Summing up Barney Cotton in one play

[krill]

Well time for me to be Mr. unpopular, but you can't really blame Barney for Henry and Williams realizing a split second too late that their guys dropped back to cover the crossing route Broekemeier was on and Helu coming up with a big whiff. Christ people look at our depth...who's going to go in, Seung Hoon Choi? For that reason I'm also sick of people trashing Caputo.

I don't know what the breakdown is...coaching, talent (including receivers), injuries, doomed play calling...probably a bit of all that. Considering what we got through I'm not ready to completely throw Cotton under the bus after having the most prolific rushing attack since the mid 90's. There's just so much wrong in every department of our passing game and he's definitely not responsible for all the fumbles that have been the real killer.

 

[NUance]

The sad part is, this is only one of a dozen or so plays where our o-line got owned by U-dub. If we don’t get better real quick this next year is going to be very, very painful to watch.

 

[I am I]

wrong. A blitz is ANY time u bring a defender from the 2nd or 3rd level.

I was critical of this when I watched the game live, but does this look like a possible screen setup that Taylor and the line/RB had a miscommunication? It looks a little like they were letting them by and Roy was going to open for a screen pass.

Hard to believe we called a screen, but I digress...

Nope, absolutely not! It was a zone blitz that obviously confused the hell out of both our guards! Then add in the fact Caputo got dumped on his a$$ it may have looked like they were letting him through, but they most definitely were not...

3 rushers does not equal a blitz, they dropped 8 into coverage. Seeing 3 offensive linemen laying on the ground while Martinez gets slammed to the turf? Awesome! I will say that if Martinez had pocket presence he would have side stepped the rusher and broke into the open field.

However, this scenario played out over and over throughout the year, the way to stop our offense was to put a man directly on Caputo and knock him into the backfield. And yet we didn't try to roll the pocket or do much of anything to adjust because Barney just never figured it out.

Actually, it is called a zone blitz. If you watch again, like I had to, they dropped their DL except for the NG into coverage and brought two LB off the edge.

The generally accepted definition of a blitz is sending more defenders than blockers. Just because a couple of linebackers were rushing on the play doesn't mean it was a blitz, but we're arguing semantics now.

 

[I am I]

wrong. A blitz is ANY time u bring a defender from the 2nd or 3rd level.

I was critical of this when I watched the game live, but does this look like a possible screen setup that Taylor and the line/RB had a miscommunication? It looks a little like they were letting them by and Roy was going to open for a screen pass.

Hard to believe we called a screen, but I digress...

Nope, absolutely not! It was a zone blitz that obviously confused the hell out of both our guards! Then add in the fact Caputo got dumped on his a$$ it may have looked like they were letting him through, but they most definitely were not...

3 rushers does not equal a blitz, they dropped 8 into coverage. Seeing 3 offensive linemen laying on the ground while Martinez gets slammed to the turf? Awesome! I will say that if Martinez had pocket presence he would have side stepped the rusher and broke into the open field.

However, this scenario played out over and over throughout the year, the way to stop our offense was to put a man directly on Caputo and knock him into the backfield. And yet we didn't try to roll the pocket or do much of anything to adjust because Barney just never figured it out.

Actually, it is called a zone blitz. If you watch again, like I had to, they dropped their DL except for the NG into coverage and brought two LB off the edge.

The generally accepted definition of a blitz is sending more defenders than blockers. Just because a couple of linebackers were rushing on the play doesn't mean it was a blitz, but we're arguing semantics now.

 

[CFHusker]

That is all on Caputo, he got schooled. Williams and Henry had no chance to help out because Caputo got blasted past their drops. Helu looked like he was just not sure what to do, get out for a pass or block, so he did neither. The routes seem to have taken Martinez eyes way too far downfield. He should have easily been able to scramble away from that guy. Especially if Helu was the check down. How did he not notice or feel the mess happening in front of him?

However?

Why does a QB take a 5 step dropback when in the shotgun? 6 yards for a first down this could have been a quick play and it looked like Broekmeier was open and Reed could have ran an out. Hard to say for sure since you can't see what is going to past the line of scrimmage. But how does it make any sense to move the QB back ten yards when only 6 are needed. So now he has to get the ball out 16 yards. If he just drops back enough to set his feet properly he is able to get that ball off or take off running.

 

[SnowBigRed]

I was critical of this when I watched the game live, but does this look like a possible screen setup that Taylor and the line/RB had a miscommunication? It looks a little like they were letting them by and Roy was going to open for a screen pass.

Hard to believe we called a screen, but I digress...

