The Offense is Getting Much Better Under Beck and Co.

To say 37.6 and then say it hasn't happened since the mid 90's is some pretty crappy reporting. We were averaging 38.6 last season at this point and we all know how that turned out. Why? Maybe because we started playing some good teams finally - something we haven't yet done this year (w/ Wisconsin being the exception). We still have the #5, #7, #8, (and if we're lucky #6 again) scoring defenses to play.

Jury is still out for Beck & Co IMO - but the "potential" is certainly there. Unfortunately we've been saying that about Bo for a few years and still have nothing to show for it. I'm just not sure if any "improvement" can be attributed to Beck or just the crazy amount of tallent he has at his disposal - a luxury Watson didn't really have the last couple years. Time will tell - but its still to early to be saying he's god's gift to our offensive issues...or that he's not the guy for the job. The body of work is too small.

 
Enhance89 said:
suh_fan93 said:
To be perfectly honest I can't say Beck has overly impressed me and at times his playcalling has been downright baffling. For me at least he still has a lot to prove.
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What situations are you referring to, specifically? Just curious. Personally, I think he's done a good job overall this year. My only major gripe is how the Wisconsin game went from bad to worse because of pass play after pass play after pass play.

The only pther gripe I had about his playcalling was this last week inside the ten yard line. Twice, a vastly inferior defensive unit forced us to take field goals inside the 10 yard line. I don't think it's because they played better, but it's because we tried to do too much. When we're down in there we just need to man up and take it to a defense that isn't as good as our offense - that means power football. I don't like the option game down there often, nor do I look corner fade routes specifically because it's not a pass that I believe Martinez can make consistently.
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Well said Enhance. It's not like he's Shawn Watson by any stretch but yeah, for reasons like the one's you listed. I'm giving him a chance though. The Wiscy game hopefully was a learning experience for him.

 
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Well, it's almost impossible to imagine a SW offense even once coming back from being down at half time and storming the field in the 2nd half for a victory. Much less vs a defense like Ohio St. Even more so doing it twice already this year (Fresno St & Ohio St). We only led by 3 pts vs Washington too at halftime and then ran over them.

The greatest comeback in the history of NU cfb ain't bad.

I think Beck "already" has accomplished a lot.

 
^ or maybe Watson wouldn't have been down to Fresno - or Ohio State by 21. Beck put us in those positions. He's a slow starter (Fresno,Washington,Wyoming,OSU...) At least he adjusts though - well minus Wisconsin - the one game he actually had us rolling out of the gate

EDIT: I'm not trying to defend Watson or anything - but we have no idea how he would have done w/ a 2nd year QB. He never had that luxury. I also remember him coming back on Clemson in 08' - and a pretty solid 4th Quarter against Missouri in 09' - kind of like Beck's OSU win?

 
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kchusker_chris said:
^ or maybe Watson wouldn't have been down to Fresno - or Ohio State by 21. Beck put us in those positions. He's a slow starter (Fresno,Washington,Wyoming,OSU...) At least he adjusts though - well minus Wisconsin - the one game he actually had us rolling out of the gate

EDIT: I'm not trying to defend Watson or anything - but we have no idea how he would have done w/ a 2nd year QB. He never had that luxury. I also remember him coming back on Clemson in 08' - and a pretty solid 4th Quarter against Missouri in 09' - kind of like Beck's OSU win?
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This is kind of where I am. After taking a trip back through memory lane, does anyone remember all the threads after the 08' season where people were wondering which big time program was going to snatch Watson up for their next HC? Last year, we were doing just fine against OU until the wheels fell off in the second half. I'm not a Watson apologist, but I don't ever remember a time when a Watson coached offense in the first half couldn't muster much at all up against the highly touted Fresno State D which I believe still ranks in the triple digits.

