Armstrong at QB

[Mavric]

Tommie does some thing pretty well. He (until the second half yesterday) throws a very good deep ball. He is an instinctive runner and is more dangerous this year - probably a lot to do with being healthy but also slimming down a little bit and being more confident.

Tommie does not do some things very well. He isn't very accurate on shorter throws. There were several times yesterday he had an open receiver 12-15 yards downfield and couldn't get it to them. He locks on to one guy and usually throws it there regardless of how open that guy is. I also don't think he sees the field particularly well. A couple of his near-miss INTs were because he didn't see the defender but threw it right to them.

The things he does well are good. He can make some yards on his own and stretch the field. But the INTs will begin to show up when guys quit dropping them. And the 10-15 yard throws are what keep drives alive. I'm afraid that will hurt when we aren't running the ball very well (like yesterday).

 

[Thanks_Tom RR]

I go back and forth on him, not sold yet. Has significant accuracy and judgment issues, starts gripping after mistakes. Got shook in the bowl after the pick and he was shook yesterday after the pick-6 and what should've been another pick. On the plus side he's a natural runner, not a gamebreaker but he's quick with nice moves. His arm is definitely strong, just needs to work on consistent technique and touch. Seems like a good kid the team believes in. But we can't keep being a 50% passing team, it nearly cost us yesterday and will get us beat down the road.

I like Tommy Armstrong. Like you said, he has a strong arm, plays the option game like a pro, has command of the offense, and is a strong leader. However, we can't be balanced on offense (50% rushing, 50% passing) if our passing completion is around 50%. That leads to 25% of our plays not working, without factoring in failed running attempts. Against FAU, we were 63% rushing (36% passing), but against McNeese St, we went 53% rushing (47% passing). Tommy had a ~51% pass completion in both games (9.3 YPA FAU; 7.8 YPA McNeese St). We can see the difference in the scores between the two games. McNeese St ran a more blitz heavy offense to stop the run, but when MSU did it last year, we ran it into their teeth with success.

I think about Tommie Frazier having just above 50% passing completion on a team who ran 75-80% of the time. This allowed for sustained drives even if we were 50/50 in the pass game. I look to the 2014 offense under Tommy Armstrong and think if we could be around 62-65% run, we would be better off.

I think Tommy can be a successful QB at Nebraska, if we dedicate more of our offense on the run. I definitely made that sound simpler than it is because we also need to consider what we run in our passing game, but you would have to ask Coach Beck that.

 

[Hunter94]

Again, NU won 3 MNC's with QB's barely above 50%. Its not the incompletions, its what happens to those not caught that hurt. The INT for 6 hurt and bad. A throw that is simply incomplete sucks, but allows us to fight another day so to speak. The difference, what plays we call and how well they get executed.

I was mystified by the play calling yesterday. Great play calling and much better execution will hide or minimize TA's flaws. No way TA is dead accurate with these routes in practice and craps the bed in the games. Beck needs to call what works in practice and call to the strengths of the team. Beck needs to realize that just because its "in the playbook" doesn't mean it ever needs to be called. Using the FB as more than a noon-factor is ridiculous. If he hates he FB, bring in Cross in a 2 back set and run that. Teams will have to acct for Cross. Actually use the TE. Again, one more thing for the D to think about.

Just like last year and the punt return being non-existent and taking 1/3 of the game out of play, Beck has effectively done the same thing by removing the TE and FB as weapons. When they are in, I would guarantee no team even remotely schemes to deal with them. Year 4 and Beck, for me continues to disappoint. Bo alluded to his displeasure in the play calling yesterday in the presser. You have an AA in AA and potential Hypesman and you can't find a way to get the running game going. Not to mention Beck appears no way to draw guys out of the box through his play calling or call plays to allow a gassed D to get some rest. Quit going big or bust. Do like week one. Simply move the chains.

I would like to see the TEs blocking when the opposition overloads to stop the run. After several plays, the TE could slip by th DB because the DB is expecting the to block.

Unfortunately, this would require one play setting up another. I have yet to really see this from Beck. Agree it would be open 100%.

Beck...........

 

[Cougar74]

Yeah some good ideas on the board. The actual stats and explanation is interesting if your valuing efficiency like the Red Storm should after all it's the moniker this year. You can learn a lot from stats. It makes sense for a more favorable run/pass ratio and illustrates its effectiveness with the players we have.

