OWH: Huskers Need Run Game to Beat Ducks

[Mavric]

Excluding the 34 yards true freshman Tre Bryant gained on the game’s final drive — when NU led 52-17 — Husker I-backs didn’t find much room, toting the ball 19 times for 64 yards.

 

That’s a big yuck. That’s “Northwestern and Purdue 2015” and “Michigan State 2014” grade of yuck.

 

Where Nebraska hopes to gain an edge — quarterback Tommy Armstrong’s running skills — has yet to materialize this season.

 

Armstrong has run the ball 23 times for 54 yards this season. That includes two sacks of 19 yards. Take those away, and you have 21 carries for 73 yards. For the cumulative punishment Armstrong takes for those runs, it’s not enough yards per carry.

 

The designed runs for Armstrong, where he has a lead blocker, haven’t looked quite right this season. A hole appears on the edge of the play, then disappears. On the plays where Armstrong has an option to give or keep, he’s been better, but his longest run of the season is 11 yards.

 

Again: You want more juice for the squeeze.

 

OWH

[Danny Bateman]

Got to feel good about the fact that Riley is very familiar with the Oregon system. Anyone with a pulse knows you can run on that defense. I remember way back when Cam was still at Auburn... they turned that Oregon defense into a sieve. Should be plenty of yardage out there to be had if we want to get it.

 

I'd expect a huge week from Ozigbo and hopefully they open up TA on the zone read. I think Newby could really do some damage on short dump offs if we spread them out. Got plenty of weapons to choose from.

I cannot wait for Saturday to roll around.

[Jeremy]

The O line is going to have to kick it up a big notch if we want to run all over the Ducks. Please understand, I love the Skers, and I don't want to be a debbie downer, but here is one example of our offensive strategy that drives me nuts:

 

Our 1st play from scrimmage, Ace offense look, and we're going to run it against Wyoming's version of the Bears' 46 defense. Line does okay, except for Knevel, who completely whiffs, and Oz falls forward for maybe a yard.

 

 

 

 

Now, this is what boggles my mind. 2nd play, same Ace look, except we have Reilly as a flanker out there instead of a TE, and they drop back in a very loose 4-3, like they know we're going to pass, which of course, we do. Their SAM actually bites on the fake a little, but there are two guys covering Reilly on Armstrong's YOLO bomb. Cotton completely whiffs on his block, and Farmer doesn't hold his very long, but we get bailed out on a PI call. But here's the thing - We completely out-man them up front with their alignment. Couldn't Armstrong check to zone right/left when he sees this?

 

 

I know I sound very negative, but our OL is missing blocks on every other play (cough-Knevel-cough); it's like the backs get yards in spite of them sometimes. I hope Cavanaugh figures it out and gets these guys all on the right page. On a note praise, though - kudos to Langs for digging the screens out of the back of the playbook; you can't go wrong with a well-timed screen.

[GBRFAN]

Luckily our offense got to run more than 2 plays during the game!!!

[Count 'Bility]

Luckily our offense got to run more than 2 plays during the game!!!

and; gained 500 yards

 

We've had two games. One where we ran it all game at will, and the other, where we were balanced in terms of play selection, yet the run wasnt working, so we slinged all over the yard at will. Im failing to see the problem here. I'd be much more concerned if saturday we came out and pounded 80% of the time again, and we'd be going into this week not having a clue what we have in the passing game. But what we found out is that is plenty serviceable. I'm actually encouraged. We are capable of doing either or.

 

A game is 60 minutes. To judge anything off the first 2 plays is pushing it. Not to mention, it was probably scripted anyway.

[BRV920]

Jeremy is right and it happened a lot in the game if you go back and watch. Wyoming was stacking the box when we had certain personnel groups on the field. Then we could come out in the same formation with different personnel and they would play coverage.

[Count 'Bility]

it wasnt just stacking the box. It was their coverage. basic zone stuff. Cov 2 and 3. All eyes were in the backfield. Armstrong had a lot of windows, and a lot of guys running free. It was simple. Wyoming was gonna stop the run and make us pass. And why owuldnt they? That's the philosophy I'd take in. Their problem is they didnt have the personnel to matchup such philosophy. And they probably knew it coming in.

