Offense in the red zone

[Eric the Red]

1st and Goal on the 4 and we have an injuried QB run 2 yards and then two consecutive passing plays? Doesn't make any sense.

 

Line up with two fullbacks (Marrow and Janovich) and Ameer and have them play hard nose football and run it up the gut. Lots of Husker fans in my section were pretty upset with the play calling on that drive.

Worst three offensive calls of the year. Not even close either. And I'm the "coaches know what theyre doing, we dont" type. But that was absolutely ridiculous. Put Marrow infront of Cross and there's 500 pounds of running back there. Hell, Cross gains 2 yards by falling down. If you cant get 4 yards in 3 plays with that, then there is a serious issue.

 

 

I disagree with you on the play calling.....we were getting nothing up the middle up to that point in the game. In a crucial moment I'm not sure leaving it up to a true freshman, who ran fairly tentative on the few carries he did get is the answer against a big, strong defense as Mich is.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Inside the 5 is where I'd like to see the old triple option!

[HUSKER FREAK]

Inside the 5 is where I'd like to see the old triple option!

If you're talking the way we ran it in the Osborne era than I say no way, not with Taylor. He just can't run the option well enough and would have turned it over IMO.

[huskered17]

1st and Goal on the 4 and we have an injuried QB run 2 yards and then two consecutive passing plays? Doesn't make any sense.

 

Line up with two fullbacks (Marrow and Janovich) and Ameer and have them play hard nose football and run it up the gut. Lots of Husker fans in my section were pretty upset with the play calling on that drive.

Worst three offensive calls of the year. Not even close either. And I'm the "coaches know what theyre doing, we dont" type. But that was absolutely ridiculous. Put Marrow infront of Cross and there's 500 pounds of running back there. Hell, Cross gains 2 yards by falling down. If you cant get 4 yards in 3 plays with that, then there is a serious issue.

 

 

I disagree with you on the play calling.....we were getting nothing up the middle up to that point in the game. In a crucial moment I'm not sure leaving it up to a true freshman, who ran fairly tentative on the few carries he did get is the answer against a big, strong defense as Mich is.

 

What most of us have seen, is Cross running straight ahead, doesn't run tentative. I guess we won't ever know for sure what he will do, because he doesn't ever get a chance down in those goal line chances. So I will give up bringing it up, or replying to those who don't think he is ready for those situations.

Lets just go beat Mich St

 

 

GBR!!!

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Michigan at that point was stuffing our run game. If they knew we were going to run, then they were going to stuff it again.

 

The PA pass was to loosen them up and ensure they didn't know what we were going to do.

 

I was frustrated by it as well, but I can at least understand it.

[knapplc]

I think, if it hadn't been a one-point game at that point, we'd have run the ball more that series. My guess is they saw a weakness and tried to exploit it.

 

If we'd have had even a 10-6 lead at that point, I'm guessing they go for it on 4th down. Even if we turned the ball over on downs, they'd have 95 or more yards to go, and they hadn't shown the ability to mount serious drives all game (without the aid of penalties, that is).

[Minnesota_husker]

This is also a concern of mine. I think some of it has to do with not trusting Cross and thinking Ameer cant get the tough yards.

 

One of the things to take from this is that Maher seems to be back. He looks very confident, and while the punting at time still concerns me, I like to see his head is in the right spot.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Inside the 5 is where I'd like to see the old triple option!

If you're talking the way we ran it in the Osborne era than I say no way, not with Taylor. He just can't run the option well enough and would have turned it over IMO.

Then how about a wildcat package similar to what OU runs with their LB sized backup QB? Who we got that could pull that off?

[Undone]

Inside the 5 is where I'd like to see the old triple option!

If you're talking the way we ran it in the Osborne era than I say no way, not with Taylor. He just can't run the option well enough and would have turned it over IMO.

Then how about a wildcat package similar to what OU runs with their LB sized backup QB? Who we got that could pull that off?

 

We did essentially do this against Ohio State, and scored two touchdowns with it. Rex was under center and ran the option/pitch to Ameer. But we didn't have Rex for Michigan.

 

I think this also boils down in part to Beck growing into his job. He has a done a good job so far, and deserves much credit.

 

It seems like when Beck started a year ago, it was probably difficult for him to know exactly what our limitations and strengths really were with a Taylor Martinez that was struggling to find his passing game. But he started finding that passing game around the third quarter of the Ohio State comeback and hasn't really looked back since. This gives Beck much more to work with, and you can tell that he really believes in Taylor in the red zone. Which is awesome.

 

I really think that Jamal legitimately lost that ball in the lights, and Marrow didn't have the greatest awareness on the other play to turn and catch. Both were good throws by Taylor. I can't disagree with trying to pound it in...but at the same time it shows that Taylor is growing and Tim's playbook is expanding because of it.

[kchusker_chris]

1st and Goal on the 4 and we have an injuried QB run 2 yards and then two consecutive passing plays? Doesn't make any sense. Line up with two fullbacks (Marrow and Janovich) and Ameer and have them play hard nose football and run it up the gut. Lots of Husker fans in my section were pretty upset with the play calling on that drive.

 

This. This. This. This. This.

 

Run the damn ball.

yup yup yup. this was a "beck" moment. he goes to his little piece of paper under the section highlighted "first and goal" and crosses off the next set of plays - completely disregarding the game that's being played.

 

ok that's a little extreme but sometimes that's how it feels. guy is getting better though.

[RedDenver]

Am I the only one who thought the passes on 2nd and 3rd were good play calls? Look how many defenders are crashing down when we ran on 1st. Receivers were open the next two plays as Mich tried to stuff the middle run game again. Taylor miss fired by rushing his throw to Marrow on 2nd. And Turner lost the ball in the lights on 3rd. Beck absolutely caught Mich off-guard for those calls. Good play calling, but the execution just wasn't there.

[BigRedBuster]

Pass plays in that situation are a work of art if they work and the dumbest thing in the world if they don't.

 

Running up the guy 4 times is a work of art if they work and the dumbest thing in the world if they don't.

 

The fact is, the team needs to execute the plays and they work. As has been said, the receivers were open, one miss was on the QB and one was on the WR. They didn't execute.

[AFhusker]

I can't stand this one bullsh#t motion dive play that NU always, always runs.

 

I think there was an actual play action off of it last time v Michigan.

But I just feel like there has to be something other than the most obvious slam/dive play ever --- goaline 3TE set, and the widest Te goes in motion across the field, then runs back, and chops his feet waiting for the play to snap in the exact spot where the ball is going.

 

I think that's just an ugly play, and I'd never call it if I were coahing or pretending to coach in a video game.

There have been a few times where NU has used it back to back, getting stuffed both times... and I wish that wasn't our 'go to run play' for short yardage.

 

 

ugh.

 

I'll look to see if they did do a playaction off of it..

Last night showed Beck is still learning for sure and/or has a lot more learning to do. We have so many weapons, I wish he would use them in less obvious ways such as the play you referenced above.

 

Beck is handicapped by a very bad OL. That is why he has to get "cute" with his play calling because they can't consistently run block in the red zone.

[Haspula]

Our oline was getting beat throughout the game. It would be difficult to run it on first & goal

[RedDenver]

Beck is handicapped by a very bad OL. That is why he has to get "cute" with his play calling because they can't consistently run block in the red zone.

Yeah, that OL is terrible. I mean, our starting RB only got 101 yards. We suck huge!!!!

 

 

Do I need the sarcastic flag?