Chatelain: Watson adjusts, the offense returns to form and a white-haired wizard waves his wand

[knapplc]

Halfway into the season, it becomes apparent that Lee can't handle big games, and it's something we need to work on.

And think about what Lee's done in the last couple of games - against likely the most difficult defense we'll face all year (Oklahoma), Lee is almost error-free (depending who you put that fumble on). Good game, did enough to win, did what was asked of him, and managed the game. The defense played HUGE. Lee became more poised, and hopefully the growing process continued.

Then against Kansas, we saw a Lee that we've never seen before - making better reads, throwing more catchable balls, taking off downfield quicker, breaking tackles... in short, what we've been presuming he's capable of since August.

Let's hope Lee turned a corner. Let's hope being benched against Baylor provided him the spark and the perspective on the game he needed to continue developing. We're going to need a QB with as much experience and as much poise as possible in our next four games. KSU will be loaded for bear, playing for the North and a bowl bid. Colorado always wants to take us down a notch or two. Texas will be as tough as OU, and likely far tougher. Unless we get paired up with Northwestern we'll be facing teams like LSU, USC/Stanford (the teams we're being paired with on ESPN).

If we saw Lee's zenith against OU and Kansas, we likely get hammered by Texas and possibly again in the Bowl. Let's hope not.

 

[Paul in WI]

Excuse the prior rant about the OC. It was just my opinion, and everyone has one.

On a more positive note, I'm trying to stay optimistic about Lee, because I still think that his problem has been in his confidence when the heat gets dialed up more than anything else. After all, he's shown that he can make the throws earlier this year.

I like the way the offense was headed in the KU game, but I don't know if they have enough time in practice to really get it executing where they can have some success against someone like Texas. I have a feeling that we're likely to get stuffed, but I hope that I'm wrong because we really owe Texas for that first Big 12 Championship game.

Dr. Tom, do you have any fumblerooskis up your sleeve that you wouldn't mind sharing? Start waving the wand, because if we get past KSU, we sure could use one or two in Texas.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

This has been my point for a while now. These players have been in the system for how long and they still don't get it! This offense is too dependent on precision, meaning all 11 players have to be doing the correct thing at the correct time in order for this to be successful. It's great if you have really experienced players in there (Ganz, Swift, Peterson, Murtha, Slauson), but if you have younger players, well, we get this year's results.

I am tired of the West Coast passing scheme. Dump it and get something different next year.

Several points:

• Tom Osborne's old triple option offense required more precision than the WCO.

• Last year's offense "got it" and it's not like they were rocket scientists. And as you pointed out, several of them returned this year.

• A good high school team can master as many plays as the Huskers have been running.

• The problem wasn't as obvious as some like to think. Zac Lee and the offense looked good as they were learning the first four games. And we all felt pretty jazzed about that fourth quarter in Missouri. Then the wheels came off in the Texas Tech game. Nothing worked. In the Iowa State game, the playcalls worked just fine, it was 8 pathetic turnovers - four in the red zone - that killed the offense. It says a lot about team discipline, but what does that say about the playcalling? Hard to say, but by now you're pressured to "do something" so you put in the QB everyone is clamoring for. Of course he has a different skill set and it turns out he might not be ready for primetime yet. So you're back to your old, slightly demoralized quarterback and easing him into a comfort zone, putting the weight of the offense on Roy Helu. Which worked just well enough to win. Then you loosen the playbook back up a little as Lee regains his confidence and Helu appears healthy. The alternatives are only "obvious" in hindsight. If Shawn Watson listened to the bulletin board gurus he'd be kicking field goals on any first down inside the 40.

• The WCO is not a passing scheme. It's a high-percentage offense that is more than happy to run the ball if that's what's working. This does not appear to be an offense equipped to ram the ball down an opponent's throat, especially if it has announced its intention to do so.

• Anyone who doesn't understand "taking what the defense gives you" shouldn't be offering coaching advice.

 

[Igetbored216]

This offense is going to get eaten alive by Texas (assuming we get there). The half a$$ attempt at the option and the "power" running game is going to get blown up. It's gonna be ugly.