Martinez the scapegoat?

corncraze

corncraze

All-Conference
People I understand many of us need something to point our fingers at to explain that pitiful game yesterday, but many of you are unhinging the blame on one problem for a game that had numerous problems.

The 3 INTs were AWFUL, but so was the secondary's play, the defense in general, the play calling, the team's motivation and inability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

This team's problems go much further than Taylor's throwing motion and we all know that. In all honesty, I don't think our offense has performed much different than has the last 2 seasons (actually I think they're a little better). THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS ON DEFENSE! We counted ourselves lucky to even get off the field yesterday! The numbero uno problem to fix is this team's lack of fundamentals on defense. From tackling, to play reading, to pursuit angles, to coverage, there are problems across the board! THe D-Line has consistently missed tackles all season while the entire secondary has been consistently confused and shaked and baked.

Just remember this folks. THis was the biggest reason we lost by the amount we did yesterday.

 
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corncraze said:
People wI understand many of us need something to point our fingers at to explain that pitiful game yesterday, but many of you are unhinging the blame on one problem for a game that had numerous problems.

The 3 INTs were AWFUL, but so was the secondary's play, the defense in general, the play calling, the team's motivation and inability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

This team's problems go much further than Taylor's throwing motion and we all know that. In all honesty, I don't think our offense has performed much different than has the last 2 seasons (actually I think they're a little better). THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS ON DEFENSE! We counted ourselves lucky to even get off the field yesterday! The numbero uno problem to fix is this team's lack of fundamentals on defense. From tackling, to play reading, to pursuit angles, to coverage, there are problems across the board! THe D-Line has consistently missed tackles all season while the entire secondary has been consistently confused and shaked and baked.

Just remember this folks. THis was the biggest reason we lost by the amount we did yesterday.
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Turning the ball over 3 times is a huge part of losing the game, it keeps the defense on the field and wears them down at the game goes on. That's the biggest problem with what Beck did throwing the ball, it didn't keep the offense on the field and led to the D wearing out.

Here's what happened once we got the ball back with a 1 point lead

1st down- Burkhead gains 7 yards, but called back for illegal formation

1st down- Taylor sacked

2nd down- Taylor runs for 1 yard

3rd and 14- Rex catches a 9 yard pass

Punt

So now the D hits the field and stops White for a 1 yard loss on 3rd, Toon catches a 4 yard pass then Wilson gets sacked, punt back, D stepped up.

Offense gets the ball back

1st- Burkhead stuffed for a 1 yard loss

2nd- Incomplete to Cotton (dropped)

3rd- False start on Reed to get us to 3rd and 16 at the 41, rather than check down Taylor forces it and Wisconsin gets the ball back at the 46 (TOP, 45 seconds)

UW gets the ball back, 5 yard pass, incomplete, 6 yard pass 1st down, 5 yard run, 2 yard run, playaction over the top on 3rd and 3 for a TD

So now you're down 20-14 with 2:00 left

1st down incomplete

2nd down 26 yards to midfield to a wide open Turner

1st, 4 yards to Kinnie, OB to stop clock

2nd incomplete

3rd picked again

TOP 41 seconds

So in that swing the Huskers held the ball for 2 possessions under 1 minute, and the D was forced right back on the field and gave up two long throws.

Hindsight is 20/20, Beck got greedy since Taylor had thrown it pretty well up till then and it bit us, we could have ran the ball and probably made it into half within 3 or even in the lead.

Then the start of the half was just greedy, once that pick was made it was over

 
Pretty much exactly that. Beck wasn't protecting his defense at all. Passing 12 out 15 plays (and leading off the third quarter with it!) is unreal. Now was it a critical error? Abso-frigging-lutely. So what should we (using the royal we here, I should say Bo) do here?

Bo should talk to him about it. He's in his first year here. It was inevitable there was going to be hiccups like this. Couple that with a wealth of young people (extraordinarily talented young people, but young people) at skill positions and you get nights where a veteran, elite team puts it on us in one of the toughest venues in college football at night.

Absolutely no part of sky hit me in the head when the sun indeed rose today.

 
It's strange because the defense was so good the last two years, we just expected that to happen again even with Sanders gone. Now the offense is playing better (overall) and the defense's wheels fell the hell off, the secondary is constantly trying to cheat on the run, biting on play action and double moves, and not contesting catches at all it seems like. Offensive play calling in the 2nd quarter to 3rd quarter stretch was absolutely awful and going 100% passing attack with Martinez when he was obviously spiraling back to last year's post-mizzou form was just stubborn stupidity. Yeah the passing game may have been there if he was a passing quarterback, he's not, that's on the staff.

