Lack of Preparation/Fundamentals

[robsker]

One thing that has not been mentioned here often is something that disappoints me a great deal. Perhaps I am alone in this assessment of the teams performance... But...

This coaching staff has not seemingly shown the ability to field a focused team that plays with intensity and solid fundamentals on both sides of the ball every play. It just has not happened under Pelini. Until that happens, until the Huskers play with fire and focus and play smart with good fundamentals (both sides of the ball, all 4 quarters of a game --- game in and game out) --- until this team becomes a team that is prepared mentally and plays assignment football... well until that happens, expect this team to be as it has been these past several years... incapable of contending (that is, consistently beating) comparable (slightly less, equally or slightly better) talent opponents that are better prepared. Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa (yes, even Iowa), and Ohio State will all be really, really tough games.

Now, if this coaching staff can change and actually get our guys prepped to play smart assignment football with good mechanics and with intensity... well, things could brighten up substantially. It is just that we have no indication that this is forthcoming. Just a hope.. but no evidence that this is in the immediate future.

So my questions for you are these --- a) Do you agree that NU far too often does not field a team that is focused and fundamentally sound -- making assignment error after assignment error, dropped pass after dropped pass, needless penalty after needless penalty (though here there has been improvement in this area), etc. B) Do you agree that our OL, our QB, and our WRer's all have poor fundamentals, poor mechanics, and that these mechanics/fundamentals are not seemingly improving?

Watch other ranked programs and see the fire with which they play and the focused fundamentals with which they play... NU does not seem to play that way often enough nor consistently enough. Seems to be a coaching issue to me. Would you agree? If not, convince me as to why.

One last point... if this area is the main problem area for this team then we can at least have hope in this... these are, at least theoretically, fixable problems (at least more readily and potentially rapidly fixable than are lack of talent issues).

 

[tmfr15]

Got to say I don't understand where you are coming from, at all.

Now, granted, in terms of offense, we haven't looked good. But we had a faulty plan and a poor coach leading that group for Bo's first three years. The jury is out on Beck after just two games. We will see.

Defensively. Really. Seriously. You are not joking about the above.

Nebraska got blown out by Missouri in Bo's first year. And the defense responded by posting a great defensive plan against a Texas Tech team that featured jaw dropping talent at the skill positions.

And the Pelini's have continued to do this every year.

If we had a passable offense. Respectable. Anything. We would be the back-to-back Big 12 champs.

 

[Enhance]

I'll have to agree with tmfr15 on this one. It seems that you're forgetting one crucial fact - our defense has been good enough to win a national championship the last two years, and it's been wasted away by inconsistencies on the offense. Hell, one could argue we wouldn't even need a defense as good as we had the last two years if we could have had a better offense.

The offensive side of the ball is the ONLY side that has had consistent, fundamental break-downs the previous two seasons. But it's slightly ridiculous to expect this team to play amazing football, when most programs don't.

You mention that when you look at other programs, you see fire and focused fundamental play. Have you also considered that some of these programs have had systems/coaches in place for twice as long as Nebraska has under Pelini? Also that a lot of these schools (like an LSU, Alabama) have better athletes than we do? Recruiting rankings aren't a complete farce. I'm sure Pelini wishes he could have some of the talent in LSU's backfield.

This is all too doom and gloom for me right now. We've shot ourselves in the foot and had to revamp the offense, essentially setting back the entire team's progress because of it. People with MNC expectations should be more realistic - we aren't going to get there this year.

 

[Husker_x]

I'll have to agree with tmfr15 on this one. It seems that you're forgetting one crucial fact - our defense has been good enough to win a national championship the last two years, and it's been wasted away by inconsistencies on the offense. Hell, one could argue we wouldn't even need a defense as good as we had the last two years if we could have had a better offense.

The offensive side of the ball is the ONLY side that has had consistent, fundamental break-downs the previous two seasons. But it's slightly ridiculous to expect this team to play amazing football, when most programs don't.

