Frost presser and big play comments

[HuskerInLostWages]

I really don't understand the O-Line comments. We ran for nearly 200, Adrian had all the time in the world, and we were averaging about 12 yards per play until the playcalling sent us into a funk, a rut, and a situation where Adrian's getting sacked not because he didn't have time but because he couldn't figure out where to throw it. 

A lot was on Adrian tonight, the fumble in the 3rd I think it was, he had a guy wide open running down the middle, instead of throqing the ball he pumps and then decides to try and throw and fumblea.  Receiver had no one within 10 yards but Adrian hesitated.  He hesitated a lot after halftime, the oline gave him time but Adrian just stayed in the pocket and took sacks.

 

[WyoHusker56]

I really don't understand the O-Line comments. We ran for nearly 200, Adrian had all the time in the world, and we were averaging about 12 yards per play until the playcalling sent us into a funk, a rut, and a situation where Adrian's getting sacked not because he didn't have time but because he couldn't figure out where to throw it. 

I agree that people are putting a bit too much on the o-line. However, our inability to run inside the tackles falls on them. The pass blocking also seems to randomly fall apart. 

 

[Toe]

(derp)

 

[BigWillie]

Chunk plays ARE NOT A WINNING  RECIPE FOR SUCCESS . That's FROST'S PROBLEM

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff/2018

You can search other years as well from this link. But these advanced offensive statistics are pretty telling about explosive plays relative to team success.

 

[lo country]

https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/feioff/2018

You can search other years as well from this link. But these advanced offensive statistics are pretty telling about explosive plays relative to team success.

That and other factors are pretty telling.  Also telling is NU and only 2 other teams (I looked quickly) were in the top 50 with losing records.....

I do not have a problem with chunk plays.  And maybe it was his comment about "having to grind out 12 play drives", but it seems that right now we are a big or bust offense. IMHO, we need to have an offense with the capability to grind it out.  Last night was a prime example.  As mentioned above, when they shut down the outside, Martinez couldn't make reads we lost our ability to big play and couldn't grind.  We were dead in the water at that point.  Again, it my opinion, Frost and Co had no answer.

Throw in Chins D philosophy of getting TO's and it's a recipe for disaster.  An offense that can't grind and eat the clock, goes 3 and out.  They bring on a D that is tired and predicated on getting TO's to get the ball back to the high flying O.  That's great except when your O is tanking and not getting points.  Our scheme, at least as I see it, is you can score 50, we can score 51.  Unfortunately, USA and now CU have shown a pretty good template to shut down our O.  Confuse Martinez and stretch the perimeter.  Two games in, and we have shown the inability to in game counter either team.  The D saved us against USA or we'd be 0-2 right now....  Frost and Co need to go back and re-evaluate our scheme and how we can fix it or it is going to be a very long season.  

I have no idea how we seemed to have regressed  at the QB position from last season.  Loss of Stan?  Oz?  Yes he was 61% yesterday, but my eyes say he is not the same as last year.  Regardless of stats.  We had great stats last year on O, but still went 4-8.  I blame that on our D.  Who really knows.  Only thing I know is Frost has 6 years guaranteed to figure it out.

 

[funhusker]

I have to admit watching Army today with their physical offense rushing 3-4 ypc like a metronome caused my heart to ache with nostalgia.  Watching a wide open receiver catch the rare pass caused me to tear up.  With my eyes blurred I thought the uniforms were white and crimson and I felt wrapped in a security blanket freshly pulled from the dryer as the team went on a 9 minute drive and I drifted off to sleep with a smile.

We need to run the damn ball better!

You a Sooner fan??? 

 

[TheSker]

I heard those comments too, and I literally cringed.

Nebraska doesn't & shouldn't need "chunk" plays to make it's offense work.

What Nebraska's offense needs is a handful of plays that consistently get between 4-6 yards. These should be the plays that Nebraska's offense is built upon that set-up the big chunk plays.

To use a baseball analogy:

If we take what Frost was saying at face value, he wants his offense to consistently hit triples & homers for it to work.

When in reality what Nebraska truly needs is an offense that gets consistant singles.

Nebraska has relied on chunk plays for literally decades.

You don't score 40+ PPG 3 yards at a time.

