BIGREDFAN_in_OMAHA
All-American
Steven M. Sipple: Coaches' chess match fortifies both units
Aug 17, 2008 - 12:46:29 am CDT
As a mere scribe, I’m prohibited from watching Nebraska football practices except for about 15 minutes at the start of each workout.
So, as you’ve probably figured out, my knowledge is limited.
I do know one thing: There’s one heck of a chess match going on each day on those practice fields.
Follow the Huskers' progress as they prepare for the 2008 football season.
Bo Pelini vs. Shawn Watson. Defense vs. offense. A meeting of proven football minds.
It’s essentially a daily competition of savvy scheming, with both sides of the ball benefiting greatly, one would think.
The thing that’s made the biggest impression on me since the Aug. 4 start of Husker fall camp?
It’s hearing about the daily chess match.
“Two geniuses,” said Nebraska junior center Jacob Hickman, probably overstating matters, although you get the picture.
You occasionally read or hear that Pelini, the defensive-minded Nebraska head coach, teaches a simplistic system. Don’t buy it. More on that later.
We know for certain that Watson’s offense is complex, which is a good thing for Nebraska’s defense.
“Our offensive diversity is really helping our development on defense,” said Carl Pelini, the Huskers’ defensive coordinator and Bo’s brother. (Bo will call the defense on game days).
Carl Pelini rates Nebraska’s complexity on offense a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.
“You see every personnel group,” Carl said. “You see every rushing scheme out of every personnel group. You see great spacing in the passing game. They really stretch your coverages out of every personnel group. So, no matter what you want to work on as a defense, you’re going to be pressed to adapt to what they’re doing. Nothing is simple.
“That’s great for us as a defense because we are learning lessons that are going to apply throughout the season — not just in the first game (Aug. 30 against Western Michigan).”
So, a natural question: If a diverse and complex offense is so beneficial to a defense’s development, why did Kevin Cosgrove’s unit at Nebraska falter to such miserable levels last season? After all, his defenders squared off against Bill Callahan and Watson’s offense in practice, right?
It’s a legitimate question. It gives me a headache to think about it.
As often was the case with Coz, I don’t have a good answer.
Truth is, it’s impossible to say how much better Nebraska’s defense will be in 2008, except to say it can’t get worse.
Besides benefiting from the complexity of Watson’s offense, the Nebraska defense could benefit from the Huskers’ determination to become a more physical rushing team. If a defense practices daily against an offense that’s trying to impose its will with physical play, well, the defense has no choice but to bow its neck and toughen up, right?
Make no mistake about Nebraska’s resolve to establish a running game. Big Red certainly has the thoroughbreds at I-back and the muscle up front to make it work.
If the Huskers don’t finish this season among the top 15 nationally in rushing offense, I’ll leap into a vat of grape Jell-O.
Ask Husker wide receivers about the emphasis on run blocking during camp.
“It’s been stressed like you wouldn’t believe,” wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore said.
Ask quarterback Joe Ganz how often he’s carrying the pigskin in practice.
“I don’t think my legs have been this tired since high school,” he said.
It almost makes me wish I could watch practices in their entirety.
Yep, I hear it’s quite a chess match.
As for Pelini’s defense, “I’ve played center or did (pass) protection stuff every week for the last two seasons,” Hickman said. “I saw just about every kind of defense there has been. But Bo’s got stuff in his defense that I’ve never even seen. If you watch it once, you think there’s no way that it could be sound, that there’s no way you can send that many guys (on a blitz) and not get burned. But then you watch the film. He finds a way.
“It sometimes seems like he has 12 guys out there. It’s impressive.”
A lot of it boils down to timing and execution. Sometimes, Hickman said, it’s like Pelini knows exactly what’s coming from the offense.
“It’s a real complex defense,” Hickman said. “But if you talk to any of the (defenders), they’ll say it’s not that hard. From my point of view, I haven’t seen any defensive scheme that difficult.”
Colorado’s defense possesses a lot of complexity, Hickman said, and he’s heard Oklahoma’s defense can be awfully complicated.
Hickman should be well-prepared, thanks to the daily chess match in Lincoln.
