3rd and short

[Saunders]

Last week at Minnesota, Nebraska used a 60/40 run/pass ratio to spark a big road victory that had everybody all smiles. Afterwards, Mike Riley said ""But I think that was a picture of what we need balance-wise."

Lesson learned, right?

Wrong. Ignore what the head coach said, because actions speak louder than words. In the first quarter, Nebraska ran the ball nine times and threw the ball 14 times. 60/40 thus became 38/62. And that was at the start of the game: it was precisely how Mike Riley and Danny Langsdorf planned to start the game. It's how they prepared this team.

Want more evidence? Nine times, Nebraska faced a third down needing four or fewer yards. They ran the ball three times - and gained three first downs. Oh, and scored a touchdown too. But passing in those situations? One for six, with that interception.

http://www.cornnation.com/2015/10/25/9611532/report-card-northwestern-wildcats-30-huskers-28

 

[BIG ERN]

Nothing has changed with this team since day 1

 

[Swiv3D]

Why is it so obvious to everyone to run the ball except for the coaches?

 

[NUance]

1st Qtr

3rd and 2: Run. 1st down

3rd and 10: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete

3rd and 7: Pass. Incomplete

3rd and 17: Pass. Incomplete

2nd Qtr

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 2: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 3: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 4: Pass. Intercept. (Pick six, damnit!)

3rd and 9: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 2: Run. 1st down.

3rd and 16: Pass. 1st down.

3rd Qtr

3rd and 9: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 13: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 11: Run. Didn't make it. (Got a 1st on penalty though.)

3rd and 12: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 4 (goal): Run. TD.

3rd and 8: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 9: Pass. Sack.


4th Qtr

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 10: Pass. Sack.

3rd and 6: Pass. Incomplete.

======================================

I wondered whether this could possibly be correct, so I looked it up on the play-by-play. (Hey, I'm stuck watching an Internet presentation this morning, and bored stiff.) Hoppen is correct if you count the four yard TD run as a 1st down, which seems appropriate.

We were actually better at converting passing 1st downs from five or more yards than from four or fewer yards. We threw twelve times from five or more on third down. Converted on five of twelve. 5/12, not that that's anything to brag about. We also threw a pick six on one of those long third down passes.

 

[kchusker_chris]

this had me pulling out what little hair I have left. the one's through the first half when we should have been destroying this team were so frustrating. the 3 and outs are ridiculous. the fact that they trust a 50% passer on 3rd and 3 over our stable of backs says a lot about this offense.

 

[cm husker]

My other frustration is with the constant subbing out of Westerkamp. I know you have to moderate his snaps, but in key situations, he needs to be out there. He's probably the only WR we have who is going to truly influence coverages. I love our other guys, too, but don't think they get coverage rolled to them like he has.

Why not have him on the field if for no other reason than to help simply TA's reads?

 

[cornographic]

My other frustration is with the constant subbing out of Westerkamp. I know you have to moderate his snaps, but in key situations, he needs to be out there. He's probably the only WR we have who is going to truly influence coverages. I love our other guys, too, but don't think they get coverage rolled to them like he has.

Why not have him on the field if for no other reason than to help simply TA's reads?

Agree, Westy should be out there on every play. I thought we were going to be developing more of the short passing game too, but so far most routes are moderate to deep and the screen game is still pretty pathetic.

 

[NoLongerN]

1st Qtr

3rd and 2: Run. 1st down

3rd and 10: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete

3rd and 7: Pass. Incomplete

3rd and 17: Pass. Incomplete

2nd Qtr

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 2: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 3: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 4: Pass. Intercept. (Pick six, damnit!)

Just crazy.

3rd and 9: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 2: Run. 1st down.

3rd and 16: Pass. 1st down.

3rd Qtr

3rd and 9: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 13: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 11: Run. Didn't make it. (Got a 1st on penalty though.)

3rd and 12: Pass. 1st down.

3rd and 4 (goal): Run. TD.

3rd and 8: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 9: Pass. Sack.

4th Qtr

3rd and 3: Pass. Incomplete.

3rd and 10: Pass. Sack.

3rd and 6: Pass. Incomplete.

