Offensive Identity....

[NUpolo8]

I think its more than possible that so many get frustrated with what Beck wants to run, that the offense seems more multiple than it needs to be, and has a tendency to sputter, is because NU doesn't in fact have all the "weapons" that is proclaimed here.

 

Could Beck pare some things down to assuage that? Sure, but as its been pointed out above, Nebraska runs the ball nearly 65-70% of the time. Sometimes, you have to do different things.

[Redux]

The stats tell most the story but not all ofnit. Against Wisconsin 2011. It was the same pass play three times in a row until it inevitably got picked, several times. We never changed the type of play to something that would throw them off. Run ornpass it doesnt matter if the defense expects it. Beck seems stubborn in that regard.

 

Michigan same year, we throw a quad option at themnot even the coaches knew what to think about it. Face plant on the rest of the game. Same plays over and over, they expected them. So 30 rushes and 23 passes? Ok how many of the rushes were for more than 5 yards? How many of the pass attempts were consecutive and how many caught?

[lo country]

IMO, our identity is panic. When we get behind, or a run fails, Beck goes pass happy. Michicken 3 years ago, UCLA in 2012, Minnie etc..... Beck was the passing coordinator at KU. It is what he knows and is comfortable with. I get that. In those games, we were still in it until we started slinging the rock like no ones business. If we had a Carr or Bridgewater back there, rock on. With the guys we have had, no thanks. We are not built to pass to win games.

Northwestern 2013 - 47 rushes, 21 passes

Wisconsin 2012 - 41 rushes, 28 passes (even though we averaged 1.4 ypc)

Northwestern 2012 - 44 rushes, 39 passes

Michigan State 2012 - 40 rushes, 36 passes

 

Even the games you mentioned:

Minnesota 2013 - 30 rushes, 30 passes

UCLA 2012 - 36 rushes, 31 passes

Michigan 2011 - 31 rushes, 23 passes

 

If we've been pretty steady at 60/40 and "panicking" is 50/50 (at worst) or 57/43, that's not a huge difference. There would be a decent argument for Minnesota but the problem wasn't the passes called, it was our receivers not catching them. To get UCLA 2012 back to our usual 60/40 split, we would have needed one more rushing call per quarter. Michigan 2011 would have been one more rush for the entire game.

 

There are times we could have run instead of passed but most guys wouldn't have called pass plays from our own one yard line in two dire situations. Beck did and both calls did a lot more to win those two games way more than calling too many passes lost the games you mentioned. If the play works, you look great. If it doesn't people question you. Just how it is.

 

Agree with the bolded. I still think that his calls for passes (poor play calling in general) have cost us some games. Against UGA and the 99 yard pass to Enunwa was genius. I loved the call. Would have loved it even if it failed. It was done off the play action IIRC. I would love for us to go power with play action passes. This would play to the strengths of our team IMO.

 

It just seems that Beck is to quick to abandon the game plan and when he does, it seems to go the way of the pass. That is my frustration. We are so Jekyll and Hyde on O that you never know what we will get. Sadly, we have seen glimpses of how good we can be. It just shows up for a quarter or two per game on both sides of the ball.

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[Stumpy1]

I dont think it is about identity but more about physicality. We seem to play soft and that translates to us looking like we are lost, in panic mode or have no identity. We just need to line up and beat people physically and it really wouldn't matter what you ran. The really physical teams ( Gumps, Stanford, Wiscy...ect) run various formations out of shotgun, pistol, I-formation and so on. The only difference between them and us is how they beat people into submission with it.

[tmfr15]

I am big "don't reveal what you are doing" kind of guy. I have always detested the shot gun because it declares to the defense that you don't intend to run. I hate the "pack it in with multiple tight ends" because you are telling the defense you don't intend to pass.

 

A balanced look with three WRs, an FB and an IB or a look with two WR, a TE and a fullback .... that's where I want us to be.

 

And I want our QBs under center. The pistol with an FB in the game is a tell to the defense because you have to go offset and that means the FB would be on one side of the QB or the other. That tends to give away where the FB is going more than if he is in an offset behind the QB under center.

 

I understand the idea of shot gun giving the QB a better look at the field for passes and getting him away from blitzes up front. I would rather use waggle action or roll out left or right. And I would always like to see more pitch plays in the offense. Fake the pitch left and roll right always freezes back side defenders, thus hindering pursuit. And it also gets the QB into open space so that if he has the ball he can be in perfect run/pass position.