 

[TheSker]

Frost needs a strong running game to be successful at Nebraska. It can still have the same look, but it needs to be there. That’s my biggest worry in year 2. There is no inside run game so far and it doesn’t look to be an easy fix. The weather in Nebraska in late October and on can be very volatile, with wind, rain, snow, and cold all being factors. 

Frost specifically mentioned having to get better, and quickly, at this.

 

[TheSker]

Frost's comment about play calling in OT is very telling about his confidence in Martinez right now.

It's not there.

 

[onlyHskrfaninIL]

The O line doesn’t get it done- in both games this year.  I hope they could do better with straight ahead man on man blocking but they allow too many defensive lineman through gaps or just get beat.  

I don’t think get good pass routes from many of the receivers.  I also feel that too many of our pass plays go directly to the sidelines wasting time getting upfield.  They should throw most of their passes 5-15 yards deep upfield.

It's almost like they are more worried about getting up field than sustaining their block.  That has to do with wanting chunk plays and not 4 to 5 yarders

 

[hskrpwr13]

Frost's comment about play calling in OT is very telling about his confidence in Martinez right now.

It's not there.

This my thought too. I was stunned he rolled out our punter to attempt a long game-tying FG instead of putting the ball in our theoretical best player's hands to put 'em in position to win. 

 

[Dansker]

There's a myriad of issues on offense.

Can't run between the tackles

Offensive staff doesn't like long drives

Staff doesn't like 3-4 yard runs

O-Line can't run block

Only two decent WR's (Wandale/JD)

Tight Ends miss a ton of blocks on both run/pass downs it's baffling

Ball security is a major concern

There's no immediate fix here beyond playing unproven guys behind the starters. My belief is Frost's ego gets in the way of himself. It's apparent he's lost confidence in Adrian, as well. I'm thinking maybe it's time to pump the brakes and give other people a shot in a live game. Sure, there's guys who are raw but look at Cam Jurgens after just 1 week.

I'm also more inclined to move Wandale to RB, he screams Ameer Abdullah to me. I also think some other WR's ought to step up. We heard from coach Walters about how many WR's could be used in this scheme. Where are they? In the end, it's Frost who calls the shots.

 

[Nebfanatic]

What makes people think we won't work through our personel until we get this right? Last year the offense that started the season looked much different than the one that was producing at a high level mid season just in the lineup we were rolling out there. The coaches will play the younger players if the starters can't produce.

 

[Husker03]

This my thought too. I was stunned he rolled out our punter to attempt a long game-tying FG instead of putting the ball in our theoretical best player's hands to put 'em in position to win. 

He put it in our best players hand the down prior and he failed to even evade the rush and throw the ball out of bounds, let alone try to make a play to convert the down. OT was lost in the conservative first 2 play calls netting 2 yards.  Hindsight is a b!^@h, but pretending the Martinez on the field yesterday was odds on any more able to convert on that last play over the kicker is wishful at best.  At that point in the game, we had a 0.00007%chance to send it into double OT, which we would have most likely lost anyway.  

 

[ZRod]

I really don't understand the O-Line comments. We ran for nearly 200, Adrian had all the time in the world, and we were averaging about 12 yards per play until the playcalling sent us into a funk, a rut, and a situation where Adrian's getting sacked not because he didn't have time but because he couldn't figure out where to throw it. 

I think criticism of the O line is highly warranted. Jurgens may be a good athlete, but he needs to add 15 more pound and a lot more strength. He's not very good when someone is head up on him. He did improve from game 1 to 2, but he lacks the strength to drive block.

Guard and tackle play is inconsistent. Sometimes they are driving guys, sometimes they are stagnant. We really lack athleticism laterally. If the D line slants away we have a hard time getting anything more than a chip on them.

All over we lack communication and awareness. Guys aren't picking up line stunts and edge blitzers with 4 man rushes. Double teams get to the second level, but we don't scrape to the LBs. We also don't maintain blocks long enough. There were several plays this week that could have been 8 yard gains if guys stayed with their blocks a second longer. Instead we only got 2 or 3.

All that said there is something amiss with Adrian right now. He doesn't have touch on the ball, and he's trying to throw to open receivers instead of throwing guys open. He's thinking too much. I'd honestly rather he just take off if he's that unsure.