You mention that when you look at other programs, you see fire and focused fundamental play. Have you also considered that some of these programs have had systems/coaches in place for twice as long as Nebraska has under Pelini? Also that a lot of these schools (like an LSU, Alabama) have better athletes than we do? Recruiting rankings aren't a complete farce. I'm sure Pelini wishes he could have some of the talent in LSU's backfield.

This is all too doom and gloom for me right now. We've shot ourselves in the foot and had to revamp the offense, essentially setting back the entire team's progress because of it. People with MNC expectations should be more realistic - we aren't going to get there this year.

Well put.

The ultimate test this season is whether or not the offense can evolve to the point where it's playing somewhere near the level of the defense (even after Saturday I'm assuming the Pelini's can clean it up). That's a tall order for a first year coordinator with guys who have been under crappy coaching the past three years.

 

[knapplc]

I don't think it's too far off to say that we've seen some pretty unprepared Bo Pelini teams the last couple of years. Especially the bowl game - we were routinely gashed by a mediocre team, and it was readily apparent that many of our defenders - seniors, playing their last games as Blackshirts - were not prepared to play that game.

SDSU was another glaring example. How else do you explain thirty minutes of possession and 65 offensive plays from a D2 school that finished 5-6?

How else do you explain a loss to 5-7 Texas? How else do you explain a loss to 7-6 Washington?

That's three games off the top of my head where we were either unprepared, unmotivated, unconcerned, un-whatever adjective you want to use.

It is Bo's job to get this team ready to go, and many times, he hasn't gotten it done. That's something he has to work on. He's only just started his fourth year as head coach, so maybe this is a weak area for him. I see no reason to believe he won't get it fixed, but it needs to be addressed.

Or maybe he's got it straight in his head, but the players are the ones having the problem. There has been a LOT written about our defense this year – how great they are, All-Americans at all three levels, etc. I sometimes wonder if these guys spend too much time reading their press and then they underestimate their opponents.

Whatever the reason, there is evidence that something needs to be fixed here.

 

[typ3kal]

I think next season we will compete for the B1G title. The following year we will win it and get a BCS bowl game but won't make a MNC run.

 

[robsker]

Got to say I don't understand where you are coming from, at all.

Now, granted, in terms of offense, we haven't looked good. But we had a faulty plan and a poor coach leading that group for Bo's first three years. The jury is out on Beck after just two games. We will see.

Defensively. Really. Seriously. You are not joking about the above.

Nebraska got blown out by Missouri in Bo's first year. And the defense responded by posting a great defensive plan against a Texas Tech team that featured jaw dropping talent at the skill positions.

And the Pelini's have continued to do this every year.

If we had a passable offense. Respectable. Anything. We would be the back-to-back Big 12 champs.

You will note that from my original post, I did not call out lack of fundamentals or lack of fire on the defense. All my specific points re: these problems were specified as offensive problems. So... because I was not addressing anything on the defensive side of the ball i was not joking --- because that was not in view. When I say we need to be focused on both sides of the ball that means what it says... both on O and on D (not just on D). We have had focus on D (though there too, from time to time we have assignment problems --- but so do others and we are not outliers there... in fact we are actually quite good there).

We may be saying precisely the same thing... you say "if only we had a passable offense" and I say "if only we had coaching staff that had the talent we have prepared --- fundamentally --- that played with fire." these are the same --- with the only difference being that I am specifying a reason for offensive problems (coaching) and you did not. When you say we had a faulty coach and a bad plan --- well I agree, that was a major premise in my post.

I also said it was fixable --- at least theoretically --- but that progress toward that end has not yet been shown. And yes some have pointed out that that will take time. OK. Agreed. That is why I say temper your expectations --- this may be a really rocky year one in the B10. Maybe this staff will get things rolling (they have improved the penalty part --- or at least it seems so so far.) That said, as much of a Pelini fan as many of us are, one must question the staffing that we had on offense and can still legitimately question what we have now (has Cotton really earned the right to stay employed here? Should we really have hired and internal person from a failed Offensive staff that has no experience as a coordinator --- or should we have gone after a proven commodity for that position?)

I think if we are honest, coaching and coaching decisions re; hiring are a major contributor to the state of NU football.

