Riley's "Smorgasbord" Offense

[Mavric]

“I guess people call it a pro-style because we huddle and have gone underneath the center a few times, actually," the Husker head coach said at his introductory press conference.

But then he busted out another word to describe it. A fun word that sort of made you hungry.

“I think that we’ve kind of run a smorgasbord of offense,” he said.

He soon dropped another word that was no doubt pleasing to many ears. Adapt. Have an identity, but don’t box yourself in and ignore what your roster talent affords you.

Like in 2008. Back at Oregon State. Riley used a fleet-footed flanker named James Rodgers, elder brother of Jaquizz Rodgers, to make the fly sweep one of the staples of the Beavers offense that year.

The diminutive but dynamic Jaquizz Rodgers, who now plays for the Atlanta Falcons, ran for 1,253 yards that season as a freshman. But brother James was a headache of his own to foes that year. He didn’t get the ball as much. He carried it just 46 times, but he averaged 8.9 yards when he touched it.

 

LJS

[Mavric]

During Riley's time at Oregon State, Steven Jackson ran for 1,545 yards in a season, and Jacquizz Rodgers ran for 3,877 yards in three seasons. He was also in charge when Markus Wheaton caught 227 passes for 2,994 yards in four years, and Brandin Cooks caught 226 passes for 3,272 yards in three.

So while there may be valid concern by Husker fans that Oregon State's rushing offense ranked 113th a season ago, and 118th a season before that, it does seem that Riley's offense has, as he described it in his introductory press conference, adapted to fit the talent on his roster.

Shane Morales was a wide receiver at Oregon State from 2006-08. When he was a senior, Jacquizz Rodgers was a freshman running back.

"And we had a mean offensive line," Morales said. "So we were very balanced. But then when you have people like (wide receiver) Brandin Crooks and (quarterback) Sean Mannion, our run game wasn't used as much. So Coach Riley knows where his talent is."

One of the alluring aspects of it to potential recruits? Riley's offense could be viewed as really good preparation for those hoping to reach the next level.

 

LJS

[Mavric]

Is "smorgasbord" the new "multiple"?

[mnhusker]

Sounds like a more downhome way of saying multiple.

[QMany]

We'll see how that plays with the "identity" crowd.

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

As long as he's moving the ball, putting points on the board, and not going all "Beck" on us, he can call it whatever he wants.

[VA Husker Fan]

We'll see how that plays with the "identity" crowd.

LOL, that's exactly what I was thinking.

[TITANIC VS LUSITANIA]

He runs a lot of ace, big, some power I, gun big, gun spread, 3 wr slot, a little trips... but he rushes and passes out of all of them.

what you will not see is pistol, for example. Other things you will not see is switching the play at the line where the opponent knows what you are up to.

the idea of multiple gets bad connotation when it's "we have 25 formations and we run 4 plays out of each", making it easy to plan against.

[teachercd]

 

We'll see how that plays with the "identity" crowd.

LOL, that's exactly what I was thinking.

 

Sooooo true!!!

[BigRedBuster]

We'll see how that plays with the "identity" crowd.

That's pretty funny.

[NUpolo8]

I mean, he said the words "have an identity".

[The Dude]

Is "smorgasbord" the new "multiple"?

No. Establishing an identity based on what you're good at is different than being multiple for the sake of being multiple.

[zoogs]

The coaches and systems will change, but illogical armchair OCing will always be the same.

 

He went AWAY from what was WORKING!!!

[HuSkeRooNz]

We'll see how that plays with the "identity" crowd.

Could we be talking about "identity"as in you "guys" that basically run the board.

[Kernal]

Is "smorgasbord" the new "multiple"?

 

If Pelini and Beck were saying it, then probably the same. When a man with 40 years of coaching experience says it, I think we can expect something tangible.