Fumbles

[Big Red 40]

A lot has been made of the fumble problems of the past couple years, and i agree,

My question would be what can be done to fix it? Is it a coaching thing? A player responsibility? Is it something that some players just do more than others? Is it a youth thing that they will grow out of? (Abdullah fumbled more as a freshman than this year if i remember right?) Maybe next year less and senior year no problem.?

I would say its partially coaching, but you can only drill so much before the players have to take over,?

I also think some players are more prone to fumble than others due to running style etc.(Adrian Peterson comes to mind?)

Muffed punts/kickoffs would be a different type of problem, and i cant imagine its easy to look up in the air and catch a ball with huge guys running full speed to take your head off, but some seem to manage better than others.This one i really don't know how you could coach either.

Defensive players taught to hack at the the ball, and helmet hits on the ball make it impossible in my mind to NEVER fumble but i wonder what it take to limit them?

[walksalone]

if you could answer that problem, you might be the most popular guy in the state of Nebraska...

[NoLongerN]

I would think that the additional running these kids face is amazing. I coach tennis. I will put pressure on the kids in serving practice all the time. Do 10 serves in a row. Miss a serve do 25 pushups. Then serve again. Some kids will do 200 pushups in just 10 serves. Lots of various consequences. DF in a match and you run a 7:00 mile for each DF. Fail, do two miles in 7:10 pace. Keep adding. I would think that TM runs a lot of stairs.

[lo country]

During the bowl game between A&M and OU, the announcers commented that in spring ball Johnny Manziel was a turnover machine (fumbles). Sumlin (HC) told him if you expect to play, you need to stop the fumbles. Guys on this team do not fumble.

 

Martinez has led the nation for 3 years in fumbles. Think about that. Our QB leads the nation. He has won us games, lost us games and we have won in spite of him. I would like to think that the staff would put the same pressure on the team as Sumlin, but that will not happen. Hard to tell AA to sit for the fumbles when Martinez would never see the pine. I am sure it is hard on the staff to find an incentive that will enable the guys to hold onto the ball without it keeping Martinez off the field.

[HuskerThor]

I would think that TM runs a lot of stairs.

Maybe that's the reason he fumbles so much. He can't work on not fumbling, since he is running all the time. 😏

[Count 'Bility]

During the bowl game between A&M and OU, the announcers commented that in spring ball Johnny Manziel was a turnover machine (fumbles). Sumlin (HC) told him if you expect to play, you need to stop the fumbles. Guys on this team do not fumble.

 

Martinez has led the nation for 3 years in fumbles. Think about that. Our QB leads the nation. He has won us games, lost us games and we have won in spite of him. I would like to think that the staff would put the same pressure on the team as Sumlin, but that will not happen. Hard to tell AA to sit for the fumbles when Martinez would never see the pine. I am sure it is hard on the staff to find an incentive that will enable the guys to hold onto the ball without it keeping Martinez off the field.

 

What? really? Boy, I bet we really showed him.

[lo country]

During the bowl game between A&M and OU, the announcers commented that in spring ball Johnny Manziel was a turnover machine (fumbles). Sumlin (HC) told him if you expect to play, you need to stop the fumbles. Guys on this team do not fumble.

 

Martinez has led the nation for 3 years in fumbles. Think about that. Our QB leads the nation. He has won us games, lost us games and we have won in spite of him. I would like to think that the staff would put the same pressure on the team as Sumlin, but that will not happen. Hard to tell AA to sit for the fumbles when Martinez would never see the pine. I am sure it is hard on the staff to find an incentive that will enable the guys to hold onto the ball without it keeping Martinez off the field.

 

What? really? Boy, I bet we really showed him.

His fumbles, INT's etc...... Same as saying we won inspite of our D. His i also said he has won us games.

 

Bottom line, he is our best option, but you do not lead the nation in fumbles for 3 years in a row and not have it cost you at some point in the season. That is not really too hard of a proposition to believe.

 

My point being, folks need to take off the Husker colored glasses and realize we have issues. I am mentioning Martinez in this thread as the topic is fumbles. Again, something he has led the nation in for several years.

