Here's What Happened - Colorado

[Mavric]

Huskers' ball - 15:00 1st Quarter

1&10,-25 - Zone-read look but it's a called give to Bell for six yards.  Colorado walked an extra guy down into the box who made the tackle.

2&4,-31 - Bell motions out of the backfield, LB follows leaving five to block five on the QB draw.  Great play for  18 yards

1&10,-49 - Quick out to Spielman from the inside Trips spot.  Bad, low throw but Spielman grabs it and spins inside for 9 yards

2&2,+42 - Inside Zone to Bell but the LB blitzes and blows things up.  Gain of 2

1&10,+40 - Motion Spielman into backfield, triple option with Bell, Martinez keeps for 11 yards

1&10, +29 - Inside Zone to Bell, only six to block seven.  Gain of 3

2&7,+26 - Spielman motions out of the backfield, Inside Zone to Bell, unblocked ILB makes the tackle, gain of 3

3&3,+23 - Looks like everyone was blocking Outside Zone but Bell cuts inside (there was a decent hole), get sandwiched and fumbles

[admo]

[Undone]

That second play from scrimmage was so awesome. Martinez looked everybody to his right as if it's a quick screen out wide to Bell, the line creates a massive hole, Martinez goes up the middle.

 

As the disappointment slowly wears off from losing to an old Big 8 rival, I'm seriously so excited for what this offense is going to be with Martinez under center. I can't get my mind around how good it can be if our offensive line continues the improvement it's clearly gained in the offseason.

 

Penalties hurt us quite a bit on offense in the second half. What sucks is that we put up 21 points in the first half but only mustered 7 in the second half. And what further sucks is that even if Stan catches that should-be touchdown reception, they still could have tied up the game 35-35 by going for two in the fourth quarter.

 

In my opinion, this offense and its starting lineup should be able to average 10 points per quarter against every team except OSU and Wisconsin once we get the yips out. 

[Undone]

Here's another play I loved seeing in the first quarter - an oddly-paced motioning set into a sort of diamond formation where it's a designed pitch to Lindsey. Should play from the right point. Watch Farniok look for his assignment and seal the block:
 

 

[clyde40]

It sure felt familiar when Bell fumbled on the opening drive. I decided to do some research and sure enough Nebraska has turned the ball over on the opening drive 15 times since 2008 with a record of 4-11. I have no idea how this compares with other teams, but it sure doesn't seem like a good trend. I don't see it continuing, but thought it was interesting/depressing.

*Turnover on first offensive play

 

2008:

Iowa State W 35-7

OU L 62-28 *

Kansas State W 56-28

 

2009:

Iowa State enough said... *

 

2010:

South Dakota State W 17-3*

Washington Holiday Bowl L 19-7

 

2012:

Wisconsin B1G Championship*

 

2013:

Mich. St. L 41-28

Iowa L 38-17

 

2016:

Northwestern W 24-13

Ohio State L 62-3

 

2017:

Oregon L 42-35*

NIU L 21-17

Wisconsin L 38-17

 

2018:

Colorado L 33-28

 

[TAKODA]

11 hours ago, clyde40 said:

It sure felt familiar when Bell fumbled on the opening drive. I decided to do some research and sure enough Nebraska has turned the ball over on the opening drive 15 times since 2008 with a record of 4-11. I have no idea how this compares with other teams, but it sure doesn't seem like a good trend. I don't see it continuing, but thought it was interesting/depressing.

*Turnover on first offensive play

 

2008:

Iowa State W 35-7

OU L 62-28 *

Kansas State W 56-28

 

2009:

Iowa State enough said... *

 

2010:

South Dakota State W 17-3*

Washington Holiday Bowl L 19-7

 

2012:

Wisconsin B1G Championship*

 

2013:

Mich. St. L 41-28

Iowa L 38-17

 

2016:

Northwestern W 24-13

Ohio State L 62-3

 

2017:

Oregon L 42-35*

NIU L 21-17

Wisconsin L 38-17

 

2018:

Colorado L 33-28

 

 +1, for the data,  perplexing stat. 

[Mavric]

Colorado Ball - 12:05 1st Quarter

1&10,-14 - Fake inside zone, throw a bubble screen to the other back.  Good play design. Unblocked Lamar Jackson barely gets a hand on him.  Ferguson barely gets a hand on him.  Gain of 17

1&10,-31 - Fake inside zone, throw a bubble screen to WR. Great pursuit to hold him to a 2 yard gain

2&8,-33 - Good disguise and pressure on the blitz from Barry but Montez escapes out the back side and scrambles for 14.  Stille seemed to stunt inside but no one replaced.  Young filled wrong side

1&10,-47 - Reverse flea-flicker.  Young has pretty good coverage down the sideline but Shenault makes a great play on the ball to make the catch.  Gain of 28

1&10,+25 - We leave the slot uncovered but recover quickly to hold him to a 5 yard gain

2&5,+20 - Going to be the quick flip to Shenault on Jet motion but there is a false start

2&10,+25 - Colorado finds a hole in the zone coverage and hits a post for 17

1&G,+8 - Inside zone, Gifford should have made a tackle for a loss but they get 2

2&G,+6 - Incomplete on the quick fade but we're offsides

2&G,+3 - Neal gets caught on the rub route and they score a TD.  Neal seems to indicate after the play that they should have switched guys on the cross

 

Kind of lends credence to the "if we had a first game to iron out some kinks" theory.  We seemed to be misaligned/misassigned on the QB scramble and we messed up the coverage on the TD.  Perhaps those go differently in game 2.  But Colorado also made a couple nice plays.

