ESPN: Lessons Learned from Husker Spring

[Mavric]

3. Nebraska’s going to run the football or go down trying.

 

The verdict is in on the pass-happy attack of 2015. It was not a winning formula. Not with quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr., who threw 402 passes in 12 games. He was intercepted 16 times, the second-highest figure nationally.

Armstrong is a dynamic runner, but Riley and offensive coordinator Danny Langsdorf were not comfortable last season allowing him to use his legs regularly. They are more so now, evidenced in part by the QB draws installed this spring and showcased in the April 16 spring game. Armstrong rushed for a team-best 120 yards in the final scrimmage of the spring.

Despite the new-look offensive line, the Huskers appear set up well to run the ball in 2016, featuring I-backs Terrell Newby, Devine Ozigbo and Mikale Wilbon. They are a diverse set of runners, and Nebraska’s outstanding group of wide receivers will get involved in the running game, too.

The biggest key to major improvement over the 6-7 finish last year? Cut the turnovers. And the most efficient way to practice ball security? It involves better decision-making from Armstrong -- and his coaches, too. This spring helped illustrate their commitment to rushing the football.

 

ESPN

[Mavric]

All that makes a lot of sense. We'll see if it holds....

[Bowfin]

I'll buy into this!

 

By the way, having THREE good running backs in this black and blue conference is reassuring...plus a running quarterback who can make the opposing linebackers freeze for a second or make them pay for it.

[sho]

That's one way to make sure TA doesn't get his 10+ interceptions this year, have him hand the ball off, or tuck it and run himself. The jury is still out, I'll wait and see how much the utilize the QB run game, as that's still relatively new for Langs and Riley in their offensive playbook.

[Bowfin]

That's one way to make sure TA doesn't get his 10+ interceptions this year, have him hand the ball off, or tuck it and run himself.

 

I am hoping that the Manning quarterback camp will help him some.

[The Dude]

Very few people know more about interceptions than Eli Manning.

[84HuskerLaw]

Shows how little ESPN actually knows about Husker football as it is basing its entire opinion and prognostication on the spring game (practice is all it was as didn't even form two teams). Rarely has the spring game given a reliable indication of how Nebraska will play in the fall in general much less in specific plays or types of plays.

[84HuskerLaw]

It is unlikely we will see the Riley version of the "Osbone" running game. What we did last year is most likely to be what we see this fall as well. I expect we will see the same basic offense as last year, with about 10% more instead of passes, although it will depend on the play of the defense. If we are weak again, we can anticipate more passes as the approach will be to try to out offense the opponent as opposed to out defense them.