Husker Fullback Roundtable: Former fullbacks discuss the program, concussions, NU's future and more

[Saunders]

Is the talent in Nebraska really much worse or are they not being given the same chances as before.

It's easily worse. Not just in overall talent, but comparison to other states the gap is larger as well.

Think of all the guys named above. Would they have been successful at other schools? Most likely yes. How many kids from in state have left and starred elsewhere?

This is also a reflection of how advanced our S&C was back then. I don't think the talent in Nebraska is really that different, just that the rest of the colleges and even the highschools have caught up in S&C.

In the trenches, I would say that's plausible. But what about skill guys? We were churning out RB's for awhile, and during our greatest stretch, we even had some good QB's and WR's come out as well. Niles Paul was the last big "skill" guy to come out of the state, and that was almost a decade ago...

 

[Enhance]

Is the talent in Nebraska really much worse or are they not being given the same chances as before.

I had the chance to ask Ron Brown this question about two years ago. He was pretty honest and said they're giving all the really good players a shot to at either a scholarship or to walk-on. However, he also said that the players they need just aren't here like they used to be. He also mentioned what they're doing now though is different than what they were doing a couple decades ago, and that's played a role as well.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Is the talent in Nebraska really much worse or are they not being given the same chances as before.

I had the chance to ask Ron Brown this question about two years ago. He was pretty honest and said they're giving all the really good players a shot to at either a scholarship or to walk-on. However, he also said that the players they need just aren't here like they used to be. He also mentioned what they're doing now though is different than what they were doing a couple decades ago, and that's played a role as well.

One of the big things that helped out with this is that one heck of a lot of Nebraska HSs ran similar type offenses to what Nebraska was running at the time. The HS coaches would learn how to teach it from Nebraska coaches. So, the players were developed in that type of system. Heck, I remember in junior high running option plays constantly.

NOW....Nebraska HSs are still stuck on running the ball 90% of the time and so the passing game just isn't developed like it needs to be to develop the players. I have no idea if the Nebraska coaches have reached out to HS coaches like I think they should.

 

[lo country]

So what can set Nebraska apart in 2014 and beyond?

Everywhere you look teams are running more and more spread-no huddle, up-tempo offenses. How can Nebraska set itself apart and be different? Here are my own opinions:

• Huddle. Slow the game down. Control the clock. Rest your defense. Keep opposing offense off the field.

​

• Play great defense.

​

• Establish a punishing in your face running game designed more around misdirection / counters / options.

​

• Utilize more big offensive sets of two & three tight end formations.

​

• Be counter to the rest of the college football world. Embrace the fullback position. Make it part of your identity whether it's from the I-formation or 2-Back Pistol.

• Establish a PHYSICAL---DOMINANT---NO QUIT ATTITUDE.

​

• Blend old-school blocking schemes with modern day read-option / inverted veer schemes.

​

These are just my opinions. Feel free to agree or disagree with them as you wish. I personally feel if Nebraska would completely scrap their no-huddle philosophy and go back to a more traditional offense that huddles and controls the clock, similar to a current day Stanford, Michigan State offense, but also include the option game which those two teams don't do as much...I really believe this would set our program a part from the rest of the country.

So what do you all think? Where do you personally want to see this Nebraska program and it's identity/philosophy in the next 5 years? 10 years?

nothing would make me happier...

Nor me. An identity as a physical, mentally tough minimum mistake team. One that even in a loss will be the toughest team our opponents face all year.

IMO, NU is currently a team who's sum is not greater than the parts. We have very good (by NU standards, receivers and backs), but we have been lacking a QB who can exploit the apparent abilities of Bell, JT, Westerkamp etc..... Are receivers are listed as some of the best in the B1G, but we have them in a scheme that does not allow us to maximize their talents. Same with the RB's. AA and Cross are allegedly one of the best tandems in college, but to see the play calling, you wouldn't know it. Thinder and lightning every series. Not every play, but make 2 backs a staple rather than an anomaly.

We can not continue to be a team that does nothing very well and a lot of stuff average. We are not amassing the yards by AA not because of our OC, but in spite of it. AA is a beast. Plain and simple. Call a game plan above that plays to the strengths of the individual players and watch how it opens up.

The strength of our team, even under Cally, has always been the RB. Why not build a game plan around something NU has a) an over abundance of talent in b) has proven to be successful in and c) seems to work even in bad weather. Go to power running. 4 quarters of getting pounded, wears on a body. Bring back the FB. Bruise and punish the DB's and secondary. Then use PA to make them pay. We seem to be known for physical, punishing receivers. Not acrobatic catching ones or really even sure handed. Use this and embrace this. Our run in the 90's we had receivers who would lay the wood, could catch when needed, but were not going to play in the NFL. Limit the passing game to ones that the QB can regularly and routinely make in practice. Why call plays the QB only hits 50% of in practice. It will be less in games.

Quit trying to get known as some mad scientist who brings a hodge lodge of crap together and get an identity. Physical, ruthless, in your face, merciless, pain inflicting O.

 

[NUinID]

Is the talent in Nebraska really much worse or are they not being given the same chances as before.

