The Watson effect

[sarge87]

Okieland posted on a different thread Watson's NCAA rankings for total team statistics and I expanded on that showing the differing personnel and the ways his offense shifted at Colorado.

Colorado's roster looked like a revolving door with transfers, career ending injuries, and defections to the NFL.

2000

Total Offense: 66

Scoring Offense: 77

Pass Heavy Attack (True Frosh. Houston season ending injury after 3 games/66 carries for 332 yards)

Rushing Offense: 82 122.0(RB Houston, Johnson, Purify)

Passing Offense: 32 240.0(QB Passavento - WR Javon Green, WR Minardi, Hallowell, TE Graham)

2001

Total Offense: 20

Scoring Offense: 21

Balanced Attack

Rushing Offense: 8 225.5 (RB's C. Brown, Purify, Johnson)

Passing Offense: 70 205.92 (QB Passavento - TE Graham, WR Minardi) *Green Graduated, Houston Transfer to Colorado. St. before season

2002

Total Offense: 58

Scoring Offense: 51

Rush Heavy (Untested QB)

Rushing Offense: 9 232.79 (RB's C. Brown, Purify, Calhoun) *Brown led Big XII Rushing

Passing Offense: 106 141.71 (QB Robert Hodge, TE Graham, WR McCoy) *Passavento, Minardi, Johnson Graduated

2003

Total Offense: 66

Scoring Offense: 63

Pass Heavy (out of necessity after Purify is injured 3rd game of the season)

Rushing Offense: 113 93.5 (RB Purify, Calhoun) *Brown declared early NFL before season, Purify season ending injury

Passing Offense: 18 279.35 (QB Klatt, WR Hackett, McCoy, Bloom, TE Klopfenstein)

2004

Total Offense: 85

Scoring Offense: 81

Pass Heavy

Rushing Offense: 89 124.77 (RB Purify, Vickers) *Calhoun Graduated

Passing Offense: 56 215.00 (QB Klatt, WR Judge, TE Klopfenstein) *(Hackett, McCoy - Grad.) (Bloom declared early NFL before season because of ineligibility)

2005

Total Offense: 87

Scoring Offense: 78

Pass Heavy (Off field distractions NCAA violations)

Rushing Offense: 97 110.31 (RB Hugh, Vickers)

Passing Offense: 59 222.77 (QB Klatt, WR Judge, Sprague, TE Klopfenstein, Sypniewski

 

[EbylHusker]

And yet another time for a bored/yawn smiley. I know what you're doing, and as I said, I'd rather you jus moved along if you don't feel you can contribute to the discussion any more. If you have some problem with me, please send a PM so I can read it and then properly disregard it. I don't want to pop you on ignore for a while, but that's where this is heading.

 

[EbylHusker]

I've never felt like Colorado is a very good comparison to our program. There is just a lot different there and I think the differences are significant enough that you have to be careful when drawing too many comparisons and conclusions. I'm more interested in what Watson has done here than at Colorado (though I won't just disregard his time at Colorado completely).

 

[Enhance]

Sadly, everyone here was talking about how when Pelini came we'd get the recruits that really want to be at Nebraska. We all said that was important in a recruit for us, because it's part of what made Nebraska teams what they were. An understanding of the team's traditions and a strong desire to be a part of them.

And now where did that attitude go? This player obviously doesn't want to be a part of our traditions and so on, so probably doesn't have the attitude all of us feel Pelini and company need to recruit for. But we're mourning his loss because it feeds the fapfap of the Watson haters? C'mon.

That attitude hasn't gone anywhere. I don't read these comments as dismissing that attitude, I see them as angst over a very real problem we're having on offense.

This is exactly what is going on here.

This is a very real problem we are facing. Recruits are looking at us and saying we run the ball a lot, we don't run it that effectively, and we get field goals instead of touchdowns.

Defensively, I don't see any reason a player wouldn't want to play for us other than the fact that why would you want to go to a team that plays great defense if the offense failed to score a winning touchdown in three games this year?

 

[EbylHusker]

Btw, does Watson have any ardent supporters left? It's pretty much divided at this point between fire him now, fire him at the end of the season, and let's see what happens next year. Does anyone fall into a category that isn't one of those three?

What views are divided? The fans or the Athletic Dept? And if this kid de-commited based on him not thinking he will get the ball? Good luck there pal, welcome to college athletics, where most everyone is always going to be better than you. :thumbs

Sorry, I meant the fans.

 

[EbylHusker]

Sadly, everyone here was talking about how when Pelini came we'd get the recruits that really want to be at Nebraska. We all said that was important in a recruit for us, because it's part of what made Nebraska teams what they were. An understanding of the team's traditions and a strong desire to be a part of them.

And now where did that attitude go? This player obviously doesn't want to be a part of our traditions and so on, so probably doesn't have the attitude all of us feel Pelini and company need to recruit for. But we're mourning his loss because it feeds the fapfap of the Watson haters? C'mon.

That attitude hasn't gone anywhere. I don't read these comments as dismissing that attitude, I see them as angst over a very real problem we're having on offense.

This is exactly what is going on here.

This is a very real problem we are facing. Recruits are looking at us and saying we run the ball a lot, we don't run it that effectively, and we get field goals instead of touchdowns.

Defensively, I don't see any reason a player wouldn't want to play for us other than the fact that why would you want to go to a team that plays great defense if the offense failed to score a winning touchdown in three games this year?