 

The problem is you can not really use an "in game" punishment for mistakes ie sit a series/play etc as that would take our best playmaker (Martinez) off the field for quite a few plays.

 

If you would like me to get off topic, I can also bring up the 500+ yrds in the air by UGA, the 400+ on the ground from Wisky, 70 points, 63 points etc.....

 

We have issues. But feel free to shoot the messenger.

[HuskerNationNick]

Taylor's fumbles are an issue, but IMO, they are the least of our issues. We score enough points to win games. Its just unfortunate the opponent was able to score more to defeat what our offense was able to do. Fumbles need to be cleaned up, then maybe we wouldn't have closer games, but I don't know one game this year Taylor actually costed us. Some may argue the Georgia game, but after Ameer's fumble, Taylor was just trying to put us back in the game by throwing. Throwing against a stingy Georgia secondary. If our DB's didn't have to be accountable for the run as much as they had to this year, you would have seen even a stronger/tougher secondary. Taylor has won us more games this year than costed us.

 

As for the OP's question, "but i wonder what it take to limit them?"

My closest guess is the further these guys mature, the less they will fumble. Our RB's and Kick Returner's are young. Taylor has no excuse, but its just Taylor and how he has been since day one. We were just lucky his RS Freshman year he was able to recover most of them.

[Count 'Bility]

Im not shooting anyone. I was just being a funny man. You said we've won in spite of Martinez before. I simply suggested that "we sure showed him"

[NoLongerN]

I would think that TM runs a lot of stairs.

Maybe that's the reason he fumbles so much. He can't work on not fumbling, since he is running all the time. 😏

 

I don't know what the consequences are under Bo. Anyone know? what That would tell me a lot.

[Big Red 40]

if you could answer that problem, you might be the most popular guy in the state of Nebraska...

Lol i hear ya, I just figured the collective brain trust that is HuskerBoard, would have this problem fixed in no time.

[corncraze]

I wonder if the type of ball they are using has any part in our many fumbles. Remember the old worn balls they said we were using during our bowl game?

[teachercd]

I would think that the additional running these kids face is amazing. I coach tennis. I will put pressure on the kids in serving practice all the time. Do 10 serves in a row. Miss a serve do 25 pushups. Then serve again. Some kids will do 200 pushups in just 10 serves. Lots of various consequences. DF in a match and you run a 7:00 mile for each DF. Fail, do two miles in 7:10 pace. Keep adding. I would think that TM runs a lot of stairs.

 

Man, I thought tennis practice was supposed to be fun!!! haha

[4skers89]

My solution to most problems in football is to get stronger and faster. After watching a fumble by Taylor in slow motion my solution seems appropriate. A defender tugged on his arm and out popped the ball which made me think that shouldn't happen. If he had the right arm strength and the defender had that good of a grip, it should have spun him around while still holding onto the ball. Taylor's a little guy so I don't expect him to break through a tackle attempt like that but he shouldn't fumble. I believe most RBs that fumble infrequently have strong biceps and forearms. Even when the ball is directly hit by a defender's helmet the ball may bobble but won't pop out.

 

I also believe that the spread offense contributes to fumbles. A ball carrier has defenders flying at them from different directions. When our offense was based on the traditional option the ball carriers knew when contact would be made and knew when to protect the ball better. I forget which game it was but I remember watching Ameer dance through the opponents secondary surrounded by defenders. It seemed strange until I realized that is just the nature of the offense we run. We spread the defense out and get people in space. When the play is run a ball carrier won't know which or when a corner might come off his receiver to make a tackle attempt. Compare that to the toss sweep in the power run game. A RB probably knows who the main tackler will be that he needs to beat and where contact will be made prior to the snap based on how the defense is lined up. The QB/RB exchange in the read option also seems to contribute to a few fumbles. Should be fixed with more repetitions in practice. These are not an excuse for the fumbles but I believe might explain the reason we seem to have more fumbles then in the 80's & 90's.

