A Positive Perspective

[Ride My Rhino]

 

What upsets are you speaking of? The former staff had zero ability to adjust to anything. I saw an experienced staff make adjustments on Saturday, and that to me is one of the reasons I believe we are headed in the right direction. That and actually wrapping up and tackling.

Yea cause they didn't come back and beat Ohio St ever did they..

 

And this staff adjusted to the fact that they had a back up Qb come in that couldn't run like T. Hill but could sling the rock pretty well.. How did they adjust you may ask? Well they decided to rush 3 and give him all the time in the world to set up in the end-zone and allow the Qb to find and stare down his target. LOL.. Yes that's adjustments..

 

Don't get me wrong...I loved the Ohio State comeback, the Northwestern Westy catch, any game that DONU comes out on top. I simply feel like this coaching staff has more experience and ability to adjust on the fly and in the locker room than the previous staff. BYU scored 24 first half points and 9 in the second half...6 on the final play. I think that is a good indication that the staff is making adjustments. Can you point out the Pelini adjustments that won the Ohio State game for us in 2011?

[In the Deed the Glory]

 

 

What upsets are you speaking of? The former staff had zero ability to adjust to anything. I saw an experienced staff make adjustments on Saturday, and that to me is one of the reasons I believe we are headed in the right direction. That and actually wrapping up and tackling.

 

Yea cause they didn't come back and beat Ohio St ever did they..

 

And this staff adjusted to the fact that they had a back up Qb come in that couldn't run like T. Hill but could sling the rock pretty well.. How did they adjust you may ask? Well they decided to rush 3 and give him all the time in the world to set up in the end-zone and allow the Qb to find and stare down his target. LOL.. Yes that's adjustments..

Don't get me wrong...I loved the Ohio State comeback, the Northwestern Westy catch, any game that DONU comes out on top. I simply feel like this coaching staff has more experience and ability to adjust on the fly and in the locker room than the previous staff. BYU scored 24 first half points and 9 in the second half...6 on the final play. I think that is a good indication that the staff is making adjustments. Can you point out the Pelini adjustments that won the Ohio State game for us in 2011?

He ran the "injure Braxton Miller" play

[84HuskerLaw]

SOME REASONS TO BE POSITIVE : For a couple years now, I have been a regular reader and follower of Huskerboard. While I don't often agree with the comments and critical remarks of some of the members, I do enjoy reading nearly all anyway. Now, on impulse, I have today decided to join the conversation, offering a rather lengthy initial statement indicative of who I am and where I see things headed. For some foundation and background, I am a lifelong Husker, having attended well over 90% of the home games since I was a kid in 1972 watching from beneath the south stadium in the 'knot hole' sections as we called it. I would have never missed a game but for health or other family and other crisis events which prevented my attendance. I played football in H.S. and small college and while I don't claim to have coaching level expertise, I believe I understand the game very well.

 

Having watched every game while T.O. was coach (and nearly all since) from 35 rows up in south stadium I became quite good at 'calling the plays' out loud in our section a few seconds ahead of the snaps. Fans around me always wanted know how I knew what Tom was going to call. I simply replied that I had watched so many games that I had a great 'feel' for the way Tom sequenced plays and set up the defense. Tom truly was one of the very best ever in offensive football and excelled in calling plays. In my opinion, great play calling is one of the critical keys to winning at the highest levels consistantly. T.O. coached 25 years and called plays for Devaney for a time before taking over in '73. While we have only one game and that is but a mere glimpse into the mind of the offensive coach, I am very positive about the potential that Mike Riley's offensive thinking brings to Nebraska. It is not the scheme (west coast, wishbone, power I, pro style, passing vs running, etc) so much as the sequencing and the methods of attacking the defensive alignments and their reactions to offensive plays, that is most important. In this first game and the play calling that we saw Saturday, for the first time in many years, I felt brief periods during the game where the play calling was exceptional, even excellent! Yes, I am a bit 'old school' now in my views on schemes, types of plays, etc. However, it is quite refreshing to see screen passes, draws, sweeps, reverses and other tried and true plays that have been staples and mainstays of football for many decades. These plays take advantage of defensive alignments, schemes, player reactions and tendencies, positioning, alignments and so on.