 

[robsker]

I don't think it's too far off to say that we've seen some pretty unprepared Bo Pelini teams the last couple of years. Especially the bowl game - we were routinely gashed by a mediocre team, and it was readily apparent that many of our defenders - seniors, playing their last games as Blackshirts - were not prepared to play that game.

SDSU was another glaring example. How else do you explain thirty minutes of possession and 65 offensive plays from a D2 school that finished 5-6?

How else do you explain a loss to 5-7 Texas? How else do you explain a loss to 7-6 Washington?

That's three games off the top of my head where we were either unprepared, unmotivated, unconcerned, un-whatever adjective you want to use.

It is Bo's job to get this team ready to go, and many times, he hasn't gotten it done. That's something he has to work on. He's only just started his fourth year as head coach, so maybe this is a weak area for him. I see no reason to believe he won't get it fixed, but it needs to be addressed.

Or maybe he's got it straight in his head, but the players are the ones having the problem. There has been a LOT written about our defense this year – how great they are, All-Americans at all three levels, etc. I sometimes wonder if these guys spend too much time reading their press and then they underestimate their opponents.

Whatever the reason, there is evidence that something needs to be fixed here.

We seem to be seeing things in very much the same way. As you say, there is evidence that something must be fixed in terms of preparedness.

I'd add that, apart from lesser amounts of needless penalties (which is a great improvement), there is no evidence of improvement yet.

 

[robsker]

I think next season we will compete for the B1G title. The following year we will win it and get a BCS bowl game but won't make a MNC run.

Fair enough. On what basis do you make these predictions. Do you agree that we have coaching/preparedness issues now and predict future improvement based upon those problems being resolved? Or, do you see the issue now not so much a coaching issue? I am curious as to why you think we will get much better.

 

[knapplc]

I think the biggest thing we differ on, Robsker, is that you're more concerned about the offense and I'm more concerned about the defense. I think injuries and changing schemes played a big role in our problems last year. We didn't have that excuse on defense last year, nor do we this year. It's hard for me to explain how a defense as allegedly talented as ours has been the last two years can get gashed like they have been. The offense – while troubling – is easier to explain.

Still, both areas need fixed. The sooner the better.

 

[typ3kal]

I think we will get much better because of the age of our offense in general. We are young at nearly every position. K. Bell is young. Enunwa is young. Our RB's behind burkhead are true freshmen. Turner is young. Our line is predominantly sophomores / freshmen.

There is nothing to assume that we won't get better with more experience. I think our O-Line will even make a jump this year as the players adjust to the speed of the college game.

However, I don't think we can beat Wisconsin on the road. We may have had a chance if they were being played in Lincoln... but young players on a big stage that will likely have College Game Day at night in Madison is just asking for problems / penalties.

 

[typ3kal]

I think the biggest thing we differ on, Robsker, is that you're more concerned about the offense and I'm more concerned about the defense. I think injuries and changing schemes played a big role in our problems last year. We didn't have that excuse on defense last year, nor do we this year. It's hard for me to explain how a defense as allegedly talented as ours has been the last two years can get gashed like they have been. The offense – while troubling – is easier to explain.

Still, both areas need fixed. The sooner the better.

You do have to remember we're playing in a new defensive scheme with 3 LB's.

 

[huskerswrkhavoc]

Got to say I don't understand where you are coming from, at all.

Now, granted, in terms of offense, we haven't looked good. But we had a faulty plan and a poor coach leading that group for Bo's first three years. The jury is out on Beck after just two games. We will see.

Defensively. Really. Seriously. You are not joking about the above.

Nebraska got blown out by Missouri in Bo's first year. And the defense responded by posting a great defensive plan against a Texas Tech team that featured jaw dropping talent at the skill positions.

And the Pelini's have continued to do this every year.

If we had a passable offense. Respectable. Anything. We would be the back-to-back Big 12 champs.

