Nebraska's Offense

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All-Conference
Nebraska’s offense still a mystery

Monday, May 26, 2008 | Posted by Marc Hudgens

It has seemed over the past few months that the resurrection of the Nebraska Huskers' once-mighty defense has received the spotlight, while the offense has gone relatively unnoticed.

Considering the Blackshirts were by far the biggest culprits in last season's demise, it's understandable that unit is getting more attention. The offense, by contrast, was another story. Not to make excuses for the ex-coach who arguably burned every possible bridge in Lincoln, but Bill Callahan's offenses were pretty good. Nebraska was ranked No. 70 and No. 97 in the nation during Callahan's first two seasons, improving to 14th and ninth, respectively, in his final pair.

After Callahan was fired, many were wondering what the future held for offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, who held the job during Callahan's final season. But new coach Bo Pelini retained Watson, one of only two Callahan staffers who weren't let go.

So it begged many questions: What will the new offense be like? Will it be the Huskers' historic bread and butter, the triple option? West Coast? Spread? What?

"Everybody, stop trying to name it! Geez," Watson vented this past March. "Everybody wants to put a name on it around here. It’s the Nebraska offense. How’s that? Sounds good to me."

Regardless of what its ultimately known as, running will likely take precedence over passing in Watson's offense, so a huge West Coast emphasis is probably going to be there. I-back Marlon Lucky -- who ranked seventh among all Big XII rushers last season -- will be the main event. The backup runner is Roy Helu, Jr., who outperformed Lucky during the Red-White spring game.

Although Joe Ganz locked up the quarterback spot, he has no one singular go-to receiver. Experienced seniors Nate Swift and Todd Peterson return, and it appears incoming freshman Curenski Gilleylen, who has impressed everyone, will get a lot of playing time. So a decent passing game is seemingly in place, which would make it hard to emphasize a triple option unless the aerial attack goes awry.

No one will know exactly what Nebraska's offense will entail until after the first three games or so of the season, but there are things followers of the team are almost certain to see. And from what has been seen thus far, running will be the largest tenet of Watson's philosophy.
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We're still a WCO-team. We'll have some spread-option like against CU. We'll also have a more physical blocking scheme/style. Watson will likely want to pound the rock a little more, especially with what we have back at rb as compared to wr. But judging from what coaches have said and what I saw at the Spring-game I wouldn't look for big changes in the O. It works, hopefully this season it just works a little more consistently.

 
If the defense can contain the scoring at will problems they had last year and the offense is not put in catch up mode all game, the offense should be able to do some damage and use ball control. We may be a year or two away from being a dangerous team on both sides of the ball but if we can be respectable on D the O should put up some decent balanced numbers.

 
When it's all said and done, I believe the offense will be a spread option. Solich was gravitating towards this direction before he was fired bringing in JD who was not a true option QB. Ganz has the mobility to make it work, and Lucky has the hands and speed to make it work as well. With possession receivers like Swift and Peterson, it only makes it a more viable option. Now, we need a TE to step up and we have all the pieces to make it work.

 
I hate statistics. BC's total offense was 9th but totally inept against Wake Forest, USC, Mizzou, OK St., and Texas A&M.

 
I think the passing game is here to stay in Nebraska, but we are going to remain balanced. We have way to much talent at running back to not utilize it. Use Lucky and Helu for finesse and as long as he can hang onto the ball Q to run it down their throats from the 2 yard line.

 
MCAT800 said:
I hate statistics. BC's total offense was 9th but totally inept against Wake Forest, USC, Mizzou, OK St., and Texas A&M.
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This is a great point. It makes us feel better to think Callahan was everything that was wrong with the program and now that he is gone everything will be better. That being said, the offense was not as good as the stats say. We did put up a lot of yards and points but most of them were meaningless when we were down by three touchdowns or more playing against scrubs. Everything will be different this year.

 
dtbugeater said:
MCAT800 said:
I hate statistics. BC's total offense was 9th but totally inept against Wake Forest, USC, Mizzou, OK St., and Texas A&M.
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This is a great point. It makes us feel better to think Callahan was everything that was wrong with the program and now that he is gone everything will be better. That being said, the offense was not as good as the stats say. We did put up a lot of yards and points but most of them were meaningless when we were down by three touchdowns or more playing against scrubs. Everything will be different this year.
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I think this is where most people get our offense wrong. I truelly believe that the offense we saw last year was significantly different than what BC and crew thought they'd run at the beginning of last season. Our offense played 50% of the time against nothing more than a prevent D because the opposing teams knew we were gonna have to pass because we were behind by so many points. When you play against a prevent D, you're going to rack up a lot of yards and statistics because the D is playing so far off the ball.

What I think will be really interesting about the 2008 season is to see how patient our offense is. If we get down by 2 or 3 scores, will Watson panic and begin heaving the rock like BC did in 2007? Or, will he show the patience that TO showed in the 1994 NC game against Miami? I think we'll start the games off with emphasis on the run, but if/when we get down it might be a different story.

 
So it begged many questions: What will the new offense be like? Will it be the Huskers' historic bread and butter, the triple option? West Coast? Spread? What?
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Since when was the triple option NU's "bread and butter?" Why does everyone think that's what Osborne's offense was based on? Yes, they did run the triple option sometimes (usually very successfully), but that wasn't the center of the offense.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez...

 
Michael said:
So it begged many questions: What will the new offense be like? Will it be the Huskers' historic bread and butter, the triple option? West Coast? Spread? What?
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Since when was the triple option NU's "bread and butter?" Why does everyone think that's what Osborne's offense was based on? Yes, they did run the triple option sometimes (usually very successfully), but that wasn't the center of the offense.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez...
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If I recall the late 80s correctly, it was a handoff to the fullback on 3rd and 10.

 
Michael said:
So it begged many questions: What will the new offense be like? Will it be the Huskers' historic bread and butter, the triple option? West Coast? Spread? What?
Click to expand...
Since when was the triple option NU's "bread and butter?" Why does everyone think that's what Osborne's offense was based on? Yes, they did run the triple option sometimes (usually very successfully), but that wasn't the center of the offense.

Geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez...
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Exactly. TO emphasized power running with misdirection and using the TE. Attention to detail was what TO was all about. Put a man on a man, execute, don't make mistakes. It didn't matter if the oposing team knew what play was being ran, as long as our guys did their individual jobs the play would still work. Being physical was also a big ingredient. Thats why most teams couldn't hang with NU for four quarters.

Most good coaches will say or have said that the team that blocks better, tackles better, wins the turnover battle, and doesn't commit stupid penalties will win. Hell, in the '97 bowl game against Tennessee, our lineman were telling the Tennessee players the play and snap count and they still couldn't stop us.

The option was used by TO but it wasn't his bread and butter. Solich is the one that used the option way too much.

 
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