can the Huskers do it with the WCO?

T

turkwilliams

Walk-on
Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan? And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state? I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time. How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned?

another question...

.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football? Did someone in the front office get tired of winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working.

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it? A good motto I live by: Do you. Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else. Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing. There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska.

It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good. A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.

 
A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.
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This is laughable. When was the last time a High School coach took over a high profile program? It surely hasn't happened in recent years. There is a big difference from being the head coach(no offense DJR) at Creighton Prep and being the Head Coach for the Big Red.

Oh and the option was broke the last couple of years. The Solich based option attack was predictable and tired.(I'm not saying the option never worked)

As far as winning a NC under Callahan with the WCO, it is very possible we could win a NC. We will have to see after the recruits come in.

 
Turk,

This question has been pounded over and over again here and the short answer is: we don't really know for sure.

Some feel as you do - the option worked before, why change? Others feel it is outdated and too difficult to run against the hyper-fast modren defenses. Some think the WCO is the wave of the future and will bring the Huskers back to prominence. Others think if overly complicated and ineffective without properly groomed players and other still just don't think it will work at the college level at all.

And there's a faction who think that Callahan can run the WCO, or the Option, or the Spread, or the Veer or the freakin' Watutsi and still fail.

My personal opinion - the WCO is just a name. College teams can't run it as used in the pros by virtue of immature QBs and lack of practice time. Some teams may incorporate elements of it, but a "pure" version like Callahan purports to run won't work.

That being said, the next two years make up the pivotal time - even next year is crucial. There has to be some improvement, IMHO - if not in wins and losses then at least in performance. The few games I saw last yeat the guys looked flat and unmotivated - and that's probably closer to the root of the problem more than the offensive scheme.

IRISH!

 
Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan? And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state? I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time. How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned?
another question...

.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football? Did someone in the front office get tired of winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working.

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it? A good motto I live by: Do you. Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else. Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing. There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska.

It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good. A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.
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The offense will begin to work it's way into the high schools, but SLOWLY. As the older coaches retire, the new guys are already picking up the offense. At all the football clinics, that's all Callahan and Norvell have been pounding into the coaches heads. Your probably going to see it first in the bigger schools and then perhaps some of the smaller ones.

 
The offense will begin to work it's way into the high schools, but SLOWLY. As the older coaches retire, the new guys are already picking up the offense. At all the football clinics, that's all Callahan and Norvell have been pounding into the coaches heads. Your probably going to see it first in the bigger schools and then perhaps some of the smaller ones.

Omaha Gross threw the ball all over the field last year.

 
Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan? And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state? I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time. How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned?
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Good question. National title? Dunno, sometimes the stars have to align for things like that to happen(it took Osborne 20 years to get it right). I think that the WCO run effectively could be very successful here. Even from what was seen this year, if the ball was thrown to the open man and caught, the offense would have worked a lot smoother.

another question...
.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football?  Did someone in the front office get tired of winning?  If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working.
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I dunno what you really mean by "Husker football." It could mean lots of things to lots of people. Some people equate Huskers to the option and the ground attack, others think of some great defenses that have been here, some think of many of the streaks that have been held here. I don't know why you hear this continually "if it ain't broke, don't fix it." In '03, Nebraska started off the season 6-0 and barely climbed into the top 10. Usually a Husker team with a record like that is top 3. Why, because Nebraska didn't beat the cupcakes in "Nebraska fashion" and the best win of the season was an opening day. When the tough competition was played, the Huskers folded. In '02, Byrne had to schedule 2 extra games in order for Nebraska to hit 7 wins. I dunno if that is broken, but that sure as heck isn't in full working order. And as far as streaks go, I think the streak that was the most impressive was the 9 win per season record that spanned back to 1969.

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it?  A good motto I live by:  Do you.  Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else.  Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing.  There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska.  It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good.  A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.
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I don't really think that the Huskers are trying to fake who they and we are. It was pretty apparent that not as many bonafide playmakers were coming to Nebraska to come play in the univentive and increasingly more one-dimensional option-based running attack that Solich had in place. Opening up to the passing game is just another way to attract playmakers here. This offense has worked at other places, it worked at times last year, it will work in the future. And as far as a prep coach replacing Callahan, that is complete bunk. I don't agree with Callahan harming this school or state, at least not yet. Give the guy at least another season to judge, heck we've given Collier 5. ;)

 
Does anyone out there truly believe that the Huskers can win a national title with the west coast offense under Callahan? And if so, will there be a changing of the guard in regards to how football is played in the state? I'd seen on NSAA.com that most top prep schools in NE are option-based and have been that way since time. How are they being affected as far as churning out recruits are concerned?
another question...

.... why has NU gotten away from playing Husker football? Did someone in the front office get tired of winning? If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Today's players' parents were kids the last time NU had a losing season-- that means something was working.

....the WCO is okay, there's nothing wrong with it, but if that isn't how you play the game--- why do it? A good motto I live by: Do you. Be the best you can be and don't try to be someone else. Osborne had 25 straight winning seasons, 3 Nat'l titles doing what he and the kids and the entire state were used to doing. There's no faking success, Husker football is the way for Nebraska.