Nope, absolutely not! It was a zone blitz that obviously confused the hell out of both our guards! Then add in the fact Caputo got dumped on his a$$ it may have looked like they were letting him through, but they most definitely were not...

3 rushers does not equal a blitz, they dropped 8 into coverage. Seeing 3 offensive linemen laying on the ground while Martinez gets slammed to the turf? Awesome! I will say that if Martinez had pocket presence he would have side stepped the rusher and broke into the open field.

However, this scenario played out over and over throughout the year, the way to stop our offense was to put a man directly on Caputo and knock him into the backfield. And yet we didn't try to roll the pocket or do much of anything to adjust because Barney just never figured it out.

Actually, it is called a zone blitz. If you watch again, like I had to, they dropped their DL except for the NG into coverage and brought two LB off the edge.

The generally accepted definition of a blitz is sending more defenders than blockers. Just because a couple of linebackers were rushing on the play doesn't mean it was a blitz, but we're arguing semantics now.

So if the offense is in a single (or double) TE set, (6 or 7 blockers, or more if there is a RB staying in) and the defense is in a 4-3 and sends the MLB, this is not a blitz because they are only sending 5, which is less than 6,7, or 8 blockers? This play right here is the definition of a zone blitz and Washington ran the hell out of this all night. Apparently they noticed that Nebraska's Oline is unable to think on the fly and pick something like this up. The zone blitz was designed to cause communication and responsibility problems after the snap, two things Nebraska's line struggles with badly.

 

[zoogs]

Caputo has actually been injured for quite some time, and Barney has failed to scheme to get his center some help. Despite this going on for some time.

 

[junior4949]

pathetic, just pathetic....we will get killed next season playing like this..the line played like little fat girls...they should still be running laps!

Killed as in Alabama killing Michigan State or killed as in Michigan getting killed by Mississippi State?

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

Jesus that's painful to watch, I remember watching that play and thinking, "how in the hell is that possible!?" Our offensive line was pathetic and have been most of the year. I was ridiculed by several people when I mentioned this earlier in the year when Martinez was putting up big numbers. It's been a problem for awhile now.......

 

[junior4949]

It's because of Cotton that I'm even willing to give Watson the benefit of the doubt. Bo saddled Watson with Cotton. Games are won and lost in the trenches. It really doesn't matter who's calling the plays when the OL is getting beat this bad. Every game this year where our offense struggled it was primarily because of the OL play. Lowly South Dakota State made our OL look like chumps.

 

[BIGREDIOWAN]

It's because of Cotton that I'm even willing to give Watson the benefit of the doubt. Bo saddled Watson with Cotton. Games are won and lost in the trenches. It really doesn't matter who's calling the plays when the OL is getting beat this bad. Every game this year where our offense struggled it was primarily because of the OL play. Lowly South Dakota State made our OL look like chumps.

Great point, our RB's can't get going at times because of our pourous offensive line. It's hard to make anything happen as a QB when you take two steps and a guys right in your face. Not trying to make excuses either, just observations.

 

[knapplc]

Bo saddled Watson with Cotton. Games are won and lost in the trenches. It really doesn't matter who's calling the plays when the OL is getting beat this bad.

Replace the B with a T and you've got your man. Cotton is here because of Osborne.

 

[Fuzzy]

Can't he pass it to an eligible offensive linemen. Like a shovel pass??

Yes, IF the offensive lineman "reported" as an eligible receiver. But, I am sure that ALL of the linemen in this play were not eligible. In fact, I am not sure NU has run a play with an eligible OL this year. But, to answer your question, yes, just not on this play.

He could have shovel passed it to Helu, but its one of those should've could've would've things.

 

[HANC]

Can't he pass it to an eligible offensive linemen. Like a shovel pass??

Yes, IF the offensive lineman "reported" as an eligible receiver. But, I am sure that ALL of the linemen in this play were not eligible. In fact, I am not sure NU has run a play with an eligible OL this year. But, to answer your question, yes, just not on this play.

He could have shovel passed it to Helu, but its one of those should've could've would've things.

Absolutely he could have legally....Helu is eligible....but in this case, obviously three things didn't allow that. 1. Rush happened WAY TOO FAST 2. Helu was on the ground 3. Martinez never had the chance (or just didn't) to look to his right.

 

[zoogs]

Bo saddled Watson with Cotton. Games are won and lost in the trenches. It really doesn't matter who's calling the plays when the OL is getting beat this bad.

Replace the B with a T and you've got your man. Cotton is here because of Osborne.

Really heard conflicting stuff on this but I'm inclined to agree. I would sooner believe TO saddled Bo and everyone else with Cotton, than Bo looked at all the OL coaches he's known over the years and thought, "Man, that guy was the best."