 

[Mavric]

Somehow I lost the first half of the game on my DVR so I had to start with the second half.

Right off the bat (first possesion) was an example. After a holding penalty, we had 2nd and 15. We line up trips left with a TE on the right. Not sure what all the play entails (can't see on the screen) but the TE runs a short out and the primary look is AA on a wheel route out of the backfield. It obviously takes a little bit of time for AA to get out there but TA stares that way the entire time. Drawing at least two defenders - and probably a safety over the top - no one is open. There isn't any pressure but TA doesn't ever even look to the back side - remember, there are three receivers over there - and takes off to run but gets tackled by a DLineman for no gain. Had he even looked to the left, not only would there have been a possible open receiver but it appeared that there was a much larger running lane that direction.

Yes, he's still young. I hope he improves and probably will. But I think he got a little shook after the pick six. Pelini commented several times this spring and fall that TA was doing a better job of shaking off mistakes and recovering quickly. I believe Pelini when he says he's getting better at that but I don't think we saw it yesterday.

 

[lo country]

Somehow I lost the first half of the game on my DVR so I had to start with the second half.

Right off the bat (first possesion) was an example. After a holding penalty, we had 2nd and 15. We line up trips left with a TE on the right. Not sure what all the play entails (can't see on the screen) but the TE runs a short out and the primary look is AA on a wheel route out of the backfield. It obviously takes a little bit of time for AA to get out there but TA stares that way the entire time. Drawing at least two defenders - and probably a safety over the top - no one is open. There isn't any pressure but TA doesn't ever even look to the back side - remember, there are three receivers over there - and takes off to run but gets tackled by a DLineman for no gain. Had he even looked to the left, not only would there have been a possible open receiver but it appeared that there was a much larger running lane that direction.

Yes, he's still young. I hope he improves and probably will. But I think he got a little shook after the pick six. Pelini commented several times this spring and fall that TA was doing a better job of shaking off mistakes and recovering quickly. I believe Pelini when he says he's getting better at that but I don't think we saw it yesterday.

I am hoping that TA can become a guru of film study. Break it down and see exactly what you are saying. Even learn to do this to "look a safety off" or freeze one. The way he telegraphs, a pump fake would be 6 every time for the next game or 2 until DC's caught on. The McNeese guys starting jumping the routes when TA locked on.

 

[Mavric]

Next possesion, third and long. Westerkamp in the slot right with wideouts both sides. TA stares down Westy for the entire length of his 10 yard dig (in) route and fires the ball into triple coverage. AA was uncovered in the flat to TA's right (should have been easy to see). There wasn't any pressure forcing him to throw.

 

[74Hunter]

Again, NU won 3 MNC's with QB's barely above 50%.

A completely different offensive system. Making that comparison is totally irrelevant.

I am sick and tired of this being an excuse. What was so different? Give me an offense that is exactly what we run today in the current college world and what does their QB do. Not "like" ours, but what we run.
The point being TO schemed to the strengths of the team and won. A lot. He was able to hide the inability in our QB's to complete passes in his system at a higher rate through play calling and execution in other phases of the game. beck hasn't and doesn't.

People clamoring for a 65% or better ain't gonna get that NU. Not with this system, whatever the hell it is.

It's a little different when beck wants to throw 30 times a game. TO probably averaged about 15 passes per game back then. Totally different animals.

Tommy had to get to 60-65%, imo.

 

[3rd and long]

His best throw of the game was the short pass to Abdullah.

I have counted 4 passes that could have been intercepted but dropped by the opposition

He needs to focus on these two things all week this week (and keep them in his mind going forward). Several times he forced the ball into double or even triple coverage when the running back was wide open with 10+ yards of space in front of him. He needs to get it drilled into his head to not throw the ball when there is more than one defender around. I know the interception had only one defender but that was just a freakish play.

I agree with this. Our RBs are so good in space I'm not sure they shouldn't be the 2nd option as opposed to being a check down.

Remember how long it took Taylor to start utilizing the backs on the dump off.

