NU's Beck learning on the job
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Red Tape
Five-Star Recruit
Coincidentally, his overall rankings in those major statistical categories are good barometer of my feelings on Beck this year... middle of the road.
I think he showed some creativity and the ability to adjust, which is refreshing. But he called some stinker plays and stinker games. My expectation is to see more creativity and fewer stinkers next year, and continue that upward trend. It's a matter of experience, which makes everyone better at their jobs.
You could argue that the Big Ten is strong defensively, but I argue that Nebraska's talent level should trump all other teams sans Michigan and Ohio State on a regular basis. Then it comes down to coaches and scheming. I hate the excuse that Nebraska seems to always be in a "learning" phase, whether it's learning new techniques by the DB's, or learning a new Offense due to coaching turnover, or learning new opponents tendency... I am ready for some continuity so that excuse can go out the window.
I think he showed some creativity and the ability to adjust, which is refreshing. But he called some stinker plays and stinker games. My expectation is to see more creativity and fewer stinkers next year, and continue that upward trend. It's a matter of experience, which makes everyone better at their jobs.
You could argue that the Big Ten is strong defensively, but I argue that Nebraska's talent level should trump all other teams sans Michigan and Ohio State on a regular basis. Then it comes down to coaches and scheming. I hate the excuse that Nebraska seems to always be in a "learning" phase, whether it's learning new techniques by the DB's, or learning a new Offense due to coaching turnover, or learning new opponents tendency... I am ready for some continuity so that excuse can go out the window.
Realizing that stats alone do not tell the whole story, I still wanted to compare Malzahn, Morris and Beck in their 1st year as OC at the D-1 level because of these similarities: a) They all had extensive high school coaching experience before jumping to D-1. b) They're spread-oriented OC's. c) They're roughly the same age (Malzahn 46, Beck 45, Morris 43).
Gus Malzahn 2006 @ Arkansas
4th Rushing (228.5 yds/gm)
108th Passing (149.5 yds/gm)
29th Total Offense (378 yds/gm)
31st Scoring Offense (28.8 pts/gm)
62nd Pass Efficiency (122.4 yds/gm)
2nd Sacks Allowed (0.64)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 43rd
Chad Morris 2010 @ Tulsa
15th Rushing (216.9 yds/gm)
13th Passing (288.6 yds/gm)
5th Total Offense (505.6 yds/gm)
6th Scoring Offense (41.3 pts/gm)
27th Pass Efficiency (144.7 yds/gm)
75th Sacks Allowed (2.15)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 76th
Tim Beck 2011 @ Nebraska
13th Rushing (223.9 yds/gm)
103rd Passing (166.5 yds/gm)
59th Total Offense (390.5 yds/gm)
43rd Scoring Offense (30.5 pts/gm)
73rd Pass Efficiency (125.4 yds/gm)
28th Sacks Allowed (1.25)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 52nd
Gus Malzahn 2006 @ Arkansas
4th Rushing (228.5 yds/gm)
108th Passing (149.5 yds/gm)
29th Total Offense (378 yds/gm)
31st Scoring Offense (28.8 pts/gm)
62nd Pass Efficiency (122.4 yds/gm)
2nd Sacks Allowed (0.64)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 43rd
Chad Morris 2010 @ Tulsa
15th Rushing (216.9 yds/gm)
13th Passing (288.6 yds/gm)
5th Total Offense (505.6 yds/gm)
6th Scoring Offense (41.3 pts/gm)
27th Pass Efficiency (144.7 yds/gm)
75th Sacks Allowed (2.15)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 76th
Tim Beck 2011 @ Nebraska
13th Rushing (223.9 yds/gm)
103rd Passing (166.5 yds/gm)
59th Total Offense (390.5 yds/gm)
43rd Scoring Offense (30.5 pts/gm)
73rd Pass Efficiency (125.4 yds/gm)
28th Sacks Allowed (1.25)
Avg. Rank of Opponents Total Defense = 52nd
Danimal
All-Conference
Thing for me is these are growing-pains we should've been going through years ago. Bo always liked Beck and we were never going to be a WCO team, always were going to evolve in more more of a spread-option direction. I understand TO feared a slow start to the Bo era but we should've broken the eggs and let Wats go take a new gig(he'd have been better-off). We'd have been worse out of the gate but we'd be a better team now, we'd be entrenched in this O and Beck would be an experienced OC. We'd be a better program now.