LJS link
Aug 17, 2008 - 12:46:29 am CDT
As a mere scribe, I’m prohibited from watching Nebraska football practices except for about 15 minutes at the start of each workout.
So, as you’ve probably figured out, my knowledge is limited.
I do know one thing: There’s one heck of a chess match going on each day on those practice fields.
Follow the Huskers' progress as they prepare for the 2008 football season.
Bo Pelini vs. Shawn Watson. Defense vs. offense. A meeting of proven football minds.
It’s essentially a daily competition of savvy scheming, with both sides of the ball benefiting greatly, one would think.
The thing that’s made the biggest impression on me since the Aug. 4 start of Husker fall camp?
It’s hearing about the daily chess match.
“Two geniuses,” said Nebraska junior center Jacob Hickman, probably overstating matters, although you get the picture.
You occasionally read or hear that Pelini, the defensive-minded Nebraska head coach, teaches a simplistic system. Don’t buy it. More on that later.
We know for certain that Watson’s offense is complex, which is a good thing for Nebraska’s defense.
“Our offensive diversity is really helping our development on defense,” said Carl Pelini, the Huskers’ defensive coordinator and Bo’s brother. (Bo will call the defense on game days).
Carl Pelini rates Nebraska’s complexity on offense a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10.
“You see every personnel group,” Carl said. “You see every rushing scheme out of every personnel group. You see great spacing in the passing game. They really stretch your coverages out of every personnel group. So, no matter what you want to work on as a defense, you’re going to be pressed to adapt to what they’re doing. Nothing is simple.
“That’s great for us as a defense because we are learning lessons that are going to apply throughout the season — not just in the first game (Aug. 30 against Western Michigan).”
So, a natural question: If a diverse and complex offense is so beneficial to a defense’s development, why did Kevin Cosgrove’s unit at Nebraska falter to such miserable levels last season? After all, his defenders squared off against Bill Callahan and Watson’s offense in practice, right?
It’s a legitimate question. It gives me a headache to think about it.
As often was the case with Coz, I don’t have a good answer.
Truth is, it’s impossible to say how much better Nebraska’s defense will be in 2008, except to say it can’t get worse.
Besides benefiting from the complexity of Watson’s offense, the Nebraska defense could benefit from the Huskers’ determination to become a more physical rushing team. If a defense practices daily against an offense that’s trying to impose its will with physical play, well, the defense has no choice but to bow its neck and toughen up, right?
Make no mistake about Nebraska’s resolve to establish a running game. Big Red certainly has the thoroughbreds at I-back and the muscle up front to make it work.
If the Huskers don’t finish this season among the top 15 nationally in rushing offense, I’ll leap into a vat of grape Jell-O.
Ask Husker wide receivers about the emphasis on run blocking during camp.
“It’s been stressed like you wouldn’t believe,” wide receivers coach Ted Gilmore said.
Ask quarterback Joe Ganz how often he’s carrying the pigskin in practice.
“I don’t think my legs have been this tired since high school,” he said.
It almost makes me wish I could watch practices in their entirety.
Yep, I hear it’s quite a chess match.
As for Pelini’s defense, “I’ve played center or did (pass) protection stuff every week for the last two seasons,” Hickman said. “I saw just about every kind of defense there has been. But Bo’s got stuff in his defense that I’ve never even seen. If you watch it once, you think there’s no way that it could be sound, that there’s no way you can send that many guys (on a blitz) and not get burned. But then you watch the film. He finds a way.
“It sometimes seems like he has 12 guys out there. It’s impressive.”
A lot of it boils down to timing and execution. Sometimes, Hickman said, it’s like Pelini knows exactly what’s coming from the offense.
“It’s a real complex defense,” Hickman said. “But if you talk to any of the (defenders), they’ll say it’s not that hard. From my point of view, I haven’t seen any defensive scheme that difficult.”
Colorado’s defense possesses a lot of complexity, Hickman said, and he’s heard Oklahoma’s defense can be awfully complicated.
Hickman should be well-prepared, thanks to the daily chess match in Lincoln.
LJS link