In 2008, our offense wasn't our problem. Ganz had been in the system and ran the offense well. In 2009, Witt who might have been the starter left. Lee came in with basically zero playing time in D1. 2010, we play a redshirt freshman who the previous year was a WR on the scout team. Beck has shown the ability to make the necessary changes in a game to get us in position to win with the exception of the Wisconsin game. However, as it's been pointed out we shouldn't jump to any conclusion until the end of the season as the upcoming D's get better. Dominating a highly touted D like Michigan State's would bode extremely well for Beck. If we get completely manhandled at home by Michigan State's D, it will be a different story. I just wish Beck had a better OL to get a real feel for him as an OC.

 
junior4949 said:
kchusker_chris said:
^ or maybe Watson wouldn't have been down to Fresno - or Ohio State by 21. Beck put us in those positions. He's a slow starter (Fresno,Washington,Wyoming,OSU...) At least he adjusts though - well minus Wisconsin - the one game he actually had us rolling out of the gate

EDIT: I'm not trying to defend Watson or anything - but we have no idea how he would have done w/ a 2nd year QB. He never had that luxury. I also remember him coming back on Clemson in 08' - and a pretty solid 4th Quarter against Missouri in 09' - kind of like Beck's OSU win?
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This is kind of where I am. After taking a trip back through memory lane, does anyone remember all the threads after the 08' season where people were wondering which big time program was going to snatch Watson up for their next HC? Last year, we were doing just fine against OU until the wheels fell off in the second half. I'm not a Watson apologist, but I don't ever remember a time when a Watson coached offense in the first half couldn't muster much at all up against the highly touted Fresno State D which I believe still ranks in the triple digits.

In 2008, our offense wasn't our problem. Ganz had been in the system and ran the offense well. In 2009, Witt who might have been the starter left. Lee came in with basically zero playing time in D1. 2010, we play a redshirt freshman who the previous year was a WR on the scout team. Beck has shown the ability to make the necessary changes in a game to get us in position to win with the exception of the Wisconsin game. However, as it's been pointed out we shouldn't jump to any conclusion until the end of the season as the upcoming D's get better. Dominating a highly touted D like Michigan State's would bode extremely well for Beck. If we get completely manhandled at home by Michigan State's D, it will be a different story. I just wish Beck had a better OL to get a real feel for him as an OC.
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Heh....are you serious my friend? Fresno St is currently ranked 94th in total defense.

How about last year? 14 pts vs friggin South Dakota St (17 pts total) that's not even a Div1 program? 14 pts vs Kansas (98th in total defense)? 3 pts vs TAM (55th in total defense)? 7pts vs Washington (70th in total defense).

2009? 3 pts vs Texas Tech (49th in total defense), 7 pts vs Iowa St (99th in total defense), 10 pts vs Kansas (76th in total defense)....

Haha....I wish SW well. I really do. But I'm damn glad we have Beck.

GBR!!

 
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^ the funny thing is 90% of this is based on a single half of football. Had we lost the OSU game, everyone would be singing a very different tune today. (probably similar to the one they were singing after the Wisconsin game) There just isn't a large enough body of work to build a solid foundation for or against Beck yet IMO. He's got arguably the best running back in the conference, a spectacular receiving group, an improving offensive line, and a QB that finally has some experience (something we are seeing in his game management finally). Watson had Cotton coaching the OL, Paul for a WR (coached by Gilmore), and an injured redshirt freshman under center. I have a pretty good feeling Watson would have had a little more success in 2011 than he did in 2010. I'd say we'd be sitting in a very similar position currently.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for our parting ways with Watson, we needed a change - but he's just not a guy I feel I can bash like you seem to enjoy doing. He was dealt a bad hand, and he did what he could with it. I don't think many others would have done much better w/ that 2010 offense, gilmore, cotton by himself w/ the OL, and an extreme lack of playmakers.

I also believe Watson's major offensive issue is still on this staff - and sits in the booth with Beck last I checked.

 
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kchusker_chris said:
^ the funny thing is 90% of this is based on a single half of football. Had we lost the OSU game, everyone would be singing a very different tune today. (probably similar to the one they were singing after the Wisconsin game) There just isn't a large enough body of work to build a solid foundation for or against Beck yet IMO. He's got arguably the best running back in the conference, a spectacular receiving group, an improving offensive line, and a QB that finally has some experience (something we are seeing in his game management finally). Watson had Cotton coaching the OL, Paul for a WR (coached by Gilmore), and an injured redshirt freshman under center. I have a pretty good feeling Watson would have had a little more success in 2011 than he did in 2010. I'd say we'd be sitting in a very similar position currently.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for our parting ways with Watson, we needed a change - but he's just not a guy I feel I can bash like you seem to enjoy doing. He was dealt a bad hand, and he did what he could with it. I don't think many others would have done much better w/ that 2010 offense, gilmore, cotton by himself w/ the OL, and an extreme lack of playmakers.