I guess hindsight is 100%.
The other answer would have been to bring in a proven OC at that time. We would not have been training everyone in their first job so to speak.
I am still not sure on Beck. I think it is a reach, but Bo feels comfortable with him, so will hope it works out.
I think Bo is going to do what he thinks is best,, taking no input from others. His mind is made up and he will go that way. Sometimes that is a great way to go, sometimes not so much. He has a offensive genius in the office upstairs. I think he should ask and follow the guidance. He may have, do not know.
Tom made the right choice with Watson staying to help Bo and keep team unity. But for where we are now, I think the change should have been made then, but I am not one of the greatest coaches of all time, and I do not run the program. I will take whatever Tom says is right. I think he has some say in the current situation. I sure hope he does. It would show a lot of growth in Bo it he does.
The other answer would have been to bring in a proven OC at that time. We would not have been training everyone in their first job so to speak.
I am still not sure on Beck. I think it is a reach, but Bo feels comfortable with him, so will hope it works out.
I think Bo is going to do what he thinks is best,, taking no input from others. His mind is made up and he will go that way. Sometimes that is a great way to go, sometimes not so much. He has a offensive genius in the office upstairs. I think he should ask and follow the guidance. He may have, do not know.
Tom made the right choice with Watson staying to help Bo and keep team unity. But for where we are now, I think the change should have been made then, but I am not one of the greatest coaches of all time, and I do not run the program. I will take whatever Tom says is right. I think he has some say in the current situation. I sure hope he does. It would show a lot of growth in Bo it he does.
macroboy
All-Conference
only if we can also turn it into a TO is a genius, he should ask for help thread that eventually devolves into a "we should run more option" thread.
Excel
All-American
NUance
Assistant Coach
I am surprised the stats are so even. Especially Beck and Malzahn. I hope Beck's stats continue to mirror Malzahn's.
I for one am very pleased with Beck's first year. Was he perfect? No. But he showed the ability to adjust. At times anyway. And NU fumbled much less than last year. Also, it seems like offensive penalties are down too, although I haven't looked up that stat. All in all, I am quite please with Beck's first year. Just hope he keeps us moving in the right direction.
A very telling point in the article to me:
Nobody's ever run this, even (offensive line coach) Barney (Cotton) and Ron — who have been here — they've never had to do this, either," Beck said. "So it was teaching them and then teaching the players, and then having the players have the ability. Because there is some level of freedom in the offense. It took some time. I think we're getting there."
The bold section, IMO, applies to the new DC whomever it might be. We can not afford to go into year 2 in the B1G having to have the DC and new coaches learn a system and teach the players on the fly.. This will lead to lack of development. Could also explain our drop off ie new LB coach and new DB coach. This is a reason why lack of development might have been an issue this year on O. How do you develop a player when you are trying to learn and develop your self as a coach?
Nobody's ever run this, even (offensive line coach) Barney (Cotton) and Ron — who have been here — they've never had to do this, either," Beck said. "So it was teaching them and then teaching the players, and then having the players have the ability. Because there is some level of freedom in the offense. It took some time. I think we're getting there."
The bold section, IMO, applies to the new DC whomever it might be. We can not afford to go into year 2 in the B1G having to have the DC and new coaches learn a system and teach the players on the fly.. This will lead to lack of development. Could also explain our drop off ie new LB coach and new DB coach. This is a reason why lack of development might have been an issue this year on O. How do you develop a player when you are trying to learn and develop your self as a coach?
Captain Hindsight
Walk-on
You need to go through the who is a good fan and who isn't thread transition before you get to the hurt hinies.
bshirt
Banned
I'm happy with Beck's first year. Especially considering the usual Oline/Wrs problems that he had to deal with.
