What a difference a year makes

[flatwaterfan]

O line group is getting better but has a long way to go to where we can say we love it imo.  A couple injuries and we are right where we’ve been.  imo. 

WE?   You can do whatever you want,  but I'm loving the direction the OL room is going. 

 

[BigRedBuster]

To expound on the last point, the big body WR's with speed at the split end position not only helps on the 50-50,  they can fight off jams and get deep.  That will open up the offense because safeties have to help.  Really helps to stretch defenses in multiple directions. 

And, perimeter blocking that should GREATLY improve swing passes.

Actually, the part you bring up about stretching the field also helps with perimeter blocking.  If the CB is struggling to keep up down field, he's less likely to bight on covering the swing passes.  He might even be playing off the LOS more.

 

[Undone]

I see the typical ramp-up in preseason Kool-Aid sipping is in its first stages. I'm not even mad though because it means we're actually talking about football.

It gets old to just say this over and over again but our offensive line had a ton of problems last year. Bad snaps ruined upwards of 20% of plays during the first 5-ish games of the season, and terrible pass blocking sank us way too often.

When a defensive coordinator knows your line can't pass block well they just sell out on the blitz and then it doesn't really matter which play you call on offense. This then trickled down to messing with Martinez's confidence as well as just him getting hurried and sacked constantly.

My own personal opinion on Lubick is that his resume honestly isn't overwhelmingly impressive or anything. What our offense needs is solid preparation but most importantly it needs to be built around at least a 'decent' offensive line. I'd settle for 'decent' heading into this season.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Bad snaps ruined upwards of 20% of plays during the first 5-ish games of the season,

I'm not too concerned about this this year.  When you look at how he ended the year last year, and then having an entire off season to work on it more, then you think about how he was possibly our best (or close to it) overall blocker last year...I think everyone will be happy with Cam's play.

That doesn't just affect 2AM, it affects overall timing and how the rest of the line plays too.

 

[Undone]

I'm not too concerned about this this year.

Oh I totally agree. My analysis was directed at the OP's thesis which (correct me if I'm wrong, lo country) is that adding Lubick fixes a bunch of problems that we had last year.

My own take on that is that adding Lubick doesn't really fix any of those things to any tangible degree - brining up the young talent and just getting last season under our belts is what will take us forward more than anything.

Obviously there were systemic problems with Walters to the degree that Scott canned him. I'd be remiss to not acknowledge that.

But we need an offensive line that is big, strong, and nasty in the trenches and we just really haven't had that the last four seasons honestly.

 

[SECHusker]

And, perimeter blocking that should GREATLY improve swing passes.

Actually, the part you bring up about stretching the field also helps with perimeter blocking.  If the CB is struggling to keep up down field, he's less likely to bight on covering the swing passes.  He might even be playing off the LOS more.

If Manning can consistently do what he did on his first highlight clip... we good.

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/5270195/5c0e36923863500d7c4d39b6

I see the typical ramp-up in preseason Kool-Aid sipping is in its first stages. I'm not even mad though because it means we're actually talking about football.

It gets old to just say this over and over again but our offensive line had a ton of problems last year. Bad snaps ruined upwards of 20% of plays during the first 5-ish games of the season, and terrible pass blocking sank us way too often.

When a defensive coordinator knows your line can't pass block well they just sell out on the blitz and then it doesn't really matter which play you call on offense. This then trickled down to messing with Martinez's confidence as well as just him getting hurried and sacked constantly.

My own personal opinion on Lubick is that his resume honestly isn't overwhelmingly impressive or anything. What our offense needs is solid preparation but most importantly it needs to be built around at least a 'decent' offensive line. I'd settle for 'decent' heading into this season.

I think more than anything, what lubick brings is someone Frost trusts, someone that can he count to get the offense ready during the week, while he plays CEO and helps out position groups as needed.

 

[Undone]

If Manning can consistently do what he did on his first highlight clip... we good.

http://www.hudl.com/video/3/5270195/5c0e36923863500d7c4d39b6

I think more than anything, what lubick brings is someone Frost trusts, someone that can he count to get the offense ready during the week, while he plays CEO and helps out position groups as needed.

What did you mean by 'his first highlight clip?' The first play in that video, or the video on the whole? On so many of those plays in that video, the QB has all day to throw the ball - something we don't really have. Will we have awesome pass protection this season? It's possible, but if I had to put my own money on it I'd say that I doubt it. And that's the difference in us executing those deep route plays and Kilgore College executing them IMO.

But I do think that comes next season when these big monsters Frost has recruited are up to snuff and rotating in after having 1-2 full seasons with Duvall in the weight room.

As to your last comment, totally agree. To what extent it really makes a big impact? I'm not sure honestly. More than anything, I'm just glad to see Frost was willing to put what he thought was best for the program over sympathy for firing a guy - something we've lacked in critical moments over the last 15 seasons at times.

 

[BigRedBuster]

Oh I totally agree. My analysis was directed at the OP's thesis which (correct me if I'm wrong, lo country) is that adding Lubick fixes a bunch of problems that we had last year.

My own take on that is that adding Lubick doesn't really fix any of those things to any tangible degree - brining up the young talent and just getting last season under our belts is what will take us forward more than anything.

I disagree with your second paragraph.

He will be key in game planning and he's worked a lot with Frost in that aspect.  He knows what Frost wants.  

I also think he's a step up in WR coaching.  Again, he knows what Frost wants.  They've gone out and gotten WRs like Manning and Betts.  They will continue to do that.  Also, I firmly believe that he fully understands how important perimeter blocking is to this scheme.  That was so pathetically horrible last year that it's a key reason why our offense didn't work well.   I expect that to be fixed....along with now having a big WR down field threat.

