Line thrives on Beck's scheme, more depth

We have had more continuity on offense than we sometimes portray it. For three years, a completely intact offensive staff running the same principles. Every team's offense evolves from year-to-year. The midseason adaptations, in terms of gameplan and formations favored, do not constitute a scheme change. What we are going through right now, is a scheme change.

But yes, I agree that we've been slowly changing the offense to a spread option system, and that is something new, and a process sped up rapidly last year. All the offensive coaches need to be on board with it, and they need to go out and learn and improve what they need to, to bring in the new things. I think some of our coaches busted their butts doing so. And there was Cotton, given help from Milt Tenopir and refusing it. I'm excited about Beck because I liked him a lot as a positions coach...can't say I think he's in the best position to succeed with Cotton still here. I think last year would have been as good a year as any to make a clean cut. Husker_x nailed it with the million dollar question.

Also, if we are just now committing the resources necessary to building a great offensive line, what in the world were we doing before? Really, it sounds like an excuse to be able to say "wait and give them a chance for ____ more years." I'm down for giving Beck time, I think he (and we) need it. As far as Cotton though, I think he's shown enough, and being phased out slowly and awkwardly will be to the detriment of everyone.

 
Our offensive continuity has taken a severe hit by the fact that we've started a new QB each of the last four seasons. That alone takes some getting used to.

 
That's less relevant in the context of discussing a positions coach, but I agree with you that continuity has taken a bit of a hit with a new QB at the helm. Although Ganz was not much of a new QB when he resumed his starting duties from the end of '07.

 
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Building depth at center is no snap
Throw out the name of Cole Pensick and the average Nebraska football fan might not know it.

Mention Mark Pelini and most would assume you were referencing NU head coach Bo Pelini by his given name.

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Speak of Ryne Reeves and you would at least get some nods of recognition.

But ask NU assistant coach Barney Cotton about the need to develop one of those backup centers — to find a dependable No. 2 behind Mike Caputo and perhaps identify next year's starter — and Cotton won't mince any words.

"More important than you can ever imagine," Cotton said. "Probably one of our biggest tasks offensively is to have a viable backup center, finding that guy."

Pensick, Pelini and Reeves are the candidates through the first two weeks of preseason practice. But they are a sophomore, redshirt freshman and true freshman, respectively, and that kind of inexperience at such an important position is one of the reasons for Cotton's anxiety.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110818/BIGRED/708189780/-1#building-depth-at-center-is-no-snap
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Read that Justin Jackson switched to OL. Would be very physical. Sounds like they are searching a bit. Makes sense though as they have an over abundant DL. This type of move might also lend itself to the idea of allowing Klatcho to redshirt.

 
flatwaterfan said:
Read that Justin Jackson switched to OL. Would be very physical. Sounds like they are searching a bit. Makes sense though as they have an over abundant DL. This type of move might also lend itself to the idea of allowing Klatcho to redshirt.
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i think our offensive line is screwed already this year.........sad.

 
Hunter94 said:
flatwaterfan said:
Read that Justin Jackson switched to OL. Would be very physical. Sounds like they are searching a bit. Makes sense though as they have an over abundant DL. This type of move might also lend itself to the idea of allowing Klatcho to redshirt.
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i think our offensive line is screwed already this year.........sad.
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So far no major injuries have been reported. Everyone is expected to play last I heard. Did I miss something?

 
doublefacepalm.jpg


Hercules is right. It's hard to get consistency on the offensive line when the scheme changes every year, as well as having a new quarterback come in. That's just something that takes time. Also about the walk-on program not being as deep to help on the line is also a factor. The last factor, in my opinion, is that we are not far and away the best weightlifting team out there. We have a great strength & conditioning team, however, other teams have caught up in this area which have made it a little more even on that playing field. Not saying our "old Pipeline" was over-rated or that the weightlifting was the "only" reason why they were so dominant, but it sure did help that we were far and away the best at doing that back then. It's a few things that add up, however, if the line fails to excite me in the next few seasons, many more will be calling for Cotton to be gone than already. Hopefully with Garrison coming in and working with old OL coaches will help, but we shall see.

 
I really wonder if Marcel is going to ever play again just based on the time he has missed. Other than that I agree that camp has been pretty good on the injury front. (fingers crossed). I'm not ready to throw in the towel as it's a long season. When you have a couple of day-to-day injuries and a return from an existing injury then it just takes a little time. I also think that players tend to get 'healed up' as two-a-days end. Funny how that works. I like the Jackson move because x-dl guys tend to have an aggressive attitude. Bill Lewis is a good example.

 
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http://www.omaha.com/article/20110823/BIGRED/708239795/-1#after-disappointing-year-rodriguez-focuses-on-future

After disappointing year, Rodriguez focuses on future
If Nebraska's Andrew Rodriguez believes he should have redshirted last season, he's not going to admit it.

To be honest, he doesn't want to discuss it.

No bitterness, he says. You can't change what's happened, so why waste time talking about it? Or even thinking about it?

"It's the past," said Rodriguez, a sophomore offensive guard. "I can't really do anything about that."

Something was running through Rodriguez's mind late in the season — when he was glued to the sideline while starter Keith Williams painfully labored through countless offensive series. Whatever those thoughts were, they've been buried deep in the catacombs of his brain.

The reality is that Rodriguez wasn't ready to be a full-time substitute at left guard for Williams, a three-year starter who proved to still be reliable when hobbled. And that's Barney Cotton's biggest regret. The offensive line coach misjudged Rodriguez's growth potential, costing his first-year pupil a season.

"That's probably one of my most disappointing coach-player deals, the way that worked out," Cotton said. "I'd never had a guy lose a redshirt for 60, 70 plays. And that was a mistake on my part."
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http://www.omaha.com/article/20110823/BIGRED/708239820/-1#notes-jones-qvale-back-in-mix-on-o-line

Senior right tackle Marcel Jones and sophomore right tackle Brent Qvale have returned to Nebraska's football practice. Jones sat out the first two weeks, while Qvale missed last week.
Sophomore right tackle Jeremiah Sirles should fully return by the end of this week or early next week, coach Bo Pelini said, although Sirles wore pads walking off the field Tuesday. Junior guard Brandon Thompson didn't appear to practice Tuesday. He was in a T-shirt and shorts.

The injuries, while not long-term, still have set Nebraska back in terms of cohesion, offensive line coach John Garrison said.

"We're constantly replacing guys with injuries, and at times that slows the process down," Garrison said. "We want to continue to get guys healthy and get them playing together as a group ... sometimes when you get an offensive line that's played together so much, you don't even have to make line calls. They just know."

Garrison said Jones is in "great shape." He must now round himself into "football shape."
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"That's probably one of my most disappointing coach-player deals, the way that worked out," Cotton said. "I'd never had a guy lose a redshirt for 60, 70 plays. And that was a mistake on my part."
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Good, so it won't happen again.

 
zoogies said:
"That's probably one of my most disappointing coach-player deals, the way that worked out," Cotton said. "I'd never had a guy lose a redshirt for 60, 70 plays. And that was a mistake on my part."
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Good, so it won't happen again.
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I'm sure it will happen again - the coaches can't predicted the future after all. Tyler Moore might be that guy this year. Or Jamal Turner, Ameer Abdullah, Braylon Heard, Aaron Green, etc.

 
Garrison said Jones is in "great shape." He must now round himself into "football shape."

oxymoron? the only shape that matters is football shape........he better get a move on, it's gettin' late.

 
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