Offense: Simpler + Faster = Better?

[Hoosker]

Ok, hear me out.

 

So we've been told that practices are at a much quicker pace this fall than in previous years. The reason? To make practices more efficient.

We are using state of the art technology in order to monitor our players' health and progress during practice.

Coaches have said that they are trimming down the playbook. Why? To be better at our core plays and yet another attempt at being efficient.

 

Call me crazy, but the 2014 Nebraska offense might resemble more of an Oregon/Auburn offense than many of us are expecting.

I think the coaching staff did their homework this offseason. I think they got ideas from around the country and are trying things out in camp.

 

We all know the QB situation by now. Tommy is the frontrunner, but isn't that far ahead of Fyfe and Stanton as of yet.

Maybe we are attempting to curb our inexperienced QB by using a consistant, superfast tempo that will work heavily against the defense.

The players have said that they like the new tempo at practice and many have said they like the quicker style we sometimes get into.

 

I'm definitely not a football genius, but is it possible that Oregon likes to go at the pace they do because it helps mask their weaknesses? By going full throttle inbetween plays and really wearing down the defense, wouldn't it help make the QBs job easier?

I think by shrinking the playbook and installing a quicker tempo at practices, our coaches may be giving us a small glipse of what their stategy is going into this fall. I think we may be planning to model our offense a little more like Oregon or Auburn in order for our turnover prone offense to find a comfortable rhythm.

 

Does anyone else think this is possible?

[Landlord]

Count me in.

[kchusker_chris]

Might resemble Oregon....said someone in 2012, in 2013, and now in 2014.... (but we hate Scott Frost as a possible coach).

 

It seems like we regurgitate this same stuff each season. We also might resemble Oklahoma, running some diamond. We might represent GTech, running some option. KU of old running a tempo spread. Nebraska of old running a power I.

 

WE'RE MULTIPLE. WE HAVE NO IDENTITY. We're gonna run a whole bunch of junk this season. Throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks, that's the first quarter of every Nebraska game.

 

 

Simpler + Faster + Unexperience QB = More Turnovers and mistakes = Crappy field position/situations for our D.

[Treand3]

Have to see it 1st. Beck and his unit have a lot to prove.

[RedRedJarvisRedwine]

Makes sense to practice at the same pace you're trying to play in a game. Installation slows things down as will the arrival of the rest of the players and coaching is thinned. So we'll see how fast and efficient things are going when all the things are in place.

[carlfense]

Oh, the preseason.

[RedDenver]

Might resemble Oregon....said someone in 2012, in 2013, and now in 2014.... (but we hate Scott Frost as a possible coach).

 

It seems like we regurgitate this same stuff each season. We also might resemble Oklahoma, running some diamond. We might represent GTech, running some option. KU of old running a tempo spread. Nebraska of old running a power I.

 

WE'RE MULTIPLE. WE HAVE NO IDENTITY. We're gonna run a whole bunch of junk this season. Throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks, that's the first quarter of every Nebraska game.

 

 

Simpler + Faster + Unexperience QB = More Turnovers and mistakes = Crappy field position/situations for our D.

How does simpler create more turnovers and mistakes?

[cg_8]

I'ts funny that you bring up Oregon and "simpler", and here's why.

 

Chip Kelley said once while at Oregon that they had four running plays: inside zone, outside zone, counter and draw. That's it.

 

Conceptually speaking, and in theory, this makes a ton of sense. He said that it allows for the coaches to put the players in an environment where they can be successful because they understand what they have to do. If the players haven't run a play in a critical situation over a thousand times in practice, the play will not be successful.

 

The concept definitely works, and Oregon has proven that a million times over. Of course, the "4 plays" is an overgeneralization, because there is probably a dozen variations to those four running plays that involve different blocking schemes and what not. But because there's only 4, that allows for the players to understand their role and become a master of the offense that can take on the problems a defense may throw at you.

 

I think that we proved this also in the 90's with our option. We mastered it. We had masters of the offense run those plays until they got a feel for what it takes to make a simple option play successful.

 

I caution towards simply saying "we only need 4 running plays!! Why are we running more than 4 running plays!?!?" because as Navy has shown, the concept is not always successful. We didn't have success with the option every single year. Oregon had numerous sluggish games during Chip Kelly's time there.

 

Personally, I like the direction of our offense. Personally, I would call Oregon "multiple" with a strong emphasis on the running game. A lot like how we are "multiple" with a strong emphasis on the running game.

 

Last year was tough. Injuries plagued us more than any scheme ever devised. You sure can talk about simplifying an offense, and having the players practice it a thousand times, but that player who practiced it a thousand times is out, and now a player that hasn't practiced it that much. That concept goes out the window. That's why injuries are so huge.

 

It's also important to have all the right pieces. Air Raid was highly successful at Oklahoma and Texas Tech, but how's it doing at Washington St?

 

Anyway, I talked a lot, could talk more, especially when we are actually talking football. But I'll shut up now.

[carlfense]

How does simpler create more turnovers and mistakes?

I don't know about the mistakes part . . . but if your receivers only run a couple different routes (or the exact same combinations) it's a lot easier for the secondary to be aggressive in jumping routes.

[RedDenver]

 

How does simpler create more turnovers and mistakes?

I don't know about the mistakes part . . . but if your receivers only run a couple different routes (or the exact same combinations) it's a lot easier for the secondary to be aggressive in jumping routes.

 

That's true. But it should also make the QB reads easier to offset that.

[Scratchtown]

Might resemble Oregon....said someone in 2012, in 2013, and now in 2014.... (but we hate Scott Frost as a possible coach).

 

It seems like we regurgitate this same stuff each season. We also might resemble Oklahoma, running some diamond. We might represent GTech, running some option. KU of old running a tempo spread. Nebraska of old running a power I.

 

WE'RE MULTIPLE. WE HAVE NO IDENTITY. We're gonna run a whole bunch of junk this season. Throwing crap at the wall and seeing what sticks, that's the first quarter of every Nebraska game.

 

 

Simpler + Faster + Unexperience QB = More Turnovers and mistakes = Crappy field position/situations for our D.

More possessions to score if you have a Defense like Oregon's who takes the ball away better than most in the country on a consistent basis.

 

Also, that little equation you have there. Makes no sense.

[Scratchtown]

 

How does simpler create more turnovers and mistakes?

I don't know about the mistakes part . . . but if your receivers only run a couple different routes (or the exact same combinations) it's a lot easier for the secondary to be aggressive in jumping routes.

 

QB's progression is easier. Thats why teams like Oregon throw 2 routes at 1 guy. He has to take one or the other. They run a lot of fake bubble screens to see how the unblocked DB (Safety) reacts. Does he come up hard because he reads Bubble? because if he does, that guy that is stock blocking the other DB just ran passed him and into the Safety's zone down the sideline for a big gainer (Pass and catch about 15 - 20 yards downfield).

[Saunders]

[sd'sker]

damnit, saunders! now i have to listen to it. and like a lot others. i don't have time for this!

[HUSKER FREAK]

I would much rather have Bama's or LSU's offense then Oregon or Auburn. maybe with a bit more of a mobile QB, but we don't have to go all Speedy Gonzalez out there. We have the horses to run power football the receivers to run play action and QB's to run option/ zone read. But, whatever the coaches decide I hope they install it and stick to it.