 
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Did Frost, Frazier or Crouch "ever" throw the ball around 12 times in 15 plays? I very seriously doubt it.

Beck needs to determine if we're a "run-first" offense or not. If we're gonna throw the ball around 12 out of 15 plays let's junk our new offense again and go back to the WCO or something similar.

 
I've come to the conclusion that no matter what argument one can come up with, someone else is there to support their argument as well. You can blame it on Martinez, Beck, and the offense, but then someone will come along and blame it on the defense. Bottom line is we didn't execute on either side of the ball and IMO we looked horrible on defense. I think the offensive problems can be fixed alot easier than the defensive problems. A few tweaks need to be made on offense. Now some are calling for Martinez's job and that's their opinion, he's one guy. Look at our defense, besides Dennard and David the entire thing needs to be overhauled. That's a HUGE problem. I understand the role of the QB as well so don't get crazy and start acting like I don't realize that part of it.

 
We can't go back to the WCO now. It's a route tree and terminology thing, has nothing to do with playcalls.

 
zoogies said:
We can't go back to the WCO now. It's a route tree and terminology thing, has nothing to do with playcalls.
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Why would we want to? It sounded like it was so damn complex you had to study it for years to even play effectively in that system. I understand it helps with the transition to the pro's, but alot of these kids are never going to play in the pro's so screw the pro's. Make the terminology simple and allow your guys to play more natural rather than, "okay, I run three yards here, then break, then run another 4 yards here, and turn, and etc. etc."

 
That was in response to bshirt.

I don't know exactly what the identity of this offense is or how much passing we want, but yeah.

 
zoogies said:
That was in response to bshirt.

I don't know exactly what the identity of this offense is or how much passing we want, but yeah.
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Seems to me unless the deep ball is WIDE open and I mean no one around we stick with short underneath passes to help keep the run game open and the defense honest. I have no issues with Martinez airing it out occasionally, but it can't be into double-coverage or anything like that. Short passes to the flats, crosses, a few deep balls and the run game should stay open nicely.

 
Yeah, we really have to work on Taylor forcing it when it's not there. The lack of consistently taking a checkdown is completely killing us unless the play is set up perfectly and the defense bites hard.

The deep ball is a big part of what we want to do though, it seems. And it makes sense. It's one of Taylor's strengths that he gives us, and by that I mean his speed running is supposed to allow guys to run open down the field as opposing safeties load the box. Taylor being a bad passer is supposed to be negated by how it opens up the passing game this way.

But against any disciplined defense, that ONLY works if Taylor is going to stop forcing the throws when they aren't there and taking the wide-open underneath option. Otherwise, sooner or later one of these balls is going to get picked off.

 
corncraze said:
People I understand many of us need something to point our fingers at to explain that pitiful game yesterday, but many of you are unhinging the blame on one problem for a game that had numerous problems.

The 3 INTs were AWFUL, but so was the secondary's play, the defense in general, the play calling, the team's motivation and inability to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.

This team's problems go much further than Taylor's throwing motion and we all know that. In all honesty, I don't think our offense has performed much different than has the last 2 seasons (actually I think they're a little better). THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WAS ON DEFENSE! We counted ourselves lucky to even get off the field yesterday! The numbero uno problem to fix is this team's lack of fundamentals on defense. From tackling, to play reading, to pursuit angles, to coverage, there are problems across the board! THe D-Line has consistently missed tackles all season while the entire secondary has been consistently confused and shaked and baked.

Just remember this folks. THis was the biggest reason we lost by the amount we did yesterday.
Click to expand...
It didn't help the Defense that they had to come on the field after all the failed pass plays and interceptions. The offense should have realized this and tried to help out the guys on the other side of the ball by sustaining drives and trying to put points on the board.

 
bshirt said:
Did Frost, Frazier or Crouch "ever" throw the ball around 12 times in 15 plays? I very seriously doubt it.

Beck needs to determine if we're a "run-first" offense or not. If we're gonna throw the ball around 12 out of 15 plays let's junk our new offense again and go back to the WCO or something similar.
Click to expand...
Exactly...Bo & Beck must decide what our offensive identity is going to be starting now and going forward. I don't mind having Taylor dropping back and throwing every now and then to keep the defense honest, but to call 12-15 some straight passing plays was just ridiculous in my opinion.

 
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