RUN THE BALL!!!

[BRV920]

If we want to play for national championship we most definitely need a elite running game.

[GBRFAN]

If we want to play for national championship we most definitely need a elite running game.

 

..... and defense and passing game.

[BRV920]

I'll give you defense but the passing game doesn't need to be elite by any stretch.

[GBRFAN]

I'll give you defense but the passing game doesn't need to be elite by any stretch.

 

Hard to be elite at just one thing when you don't have top 5 recruiting classes year after year. We need to be solid at both running and passing to be elite on offense.

 

The days of us being more physically dominating then EVERY other team in the country are over and will NEVER be here again - doesn't mean we can't return to dominance or have a great offense.

 

Our weight program has been duplicated / Our ability to give out 100+ scholarships is gone / the cost of college tuition has increased to a point where many kids need to look at something different then walking-on.

 

We will be good again, however not by being elite at just one thing.

[BRV920]

No offense but that's the kind of thinking that got us in this mess. If we have a elite running game and defense we can win national championships. Alabama didn't it this year with a average passing game. Now before you start telling me they won the national championship because of their passing game think about why they had guys running wide open during the playoffs. Because both MSU and Clemson stacked the box to keep Henry from going wild on them. Still comes down to a elite running game.

[GBRFAN]

No offense but that's the kind of thinking that got us in this mess. If we have a elite running game and defense we can win national championships. Alabama didn't it this year with a average passing game. Now before you start telling me they won the national championship because of their passing game think about why they had guys running wide open during the playoffs. Because both MSU and Clemson stacked the box to keep Henry from going wild on them. Still comes down to a elite running game.

 

Sorry, Alabama did what they did because they had elite recruiting for the past 5 years - top 5 recruiting classes to be exact. Even in NU's best years we didn't have top 5 recruiting consistently and it wasn't because recruits thought badly of TO - it is what it is. We need to be elite with top 10-15 recruiting classes first and that will come from being balanced. As we get more W's then we can move to top 5-10 recruiting classes. Not sure why so many don't like the P word around here. Being one dimensional can only work when your talent is far superior to the opponent.

[GBRFAN]

No offense but that's the kind of thinking that got us in this mess. If we have a elite running game and defense we can win national championships. Alabama didn't it this year with a average passing game. Now before you start telling me they won the national championship because of their passing game think about why they had guys running wide open during the playoffs. Because both MSU and Clemson stacked the box to keep Henry from going wild on them. Still comes down to a elite running game.

 

not sure that "thinking" got us in this "mess". First of all, not sure what you mean by mess. Secondly, our talent being below top 10 classes has to do with "where we are". With that said, i'm glad that we have every player that we currently have on our roster. They committed to a program that is where it is and our staff will work to make them as good as they can be while looking to add new talent each year.

[Moesker]

Its hilarious that some think that just calling running plays equals success.

[BRV920]

Where did I say just calling running plays is what we needed. I said a elite running game. Not to mention that the numbers actually back up my stance that good running teams are more successful on the big stage then good passing teams.

[BRV920]

When have we ever had consistent top 10 recruiting classes GBRfan? We have to get better coaching to make up for our recruiting gap.

[GBRFAN]

Where did I say just calling running plays is what we needed. I said a elite running game. Not to mention that the numbers actually back up my stance that good running teams are more successful on the big stage then good passing teams.

 

Yes this is true. There is not a team in the country that wouldn't run almost every play if it would produce the desired results - there is less risk in running. However to put most or all your cards in running you better be dominate in what you do. Not many teams have that option (if any) with the new rules on scholarship #'s and $$$ to walk on. Look at NU in the 80's and 90's - we were dominate and it still wasn't quite enough to win it all for most of those years.

 

When have we ever had consistent top 10 recruiting classes GBRfan? We have to get better coaching to make up for our recruiting gap.

 

That's my point of why we can't be one dimensional and put all our cards into running the ball because those classes are hard to get at NU.

 

How do you know that we don't have better coaching? I believe we have the staff to get back to the top tier. I'm guessing you had the opposite figured out about 400 days ago.

[TheSker]

 

I believe we have the staff to get back to the top tier.

Based on?

[BRV920]

I don't know if we have better coaching. Was referring to Osborne being about to out coach teams with more talent. Also you do understand that it's easier to recruit to a one Dimensional Offense. You can focus on recruiting more linemen that fit your system that may not be 4 stars.

[Stumpy1]

Where did I say just calling running plays is what we needed. I said a elite running game. Not to mention that the numbers actually back up my stance that good running teams are more successful on the big stage then good passing teams.

Alabama doesn't have an elite running game. They have been a pretty balanced team when it comes to running and passing. They have a very good defense and an offense that doesn't make mistakes. That is why they win. In the last 4 years, we have had a better rushing attack statistically then Alabama has. They have had a better passing attack then we have.

[BRV920]

Not sure which Alabama team you are watching Stumpy. They most certainly had a elite running game. They pounded people all year in the ground. I believe Henry had 4 or 5 games in a row rushing for over 200 yards. Alabama was able to throw for a lot of big plays because of their running game. Like I said earlier it's pretty easy to hit guys running WIDE OPEN down field. Something that could have benefitted tommy this year instead of asking him to throw it 40 times a game.