 

[irafreak]

Personally I thought the oline did a fine job of pass protecting that first half. McNeese state made some adjustments. I was at work so I couldn't follow the second half as well but maybe they change their coverages so TA would have to look off that first read. I only noticed one time in that first half that he looked off to his second read.

 

[HuskerNation1]

I think Tommy is doing well overall for a sophomore, but I do think he needs to tone down his cockiness a bit. I like our guys to have swagger, but he was a bit overexcited on a couple of plays yesterday against a lower division team. I think he just needs to let the plays speak for themselves.

 

[SeaOfRed402]

This is not a tommy armstrong issue at all. yes he made a few bad reads and didn't pay attention to Westy tapping his right hip to signify an out route on the pick 6. this was offensive line getting beat at the point of attack time after time. we haven't had consistent play on the offensive line since barney has been the coach. our quarterbacks year in and year out are having to run around and try to make plays with 5 dudes chasing them. this proved to be a huge issue for martinez and is becoming one for tommy. and jake cotton is an incredible player but he consistently makes boneheaded plays such as the lineman downfield on Westys incredible catch. the tripping play on the touchdown run. just shooting ourselves in the foot. but once again this is not a TA issue. when he does get time in the pocket he is incredibly accurate and can really throw a beautiful ball. and lets face it people are going to key on our run game and specifically Ameer all year and try to make us pass it. don't get me wrong Ameer is still going to get his no matter what just like yesterday. but big games are going to come down to the offensive line giving TA time to find our stud receiving corps. as they have proved time and again if tommy gives Westy, KB, Tarriq, Alonzo and company a chance to catch the ball they are going to do that. Folks football looks a lot different from when we were winning titles but nothing has changed. EVERYTHING STARTS IN THE TRENCHES. IT ALL STARTS AND ENDS BY BEING DOMINANT IN THE TRENCHES. Offensive and Defensive lines are the key to anything you do schematically. We have the Hogs to Do it on defense finally. now if we could just be above average on the offensive line i think you would see this team do some special things. We have so many weapons but the key is the offensive line giving our boys enough time to have plays and holes develop for TA, AA, Imani, and Company. i also am not a mark pelini believer. the center needs to be the anchor of that line and be able to help guards out and pelini falls short in my opinion. when getting blown off the ball at the point of attack every play things are doomed from the get go. we need to find somebody who is big and strong enough to get the center job taken care of. because 5 foot 11 285 is NOT going to get the job done against REAL nose tackles we are going to see coming up soon. I don't care who we find but mark pelini is not the answer. How about we tie one of these freshman offensive lineman and dedicate them to becoming an incredible Center instead of moving guys from position to position on the line every week you know who look like they could be a real center are Corey Whittaker, Duane Johnson Jr, Or the PERFECT CANDIDATE FOR CENTER IS DJ FOSTER. IT ALL STARTS AND ENDS IN THE TRENCHES FOLKS AND WE HAVE EVERY PIECE TO THE PUZZLE BUT ITS TIME TO PUT IT TOGETHER!!! END RANT

 

[True2tRA]

I think Tommy is doing well overall for a sophomore, but I do think he needs to tone down his cockiness a bit. I like our guys to have swagger, but he was a bit overexcited on a couple of plays yesterday against a lower division team. I think he just needs to let the plays speak for themselves.

This is so awesome. Thank you.

 

[Minnesota_husker]

I like Tommy. He throws a good ball. Just needs to work on knowing where his players will be and putting the ball in a spot only his guy can get.

I think by the time he is a SR, he will be a VERY good QB... just need to deal with the headaches.

 

[QMany]

I'm pulling for Tommy, I think he has the potential to be very good. We all know he throws a great deep ball. I would like to see some noticeable improvement in three facets of his game:

• Short-mid length throws. I feel like he throws most of these balls low. Many times on Saturday, he would have a route open only to throw it to his recievers feet. It allows no YAC even if the difficult ball is caught.
• Reads. We saw this last year, a lot of miscommunication on routes and bad reads. A lot of balls thrown with no receiver within 15 yards. Most of the time, it is option routes getting read completely wrong.
• Check downs. Tommy has a hard time getting through a progression and rarely makes it to his check down receiver. Ameer was open all day in the flat! Our LB get exposed on these routes, but we refuse to use them on O. Give me Ameer one-on-one with a LB or safety any time.