I believe our overall offense will be better because Lubick is here.

 

[Undone]

Also, I firmly believe that he fully understands how important perimeter blocking is to this scheme.  That was so pathetically horrible last year that it's a key reason why our offense didn't work well.

Sure - if perimeter blocking greatly improves this season then our ability to move the chains goes way up. Really hoping for this.

Blocking, in general, was just flat out bad in pretty much every game except for Illinois & Wisconsin last season. At some point it has to get fixed. I think it largely gets fixed with the right talent, but as you say the coaching element has to be there (not only in coaching technique but motivating the offense to want to knock guys on their a$$).

 

[WyoHusker56]

What did you mean by 'his first highlight clip?' The first play in that video, or the video on the whole? On so many of those plays in that video, the QB has all day to throw the ball - something we don't really have. Will we have awesome pass protection this season? It's possible, but if I had to put my own money on it I'd say that I doubt it. And that's the difference in us executing those deep route plays and Kilgore College executing them IMO.

But I do think that comes next season when these big monsters Frost has recruited are up to snuff and rotating in after having 1-2 full seasons with Duvall in the weight room.

As to your last comment, totally agree. To what extent it really makes a big impact? I'm not sure honestly. More than anything, I'm just glad to see Frost was willing to put what he thought was best for the program over sympathy for firing a guy - something we've lacked in critical moments over the last 15 seasons at times.

I believe he was responding to the perimeter blocking being improved and Manning's first clip in that video is him pancaking a DB. Something we never saw on the perimeter game last year.

Also, our pass pro could improve this year based on better scheming/execution on offense. Say for example our perimeter blocking is better and our swings/screens force teams to stay honest and defend those. So, they leave fewer guys in the box which opens up our run game which brings up the safeties who have to respect the play action now. Then boom Manning goes over the top on a play action because the oline held with fewer guys rushing. I mean last year teams did not respect anything we were doing because we couldn't go deep and we couldn't get out wide and their base defense could stop the running game so they could pressure the oline/QB on every play.

 

[bugeater17]

Oh I totally agree. My analysis was directed at the OP's thesis which (correct me if I'm wrong, lo country) is that adding Lubick fixes a bunch of problems that we had last year.

My own take on that is that adding Lubick doesn't really fix any of those things to any tangible degree - brining up the young talent and just getting last season under our belts is what will take us forward more than anything.

Obviously there were systemic problems with Walters to the degree that Scott canned him. I'd be remiss to not acknowledge that.

But we need an offensive line that is big, strong, and nasty in the trenches and we just really haven't had that the last four seasons honestly.

I think  you are spot on in prior posts about one major issue was preparation - but if Frost is to be believed in quotes from Spring, then Lubick should fix some of those preparation or organization issues. So I'd disagree that Lubick won't fix issues we had from last year. 

https://247sports.com/college/nebraska/Article/Nebraska-Huskers-football-2020-season-preview-Matt-Lubick-organization--148656076/

From the article: "And as Frost and assistants talked to media after the first day of spring ball in March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, the thing that kept coming up at each table about Lubick was how organized he was.

"He definitely improved us in that area already," Frost said. Other assistants echoed the thought."

 

[BigRedBuster]

Blocking, in general, was just flat out bad in pretty much every game except for Illinois & Wisconsin last season. At some point it has to get fixed. I think it largely gets fixed with the right talent, but as you say the coaching element has to be there (not only in coaching technique but motivating the offense to want to knock guys on their a$$).

What you said here is all correct.  However, also don't discount game planning and play calling.  Frost calls the plays and that won't change and shouldn't.  But, now he has Lubick helping game plan and in his ear during the game helping with play calling.

Also don't forget, Austin was moved into Run Game Coordinator.  So, you have your O line coach playing a major roll in run game design and game planning.

That could go along ways towards helping the O line.

 

[Undone]

What you said here is all correct.  However, also don't discount game planning and play calling.  Frost calls the plays and that won't change and shouldn't.  But, now he has Lubick helping game plan and in his ear during the game helping with play calling.

Also don't forget, Austin was moved into Run Game Coordinator.  So, you have your O line coach playing a major roll in run game design and game planning.

That could go along ways towards helping the O line.

Yeah, man.

I sure wish Dedrick Mills was only a junior and that we could look forward to having him one more year in 2021. But I think this season with having him, Johnson with a few games under his belt from last year, and the two talented true freshmen being able to game the 'four game redshirt rule' is going to be fun to watch no matter what else happens.

 

[Husker in WI]

Yeah, man.

I sure wish Dedrick Mills was only a junior and that we could look forward to having him one more year in 2021. But I think this season with having him, Johnson with a few games under his belt from last year, and the two talented true freshmen being able to game the 'four game redshirt rule' is going to be fun to watch no matter what else happens.

It's not going to happen because RBs need to try and make money while they can, so if he thinks he can play in the NFL he should leave. But unless I'm missing something he (and anyone else) can return in 2021 if they want to. 

I'm optimistic that by the end of this season, some combination of Scott/Morrison/Thompkins? along with Johnson make us feel a lot better about that position in 2021.

 

[Undone]

From the article: "And as Frost and assistants talked to media after the first day of spring ball in March, just before the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, the thing that kept coming up at each table about Lubick was how organized he was.

"He definitely improved us in that area already," Frost said. Other assistants echoed the thought."

Definitely encouraging. Hopefully I'm articulating myself well in that I'm definitely not disparaging Lubick. I just think a lot of our offensive problems last year centered around poor offensive line play, combined with another thing I hadn't mentioned in this string of posts which was lack of RB depth, as well (with Washington leaving).

All things considered, I'm just really excited about watching our team take the field and playing football this fall.