[Mavric]

Not sure if Domann so much held on the ensuing kickoff as just got run over.  Either way, we could have started on the 35 but instead start on the 10.  Would have helped the special teams look a little better.

[Mavric]

Huskers ball, 8:51 1st Quarter

1&10,-10 - Quick out to Morgan, nice throw, 5 yards

2&5,-15 - QB draw, Martinez makes an unblocked LB miss, then a safety miss before a blocked defender gets lucky when an arm he just throws out there hits right on the ball.  Fumble

[Mavric]

Colorado ball, 8:29 1st Quater

1&10,+24 - Inside zone, Barry does a great job getting a hit in the backfield, Young helps him finish it off.  Bad penalty - right call - on Carlos for hands to the face

1&10,+12 - Outside zone, Barry with another great play to get to the ball.  Gain of 2

2&8,+10 - Quick pressure by Ferguson forces a bad throw.  Young had good coverage anyway

3&8,+10 - Bubble screen to Shenault off Jet Motion.  Leaky yardage.  Reed gets chipped but could have had him for a loss.  Bootle over-runs or it could have been just a couple yards but he ends up getting 7 after he fights for the last three.  Probably would have been a FG attempt but he gets them close enough to go for it on 4th & 1

4&1,+3 - Shenault from the Wildcat for a TD.  Barry hits him at the line and Ferguson hits him immediately after but he's able to slide forward for an extra couple yards

 

14-0 Colorado

[Mavric]

Huskers ball, 6:47 1st Quarter

1&10,-25 - Off-tackle power to Washington.  First defender gets just enough of him to knock him off balance and let the next guy finish him off.  Gain of 6

2&4,-31 - Motion Spielman out of the backfield, TE Wham on Inside Zone to Washington, gain of 3.  Conrad hurt, Farmer to Center, Wilson in at Guard

3&1,-34 - Ozigbo doesn't look like he read the setup very well.  Also initially set up on the wrong side before Martinez moved him.  EMOL was unblocked and held by Jet motion, everyone else blocks down so it looks to be an off-tackle play.  Oz starts straight ahead but is able to bounce to the hole and fight to pick up 7

1&10,-41 - No one picks up the corner blitz.  Martinez sees it late and barely gets it thrown away

2&10,-41 - Motion Spielman into the backfield, fake to Oz, Option with Spielman.  Martinez should have pitched it but JD would have had to make a good move to get much yardage.  Martinez loses 7

3&17,-34 - Great protection, great job by Martinez finding Williams as his third option on the back side for 20 yards

1&10,+46 - Washington behind a lead block from Oz.  Probably should have gone inside the block but Washington is fast and slippery enough to get to the corner for 5

2&5,+41 - Great job on the sideline check, recognizing man coverage against an overloaded set so there's no one home once Martinez makes the first guy miss and he goes for the TD

 

Colorado 14-7 - two great plays by Martinez on that drive

[Mavric]

Colorado ball, 3:47 1st Quarter

1&10,-25 - Jet sweep but Aaron Williams comes from 13 yards off the line for the huge hit and holding them to a gain of 3

2&7,-28 - Fake inside zone, throw to the other RB on the slip screen.  Aaron Williams fights through a block and gets just enough of him to get him down

3&7,-28 - Tight coverage from Bootle on the deep out and the pass is just off, incomplete

4&7,-28 - Punt, stupid block in the back by Neal, Bootle tried to hold up but still bumped him.  Bootle's guy probably makes a play without the bump.

[Moiraine]

35 minutes ago, Mavric said:

Huskers ball, 8:51 1st Quarter

1&10,-10 - Quick out to Morgan, nice throw, 5 yards

2&5,-15 - QB draw, Martinez makes an unblocked LB miss, then a safety miss before a blocked defender gets lucky when an arm he just throws out there hits right on the ball.  Fumble

 

 

I thought it might be a long day after this. Which is one reason this loss wasn't devastating to me.

[Mavric]

Huskers ball, 2:32 1st Quarter

1&10,-10 - Triple option look to Linsdey out of the backfield.  Lindsey looked pretty quick here though a more decisive cut may have gotten some more yards.  Gain of 9

2&1,-19 - Inside zone to Bell, first guy gets enough of him to slow him down but he gets 7

1&10,-26 - Great protection, either a great look-off or good progression by Martinez to find Morgan back the other way.  Looked like Martinez almost went deep to Stoll who had a step but pulled it back and went to Morgan instead. Gain of 21

1&10,-47 - Inside zone to Bell but there is no push from the line.  Gain of 2

2&8,-49 - Outside zone to Bell.  Looks like Martinez probably could have gone the other way but the backside ILB is able to scrape and hold Bell to 2 yards

3&6,+49 - WR screen to Bell lined up wide.  Stoll whiffs on his block and Bell loses 3.  Looks like if Martinez would have gone there quickly instead of looking off first the timing would have been better.

4&9,-48 - Punt

[Mavric]

Colorado ball, 14:54 2nd Quarter

1&10,-13 - Play-action, Daniels gets pressure, blitzing Barry and Ferguson should have had a sack but Montez falls forward for no gain

2&10,-13 - Ferguson, Barry and Honas all blitz but Montez gets it out quickly on the crossing route.  Great tackle by Neal to hold him to 5 yards

3&5,-18 - Khalil blows past the RG for the huge hit and sack.  Daniels also had pressure

4&12,-11 - Punt

 

Great recovery by the Blackshirts. Forcing two 3-and-Outs after falling behind 14-0