Sometimes I get conservative

knapplc

knapplc

International Man of Mystery
Beck says NU offense must attack


Tim Beck is nothing if not frank in his personal assessments.

"I think some games I get conservative ... I play not to lose instead of playing to win," the Nebraska offensive coordinator said after Saturday's 17-14 win at Penn State. "I think that was evident in some of the games. You get too conservative. The play-calling gets that way.

"As I look back and really thought about it, we have to be who we are, and that's an attacking offense. Sometimes I don't do that. For whatever reason, I don't."

He felt Nebraska's offense was too conservative in the second half Saturday, "with the lead and trying to use the clock," Beck said.

He has a point. Then again, it's hard to be overly critical about this particular win. I thought the offensive game plan was good. Nebraska prides itself on being "multiple." The Huskers attacked an excellent Nittany Lions defense in a variety of ways. Beck had to take that tact.

It says here Beck has had a very good season as offensive coordinator/playcaller. Granted, the Wisconsin loss stung, and Beck was very critical of himself after that game -- rightfully so. I really like the fact he's candid about his work. What say you?
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Definitely agree with the bold. He's had a couple of poorly-called games. A few, actually. But overall, I think he's doing very well for a guy running a new scheme as a first-time OC.

It'll be interesting to see what this offense does next year. If it improves much, and the defense rounds into form earlier, we should be a pretty formidable team.

But most of the way through Year One of the Tim Beck Experiment, I'm cautiously optimistic about where we're headed.

 
i was afraid that husker fans were going to be put in the "ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN SHAWN WATSON" opinion......but i agree 100%, i think beck has definitely hit the ground running.....i still cuss at the television on 3rd and an inch when we run a stupid sweep (as opposed to martniez up the gut)....but ill live.....i would call the first year a success.....as of right now

 
Those plays to the outside on short yardage are only "bad" when they don't work. If they work, they're genius. Witness Missouri's TD on fourth-and-one last year. When the defense sells out on the short-yardage play you have opportunities outside.

Our problem is that we're not always getting that hat-on-hat push to shove these guys back from the LOS, so our success rate at short-yardage isn't great between the tackles. Knowing that we tend to go to "trickeration" more often than we probably should, and the defense isn't as surprised by it since it's a known tendency.

That's what makes football so great - it's a chess match, not just raw strength fighting in the trenches. It's cerebral and physical at the same time.

 
Unless the opponent has Nick Fairley or Ndamukong Suh at DT, or you have an incredible, incredible matchup on the outside, you should never EVER be running a toss or pitch play to the outside on 3rd/4th and inches. It is so hilariously bad...the expected value of running that type of play in that situation is very negative. Just sneak it or do a quick handoff up the middle, EZ game.

 
tschu said:
Unless the opponent has Nick Fairley or Ndamukong Suh at DT, or you have an incredible, incredible matchup on the outside,
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Or you have little confidence in your undersized Center and your sophomore Tackles....

 
You don't have confidence in our best lineman? Undersized or not I'd have complete confidence sneaking behind Caputo.

 
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This is what makes guys like Chip Kelly and the OC at Clemson really really tough. Those guys seem to never stop attacking.

I think its more of a coaching mentality and not something you really learn with time. I think Beck is very very good but I dont think he will be that kind of OC and thats fine, you don't need to be one like that to be great.

 
Also, if your line is getting outmatched, you are better off just running a quick play right at them. The longer a play develops, the more time you are giving the defensive line to beat their man and make a play. See: Rex on 4th and 1 late in the PSU game

 
That doesn't make sense. If you're getting beat consistently between the tackles, your best bet is to run between the tackles for a must-have first down?

 
That was conservative? Rex Burkhead passing out of the gun on 1st and 10? Rex taking snaps under center? Toss sweep passes? Evidently his thoughts on conservative are rather different than mine, lol.

 
Point is, run a quick-developing play where you're least likely to get beat. A toss is not quick developing and their line and backers ate our line for lunch there.

 
tschu said:
Point is, run a quick-developing play where you're least likely to get beat. A toss is not quick developing and their line and backers ate our line for lunch there.
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Definitely agree with what you're saying. Just dancing around both sides of the coin, I guess.

 
tschu said:
Point is, run a quick-developing play where you're least likely to get beat. A toss is not quick developing and their line and backers ate our line for lunch there.
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But a toss gives an outstanding back like Rex time to find and exploit any gaps that might be available. Doesn't matter if the play is quick developing if you are getting dominated up front, you are still going to get stuffed. I think we get stuffed in short yardage situations more often up the middle than we do on the corner in those short yardage situations. You just can't say that one is defintively better than the other, you just have to make the call based on how the game is unfolding, and for me, I like our chances with Rex on the edge. I would venture a guess he's going to be successful in that situation 75% of the time, if not more.

 
tschu said:
Point is, run a quick-developing play where you're least likely to get beat. A toss is not quick developing and their line and backers ate our line for lunch there.
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I here you loud and clear and don't necessarily disagree...but for "devil's advocate" point of view.... If "you" think that, or "I" think that from our armchair..... any chance a DI coordinator might be thinking quick-inside hitter? Look at the Falcon's this past week.... I actually call defense, and if I am sure it's going inside on short yardage, you slant gaps and bring at least 2 lbs into run blitz mode..... with this in mind, it only takes 1 "hook" or "kickout" block and a "seal" block down on a LB to have the toss get at least 2-3 yards.....This is possibly what Beck was hoping for....Fact is, their defense BEAT our OL....

Like I said, I understand you point of view....just debating for fun

 
The "right call" is often determined after the fact, as is the "wrong call." If it works the OC is a genius. If not, he's the goat.

 
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