This loss vs. Wisconsin is on Langsdorf...

It's so hard to pin the outcome of a game on one person. But if we're going this route.

Langs had some odd calls, yes. But he also had some great calls--enough good calls to have us tied at the end of regulation. The offense wasn't consistent, and that cost us in two cases, but it's hard to pin it 100% on one guy--unless you have some sort of vendetta against him.

Win as a team. Lose as a team.

 
Lang has the pro mentality, which is why we look ugly when we win. Get a head and try to run the clock out, even if we have a whole quarter to play. We do not go to the outside enough or pass on first down. The last couple of games he continues to run up the middle even though the box is full. His play calling in tight games is questionable.

 
I actually thought the coaches came up with a pretty good game plan and had team well prepared. I will agree that I thought the OT play calling was questionable.

However, the play that I'd love an explanation on was the 3rd and 10 at end of game with 30+ seconds and two timeouts. We seemed to be moving the ball fairly well in the 4th quarter with a good combo of runs and short to intermediate passes. Yet, with advantages of clock and time-outs, we essentially execute a bomb when a slant pattern or something over the middle for the first down yardage was sufficient and in line with how we'd been moving the ball. It was almost like a Hail Mary, and one wasn't warranted. I had similar feeling about the OT 4th down, although I thought it was more Tommy making the decision to throw to Stanley versus him necessarily running a primary route.

 
Wisconsin 16

LSU 14

Wisconsin 7

Michigan 14

Wisconsin 23

Ohio State 30

Wisconsin 23

Nebraska 17

I dunno about this loss being on Langs. Wisconsin has a good defense. We played them on their home field. And we scored more on them than two of the other three top ten teams they played. (Top ten at one point.) Given that we played with a ton of injuries in the most hostile of environments, I'd say our offense at least held its own.

 
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NUance said:
Wisconsin 16

LSU 14

Wisconsin 7

Michigan 14

Wisconsin 23

Ohio State 30

Wisconsin 23

Nebraska 17

I dunno about this loss being on Langs. Wisconsin has a good defense. We played them on their home field. And we scored more on them than two of the other three top ten teams they played. (Top ten at one point.) Given that we played with a ton of injuries in the most hostile of environments, I'd say our offense at least held its own.
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Now that I have calmed down, I agree.

 
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Going into the game, I thought Tommy needed to have 15 rush attempts for NU to win the game. The offense needed him running the ball. Against Wisky, he had 13, including one sack. They didn't have Tommy run at all in the OT. Tommy is the best runner on the team, yet he wasn't used as a runner in the biggest moment of the game. That is on the OC.

 
I don't understand the going for that bomb pass on 4th and 10 in OT. Morgan was double covered too. Should've tried for the first down. I know Tommy was being rushed but it looked like that was the call not Tommy calling his own number. Still a hard fought battle. Just win in the Horseshoe and all will be back on track. GBR!

 
I don't want to blame the loss on Langsdorf but the play calling in OT should have been better. Needed to get to 3rd and 5 or 4th and 3. First down goes nowhere you need to change it up. Second down goes nowhere well now you need to play for 5-10 yards because this is 4 down territory now. 4th down really could have been a touchdown with a better ball but we can't be having TA throw that route with the game on the line. Should have went simple easy throws for the first down like we were doing near the end of the fourth.

I truly think this offense will be more efficient with Tanner Lee at the helm next year if he can make good decisions. Not a knock on TA but especially with the passing game these coaches will feel much more comfortable with a guy who can make all of the throws consistently and has good footwork. TA needs an offense getting him moving and keeping his momentum forward when he is throwing so he isn't tempted to do the MJ fadeaway. He could be a monster in an established RPO scheme. We can and should be utilizing TA better throughout the game, but I think we will see a more functional offense with a more prototypical QB

 
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ColoradoHusk said:
Going into the game, I thought Tommy needed to have 15 rush attempts for NU to win the game. The offense needed him running the ball. Against Wisky, he had 13, including one sack. They didn't have Tommy run at all in the OT. Tommy is the best runner on the team, yet he wasn't used as a runner in the biggest moment of the game. That is on the OC.
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I think Tommy is hurt, or at least isn't 100% to run. Hasn't been for a couple games. Can't blame an OC for trying to work around injuries and decision making challenges. Nobody is giving the WI defense enough credit. They're fast and tough. We did well against them vs. what other teams have done.

