and watches the the play develop. By that time the wall and numbers are set and the offense wins. Beck used it perfect on Saturday. Overall it was just phone to see some option football. It truly is the best football to watch when it works, and is the reason I am a Husker fan. Quote Link to comment
wiuhusker Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Looking at the above photos of the diamond formation made me think.... Is there anyway we could run the read with Taylor and either Green/Abdullah and if Taylor keeps run an option play in the other direction with Burkhead? Quote Link to comment
Enhance Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Looking at the above photos of the diamond formation made me think.... Is there anyway we could run the read with Taylor and either Green/Abdullah and if Taylor keeps run an option play in the other direction with Burkhead? In theory that's a cool idea, but in reality I don't know if the time to do this would be available against better defenses. The fake to one of the running backs would have to be as quick as a triple option fake to the full back, and then you'd immediately have to run the option with Burkhead otherwise you'd risk being blown up in the back field. Taking the time to do a full zone read and then go with the option would be a long time. Quote Link to comment
wiuhusker Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Looking at the above photos of the diamond formation made me think.... Is there anyway we could run the read with Taylor and either Green/Abdullah and if Taylor keeps run an option play in the other direction with Burkhead? In theory that's a cool idea, but in reality I don't know if the time to do this would be available against better defenses. The fake to one of the running backs would have to be as quick as a triple option fake to the full back, and then you'd immediately have to run the option with Burkhead otherwise you'd risk being blown up in the back field. Taking the time to do a full zone read and then go with the option would be a long time. This was my thought too but I wasn't sure. Figured someone here would be able to help me since I have very little background in football schemes. Quote Link to comment
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