Third Down

Mavric

Mavric

Yoda
Staff member
Saw several comments about how we are throwing on third down too much. On first glace through the play-by-play, I tended to agree. But I went back and looked a little closer at the first half and now I'm not so sure.

First Possission, No Score

3rd & 9, -30 - TA pass to Westerkamp 70 yards for a TD

Third Possesion, Huskers lead 14-2

3rd & 3, +26 - TA pass incomplete

Fourth Possession, Huskers lead 14-2

3rd & 7, -27 - TA pass incomplete to Bell

Fifth Possession, Huskers lead 14-2

3rd & 2, -28 - Abdullah run for 3 yards

3rd & 6, -35 - TA pass to Bell for 37 yards

3rd & 3, +21 - AA run for no gain

Sixth Possession, Huskers lead 24-2

3rd & 14, +15 - TA pass to Bell for 10 yards

Seventh Possession, Huskers lead 27-2

3rd & 13, -28 - TA run for 11 yards

Hard to argue with throwing the ball on 3rd and 6 or more. Not that you have to, but that's probably going to be the call. That leaves only three other plays in the first half. We threw incomplete once, ran for a first down once and ran for no gain once. Nothing really conclusive there, imo. I didn't put as much stock in the second half because, with the score out of hand, we might have been more interested in working on things or getting some reps (or keeping AA healthy) than anything. TA was 2-4 throwing on third and short in the second half for 33 yards and two first downs - same first down percentage as we had running AA in the first half.

 
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The 3rd possession bothers me. We had 2&3, 3&3, and 4&3 on the Bulldogs 23 and we end up passing twice in a row on 2nd and 3rd resulting in a missed FG on 4th. On 2&3, IMO that's the perfect opportunity to run a play action boot. If the defenders bite on the run, Tommy can get outside the pocket and has options. If the receiver is there Tommy can make the pass. If the receiver is covered, Tommy can possibly run for the first. If the defense defends it all perfectly, Tommy can throw the ball away and it's 3&3. Go back to the run and pick up the 1st. If they don't get it and it's 4th and short, I would have said go for it based on being deep in Fresno territory and it felt like we had momentum.

But throwing twice in a row on short downs? If you don't convert, you look like an idiot. And Beck looked like an idiot on those plays.

 
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NebraskaHarry said:
The 3rd possession bothers me. We had 2&3, 3&3, and 4&3 on the Bulldogs 23 and we end up passing twice in a row on 2nd and 3rd resulting in a missed FG on 4th. On 2&3, IMO that's the perfect opportunity to run a play action boot. If the defenders bite on the run, Tommy can get outside the pocket and has options. If the receiver is there Tommy can make the pass. If the receiver is covered, Tommy can possibly run for the first. If the defense defends it all perfectly, Tommy can throw the ball away and it's 3&3. Go back to the run and pick up the 1st. If they do get it and it's 4th and short, I would have said go for it based on being deep in Fresno territory and it felt like we had to momentum.

But throwing twice in a row on short downs? If you don't convert, you look like an idiot. And Beck looked like an idiot on those plays.
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I'm not too concerned about it in that game, but the concerning part is he's not afraid to pull those kinds of evil shenanigans in big moments of big games.

 
If you don't show that you can complete a short pass, defenses will load up the box to stop the run. If we are 1 of 2 on 3rd and short against Fresno St, how can expect to convert against Michigan State? Especially when a game is in hand, I like the idea of trying to improve on weak points. I always thought this was one of Osborne's weaknesses (sacrilege, I know). He would run on 3rd and short against the weak teams, knowing we could convert. We'd get up against Oklahoma or in the bowl game, and it was no longer automatic, and when we had to pass it wasn't a pretty thing with some of those QBs we had between Gill and Frazier.

 
I really dont think rhe frustration is that we're passing but rather how we're doin it. Simple drop backs on 3rd and 3. Our qb is not peyton manning ot tom brady. It seems we could be a lot more effective with play action bootlegs. Give tommy the run/pass option. Get the sefense flowin and come up with some throw backs.

I think most understand we're not gonna be abdle to lineup and go straight forward for 3 yards, but we're not good enough in the pocjet game for Tommy to manipulate what we try to do on 3rd and less than 5 so many times.

 
The Dude said:
NebraskaHarry said:
The 3rd possession bothers me. We had 2&3, 3&3, and 4&3 on the Bulldogs 23 and we end up passing twice in a row on 2nd and 3rd resulting in a missed FG on 4th. On 2&3, IMO that's the perfect opportunity to run a play action boot. If the defenders bite on the run, Tommy can get outside the pocket and has options. If the receiver is there Tommy can make the pass. If the receiver is covered, Tommy can possibly run for the first. If the defense defends it all perfectly, Tommy can throw the ball away and it's 3&3. Go back to the run and pick up the 1st. If they do get it and it's 4th and short, I would have said go for it based on being deep in Fresno territory and it felt like we had to momentum.