======================================

I wondered whether this could possibly be correct, so I looked it up on the play-by-play. (Hey, I'm stuck watching an Internet presentation this morning, and bored stiff.) Hoppen is correct if you count the four yard TD run as a 1st down, which seems appropriate.

We were actually better at converting passing 1st downs from five or more yards than from four or fewer yards. We threw twelve times from five or more on third down. Converted on five of twelve. 5/12, not that that's anything to brag about. We also threw a pick six on one of those long third down passes.

 

[VectorVictor]

So, in summation, this staff has failed to learn lessons taught to them in the first game of the season...and we're now eight games into the season?

Well, I suppose if we give them another year, they'll get it. Right?

 

[Mavric]

We're 1-5 against the Power 5. Here are our run/pass splits through the first three quarters of those games (sack adjusted). First three quarters as that's when Langsdorf is more "free" to call whatever he wants as opposed to being more "dictated" by the late-game scenario.

BYU - 25 runs, 41 passes (55% completions, 62% pass plays)

MIA - 23 runs, 26 passes (41%, 53%)

ILL - 18 runs, 23 passes (39%, 56%)

WIS - 29 runs, 23 passes (43%, 44%)

MIN - 28 runs, 22 passes (76%, 44%)

NW - 31 runs, 41 passes (52%, 57%)

So in our five losses, we called 126 runs and 154 passes which is 55% passing. And all that despite struggling to complete 50% of our passes. In our one win, we were 56% running. And it would appear that having the better running game made a huge difference in the passing game as that was BY FAR our best pass completion game.

People can talk about being close at the end all they want. But the fact is that we had plenty of opportunities to make plays earlier in the games that would have given us much more room at the end.

It seemed like perhaps we had started to figure that out against Wisconsin and really found a groove against Minnesota. But apparently not.

 

[Redux]

This thread is on point.

On Big Red Reaction they touched on the 3rd and Short issue. They explained it's not the play we have an issue with, it's the result. Well, if the result is continuously falling flat on the turf before a punt.....change the damned play!

3rd and 5, fine pass. 3rd and 4, okay I guess try a pass once or twice. 3rd and 3, well now surely you won't.....oh you did. 3rd and 2.....you're just screwing with us at this point.

If you believe there isn't a player on the team who can pickup a 3rd and 2 via run, I have some land to sell you.

 

[NUinID]

It truly is a a matter of how they want to operate. In there mind 3rd and 3 is a passing down. It stems from thinking too much like and NFL OC, because in the NFL 3rd and 3 is a passing down. It is just the way they want to operate. It is not the WC offense it is what they want to do. Watch Stanford they are running the WC offense also, but David shaw will put 3 TE and a back up offensive guard into the game on 3rd and 3 and run out of an I formation and pick up the first down. Because that is what they want to do. Riley and DL don't want to do that.

 

[macroboy]

It truly is a a matter of how they want to operate. In there mind 3rd and 3 is a passing down. It stems from thinking too much like and NFL OC, because in the NFL 3rd and 3 is a passing down. It is just the way they want to operate. It is not the WC offense it is what they want to do. Watch Stanford they are running the WC offense also, but David shaw will put 3 TE and a back up offensive guard into the game on 3rd and 3 and run out of an I formation and pick up the first down. Because that is what they want to do. Riley and DL don't want to do that.

This x1000000000000000000000000000000000000

In the NFL 3rd and 3 is a passing down. Not even sure I agree with it in the nfl but this has been my one constant complaint with this OC. Throwing on 3rd and short.

 

[lo country]

You run effectively, the DC shifts safety (s) into the box to help the run D. This means single coverage, maybe a zone coverage over the top at the worst. This means TA doesn't throw into double coverage, doesn't miss a LB sitting underneath or make some other mistake with the ball. It makes the passing game "easier" for him.....

The stats don't lie. We run, we win. Same as under Bo........

Stats also don't lie in that we hired an average coach at best....

 

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

This has been a problem the whole season. I made a couple posts about this after the Wisconsin game. The results in that game and the IL game before were dead on with Hoppen's tweet. This is just who this staff is. Tommy is never going to be the guy to take a 3 step drop and complete the underneath throw on a consistent basis. It's not gonna work.