You will note that from my original post, I did not call out lack of fundamentals or lack of fire on the defense. All my specific points re: these problems were specified as offensive problems. So... because I was not addressing anything on the defensive side of the ball i was not joking --- because that was not in view. When I say we need to be focused on both sides of the ball that means what it says... both on O and on D (not just on D). We have had focus on D (though there too, from time to time we have assignment problems --- but so do others and we are not outliers there... in fact we are actually quite good there).

We may be saying precisely the same thing... you say "if only we had a passable offense" and I say "if only we had coaching staff that had the talent we have prepared --- fundamentally --- that played with fire." these are the same --- with the only difference being that I am specifying a reason for offensive problems (coaching) and you did not. When you say we had a faulty coach and a bad plan --- well I agree, that was a major premise in my post.

I also said it was fixable --- at least theoretically --- but that progress toward that end has not yet been shown. And yes some have pointed out that that will take time. OK. Agreed. That is why I say temper your expectations --- this may be a really rocky year one in the B10. Maybe this staff will get things rolling (they have improved the penalty part --- or at least it seems so so far.) That said, as much of a Pelini fan as many of us are, one must question the staffing that we had on offense and can still legitimately question what we have now (has Cotton really earned the right to stay employed here? Should we really have hired and internal person from a failed Offensive staff that has no experience as a coordinator --- or should we have gone after a proven commodity for that position?)

I think if we are honest, coaching and coaching decisions re; hiring are a major contributor to the state of NU football.

Are you sure about that? Because I completely took it as both sides of the ball... like you said..

One thing that has not been mentioned here often is something that disappoints me a great deal. Perhaps I am alone in this assessment of the teams performance... But...

This coaching staff has not seemingly shown the ability to field a focused team that plays with intensity and solid fundamentals on both sides of the ball every play. It just has not happened under Pelini. Until that happens, until the Huskers play with fire and focus and play smart with good fundamentals (both sides of the ball, all 4 quarters of a game --- game in and game out) --- until this team becomes a team that is prepared mentally and plays assignment football... well until that happens, expect this team to be as it has been these past several years... incapable of contending (that is, consistently beating) comparable (slightly less, equally or slightly better) talent opponents that are better prepared. Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa (yes, even Iowa), and Ohio State will all be really, really tough games.

Now, if you are talking strictly about the offensive side of the ball, I will tend to agree, slightly.. But, we have a brand new offensive coordinator who has held that position for a whopping 2 games... You can't take Watson's inability to do what you've said and pin that on Beck.. So if you really feel it's just the offense, say that, don't say both sides of the ball.. But at the same time, you have to give the offense time to actually mesh before you expect great things.

 

[robsker]

I think the biggest thing we differ on, Robsker, is that you're more concerned about the offense and I'm more concerned about the defense. I think injuries and changing schemes played a big role in our problems last year. We didn't have that excuse on defense last year, nor do we this year. It's hard for me to explain how a defense as allegedly talented as ours has been the last two years can get gashed like they have been. The offense – while troubling – is easier to explain.

Still, both areas need fixed. The sooner the better.

You might be right on the D... I think --- though I hope I am wrong --- that our D will be good to pretty good against B10 competition, but not great. Like you, I fear that we may be vulnerable to the run... at least initially. That said, it seems that Bo has a staff that can adapt and while the D will likely have some issues, I'd think the coaching is in place to adapt and make it work.

Now on offense, I am unconvinced that Cotten can elicit any better from our OL than he has to date --- and am as well unconvinced that the coaches will develop our QB's or that the problems with the WRer's will be fixed.

Thus, I am more concerned with the O since I do not see the infrastructure in place to resolve the problems. the D will have some issues, I'd think... but the staff is in place to address them.

Make sense?

 

[junior4949]

Here's the thing. Most all of the great teams have that off game or two each and every year. In 1994, we were in jeopardy of losing to lowly Wyoming in Lincoln. Had it not been for a botched punt return by Wyoming swinging the momentum back our way, we probably lose that game. LSU lost to two unranked teams the year Les Miles won the NC. Very seldom in today's college football do we see a team that plays lights out every game for four quarters. I'll be the first to admit that there are those games where I just go WTH are they doing. However, I'm not willing to put that lable on our coaches just yet.