 
I call bullsh#t on this thread. We did what we always do and it was a group effort. You can't just call "the plays that work"....you have to call a variety of things to keep them honest. And what works one time gets stopped for a loss the next. Then there's the most important factor of calling decent plays but the Jimmys and Joes all going the wrong direction, Jimmy QB throwing it in the ground or into the stands, Joe RB running into the back of his blocker, Wisconsin Jimmy RB moving sideways through our D Joes like a Harrier.

I was hoping for one more completed pass and a long FG before regulation ended, but it didn't happen. That's how it goes when two teams want to win.

 
I though we would see more running back/wide reciecer screen game last night to help loosen up the middle of the field.

 
NM11046 said:
ColoradoHusk said:
Going into the game, I thought Tommy needed to have 15 rush attempts for NU to win the game. The offense needed him running the ball. Against Wisky, he had 13, including one sack. They didn't have Tommy run at all in the OT. Tommy is the best runner on the team, yet he wasn't used as a runner in the biggest moment of the game. That is on the OC.
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I think Tommy is hurt, or at least isn't 100% to run. Hasn't been for a couple games. Can't blame an OC for trying to work around injuries and decision making challenges. Nobody is giving the WI defense enough credit. They're fast and tough. We did well against them vs. what other teams have done.
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Last night he ran tentative IMO. Few designed QB runs and very little RPO plays.....I agree he is still injured. Perhaps by design, he was told not to run. I ask as both Fyfe and POB were warming up when he tweaked his back....

 
ColoradoHusk said:
Going into the game, I thought Tommy needed to have 15 rush attempts for NU to win the game. The offense needed him running the ball. Against Wisky, he had 13, including one sack. They didn't have Tommy run at all in the OT. Tommy is the best runner on the team, yet he wasn't used as a runner in the biggest moment of the game. That is on the OC.
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This is exactly my feeling. I think in crunch time you have the ball in the best players' hands. In our case, that is Tommy A and Ozigbo in the ground game and Westy and Morgan in the air game. I would have had Tommy carry the ball at least 20 times in designed runs when the O line is hurting and clearly could not control the line of scrimmage consistantly. We have not had a strong push up front for three weeks now so the coaches needed to open up the QB draws and scrambles by emptying out the back field and forcing the defense to spread out to defend the entire field. Throwing some jail break screens or other type plays and opening up the 'gut' to QB draws is the answer. Use some trick plays in OT when the offense has basically struggled the entire game makes the most sense. We barely sustained drives at all and never really had any periods of consistant success running the ball for first downs.

In overtime, we only needed 2 successful runs by Tommy to have gotten either in the end zone or certainly into the first and goal inside the ten. I like our chances of getting a TD once we got it inside the ten. The key calls were first down and ten at the 25 in OT and second down thereafter. Those were the calls to use Tommy's legs for sure. The QB run is the ONE way the offense can get the edge in the runs as the defense has to defeat each and every block to make the play. Tommy has an excellent chance of gaining 15 yards in three plays in the broken field type action of QB draws and scramble plays.

 
Guys, when a pass is called the qb isnt being told where to go. That last play to Morgan had more than one option. Now, this is where the gap is between folks who know football more than others. And this isnt a bad thing. Just the way it is. Langs called a set of routes. He didnt call for the ball to be thrown to that particular route. That decision is on the qb. And you know what. It was the right decision. Morgan beat his guy. Now, if tommy makes the throw over the outside shoulder away from the defender were talking about a win today. But he droped late, a tad inside and allowed the defender to get there. This may seem like a hard throw, but its one of those throws that any qb-even Tommy himself- will tell you has to be routine.

 
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