But throwing twice in a row on short downs? If you don't convert, you look like an idiot. And Beck looked like an idiot on those plays.
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I'm not too concerned about it in that game, but the concerning part is he's not afraid to pull those kinds of evil shenanigans in big moments of big games.
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I agree. But, I don't care who the opponent is. Beck needs to run this offense as if we were playing Alabama.

 
Count 'Bility said:
I really dont think rhe frustration is that we're passing but rather how we're doin it. Simple drop backs on 3rd and 3. Our qb is not peyton manning ot tom brady. It seems we could be a lot more effective with play action bootlegs. Give tommy the run/pass option. Get the sefense flowin and come up with some throw backs.

I think most understand we're not gonna be abdle to lineup and go straight forward for 3 yards, but we're not good enough in the pocjet game for Tommy to manipulate what we try to do on 3rd and less than 5 so many times.
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I agree with all that, minus all the typos. I didn't notice it so much this game, but vs. McNeese Beck compounded it by going for the home run more than the first down.

 
2nd half:

Second Possesion, Huskers lead 34-5

3rd & 3, - TA pass incomplete

Third Possesion, Huskers lead 34-5

3rd & 3, - TA pass to Hovey for 4 yds

3rd & 21, - TA pass incomplete

Fourth Possesion, Huskers lead 34-12

3rd & 3, - TA pass to Hovey for 29 yds

Fifth Possesion, Huskers lead 34-12

3rd & 5, - TA pass incomplete (intended for Carter)

Eight Possesion, Huskers lead 48-19

3rd & 5, - Fyfe run for 12 yds

Ninth Possesion, Huskers lead 55-19

3rd & 7, - Nabity run for 3 yds (Ends game)

 
We were in 3rd & < 5 yds 8X in the game. This included 5 passes (3 incompletions, 2 catches for 1st downs) and 3 rushes (1 no gain, 2 rushes for 1st downs). I think an argument can be made that we leaned on the pass a lot on 3rd downs, in general, but too often on 3rd & short (with a slightly better chance for an incompletion than earning the 1st down).

 
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I thought we threw an awful lot on 3rd & 3-5 situations. I can't blame the play selection there really, it is kind of a passing situation, even for a running team.

However, I'm not convinced we have a really effective set of plays for this type of situation.

I'm on board with making use of the flats and RBs and TEs in the passing game more. I just don't really see us doing it. Our 3rd & 3 pass plays seem like they could be a lot safer throws for the QB than the traditional pocket passes we have been seeing. Would credit Tommy for a few of his throws in these situation in the later part of the game. Good execution, but not the safest looking play.

What I'd really like is the play where the QB rolls out and hits the RB or TE in front of him. That seems really hard for defenses to defend and often results in safe yards. Do we have it installed?

 
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zoogies said:
I thought we threw an awful lot on 3rd & 3-5 situations. I can't blame the play selection there really, it is kind of a passing situation, even for a running team.

However, I'm not convinced we have a really effective set of plays for this type of situation.
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Agreed. And it seems like 2nd down is where we really can't pull it together. The general opinion seems to be that run blocking is lacking and is causing this.

Either way, 2nd down is where Timmy really needs to dig deep to find where we can wring out the most of our strengths to execute more efficiently.

 
We should probably just practice running Cross up the gut until hes a garaunteed 4-5 YPC, then we wouldnt have to get cute on third down.

 
I find it very concerning that we haven't been able to sustain a drive against this team and the last team. Big plays are awesome and I welcome them with open arms, but WE HAVE TO be able to control the clock and move the chains with three downs repeat or we will definitely not be able to compete in better competition.

 
HUSKER FREAK said:
I find it very concerning that we haven't been able to sustain a drive against this team and the last team. Big plays are awesome and I welcome them with open arms, but WE HAVE TO be able to control the clock and move the chains with three downs repeat or we will definitely not be able to compete in better competition.
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San Diego State is #1 in the country in TOP. Oregon is #122. Let's not be too concerned that we have a pretty good ability to get the ball in the end zone.

 
Thanks_Tom RR said:
2nd half:

Second Possesion, Huskers lead 34-5

3rd & 3, - TA pass incomplete

Third Possesion, Huskers lead 34-5

3rd & 3, - TA pass to Hovey for 4 yds

3rd & 21, - TA pass incomplete

Fourth Possesion, Huskers lead 34-12

3rd & 3, - TA pass to Hovey for 29 yds

Fifth Possesion, Huskers lead 34-12

3rd & 5, - TA pass incomplete (intended for Carter)

Eight Possesion, Huskers lead 48-19

3rd & 5, - Fyfe run for 12 yds

Ninth Possesion, Huskers lead 55-19

3rd & 7, - Nabity run for 3 yds (Ends game)
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One of the incomplete passes (not sure which) hit Cotton right in the chest wide open on an out route.

 
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