That has already been addressed in this thread.

 

[holvy83]

Btw, does Watson have any ardent supporters left? It's pretty much divided at this point between fire him now, fire him at the end of the season, and let's see what happens next year. Does anyone fall into a category that isn't one of those three?

What views are divided? The fans or the Athletic Dept? And if this kid de-commited based on him not thinking he will get the ball? Good luck there pal, welcome to college athletics, where most everyone is always going to be better than you. :thumbs

Sorry, I meant the fans.

just didn't know if you were keen to some insider info?

 

[EbylHusker]

Nope, nothing like that. I was referring to how I'm not sure there is anyone left on the board who is a truly ardent supporter of Watson. Even I have moved into the category of "give him another year and see what happens" and I think that puts me in the minority still.

Though this is off topic, it won't matter what Watson tries to do in terms of scheme if we don't get better QB and O-line play. We need production from those positions no matter what, followed closely by receivers.

 

[holvy83]

O line first, QB play will improve with a stable line.

 

[knapplc]

Sadly, everyone here was talking about how when Pelini came we'd get the recruits that really want to be at Nebraska. We all said that was important in a recruit for us, because it's part of what made Nebraska teams what they were. An understanding of the team's traditions and a strong desire to be a part of them.

And now where did that attitude go? This player obviously doesn't want to be a part of our traditions and so on, so probably doesn't have the attitude all of us feel Pelini and company need to recruit for. But we're mourning his loss because it feeds the fapfap of the Watson haters? C'mon.

That attitude hasn't gone anywhere. I don't read these comments as dismissing that attitude, I see them as angst over a very real problem we're having on offense.

This is exactly what is going on here.

This is a very real problem we are facing. Recruits are looking at us and saying we run the ball a lot, we don't run it that effectively, and we get field goals instead of touchdowns.

Defensively, I don't see any reason a player wouldn't want to play for us other than the fact that why would you want to go to a team that plays great defense if the offense failed to score a winning touchdown in three games this year?

Yep, and it's not as if we don't have talent on that side of the ball. There's NO WAY we have less talent on offense than, say, Connecticut, who is ranked 60 spots higher on scoring offense and who has played a tougher SOS. There's clearly a major problem, but a fixable problem. Bo just needs to figure out what the problem is, and get it fixed.

 

[EbylHusker]

O line first, QB play will improve with a stable line.

I agree. Though I have to say, I really thought Lee would show more improvement over the season if he was allowed to play like he was. The line is definitely not helping him, but I don't feel like he's panning out too well. I'm anxious to see what they do against Arizona, though, with the extra practice time and no immediate game looming over their head.

 

[Husker_x]

Here is Watson's claim to fame this season.

1. His offense does nothing well.

2. His players do not progress in his system.

3. His 'system' itself is unstable, and has now been drastically altered two years in a row.

4. His players commit ungodly amounts of penalties.

5. And now, a new one, he cannot seem to recruit for his amorphous system.

For the Watson defenders in the crowd, remember I'm not calling for the man's head, but give me your reasons for thinking he's going to get this turned around. If the offense were just bad it would be one thing. But 'bad' fails as a descriptor in this situation.

 

[EbylHusker]

Here is Watson's claim to fame this season.

1. His offense does nothing well.

2. His players do not progress in his system.

3. His 'system' itself is unstable, and has now been drastically altered two years in a row.

4. His players commit ungodly amounts of penalties.

5. And now, a new one, he cannot seem to recruit for his amorphous system.

For the Watson defenders in the crowd, remember I'm not calling for the man's head, but give me your reasons for thinking he's going to get this turned around. If the offense were just bad it would be one thing. But 'bad' fails as a descriptor in this situation.

I've given my reasons many times on the board and stopped bothering a long time ago. No offense, but I avoid your threads for my own reasons, so I'm not going to start up again for this post.

 

[Twodocs]

does this offense perpetuate a feeling that a career will be wasted?

YES it the offense/ system may change from nothing to something

It just depends on when Watson and or Pellini get fired...and a new OC comes in

I would not bet a career either

This was the one recuit that I was excited about--- he is a Macklin--- I just hope he does not land with another Big 12 team...

Same thing happened with Rucker's brother under Watson and Callahan.

 

[drmathprog]

If this kid has watched our offense at all this year, he knows that we haven't just been "run, run, run." We've tried a variety of different plans to no avail. Maybe he did not want to be a starter on a struggling offense (because if he was any good, he'd probably start). If he only watched the Big 12 game, then his decision was a misinformed one.

Recruits will look at this situation in two ways: 1) Nebraska has no offense and I don't want to be a part of that, whether I would have more opportunities there or not; or 2) Nebraska has no offense, but they have the makings of a great team and I could probably start there and have them call plays around my abilities.

Because if a gifted wide-out came here, there's no doubt he'd be getting calls to him (we call plays to Niles Paul and his hands are blocks 30% of the time). We'll get the right guys recruited, the ones burning for the opportunity to show what they can do. Have faith.

When it comes to recruiting, I see the burden being on the coaching staff to make the case to the recruit, explaining where the offense (or defense) is now, where it hopes to be, and how the recruit is foreseen to fit into that plan. I don't see the burden being on the recruit to do complete due-diligence on the school to determine where he might fit and speculate on how the system might want to change to best use his unique talents and skills.

If a staff can't make that case to the recruit, I expect that recruiting is going to long uphill battle.