Eric the Red
Team HuskerBoard
Huskers Seek Improvement On Third Down Conversions
JOE BONGE / Daily Nebraskan
September 15, 2005
After going 10 of 30 on third down conversions through two games, Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan told his team a little story.
That story ended with a little piece of information that junior receiver Grant Mulkey took to heart.
“On third and 10, only 18 percent of plays are converted,” Mulkey recalled Callahan saying. “We’re just focusing on getting it down to third and short. I think that’s the key to our third downs.”
In an offense designed for ball control and big plays, improving results on first and second downs is necessary for easier third conversions.
Nebraska’s 30-percent conversion rate on third down is just one percentage point higher than last year’s 31 percent – which ranked 11th in the Big 12 Conference.
Through two games, the Huskers rank ninth in the Big 12.
After the Wake Forest game Saturday, the Huskers put a stronger emphasis on third down situations in practice.
NU went 5 of 16 against the Demon Deacons and 5 of 17 against Maine.
The secret to improving third downs, Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell said, is executing better on first and second downs.
“Guys have to make plays,” Norvell said. “Guys have to protect and beat tight coverage – it’s about that simple.”
In their best stretch of the year – the third quarter against Wake Forest – NU went four of six on third downs conversions.
Three of those conversions came with less than five yards to go.
The longest Nebraska third down conversion this year came in that same quarter when the Huskers converted a third and nine.
Mulkey said the poor performance on third downs can be lumped in with the lack of big plays on offense, thus not being able to keep defenses on their heels.
“I think in the last few weeks we’ve had the opportunity to do it,” Mulkey said. “The details just haven’t been there. We’ve had a lot of open receivers downfield, it’s just been one step away.”
Norvell said the big plays have been called, just not executed.
Incomplete passes also have been wreaking havoc on Husker third downs.
Against Wake Forest, the Huskers failed on four straight passing attempts on third downs before Zac Taylor hooked up with Frantz Hardy on third and three in the second quarter.
“When we throw accurately, we catch balls and we make plays,” Norvell said. “We have rhythm and chemistry.”
The Huskers’ inability to hang on to the ball is no excuse for not converting more third downs, Mulkey said.
“We’ve taken responsibility for what’s happened in the first two games,” Mulkey said. “We’re just going to try to come out next game and prove people wrong.”
Despite the poor start in the third down department, the Huskers are still 2-0, which Norvell said is the most important thing to concentrate on this time of year.
“We were 1-1 at this time last year and we’re 2-0 this year,” Norvell said. “What’s the most important stat? I’ll take the last one.”
JOE BONGE / Daily Nebraskan
September 15, 2005
After going 10 of 30 on third down conversions through two games, Nebraska Coach Bill Callahan told his team a little story.
That story ended with a little piece of information that junior receiver Grant Mulkey took to heart.
“On third and 10, only 18 percent of plays are converted,” Mulkey recalled Callahan saying. “We’re just focusing on getting it down to third and short. I think that’s the key to our third downs.”
In an offense designed for ball control and big plays, improving results on first and second downs is necessary for easier third conversions.
Nebraska’s 30-percent conversion rate on third down is just one percentage point higher than last year’s 31 percent – which ranked 11th in the Big 12 Conference.
Through two games, the Huskers rank ninth in the Big 12.
After the Wake Forest game Saturday, the Huskers put a stronger emphasis on third down situations in practice.
NU went 5 of 16 against the Demon Deacons and 5 of 17 against Maine.
The secret to improving third downs, Offensive Coordinator Jay Norvell said, is executing better on first and second downs.
“Guys have to make plays,” Norvell said. “Guys have to protect and beat tight coverage – it’s about that simple.”
In their best stretch of the year – the third quarter against Wake Forest – NU went four of six on third downs conversions.
Three of those conversions came with less than five yards to go.
The longest Nebraska third down conversion this year came in that same quarter when the Huskers converted a third and nine.
Mulkey said the poor performance on third downs can be lumped in with the lack of big plays on offense, thus not being able to keep defenses on their heels.
“I think in the last few weeks we’ve had the opportunity to do it,” Mulkey said. “The details just haven’t been there. We’ve had a lot of open receivers downfield, it’s just been one step away.”
Norvell said the big plays have been called, just not executed.
Incomplete passes also have been wreaking havoc on Husker third downs.
Against Wake Forest, the Huskers failed on four straight passing attempts on third downs before Zac Taylor hooked up with Frantz Hardy on third and three in the second quarter.
“When we throw accurately, we catch balls and we make plays,” Norvell said. “We have rhythm and chemistry.”
The Huskers’ inability to hang on to the ball is no excuse for not converting more third downs, Mulkey said.
“We’ve taken responsibility for what’s happened in the first two games,” Mulkey said. “We’re just going to try to come out next game and prove people wrong.”
Despite the poor start in the third down department, the Huskers are still 2-0, which Norvell said is the most important thing to concentrate on this time of year.
“We were 1-1 at this time last year and we’re 2-0 this year,” Norvell said. “What’s the most important stat? I’ll take the last one.”