It's nice having a former pro coach at the school, as far as publicity is concerned, but its doing more harm than good. A coach at a top NE prep school, in my opinion, would make for a better candidate for head coach at NU.
Click to expand...
I do disagree with you a bit turk. The option is a very exciting style of football when perfected, but it did take TO 20+ years to perfect it and win a title. We won those titles in the 90's because we were bigger, faster, and stronger than the opposition AND had much better coaching. NU was fortunate during TO's days to get better talent than the other Big 8 schools, and TO became the best coach in the conference over time. Even he got smacked by Switzer, though.

OU fans didn't want to change their offense but look where they are now.

 
Turk,

You made the comment you can not be some on else. Callahan is Callahan and not Solich nor Osborne.

In honesty do you feel if all had stayed the same on offense. Being, Frank gone and Callahan here to run the option we would have faired any better. I do not think Joe would have lasted through the Pitt game, then who. Do you honestly feel we would have succeeded with Frank here. We could not play with the big boys when we had the Heisman trophy winner. I do no think there was a team in the top 15 we could have beaten that year. We played no one but Oklahoma and they got trounced after we beat them. Oregon would have killed us. 2003 we could not play with a quality team.

Recruiting started to fail before Tom left. The kids just did not want any part of the option. You can drag a horse to water but you can not make him drink. No one of real talent wanted to drink from our well. This is where it all went wrong and I think Tom knew what was going on. I have stated this before but go back to recruiting for 1998. We did not get one top line man nor a top running back after winning the National Championship. Tell me why. If you can answer that question you will answer why we have failed. Every other program that has won or shared the NC has had outstanding recruiting results the same year. We were not even on the radar for 95% of the top kids.

The option will work if run properly, we had no one that had a clue how to do that. QB left and right as started being played with Crouch was not going to work and we could not recruit the kids to do the job.

I doubt we will see only WCO from BC. He will realize that it needs some modification just as USC, Auburn, LSU have done. I just look for it to be a more balanced attack no matter the name.

 
IDK DUDE

Seems like this offense is too hard for the players to lear it will take a while

in the mean time better get cracking on the books

 
Turk,

One other thing that bothers me about the bashing of BC. He is a coach that has been at the highest level of coaching. He has done well in college and at the pro level. He has never had a problem getting a job. The man he replaced finally slipped into a job in Ohio. Comparing the two is useless. Both are good men in bad situations. You need to give BC the chance you seem to want everyone to give Frank. BC had no control over Frank being fired or his being hired. If you have issues direct them towards Pederson.

 
This offensive style should work here, has other places, its just gonna take some time and some definate "tweaking" before it becomes effect, seems kinda complicated for kids that have school as their main priority. I agree the option is still effective, football is just athletes on athletes, execution is the key when talent levels are similar, just seems that the athletes in the key positons wern't there anymore for whatever reason, although i believe that the option can hide talent problems better than a "WCO" style of attack. The change in offense and differences between the players and the new coaching staff had a major part in last years sub-par year IMO. If the previous staff remained with no changes i think last years record would have been better, but because of the reasons listed above mainly im still not sold on BC by any meanes, but he is gonna be here for a short while at least, so im gonna try to be positive, in hopes that things will improve, which that is noticeable positive steps forward in the program, if not i think we should continue the search for the correct man.

 
One thing to consider as well, and perhaps the historians here can help me out with more details or corrections.

Prior to TO implementing the Option, the Huskers were a heavy passing team - I believe they led the Big 8 consistently in passing attempts and yards up until 1972 or so and were ranked fairly high in all of Div 1A in passing during those years as well.

UNL has a lot of history and as much as we love the guy "Husker Football" didn't start with Tom Osbourn.

IRISH!

 
Either way you look at it, NU had to make a change because the option simply doesnt work anymore. Defensive players, especially linemen are way to fast for the option to be effective. Since the WCO is the current trend, and seems to be effective, it was the reasonable choice. There was just no way to continue with the option offense.

 
Either way you look at it, NU had to make a change because the option simply doesnt work anymore. Defensive players, especially linemen are way to fast for the option to be effective. Since the WCO is the current trend, and seems to be effective, it was the reasonable choice. There was just no way to continue with the option offense.
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I have to disagree there a bit Blackshirt.

The 3 top Offenses in Div 1A last year - Louisville, Boise St. and Utah, all used option systems from the spread formation.

It doesn't matter how fast a defense is, if they aren't where the ball is it doesn't matter (remember, Space, Time, Position... :) ).

IRISH!

 
Either way you look at it, NU had to make a change because the option simply doesnt work anymore.  Defensive players, especially linemen are way to fast for the option to be effective.  Since the WCO is the current trend, and seems to be effective, it was the reasonable choice.  There was just no way to continue with the option offense.
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I have to disagree there a bit Blackshirt.

The 3 top Offenses in Div 1A last year - Louisville, Boise St. and Utah, all used option systems from the spread formation.

It doesn't matter how fast a defense is, if they aren't where the ball is it doesn't matter (remember, Space, Time, Position... :) ).

IRISH!
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Those offenses are a far cry from what the Big Red were running. Plus you can do whatever you want when your QB completes 73% of his passes.(Louisville)

 
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