[VectorVictor]

As much as folks want to slight Bohl (for reasons obvious to us), we knew we wouldn't get anything easy on the ground from his kids--he knew going in to Lincoln he'd have to stop the run to have a chance, and he did just that for three quarters.

 

Now, here's the kicker--Virginia was able to get good yards on the ground against Oregon, even when the Ducks were stacking the box. The same Virginia school that lost to the Richmond Spiders at home (it's okay, we lost to Richmond at home too...in Baseball though). And I'd say we have at least two RBs better than their starting RB, and our O-Line should be better.

[GBRFAN]

 

Luckily our offense got to run more than 2 plays during the game!!!

and; gained 500 yards

 

We've had two games. One where we ran it all game at will, and the other, where we were balanced in terms of play selection, yet the run wasnt working, so we slinged all over the yard at will. Im failing to see the problem here. I'd be much more concerned if saturday we came out and pounded 80% of the time again, and we'd be going into this week not having a clue what we have in the passing game. But what we found out is that is plenty serviceable. I'm actually encouraged. We are capable of doing either or.

 

A game is 60 minutes. To judge anything off the first 2 plays is pushing it. Not to mention, it was probably scripted anyway.

 

 

Agree 100% - we have shown Oregon that we can run and pass effectively. Your point about the first plays being scripted is so true. The point of scripted plays is to have a plan and see how the other team reacts to what you do so that you can plan for the remainder of the 1st quarter or 1st half. It's funny how many times we hear to not give TA options - then we go after the staff for scripting the first two plays.

[BoNeyard]

Oregon has a young LB Core and young D-Line. I am not sure but their main D-Lineman Privot may still be suspended?

 

Another weakness for Oregon is their offensive line is very young. You must get pressure in the backfield to slow their offense down, and also prevent them from gaining big yards on 1st downs.

[Undone]

 

 

Luckily our offense got to run more than 2 plays during the game!!!

and; gained 500 yards

 

We've had two games. One where we ran it all game at will, and the other, where we were balanced in terms of play selection, yet the run wasnt working, so we slinged all over the yard at will. Im failing to see the problem here. I'd be much more concerned if saturday we came out and pounded 80% of the time again, and we'd be going into this week not having a clue what we have in the passing game. But what we found out is that is plenty serviceable. I'm actually encouraged. We are capable of doing either or.

 

A game is 60 minutes. To judge anything off the first 2 plays is pushing it. Not to mention, it was probably scripted anyway.

 

 

Agree 100% - we have shown Oregon that we can run and pass effectively. Your point about the first plays being scripted is so true. The point of scripted plays is to have a plan and see how the other team reacts to what you do so that you can plan for the remainder of the 1st quarter or 1st half. It's funny how many times we hear to not give TA options - then we go after the staff for scripting the first two plays.

 

 

And I think it's also a sign that Langsdorf really does know what he's got and how to use it this season.

 

That 95 yard drive we had - that's how you read a defense and draw up a drive accordingly. When Tommy is "on," we have the best offense in the B1G West.

[BigRedBuster]

We have a much better chance of being able to run well against Oregon now that we had a very good passing day last week. That forced Oregon to have to plan and account for the passing game.

 

Now, we will see how well both do. I'm thinking Langs will find something that works and make adjustments to that throughout the game.

[Saunders]

Attn Mike Riley:

 

U C L A Gameplan

 

That is all.

[swmohusker]

Huskers need to do what it takes to win the game. Fresno showed a 2 high look and we knew we could pound the rock on them all day. We were better upfront than them and we had numbers in our Ace personnel. Wyoming basically had a 9 man box at times with safeties playing Quarters and down to the LOS so we murdered them through the air. It is hard to run when you dont have numbers, but even an average passing attack can look like the greatest show on turf.

[The Dude]

It's important for Oz to get rolling like he did against Fresno, and I think he will. If not, it's good to know we have a lot of creative ways to get other players/positions involved with the run game. So it's not all or nothing with one guy.