 

To a degree, all formations and schemes and alignments and approaches to offense and defense have their strengths and weaknesses. Each tends to present a different challenge and may require players with different skill sets. On Saturday, not every play the Huskers ran 'felt right' to me but then the players did not execute them at a high level either. Better execution leads to more successful outcomes but the art of playcalling involves putting your team in the most advantageous position relative to the opponent. We can't get too excited with just one game, but I am optimistic we will see more reasons to be positive about the future as the games ahead are played. I believe Riley would admit that his team only played something that 'looked a lot like football' for a couple quarters! But that is a good start. Nobody should reasonably expect a well oiled machine on Sept 5th. Tom always said the team makes the most improvement from game 1 to game 2 generally. If we reduce our mistakes and penalties by third, we will be 7 points better. Our first time starters won't be first time starters this week!. The nerves will go away by the third snap. The coaches will be much more confident in what each of our players can and can't do well and can adjust accordingly in their stratagy. We are playing an opponent with some talent but certainly not as much as BYU or most others we have recently played or will play this year. We will make mistakes and miss blocks and miss tackes and so on this week, as in any game. But not nearly as many. Practice and experience always make teams better.

 

Many comments I have read on this board have been very critical of Tim Beck's playcalling. I have to say that after several seasons of it, I never found Beck's plays to 'feel right'. To me they seemed too randum. He was very difficult to predict what the next play would be and generally speaking that is a good thing. However, in my view, play calling is more art than science and each play in each game is unique in that never before or in the future will be the circumstances for that play going to be the same again. Players change, down and distance, score, playing conditions, momentum, talents, skills, score, time remaining, fatigue, and all the myriad of other circumstance and conditions will be different. No matter how many times Tom ran a 41 or 49 pitch or ISO, or option either direction, things were just a bit different. The success or failure of a given play previously impacts the success or failure probability of the subsequent plays thereafter. This indeed is the very essence of what makes football the very best sporting game ever invented! Strategy in football is more complicated than Chess and the rules are understandable by most but at the same time their application in a given game situation are always a point of debate or outright disagreement! Tom was a good recruiter but so were many of his assistants. Tom's reputation as a good, decent and caring person was national in scope. Mike Riley will soon be likewise if he is given a chance by Husker Nation.

 

For those inisisting we expand and develop and implement a powerful running game, I am confident Mike Riley would happily agree. Every coach would dream of having a great running attack, a fabulous passing game and special teams that are the envy of the nation. By 1995, T.O. had great everywhere on his team. Nebraska had NO weaknesses. We were three deep (or more) in every area. The second string in '95 could have beaten all of the Nebraska teams fielded by Callahan and Pelini.

Give Riley time before you make judgments on his coaching ability.

 

Riley has lasted many years in the very difficult profession of major college coaching. He has brought his staff (people he trusts and cares for very much as people as well as coaches and employees) to Lincoln to win football games the right way!He would not risk all of the futures of himself and family and those he cares most about if he did not know in his heart and mind and soul he could be a great success at Nebraska! We will compete with honor and respect within both the spirit and letter of the rules. He will demand his players perform at their best and do so in a way that honors Nebraska. We can all be proud and support the team and university and our new coach. I believe Mike Riley will retire as an admired and greatly appreciated coach who did Nebraska proud. He has already begun making fans proud to say we are Huskers again and it seems very unlikely we will suffer through more embarrassing tirades by our Head Coach on the sidelines.

 

Will we win a national championship this year or next? Not much chance of that. But, will we restore the natural order of things which is that Nebraska football is a brand of the greatest game ever invented that every fan can respect and admire? I say, let's give him some time to find out! We have many good players and in time these good players will become better and some of them will become great players. If enough of them become great, we will once again become champions. Hope this wasn't too long to keep your interest. Thank you for taking the time to read my first comments and Go Big Red!

[True2tRA]

 

What upsets are you speaking of? The former staff had zero ability to adjust to anything. I saw an experienced staff make adjustments on Saturday, and that to me is one of the reasons I believe we are headed in the right direction. That and actually wrapping up and tackling.

 

Yea cause they didn't come back and beat Ohio St ever did they..