I had the chance to ask Ron Brown this question about two years ago. He was pretty honest and said they're giving all the really good players a shot to at either a scholarship or to walk-on. However, he also said that the players they need just aren't here like they used to be. He also mentioned what they're doing now though is different than what they were doing a couple decades ago, and that's played a role as well.

One of the big things that helped out with this is that one heck of a lot of Nebraska HSs ran similar type offenses to what Nebraska was running at the time. The HS coaches would learn how to teach it from Nebraska coaches. So, the players were developed in that type of system. Heck, I remember in junior high running option plays constantly.

NOW....Nebraska HSs are still stuck on running the ball 90% of the time and so the passing game just isn't developed like it needs to be to develop the players. I have no idea if the Nebraska coaches have reached out to HS coaches like I think they should.

Have you watched any HS ball in Nebraska lately? Many class A teams run some variation of a spread running or throwing game with a lot of zone read mixed into it. Not all do, but a lot do. Millard North still runs their version of the wishbone, Norfolk where I coached runs a spread veer attack out of the pistol. Not a lot of zone read, more just straight option. Lincoln SE is still pretty basic I formation for the most part. But, the rest the Lincoln schools, Fremont, GI, Millard West all run some sort of spread.

l I am also sure many class B and C teams also do a lot of this.

 

[VA Husker Fan]

There was also a pretty long stretch between the Gill and Frazier years where we would run all over the little sister of the Big 8, then be almost completely unable to move the ball against OU, Miami, FSU, Washington, and sometime even CU. Not everyone would step aside for our power game. And Osborne's game was never to simply line up and pound the ball, with perhaps the exception of that 94 KSU game. Even within the power game he had a number of tweaks and variations to keep teams off balance.

 

[RedDenver]

Is the talent in Nebraska really much worse or are they not being given the same chances as before.

It's easily worse. Not just in overall talent, but comparison to other states the gap is larger as well.

Think of all the guys named above. Would they have been successful at other schools? Most likely yes. How many kids from in state have left and starred elsewhere?

This is also a reflection of how advanced our S&C was back then. I don't think the talent in Nebraska is really that different, just that the rest of the colleges and even the highschools have caught up in S&C.

In the trenches, I would say that's plausible. But what about skill guys? We were churning out RB's for awhile, and during our greatest stretch, we even had some good QB's and WR's come out as well. Niles Paul was the last big "skill" guy to come out of the state, and that was almost a decade ago...

What players did we have that would have started at another top school? Other than Ahman Green, the RB's from within the state were good but not great. We had Frost and Crouch, but what other QB's? And what WR's? You may be right, but I'm only remembering a handful of guys.

 

[walksalone]

The strength of our team, even under Cally, has always been the RB. Why not build a game plan around something NU has a) an over abundance of talent in b) has proven to be successful in and c) seems to work even in bad weather. Go to power running. 4 quarters of getting pounded, wears on a body. Bring back the FB. Bruise and punish the DB's and secondary. Then use PA to make them pay. We seem to be known for physical, punishing receivers. Not acrobatic catching ones or really even sure handed. Use this and embrace this. Our run in the 90's we had receivers who would lay the wood, could catch when needed, but were not going to play in the NFL. Limit the passing game to ones that the QB can regularly and routinely make in practice. Why call plays the QB only hits 50% of in practice. It will be less in games.

Quit trying to get known as some mad scientist who brings a hodge lodge of crap together and get an identity. Physical, ruthless, in your face, merciless, pain inflicting O.

 

[Enhance]

The strength of our team, even under Cally, has always been the RB. Why not build a game plan around something NU has a) an over abundance of talent in b) has proven to be successful in and c) seems to work even in bad weather. Go to power running. 4 quarters of getting pounded, wears on a body. Bring back the FB. Bruise and punish the DB's and secondary. Then use PA to make them pay. We seem to be known for physical, punishing receivers. Not acrobatic catching ones or really even sure handed. Use this and embrace this. Our run in the 90's we had receivers who would lay the wood, could catch when needed, but were not going to play in the NFL. Limit the passing game to ones that the QB can regularly and routinely make in practice. Why call plays the QB only hits 50% of in practice. It will be less in games.

Quit trying to get known as some mad scientist who brings a hodge lodge of crap together and get an identity. Physical, ruthless, in your face, merciless, pain inflicting O.

My questions would be do we have the coaches in place to do this and do we have the right kind of players? I question if our OC could make this change and, despite have some really good RB's, do we have the right kind of players on the line to get it done? And if we don't, and you make a change, how long does it take before the changes come to fruition?

I think these are questions a lot of people will ask, but I also too prefer that we had a more punishing style of offense to the likes of Stanford. There are also a lot of people that equate this to having a more physical defense because they see it in practice.

We have, however, seen that the right kind of talent and do amazing things (i.e. '09). And I don't think finding a lot of great players is out of reach, even for our current offense. Defensively, for example, Suh was certainly generational. But, he was also a four-star prospect, recruited by good schools but certainly not projected to become what he did. I'd argue recruitment around here has been more of a hindrance to our goals than scheme.