West Coast Offense a Hoax?

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numarimba82

Three-Star Recruit
I know most of the attention right now is on the game at hand and probable staff changes as well but wanted to shed light on the offense that most people think is a scam. I will certainly admit I think the WCO is way too complicated (at least BCs version) for an offense to swallow in a reasonable amount of time. We forget these athletes are students as well and have many academic responsibilities beyond the hours and hours of practice, meetings, film study, and everything else that comes with being on a football team. Asking them to file through a gigantic playbook is daunting to say the least.

Here are some stats though that I found this morning:

Nebraska Team Totals 2005:

Avg Points per game: 24.7

Total Offense per game: 320.7

Nebraska Team Totals 2006:

Avg Points per game: 30.6

Total Offense per game: 414.7

I think that clearly shows improvement fairly significantly. Zac Taylor improved with his numbers in 2006 as well. I think the WCO, as we know it, warrents someone who understands the system immaculately and can make the proper reads, scramble a bit when needed, make some extra time.

This year up until the KU game, Nebraska averaged 425 yards a game of total offense. Between the KU and KSU game we averaged 593. Sure the KSU game was out of the ordinary but so be it.

We played against some fairly average defenses on paper. The up to date team stats for ranking in total defense in Div I has these rankings as of today:

Texas-45

Missouri-57

KSU-63

Texas A&M-87

Oklahoma St.-99

And then there was Kansas who is sitting on a number 8 national ranking for total defense. So was it a fluke that we put up 484 yards and almost 40 points against a team averaging only giving up 14 pts? Was having a quarterback more experienced with the system the reason? I hope we don't use the excuse with them that "well we certainly got the ball plenty from them since they scored so much." They could still have shut us down far more than they did no matter how many times they kicked off to us. Is it just pure luck that Ganz threw for 405 yards against a passing defense only averaging 214 yards per game and one of the top cornerbacks in the nation?

Please understand again, this is not a post about whether or not BC should remain head coach, this is not a post saying the WCO is a gem and the greatest thing on earth. However, for everyone that says it is a sham and doesn't work then why have we had that kind of offensive production? Obviously we failed to score points in some of those contests and having an embarassing defense does not help the cause in any case.

I went back and looked at NU's average offensive yards per game starting in 1998 and one of the only years that was fairly higher was in 2001 when we went to the Rose Bowl and that team averaged 459 yards per game. Which is not too much more than what we are doing now. What was the biggest factor there? We had a stellar defense. Certainly not one that ranks 111th right now.

I know the flood gates might open again just like with many posts, but remember that I think Callahan is not a fit for this program...I think his offense was way too complicated to work with first year players and to learn in a timely manner.

 
As head coach, BC is responsible for both the offense and the defense....the offensive numbers have not really changed that much except for the shift from running to passing yards. Points per game has not really changed that much - we scored points before the WC offense...and controlled the game better.

The Defense has just....well, sucked. We have watched BC take it and totally destroy what what the strong point of this team. Now we are forced into track meets every week where the offense has to score a lot of points just to stay in the game. Our defense has never given up this many points.

The WC offense will work, but there has to be some balance and you have to have a defense that keeps the game from becoming a track meet where both teams are scoring 40+ points and it becomes a game of whoever scores first and last wins.

The offense before BC was becoming stagnant because of the refusal of the coaching staff to implement the pass. They would get athletes that could run to play qb, that may not have been the best passers. I think there has to be a balance....you have to have someone that can move in the pocket, run a little option, and be able to pass. I think the best qb in the country is Colt McCoy...unfortunately his offensive line does not protect him, and he doesn't stand a chance of survival and may never be like he was his freshman year again.