 

And this staff adjusted to the fact that they had a back up Qb come in that couldn't run like T. Hill but could sling the rock pretty well.. How did they adjust you may ask? Well they decided to rush 3 and give him all the time in the world to set up in the end-zone and allow the Qb to find and stare down his target. LOL.. Yes that's adjustments..

How would you have done it? How would it have worked out? Answer both questions please.

 

 

As far as that Ohio St. comeback, that was brilliant. Could you point out some specific adjustments Pelini and Co. Made in that comeback? Personally, I'm glad LaVonte David knows how to strip a foitball during a tackle. I'd like to see more of that, but as for now, tackling seemed to be difficult enough in recent Pelini teams, I was glad to see improvement there.

[NUance]

SOME REASONS TO BE POSITIVE : For a couple years now, I have been a regular reader and follower of Huskerboard. While I don't often agree with the comments and critical remarks of some of the members, I do enjoy reading nearly all anyway. Now, on impulse, I have today decided to join the conversation, offering a rather lengthy initial statement indicative of who I am and where I see things headed. For some foundation and background, I am a lifelong Husker, having attended well over 90% of the home games since I was a kid in 1972 watching from beneath the south stadium in the 'knot hole' sections as we called it. I would have never missed a game but for health or other family and other crisis events which prevented my attendance. I played football in H.S. and small college and while I don't claim to have coaching level expertise, I believe I understand the game very well.

 

Having watched every game while T.O. was coach (and nearly all since) from 35 rows up in south stadium I became quite good at 'calling the plays' out loud in our section a few seconds ahead of the snaps. Fans around me always wanted know how I knew what Tom was going to call. I simply replied that I had watched so many games that I had a great 'feel' for the way Tom sequenced plays and set up the defense. Tom truly was one of the very best ever in offensive football and excelled in calling plays. In my opinion, great play calling is one of the critical keys to winning at the highest levels consistantly. T.O. coached 25 years and called plays for Devaney for a time before taking over in '73. While we have only one game and that is but a mere glimpse into the mind of the offensive coach, I am very positive about the potential that Mike Riley's offensive thinking brings to Nebraska. It is not the scheme (west coast, wishbone, power I, pro style, passing vs running, etc) so much as the sequencing and the methods of attacking the defensive alignments and their reactions to offensive plays, that is most important. In this first game and the play calling that we saw Saturday, for the first time in many years, I felt brief periods during the game where the play calling was exceptional, even excellent! Yes, I am a bit 'old school' now in my views on schemes, types of plays, etc. However, it is quite refreshing to see screen passes, draws, sweeps, reverses and other tried and true plays that have been staples and mainstays of football for many decades. These plays take advantage of defensive alignments, schemes, player reactions and tendencies, positioning, alignments and so on.

 

To a degree, all formations and schemes and alignments and approaches to offense and defense have their strengths and weaknesses. Each tends to present a different challenge and may require players with different skill sets. On Saturday, not every play the Huskers ran 'felt right' to me but then the players did not execute them at a high level either. Better execution leads to more successful outcomes but the art of playcalling involves putting your team in the most advantageous position relative to the opponent. We can't get too excited with just one game, but I am optimistic we will see more reasons to be positive about the future as the games ahead are played. I believe Riley would admit that his team only played something that 'looked a lot like football' for a couple quarters! But that is a good start. Nobody should reasonably expect a well oiled machine on Sept 5th. Tom always said the team makes the most improvement from game 1 to game 2 generally. If we reduce our mistakes and penalties by third, we will be 7 points better. Our first time starters won't be first time starters this week!. The nerves will go away by the third snap. The coaches will be much more confident in what each of our players can and can't do well and can adjust accordingly in their stratagy. We are playing an opponent with some talent but certainly not as much as BYU or most others we have recently played or will play this year. We will make mistakes and miss blocks and miss tackes and so on this week, as in any game. But not nearly as many. Practice and experience always make teams better.