Penalties way down, fumbles way down, interceptions almost vanished after the Wisconsin game. He's got two major problems to solve that we've had for years....
1. Oline....no need to discuss. It "should" start getting better next year with the recruiting the last two years.
2. Wrs dropping passes.....no need to discuss. We've seen this the last three years endlessly. I don't have a clue how to fix it. I would think with NP & BK gone the situation would improve. Maybe.
He somehow gets those two problems to even an average level we'll be a load to deal with. Easier said than done but I'm hoping for the best.
GBR!!
Penalties way down, fumbles way down, interceptions almost vanished after the Wisconsin game. He's got two major problems to solve that we've had for years....
1. Oline....no need to discuss. It "should" start getting better next year with the recruiting the last two years.
2. Wrs dropping passes.....no need to discuss. We've seen this the last three years endlessly. I don't have a clue how to fix it. I would think with NP & BK gone the situation would improve. Maybe.
He somehow gets those two problems to even an average level we'll be a load to deal with. Easier said than done but I'm hoping for the best.
GBR!!
Nebraska option
Walk-on
Beck needs to learn Nebraska has to run the full Osborne offense.
I also think the option football is the best offense for them to run to be successful. Take the top "athlete QB in high school that thinks he is a QB but is going to be switched to WR or DB at any other school is a easy sell as Nebraska will really keep you at QB. Then get a bunch of OL's that like to run block and no worries about height and that leaves you with a lot of talented blockers to choose from. Get a top RB who wants to run the rock 30 times a game. Get 4-5 athletes like myself to fill in the TE Full back limited MLB position is possible from a state of 1.5 million. Then fill in everything else around with kids that are in rougher areas of the US and tell the parents that Lincoln is pretty hard to find trouble unless it is self impossed. No real gang presense.
The option really is hard to defend against. It goes against everything your taught as a defender. I would not say Teebow is doing great because he only scores like 13 points a game but I can see that it is Denvers only option as an offense. I would not want to see it at Miami but I have a lot of respect for it. Have a dominate OL and you can run a lot of things. People who say this or that can never work today also said that Meyers offense would never work in the SEC. Those people have to eat a lot of crow. Miami's Pro Set sucks if you have a QB throwing to the other team. People were saying the option was dead in the 70's as Osborne went the throwing route for about 5 years and then came back to the option when he could not beat OU.
Got this guy over on a miami U sight that played for NU in 92 and 93.
I also think the option football is the best offense for them to run to be successful. Take the top "athlete QB in high school that thinks he is a QB but is going to be switched to WR or DB at any other school is a easy sell as Nebraska will really keep you at QB. Then get a bunch of OL's that like to run block and no worries about height and that leaves you with a lot of talented blockers to choose from. Get a top RB who wants to run the rock 30 times a game. Get 4-5 athletes like myself to fill in the TE Full back limited MLB position is possible from a state of 1.5 million. Then fill in everything else around with kids that are in rougher areas of the US and tell the parents that Lincoln is pretty hard to find trouble unless it is self impossed. No real gang presense.
The option really is hard to defend against. It goes against everything your taught as a defender. I would not say Teebow is doing great because he only scores like 13 points a game but I can see that it is Denvers only option as an offense. I would not want to see it at Miami but I have a lot of respect for it. Have a dominate OL and you can run a lot of things. People who say this or that can never work today also said that Meyers offense would never work in the SEC. Those people have to eat a lot of crow. Miami's Pro Set sucks if you have a QB throwing to the other team. People were saying the option was dead in the 70's as Osborne went the throwing route for about 5 years and then came back to the option when he could not beat OU.
Got this guy over on a miami U sight that played for NU in 92 and 93.
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i still have reservations about Beck, he seems to have no consistent command of a game plan, shifting on the fly so much, his guys are even confused. i am not sure this is the answer to making an offensive identity, we really don't know who we want to be, not necessarily bad for now, but how much longer does this go on?
bshirt
Banned
Well, I don't know but until we get some real road graders in there we probably won't find out. Many, many times this year we simply didn't have the push for a good run game. Rough sledding.....