Why We Should Change Our Schemes

[Dansker]

I don't think Nebraska can get the kind of talent they need on offense to become an OSU/Oregon/UCF kind of offense and sustain that success. I believe we really need to go back to what made Nebraska football so good, which is sort of what Wisconsin does today. We NEED an identity. Something to hang our hats on. Something that works. Year 2 and we're regressing. I know the season is not over yet but I have lost confidence that this will get turned around. 7-5 or 6-6 is really what this team is going to be if they don't mix things up and rethink their style of play.

 

I think a return to a power type offense with play action mixed in could bring in some more favorable results. Bring back the fullback position. I think we would see less turnovers for one. It is far easier to recruit run blocking OL out of HS as well. I remember in 2008, Shawn Watson/Pelini tried to run power but then scrapped that idea and went to a more spread offense. That worked in the Big XII however, in the B1G, I do not see us ever getting the Jimmie's and the Joe's to emulate what OSU does. Geographically we're just at a disadvantage, IMO. 

 

Instead of trying to beat our opponents with finesse and space, why not break their will instead with true Husker Power? What worked before can work again. Even Scott Frost knows this. Maybe he's too stubborn like TO was in his early years. I'm not saying let's go option left, option right, run left, run right. But a return to mastering our fundamentals and outworking the other team. I think less shotgun and more plays under center or, hell, even pistol formation would benefit the OL. IMO, Jurgens won't be snapping it high out of a pistol look. He certainly didn't have issues snapping it out of I-Formation (chuckle)

 

On defense, I really think having a 4-3 is simply more versatile than a 3-4. We do not have 3 superior DL to take over a game against a team like OSU. If we inserted 4 DL, we could rotate more guys in and out. Outside of Cam Taylor-Britt and maybe Lamar Jackson, we really don't have the secondary to play aggressive man coverage at this point. We don't have an Amukamara, Eric Hagg, Dejon Gomes, etc. That will get better with recruiting so again, this will take some time.

 

I think this season, there's going to be some soul searching. I really think the staff as a whole could use it and look themselves in the mirror and maybe admit what they're doing isn't working and they need to improvise. If not, they'll be unemployed by the end of the year. I don't have the slightest clue what Frost means by, "We know, they know, we all know but you -- where this is going." Does he mean he'll eventually figure out how to fit a square peg into a round hole?

 

 

[Archy1221]

On the defensive side of the ball for the OSU game, I would have loved for NU to call a way more aggressive game at the beginning and try to put OSU on their heels a bit.  Try and create a turnover, force some bad throws, etc...  I thought we played way too conservative on D and the Buckeyes just methodically picked us apart.  Combine that with the horrendous offensive display and its same old story in a big game situation.  

[BIG ERN]

Unemployed by the end of the year? That won't happen 

[Cdog923]

7 minutes ago, FTW said:

I don't think Nebraska can get the kind of talent they need on offense to become an OSU/Oregon/UCF kind of offense and sustain that success.

 

 

 

We hired the absolutely wrong coach, then. 

[LumberJackSker]

Yes lets change schemes again and have frost coach a type of offense he never has before that sounds great. Oh and another thing that Wisconsin styles of offense doesn't work against ohio state either they've lost to the buckeyes like 8 out of the last 10 times they've played them. How about we let frost recruit guys that fit what he wants to do on offense and defense so we dont have to have a two deep full of walkons. 

 

I'm not saying things shouldn't be better but come on guys. 

[LumberJackSker]

43 minutes ago, Cdog923 said:

 

We hired the absolutely wrong coach, then. 

I swear some people really thought he was going to come hear and run everything out of a I formation. Kind of like when they hired diaco and everyone assumed he was going to blitz every play even though he had never done that anywhere he had been.

[hskrfan4life]

22 minutes ago, LumberJackSker said:

I swear some people really thought he was going to come hear and run everything out of a I formation. Kind of like when they hired diaco and everyone assumed he was going to blitz every play even though he had never done that anywhere he had been.

I did like the I formation he ran and confused the defense. I would love to see it again and become as part of the packages.

[LumberJackSker]

Just now, hskrfan4life said:

I did like the I formation he ran and confused the defense. I would love to see it again and become as part of the packages.

Agree. That quick fb dive to mills is a great. But its just a wrinkle this is going to be a spread team as long as frost is here.

[Bigred_inSD]

We can try to do what Wisconsin does but we need Oline to do that too.  Scheme still has the jury out but the talent in the trenches isnt going to make anything look good

[huskerfan702]

More times than not people are stubborn to change it’s normal but the wrinkles worked because they weren’t game planned for. I know the frost offense hasn’t produced the same but this isn’t the AAC it’s gonna take time and it’s definitely not gonna show in a game where we were physically outclassed at every level. 

[Nebhawk]

I do think that more power based game is good, but Ohio St runs the spread with power players.  I think thats what Frost has envisioned for this program.  We just need the players for this process.  I think in games against South Alabam or North Illinois or Illini, power football would win easy.  I don't know if we can compete with Michigan, Ohio St, or Wisky playing just smash mouth football out of the I-Formation.

[Nebhawk]

Add Penn St to that mix of elite Big 10 teams.

[r06ue1]

I love the I, always have and it is great to see it in a game again.  Do I think we should run that formation 100% of the time?  F no!  We should show defenses as many formations as possible in games to confuse the F out of them.  Play action when the D is focused on stopping the run is still one of the most effective plays in football and it can work from the I formation also.  

 

The option is still one of the hardest offenses to defend against and we can run it out of the I, shotgun, pro set, whatever, just keep the defenses off balance is the key.  Have been confused as to the lack of option we have run so far this season, guess we were saving it all for Ohio State.

[Nebfanatic]

Should we go back to a pro style? Remember now, Paul Chryst and Mike Riley share playbooks lol. Just stick some more squares in round holes then blame it on the scheme thats what we like to do here. We need to stick with something for a few years and get in a team to run that system. If it isn't working then maybe we can talk about scraping it.

[lo country]

We need to bring back a power element for sure.  If nothing more than find a way to punish an over aggressive DL from crashing so hard like OSU.  Counters and traps would be great IMHO. I loved running out of the I.  It confused OSU.  Got us some yards.  I said that is the offensive genius I have been waiting to see.  And then it pretty much went away until the 4th.  

 

The talent we are lacking is the OL.  No amount of "scheme" can fix that.  However, Frost needs to learn to better exploit this with play calling.  Quick screens, pop passes, draws, roll the pocket, reverses, roll out RPO....And sadly, get a QB who can make those throws....Martinez is off. A lot.  His numbers are "good", but he makes a few of those throws, the game looks better.  Makes them pull guys out of the box.  Have safeties over the top instead of playing run etc....

 

What also confuses me was the lack of motions I saw last year.  The speed that I saw last year to not allow the D to get set up. We are not using any of that "up tempo" to allow us the advantage.  And to my untrained eye, the play book looked more "open" when Noah came in the previous game.  Faster, more crisp, and more diverse.  

 

I agree with the recruiting issue.  Hard to go toe to toe right now with so many teams looking for the limited talent pool.  Reality is winning gets winners....We will need to get a staff that can truly develop the talent we can get.  For me, the jury is still out if we can across the board.  I would also like to get some much taller receivers and bigger RB's as well.  The B1G is a different beast the PAC 12 and the AAC.  It is as physical a league as you will find......