The One Reason for Concern

[Hercules]

They had 8 and 9 men in the box consistantly.

I question why we didnt pass over the top of their pressure more.

We do not have a person who can throw the ball or ... at least as of yet... receivers who can catch the ball? Maybe that is the answer --- we can't pass the ball?

Sarcasm aside, we should have tried more over the top passes... just as you suggest. I think the coaches lack confidence in the passing game and are hoping against hope that we can run the ball effectively. Or perhaps they are as well just determined to work out the kinks on the ground game while we are in glorified practices against teams like last weeks opponent.

and we never stretched the field one time with the longball...not once.

You'd think after overreacting to the season opener year after year after year, people would learn their lesson.

It was Tennessee-Chatanooga. Pretty sure they didn't reveal much of the playbook, vertical passing game included.

So what you're saying is..Nebraska is expected to rely on 3 plays, look terrible because they can't stop a bad defense who knows what they're going to do, all while they're playing a bad team?

What?

 

[Enhance]

Can't buy that my friend. We're talking "two" Olinemen from 2007 & 2008. That's why we have freshmen & sophs everywhere on the Oline depth chart.

You misunderstand me. We probably had our best offensive line in 2008, our worst in 2009, not as good as 2008 but not as bad as 2009 in 2010, and this year remains to be seen. My point is that each year players come and go, depth/experience continues to be a problem and performance continues to be an issue. I know 2009 featured a rash of injuries, but I think by and large most people would agree the biggest failure of the last four years has been offensive line. I don't think it's too bold to say.

 

[husker_99]

Reading these threads, everyone's going back and forth about the offense, play calling, execution, etc. All that is fine and good for debate, but I think we can all agree on one thing: 2011 Nebraska needs to be able to run the ball.

Whether you think the offense will be top 10 this year, or you think they'll have to play to not lose, it's obvious they will need to lean on the run. To run the ball, you need an offensive line. Forget about scheme, execution, etc. Against an FCS team, a top 10 BCS school should be able to just physically push guys aside. Period. Forget about stacking the box for a minute and rewatch the game. More than once the Mocs d-linemen were getting off blocks and disrupting plays, that had nothing to do with stacking the box. Just ask UTC's head coach:

When we came in, we didn't know if we could get off of blocks," Huesman said. "Could we even stop the power play? Can we defend the belly option? And we did. For the most part, I thought we defended a lot of plays pretty well.

I have no doubt they will get better with experience and solidify the line a little bit. But if you're not a little concerned by that comment coming from a middle of the pack FCS team's coach, you're glasses are pretty rosey.

While I agree with the premise of this post, Chattanooga isn't a middle of the pack FCS team. They're a top 15 FCS team.

Yes 6-5 is clearly a top 15 record in any sport right?

 

[The Dude]

Reading these threads, everyone's going back and forth about the offense, play calling, execution, etc. All that is fine and good for debate, but I think we can all agree on one thing: 2011 Nebraska needs to be able to run the ball.

Whether you think the offense will be top 10 this year, or you think they'll have to play to not lose, it's obvious they will need to lean on the run. To run the ball, you need an offensive line. Forget about scheme, execution, etc. Against an FCS team, a top 10 BCS school should be able to just physically push guys aside. Period. Forget about stacking the box for a minute and rewatch the game. More than once the Mocs d-linemen were getting off blocks and disrupting plays, that had nothing to do with stacking the box. Just ask UTC's head coach:

When we came in, we didn't know if we could get off of blocks," Huesman said. "Could we even stop the power play? Can we defend the belly option? And we did. For the most part, I thought we defended a lot of plays pretty well.

I have no doubt they will get better with experience and solidify the line a little bit. But if you're not a little concerned by that comment coming from a middle of the pack FCS team's coach, you're glasses are pretty rosey.

While I agree with the premise of this post, Chattanooga isn't a middle of the pack FCS team. They're a top 15 FCS team.

Yes 6-5 is clearly a top 15 record in any sport right?

Being ranked 14th is a top 15 standing. Which they were when we played them. Now they're ranked 23rd in the coaches poll. I don't really follow FCS, but losing to a top 10 FBS team drops you that far? I wouldn't expect that.