 

Also the fullback simply is not appreciated. If you have an FB who can block, run decently, and who possesses good hands.... well, you've got a real asset there.

[NUinID]

For me, again it is the type of passing that we do that I don't like.

 

I don't like WR screens because they don't seem to work for us. We don't run them well, yet I think Beck really wants to be able to run them 5-6 a game.

 

Not enough 8-12 yard crossing stuff. Nebraska like every other team has some problems covering this with an LB, why don't we try to get this match up more often.

 

The TE needs to be involved more in the offense. I thought that even when we had Cotton and Reed. They should be catching 5-6 balls every game as a group. Play action option passes should be thrown at least once per game and maybe more. I love waggle action, it is a great way to get a TE open on a medium route. We run it about 5 times a year. Some teams run it 4-5 times a game and it works for them. We should at least run it 2x a game.

 

Waggle action off of a stretch play action is a nice safe easy pass to the TE.

 

Lets see more deep dig routes. Too many sideline stick routes. Just my opinion.

[Dagerow]

Multiplicity City - Population: Nebraska Staff

State Bird: Middle Finger

 

Very good and precise summary. Since people are looking for a word to call it, I say we use the state bird in your post for its name. It pretty much sums it up: Were coming after you. Try to stop it. You won't even know what hit you.

[Dagerow]

Oh, and I forgot to add, I love the offense and Beck's play calling. In a lot of games, the only thing that could slow down our offense were turnovers.

[carlfense]

Lets see more deep dig routes.

First we need a QB who can hit those in rhythm . . .

[Mavric]

Agree with the bolded. I still think that his calls for passes (poor play calling in general) have cost us some games. Against UGA and the 99 yard pass to Enunwa was genius. I loved the call. Would have loved it even if it failed. It was done off the play action IIRC. I would love for us to go power with play action passes. This would play to the strengths of our team IMO.

Perhaps you would have. But I have a feeling if we miss a block and get tackled for a safety on either one, most people would have come unglued.

[NUpolo8]

Lets see more deep dig routes.

First we need a QB who can hit those in rhythm . . .

 

Exactly, sometimes our weapons are overstated.

[Enhance]

I try not to let play calling get to me too often. Sometimes, a great play call turns into an awful play call because one player messed up an assignment. That said, I think play calling has a lot to do with the feel of a game and timing. There were a few times this year where I certainly thought the timing of a play was bad, or that we didn't have the right personnel in for a play that we probably should have. But, for the most part, I didn't think the play calls were a problem.

[BigRedBuster]

I try not to let play calling get to me too often. Sometimes, a great play call turns into an awful play call because one player messed up an assignment. That said, I think play calling has a lot to do with the feel of a game and timing. There were a few times this year where I certainly thought the timing of a play was bad, or that we didn't have the right personnel in for a play that we probably should have. But, for the most part, I didn't think the play calls were a problem.

 

 

There is a big difference between being totally disgusted with the play calling and claiming we need a change or that our OC doesn't have a clue to......Meh....I would have called a different play there. Sometimes I think fans get so caught up in a certain situation that doesn't work and claim the OC is an idiot when really, the players didn't execute or just hey....it didn't work.

 

For the most part, I have been happy with our offensive production. We are top 20 in rushing and still have a decent passing attack that can only get better with a QB in his second year.

[skullNbones]

I try not to let play calling get to me too often. Sometimes, a great play call turns into an awful play call because one player messed up an assignment. That said, I think play calling has a lot to do with the feel of a game and timing. There were a few times this year where I certainly thought the timing of a play was bad, or that we didn't have the right personnel in for a play that we probably should have. But, for the most part, I didn't think the play calls were a problem.

 

 

There is a big difference between being totally disgusted with the play calling and claiming we need a change or that our OC doesn't have a clue to......Meh....I would have called a different play there. Sometimes I think fans get so caught up in a certain situation that doesn't work and claim the OC is an idiot when really, the players didn't execute or just hey....it didn't work.

 

For the most part, I have been happy with our offensive production. We are top 20 in rushing and still have a decent passing attack that can only get better with a QB in his second year.

 

 

 

This post reminded me of how frustrated I was when Watson was here. I was really ready for him to be gone. I have been a bit disappointed with Beck at times, but still have hope that his best years are ahead of him. Bo does a great job of keeping consistent staff, I don't see it discussed much, but I think it's a good thing. Longer tenured staff will pay dividends.........someday.........I hope.

[True2tRA]

I really think the offense takes the next step next year. Having TA at QB is going to help a lot.