The HC is responsible for keeping balance on all aspects of the game, BC has not done that. The only part he was interested in was forcing his WC offense into play come hell or high water. It has not worked without having the rest of the team at an equal level. The WC offense according to BC has been too complicated, and even if your qb gets 75% of it, if the rest of the offense aren't on the same page...it is a loser. It has taken 4 years to get the offense where it is....you can't wait until everyone is a senior to understand the program...this isn't the pro's, they aren't around long enough to understand a complicated program like he came up with. He finally simplified it, but too late....and the defense was in shambles by that time.

A simplified WC offense is viable...even at the college level. But you have to have someone that understands how to do it, and keep the rest of the balance between offense and defense.

 
Once again, I am saying the same thing over and over.....

What would a "bue-chip" QB and top-notch WR be able to do in this offense if they had the time to learn.... that means redshirt, backup/reserve role as a RSFR, and after studying and learning for those 2 seasons, explode onto the scene for 2-3 years......

We have had very, very average athletes at QB and one actually was Big 12 POY....... Ganz is an average "athlete" who knows this system, so he does well "within this system"..... Blast BC is you chose for his statement....which, yes, should have been stated with much more class towards Ganz, but the whole system philosophy is the absolute truth and if you argue that, you just have a "closed-mind" toward BC..

This offense can and does work...... every team can implode once/twice during a season and not play well at all....called "sports"....

Now, don't blast me.... I am not saying keep BC, I am just stating opinions concerning the offense....

 
HANC said:
We have had very, very average athletes at QB and one actually was Big 12 POY....... Ganz is an average "athlete" who knows this system, so he does well "within this system"..... Blast BC is you chose for his statement....which, yes, should have been stated with much more class towards Ganz, but the whole system philosophy is the absolute truth and if you argue that, you just have a "closed-mind" toward BC..
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How many Heisman QB's have we had? That's average? They were good athletes, probably would have made better running backs than they did QB's. Why is it that our QB's tend to get drafted and then end up playing on the defensive side of the ball? You have to be a pretty good athlete to do that. :bonez

 
Huskertrucker....are you lost....... We are not talking about the "past" here.....we are talking QB's withing the West Coast offense.....

which would include Daily, Taylor, Keller, Ganz....... what in the heck are you talking about..

Do you honestly think I don't realize how many GREAT qb's we have had during the days past....OMG.....

This topic is WCO....not about the past great qb's in the option offense

I am stating that if you let a pro-tpe qb spend time in this system, he would flourish big time.....almost exactly what Taylor and Keller have said, and they would probably know more than us....

 
The discussion is on the WC offense...I am comparing it to what we had before it came along...we aren't any better. We can win without it...though I would prefer to see an offense with more balance than we have now, or before BC came along.

If you want to discuss these 4 seasons, Ganz is the only good athlete that we have had...Keller was a good arm...but he couldn't move in the pocket. Daily and Taylor were better athletes than Keller, but didn't have his arm.

I look forward to whatever offense we have next year with Ganz in place....going to be fun.

 
HuskerNative said:
Yards, schmards.

Does it win games?
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uh...not if your watching the Lions and Green Bay today....lol.

Generally though, getting yards means your controlling the ball...and yeah, that does win games. That was Nebraska's philosophy for years, run the ball and keep it out of the oppositions hands. How do you think we beat the Miami's Florida's and Florida States? We kept the ball out of their hands, or their passing/speed would have beat us every time, because we sure didn't have that good of a secondary as far as speed goes, and their receivers would have out run our defensive backs time and time again.

The only way that yards don't equal wins is if your getting yards and then turning the ball over after getting into the oppositions end of the field.

 
In terms of QB's, we've seen thus far vast improvements from year one to year two and the ability for not-prototypical or impressive-on-paper guys like Zac Taylor and Joe Ganz to light it up. That's darn impressive, and honestly, what system *isn't* overwhelming in year one?

By the looks of it, we've got Ganz another year and by the time he's gone, Witt and Lee will have had plenty of time in this system.

