Good interview with Beck about offense starting slow each game

Hammerhead said:
I think we could pass on 1st or 2nd down more often if we're not in long yardage situations.
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Agree here. Seems we have the weapons for high-percentage, short passing plays. Just don't see them.

Again, Beck knows infinitely more than I do.

 
I actually don't think so. We could try getting the ball to specific playmakers in space, but I think our passing game is best suited as a change-up. We run a lot and have multiple ground threats, including Taylor, to draw the linebackers and safeties in - and then we have the ability to hit them deep.

If we throw a lot, we'll be having Taylor dealing with a lot of short zones and exotic coverages, and as much as he's improved, I don't think this would play to his strengths. I much prefer the ground-and-bomb: churning out reliable yards and then knocking the D in the teeth every now and then. Big plays are the difference makers and our offense has to maximize those.

 
zoogies said:
I actually don't think so. We could try getting the ball to specific playmakers in space, but I think our passing game is best suited as a change-up. We run a lot and have multiple ground threats, including Taylor, to draw the linebackers and safeties in - and then we have the ability to hit them deep.

If we throw a lot, we'll be having Taylor dealing with a lot of short zones and exotic coverages, and as much as he's improved, I don't think this would play to his strengths. I much prefer the ground-and-bomb: churning out reliable yards and then knocking the D in the teeth every now and then. Big plays are the difference makers and our offense has to maximize those.
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I agree. Very good post by the way.

 
MLB 51 said:
My biggest problem with Beck is, he seems to go away from the run when it is working. When we get behind he tries making up the difference by throwing the ball way to many times. This in turn puts TM in bad situations. UCLA was one of those situations.
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It's a tough situation. I thought he stayed with the toss sweep too long against PSU. It worked early (most of the game, actually), but late in the game when we needed to move the ball just a little, everyone watching the game knew what was coming. That might have been ok with our '95 line, but it doesn't work as well now. Stay with the run as your "meat and potatoes", but I sure would have loved to see a little misdirection or a play action pass on first down Saturday.

Stay with what you do best, but mix it up on occasion.

 
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I much prefer the ground-and-bomb: churning out reliable yards and then knocking the D in the teeth every now and then. Big plays are the difference makers and our offense has to maximize those.
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I agree big-plays are difference-makers in most games, no matter who you are, and this year's offense has skill players who can explode any given play. However pound-and-play-action, sounds good in its simplicity, but the problem is that it all rests on an effective running game. Even if you're an amazing rushing team, you're gonna get the run game stuffed against elite defenses. NU is a pretty good rushing team, not an elite one.

That's where having a passing game that's not based solely out of play-action long passes is a huge asset. TMart has shown a lot of growth with his passing and decison-making this year, and we're seeing him making good passes in the short and medium-range passing game. The dead-accurate slant pass to Jamal that put us up in the 4th quarter against PSU is an example. Especially when teams run blitz, having an accurate slant-route and crossing-route game takes advantage of the middle of the field.

 
3rd and long said:
Stay with what you do best, but mix it up on occasion.
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I agree. The thing everyone needs to remember, is that everything isn't going to work all of the time.

If he mixes it up, and if fails, a lot of people jump on him for going away from what has been working.

If he sticks to what's working and it gets stopped, a lot of people criticize him for not mixing it up.

Sometimes the defense just does their job and stops what we call. Or our execution fails, so the perfect call can fail.

 
I really like the fact that now opposing DC's actually have to worry about our offense. Our ability to go power, spread, finesse, the stable of backs, wr's and TE's PLUS a QB who now actually is a threat to pass and run and scramble for yards makes it very hard to game plan for. A great problem to have.

At times I scream for Beck to stick with it ie running against UCLA and then scream to go away with it ie toss sweep against PSU. Once he figure outs the perfect time to switch it up, IMO, we will be almost impossible to stop (except by ourselves). I also hope that he continues to grow and use plays put on film to set up future plays and/or opponents ie Cross and Jano on the short yardage stuff. Go into play action and hit a TE dragging the middle or a naked bootleg by Martinez. We have some plays that are SCREAMING to be used to set up a TD. Just hope Beck starts doing more of that as well. Just have to remember (tell myself) he is only in year 2 with the same system and leaning on the fly).

 
It's crazy the amount of respect that opposing defense's show our offense. Two years ago, that wouldn't have even been a possible thought.

This team has a ton of potential, and it's beginning to become more realizable to the fans. Think of how bad we'd beat our opponents if we didn't shoot ourselves in the feet. Michigan State--win by 14+. Wisconsin--win by 17+, the list goes on. We don't shoot ourselves repeatedly, we are sitting at 9-1 and more than likely among the Top 10 teams in the nation. It's really fun thinking like that.

We have Minnesota this week. Regardless of whether they try exotic defenses or not, we should come out and move the ball. Their defense just isn't as good as the last three we've played.

 
Maxconvert said:
I much prefer the ground-and-bomb: churning out reliable yards and then knocking the D in the teeth every now and then. Big plays are the difference makers and our offense has to maximize those.
Click to expand...
I agree big-plays are difference-makers in most games, no matter who you are, and this year's offense has skill players who can explode any given play. However pound-and-play-action, sounds good in its simplicity, but the problem is that it all rests on an effective running game. Even if you're an amazing rushing team, you're gonna get the run game stuffed against elite defenses. NU is a pretty good rushing team, not an elite one.

That's where having a passing game that's not based solely out of play-action long passes is a huge asset. TMart has shown a lot of growth with his passing and decison-making this year, and we're seeing him making good passes in the short and medium-range passing game. The dead-accurate slant pass to Jamal that put us up in the 4th quarter against PSU is an example. Especially when teams run blitz, having an accurate slant-route and crossing-route game takes advantage of the middle of the field.
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Seriously? What is your definition of elite?

 
MLB 51 said:
My biggest problem with Beck is, he seems to go away from the run when it is working. When we get behind he tries making up the difference by throwing the ball way to many times. This in turn puts TM in bad situations. UCLA was one of those situations.
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I think you're stuck in 2011 - you realize we ran like 25 toss plays Saturday right? Most of them coming one after the next after the next. How many offensive coordinators in the nation have the balls to call the exact same play three or more times in a row?

 
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