 

The coaches need to somehow emphasize how important it is to hang onto the ball. One of the best ways to do that is to bench a player that fumbles. If they lack a better alternative then they lose that as a way to motivate. I would guess the coaches felt it was better to have a chronic fumbler like Taylor on the field then sitting on the bench even though his turnovers really hurt the team. Unfortunately even though Taylor will put up some spectacular numbers, if he continues to be a turnover machine next season he won't be remembered as being one of the greatest quarterbacks. Our fans are too smart to discount the turnovers when looking at the other great stats. That's really too bad since he is a dynamic quarterback and has been exciting to watch.

[HuskerNationNick]

My solution to most problems in football is to get stronger and faster. After watching a fumble by Taylor in slow motion my solution seems appropriate. A defender tugged on his arm and out popped the ball which made me think that shouldn't happen. If he had the right arm strength and the defender had that good of a grip, it should have spun him around while still holding onto the ball. Taylor's a little guy so I don't expect him to break through a tackle attempt like that but he shouldn't fumble. I believe most RBs that fumble infrequently have strong biceps and forearms. Even when the ball is directly hit by a defender's helmet the ball may bobble but won't pop out.

 

I also believe that the spread offense contributes to fumbles. A ball carrier has defenders flying at them from different directions. When our offense was based on the traditional option the ball carriers knew when contact would be made and knew when to protect the ball better. I forget which game it was but I remember watching Ameer dance through the opponents secondary surrounded by defenders. It seemed strange until I realized that is just the nature of the offense we run. We spread the defense out and get people in space. When the play is run a ball carrier won't know which or when a corner might come off his receiver to make a tackle attempt. Compare that to the toss sweep in the power run game. A RB probably knows who the main tackler will be that he needs to beat and where contact will be made prior to the snap based on how the defense is lined up. The QB/RB exchange in the read option also seems to contribute to a few fumbles. Should be fixed with more repetitions in practice. These are not an excuse for the fumbles but I believe might explain the reason we seem to have more fumbles then in the 80's & 90's.

 

The coaches need to somehow emphasize how important it is to hang onto the ball. One of the best ways to do that is to bench a player that fumbles. If they lack a better alternative then they lose that as a way to motivate. I would guess the coaches felt it was better to have a chronic fumbler like Taylor on the field then sitting on the bench even though his turnovers really hurt the team. Unfortunately even though Taylor will put up some spectacular numbers, if he continues to be a turnover machine next season he won't be remembered as being one of the greatest quarterbacks. Our fans are too smart to discount the turnovers when looking at the other great stats. That's really too bad since he is a dynamic quarterback and has been exciting to watch.

 

 

Seriously? Lol stronger and faster? Taylor can't get any faster. Taylor a little guy? Height wise in the QB world, sure I could agree, but he is 6' 1" on a good day, and looks to be over what Husker says @ 200lbs. Thats not a little guy. You can make his stronger, if he doesn't handle a ball correctly or doesn't drop when someone is trying to strip it, its going to happen.

 

It doesn't matter how strong or fast you are, it matter how you secure the ball, and you don't give the defender time to strip it. The helmet fumbles are getting rarer due to rules, since the defender isn't allowed to lead with the helmet. Like I said, strength isn't the factor, its how you secure the ball that matters.

 

Bench the player that fumbles is good IF you have good players to back them up. Who is going to come in for Taylor??? This year, nobody. Next year, possibly Armstrong. Ameer doesn't fumble enough on offense to bench him. Special Teams, EVERYONE is fumbling on Special Teams. From Ameer, to Bell, all the way to "sure hands" Marlowe. Its hard to see how you say that " would guess the coaches felt it was better to have a chronic fumbler like Taylor on the field then sitting on the bench even though his turnovers really hurt the team." What game, besides the UCLA game, can you say Taylor's fumble has hurt the team? The defense this year has hurt the team. The defense is the one who allowed 600+ yards/game in 4 games. Not Taylor.

 

The coaches emphasis how important it is for these guys to hold on to the ball. Thats all they can do, and run drills. They can't go out there and hold on to the ball for them like some people on here think. We play our BEST players. Its simple as that. Lets bench our best players for them fumbling a couple times out of the year. Lets take our game maker Taylor out because he makes way more good plays than he does fumble.