I also believe Watson's major offensive issue is still on this staff - and sits in the booth with Beck last I checked.
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Chris...you and BShirt both make very good argumentative points. I think we do definitely need a bit more time with Beck to see how well of an O-coordinator he turns out to be. This offense will definitely be tested this season and another BIG test comes this Saturday.

 
kchusker_chris said:
^ the funny thing is 90% of this is based on a single half of football. Had we lost the OSU game, everyone would be singing a very different tune today. (probably similar to the one they were singing after the Wisconsin game) There just isn't a large enough body of work to build a solid foundation for or against Beck yet IMO. He's got arguably the best running back in the conference, a spectacular receiving group, an improving offensive line, and a QB that finally has some experience (something we are seeing in his game management finally). Watson had Cotton coaching the OL, Paul for a WR (coached by Gilmore), and an injured redshirt freshman under center. I have a pretty good feeling Watson would have had a little more success in 2011 than he did in 2010. I'd say we'd be sitting in a very similar position currently.

Don't get me wrong, I am all for our parting ways with Watson, we needed a change - but he's just not a guy I feel I can bash like you seem to enjoy doing. He was dealt a bad hand, and he did what he could with it. I don't think many others would have done much better w/ that 2010 offense, gilmore, cotton by himself w/ the OL, and an extreme lack of playmakers.

I also believe Watson's major offensive issue is still on this staff - and sits in the booth with Beck last I checked.
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I gotta agree with this. Our offense only goes as far as the OL takes them. We have a great stable of running backs. We have a pretty good group of wide receivers. Martinez for all intensive purposes is pretty decent. Our OL is the weak link. Beck's play calling against Wisconsin was puzzling at best. I still think he called the game he did because he had very little faith in our defense and felt our only chance was in a shootout. I long for the days when we can field both a competent offense as well as a competent defense. I don't have a problem with Beck, but I really didn't have a problem with Watson. We'd be better able to compare them if Martinez were to get hurt.

 
Comparing Beck to Watson is really a ridiculous argument to me. Offensively we haven't been the same team for more than a year. 2008 we had an experienced QB. 2009 we had a QB with no experience and a really limited skill set (imo). 2010 again no experience at the QB position. I haven't even to begun to compare skill positions and linemen. 2008 was the last chance we had to field a successful offense, we had a more experience all around, most importantly at the QB spot. This year we are lacking experience everywhere except RB, C, and TE. We do have some very dynamic skill players coming up, but they are lacking experience as well. The next couple years really has my mouth watering though.

Has this offense gotten better under Beck, yes, has Beck himself improved as the season progressed, yes, I think they both have from where they started the year at, but to go back any farther is pretty stupid IMO.

 
1_NUFAN said:
This year we are lacking experience everywhere except RB, C, and TE.
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and WR (kinnie),

and QB (martinez has what, 20 starts under his belt...how much more before he's "experienced"),

and RT (Jones)

and FB (Legate)

...and a number of the OL spots that aren't experienced are because they beat out someone that was experienced (Hardrick over Sirles). We've got some young guys - but there is a reason why they are in there. This offense has the players it needs to be successful. I have no doubt about that.

 
kchusker_chris said:
1_NUFAN said:
This year we are lacking experience everywhere except RB, C, and TE.
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and WR (kinnie),

and QB (martinez has what, 20 starts under his belt...how much more before he's "experienced"),

and RT (Jones)

and FB (Legate)

...and a number of the OL spots that aren't experienced are because they beat out someone that was experienced (Hardrick over Sirles). We've got some young guys - but there is a reason why they are in there. This offense has the players it needs to be successful. I have no doubt about that.
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I completely agree with you, and yes with 20 starts at QB you should be somewhat experienced, however, we are only 7 games into a new system.

 
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