 

Many comments I have read on this board have been very critical of Tim Beck's playcalling. I have to say that after several seasons of it, I never found Beck's plays to 'feel right'. To me they seemed too randum. He was very difficult to predict what the next play would be and generally speaking that is a good thing. However, in my view, play calling is more art than science and each play in each game is unique in that never before or in the future will be the circumstances for that play going to be the same again. Players change, down and distance, score, playing conditions, momentum, talents, skills, score, time remaining, fatigue, and all the myriad of other circumstance and conditions will be different. No matter how many times Tom ran a 41 or 49 pitch or ISO, or option either direction, things were just a bit different. The success or failure of a given play previously impacts the success or failure probability of the subsequent plays thereafter. This indeed is the very essence of what makes football the very best sporting game ever invented! Strategy in football is more complicated than Chess and the rules are understandable by most but at the same time their application in a given game situation are always a point of debate or outright disagreement! Tom was a good recruiter but so were many of his assistants. Tom's reputation as a good, decent and caring person was national in scope. Mike Riley will soon be likewise if he is given a chance by Husker Nation.

 

For those inisisting we expand and develop and implement a powerful running game, I am confident Mike Riley would happily agree. Every coach would dream of having a great running attack, a fabulous passing game and special teams that are the envy of the nation. By 1995, T.O. had great everywhere on his team. Nebraska had NO weaknesses. We were three deep (or more) in every area. The second string in '95 could have beaten all of the Nebraska teams fielded by Callahan and Pelini.

Give Riley time before you make judgments on his coaching ability.

 

Riley has lasted many years in the very difficult profession of major college coaching. He has brought his staff (people he trusts and cares for very much as people as well as coaches and employees) to Lincoln to win football games the right way!He would not risk all of the futures of himself and family and those he cares most about if he did not know in his heart and mind and soul he could be a great success at Nebraska! We will compete with honor and respect within both the spirit and letter of the rules. He will demand his players perform at their best and do so in a way that honors Nebraska. We can all be proud and support the team and university and our new coach. I believe Mike Riley will retire as an admired and greatly appreciated coach who did Nebraska proud. He has already begun making fans proud to say we are Huskers again and it seems very unlikely we will suffer through more embarrassing tirades by our Head Coach on the sidelines.

 

Will we win a national championship this year or next? Not much chance of that. But, will we restore the natural order of things which is that Nebraska football is a brand of the greatest game ever invented that every fan can respect and admire? I say, let's give him some time to find out! We have many good players and in time these good players will become better and some of them will become great players. If enough of them become great, we will once again become champions. Hope this wasn't too long to keep your interest. Thank you for taking the time to read my first comments and Go Big Red!

 

Great first post! Glad you joined the conversation. Welcome to Huskerboard!

[TheSker]

 

 

I don't totally get the "team would have caved" in the past bit...If anything it seemed like NU had to come back to win a ton of games over the last few years...they were down all the time!

I tend to agree, the "Bo's teams would have folded" narrative is tired. They did pull off some of the biggest *comebacks in Huskers history. Now, might they have also got blown out after trailing by 10 at half, sure.

 

EDIT: Comebacks, not upsets. Thanks, guys!

 

"Biggest comebacks" should be put in perspective

 

I've heard Mike Riley's career .500 record should be put in perspective.

[Ed Helms]

 

 

 

I don't totally get the "team would have caved" in the past bit...If anything it seemed like NU had to come back to win a ton of games over the last few years...they were down all the time!

I tend to agree, the "Bo's teams would have folded" narrative is tired. They did pull off some of the biggest *comebacks in Huskers history. Now, might they have also got blown out after trailing by 10 at half, sure.

 

EDIT: Comebacks, not upsets. Thanks, guys!

 

"Biggest comebacks" should be put in perspective

 

I've heard Mike Riley's career .500 record should be put in perspective.

 

 

[StPaulHusker]

 

 

 

I don't totally get the "team would have caved" in the past bit...If anything it seemed like NU had to come back to win a ton of games over the last few years...they were down all the time!

 

I tend to agree, the "Bo's teams would have folded" narrative is tired. They did pull off some of the biggest *comebacks in Huskers history. Now, might they have also got blown out after trailing by 10 at half, sure.

 

EDIT: Comebacks, not upsets. Thanks, guys!

"Biggest comebacks" should be put in perspective

I've heard Mike Riley's career .500 record should be put in perspective.

What does that have to do with Bo's comeback wins?