 
HuskerTrucker said:
Generally though, getting yards means your controlling the ball...and yeah, that does win games. That was Nebraska's philosophy for years, run the ball and keep it out of the oppositions hands. How do you think we beat the Miami's Florida's and Florida States? We kept the ball out of their hands, or their passing/speed would have beat us every time, because we sure didn't have that good of a secondary as far as speed goes, and their receivers would have out run our defensive backs time and time again.
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I was unaware we beat Miami, Florida and Florida State on any semblance of a consistent basis.

 
zoogies said:
In terms of QB's, we've seen thus far vast improvements from year one to year two and the ability for not-prototypical or impressive-on-paper guys like Zac Taylor and Joe Ganz to light it up. That's darn impressive, and honestly, what system *isn't* overwhelming in year one?
By the looks of it, we've got Ganz another year and by the time he's gone, Witt and Lee will have had plenty of time in this system.
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Depends if the system is still in place.

 
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newenglandhusker said:
HuskerTrucker said:
Generally though, getting yards means your controlling the ball...and yeah, that does win games. That was Nebraska's philosophy for years, run the ball and keep it out of the oppositions hands. How do you think we beat the Miami's Florida's and Florida States? We kept the ball out of their hands, or their passing/speed would have beat us every time, because we sure didn't have that good of a secondary as far as speed goes, and their receivers would have out run our defensive backs time and time again.
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I was unaware we beat Miami, Florida and Florida State on any semblance of a consistent basis.
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Maybe not 100% of the time, but we did not have the defense to go against their passing games or the speed that they had. We never would have beat them if we didn't have the ability to control the ball. I have to be honest though in saying that the heavy pass rush did have an effect also, not giving their passing game time to set up. I would dare to say that we beat them more than we lost to them...because we controlled the game.

One thing that the Huskers have been able to do in the past, that don't seem to be present now also is half-time adjustments. The only thing BC has to say now at halftime is that no adjustments in the game plan need to be made, that the players just need to produce...what a joke.

 
HuskerTrucker said:
Maybe not 100% of the time, but we did not have the defense to go against their passing games or the speed that they had. We never would have beat them if we didn't have the ability to control the ball. I have to be honest though in saying that the heavy pass rush did have an effect also, not giving their passing game time to set up. I would dare to say that we beat them more than we lost to them...because we controlled the game.

One thing that the Huskers have been able to do in the past, that don't seem to be present now also is half-time adjustments. The only thing BC has to say now at halftime is that no adjustments in the game plan need to be made, that the players just need to produce...what a joke.
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well, we're 5-5 vs Miami, and I don't recall ever beating Florida State at all except for the year they came to Lincoln ( I think 1983)..so we're something like 1-5 against them.. We've played Florida twice that I know of and won both of those. So based on just immediate recall , over all we're 7-12 against the Florida big 3. Barely over 50%.

I've probably forgotten about some games though.

 
HuskerTrucker said:
HuskerNative said:
Yards, schmards.

Does it win games?
Click to expand...

uh...not if your watching the Lions and Green Bay today....lol.

Generally though, getting yards means your controlling the ball...and yeah, that does win games. That was Nebraska's philosophy for years, run the ball and keep it out of the oppositions hands. How do you think we beat the Miami's Florida's and Florida States? We kept the ball out of their hands, or their passing/speed would have beat us every time, because we sure didn't have that good of a secondary as far as speed goes, and their receivers would have out run our defensive backs time and time again.

The only way that yards don't equal wins is if your getting yards and then turning the ball over after getting into the oppositions end of the field.
Click to expand...
Actually, the Nebraska teams of the 90's had just as much, if not more, team speed than the Florida schools. That was an adjustment that Ozzy made after the losses to them in the 80's. A number of the defensive backs started on NFL teams, so they weren't exactly chopped liver.

Getting yards means controlling the ball if it means controlling the clock. This requires a team to have a successful running game. This gets the defense off the field and gives them a rest. It also is demoralizing as hell to the defense that cannot stop them.

 
If a west coast offense is a hoax, so is every other offense. It's had just as much success since it's inception way back when.

 
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