Screens are an endangered species in our playbook

M

Maxconvert

Four-Star Recruit
I'm overall a fan of Beck's offense and playcalling, but for the life of me I can't figure out why we use any type of screen play so rarely...especially since we predominantly run a spread pistol/shotgun set offense. If you watch Oklahoma, they use receiver screens extremely commonly, and usually get a minimum of 5-8 yards and often 20+ if the WR can juke a DB. Ameer Abdullah is proving to be pretty good between the tackles, but we've all seen his strong suit is open-field running, yet we refuse to run screen plays to Abdullah that would allow him to use his quickness, speed, and elusiveness against linebackers.

TMart has upped his game this year, and shown tremendous heart and resiliency in the comebacks against Wisc, Northwestern, and MSU, but overall still an alarming amount of regular poor judgements and turnovers. Our O-line, while big on paper, leaves a lot to be desired. What frustrates me about watching this team is that our strength is the backs and receivers--together no other Big 10 team has more talent there than we do. That's what needs to be featured more. Beck, let's start seeing bubble screens to Kenny Bell, Jamal Turner, Kyler Reed, etc. Let's get some screens designed for Abdullah, as well as more swing passes like the one Ameer scored on in the first half.

 
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There are other threads stating the same things. You don't need to create a new thread, just add to them lol

 
Our screens don't work. We only seem to run the outside ones though. A little jail break would be nice.

 
We don't nearly run WR screens enough to say that they don't work. Our WRs this year are great blockers, Enunwa, Bell, Osborne. Bubble screens with the outside WR blocking should be pretty effective. I agree that jailbreak screens with Bell or Turner would prob be pretty effective too. And we almost never get the ball out to Abdullah on swing passes...I was pleasantly surprised to see it on that TD pass. I'd take Abdullah 1 on 1 against any LB in the Big 10.

 
RB screen today I think. Batted down at the line.

I really think there is a pretty darn good reason why we don't incorporate a lot of screens, namely that there are plenty of packages installed in our (pretty good) offense that are higher on the totem pole, both in necessity and in how well we're able to execute it, as a team.

 
Maxconvert said:
We don't nearly run WR screens enough to say that they don't work. Our WRs this year are great blockers, Enunwa, Bell, Osborne. Bubble screens with the outside WR blocking should be pretty effective. I agree that jailbreak screens with Bell or Turner would prob be pretty effective too. And we almost never get the ball out to Abdullah on swing passes...I was pleasantly surprised to see it on that TD pass. I'd take Abdullah 1 on 1 against any LB in the Big 10.
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Totally agree with you on that.

 
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I really think there is a pretty darn good reason why we don't incorporate a lot of screens, namely that there are plenty of packages installed in our (pretty good) offense that are higher on the totem pole, both in necessity and in how well we're able to execute it, as a team.
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What packages are those, especially when TMart has thrown some shaky passes and our O-line isn't stopping the other team's pass rush? The screen game is a great counterpunch--relatively easy pass to make, quick, and puts the ball in the hands of our most talented players on offense. I'll take that over Martinez scrambling for his life towards the sideline in hopes of making a last-second pass on the run.

 
Yeah, one RB screen today, which failed. I was noticing the lack of screens this season. When done right, they're very effective at frustrating pass rushers and wearing down defenses.

 
The bigger, and more important, question to ask is: Where has the play-action passing game to our tight ends out of the i formation gone?

Missouri 2010 is the last time I remember one of our TEs, Kyler Reed, going up the seam for a huge play/TD. In my opinion we don't throw nearly enough to the TEs.

 
'SkersRule said:
The bigger, and more important, question to ask is: Where has the play-action passing game to our tight ends out of the i formation gone?

Missouri 2010 is the last time I remember one of our TEs, Kyler Reed, going up the seam for a huge play/TD. In my opinion we don't throw nearly enough to the TEs.
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We ran some play action. I think TM threw a pick on one of those. Over threw the receiver too.

 
We do use play-action, but agree that the tight-end streak or post route out of the I-formation has gone the way of the dinosaur. In Frank Solich's day we lived off that stuff. IMO it's partly due to the fact that Kyler Reed is such a liability blocking, so we don't use him as much of an in-line TE. Seems like when he's in, he's always lined up in the slot or wide just like a WR.

Also we line up in the I-formation like 10% of the time now, so not a lot of opportunities. This offense is firmly a spread shotgun/pistol set offense now.

 
'SkersRule said:
The bigger, and more important, question to ask is: Where has the play-action passing game to our tight ends out of the i formation gone?

Missouri 2010 is the last time I remember one of our TEs, Kyler Reed, going up the seam for a huge play/TD. In my opinion we don't throw nearly enough to the TEs.
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Well we do have a different offensive coordinator than we did in 2010 - the thing about Waton's offenses were that he had a handful of plays that he would go to in certain situations, and if he was smart about it they were guaranteed touchdowns, and if not they'd get blown up.

The Kyler Reed streak is a good example. Another good example is the pistol handoff where Taylor would do a 360, misdirecting which way the ball is going and Roy would just be gone without a single player touching him - happened against Washington, Missouri and at least one other team.

 
we used a diamond formation with our receivers on the left side that worked pretty well a couple of games ago. We need to employ that type of screen more often

 
Screens are overrated. So are draws. It's a different game. The combination of speed and evolved schemes of defenses just dont allow for these things to be consistently effective. Whenever our offense struggles, all we here is "more screens and draws derpa derpa". No. Case in point. Each team ran a screen today. Each one was nearly a pick 6? Why? Becuase defenses read them. When the oline is letting the entire dline go, they no somethings up. Gholston and Compton both hold up and nearly come up with turnovers. There's your screen pass.

 
Each team ran a screen today. Each one was nearly a pick 6? Why? Becuase defenses read them. When the oline is letting the entire dline go, they no somethings up. Gholston and Compton both hold up and nearly come up with turnovers. There's your screen pass.
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Two things--firstly, there are many other types of screens than just the old running back screen that you're describing. Particularly WR screens--bubble screens, jailbreak screens--and even screens to TEs are used to great effect by a lot of offenses similar to ours. Ask Bob Stoops or Chip Kelly whether WR screens are no longer effective because of "the combination of speed and evolved schemes of defense". Actually, screens are a great way to counteract fast aggressive pursuit of defenses, making them slow down and read more. The example you yourself mentioned of Compton batting down a pass is an example--he had back off his QB pursuit and instead sit back to guard against a screen. Making rushers have to think is exactly one of the benefits.

Secondly, just because the Huskers try something "once" and it doesn't work, that's supposed to mean the whole play is ineffective? If Beck just tried to run between the tackles once and it resulted in no yardage, then would you also argue to abandon the running game because the one time it was run it wasn't effective?

 
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