** What did we learn **

[whateveritis1224]

The only specific play you've talked about is one where you don't even know if Armstrong threw to the primary receiver.

Watch the play. He looks immediately to the left after the play fake. But either way, are you contending that pass was a good call?

If we can't judge calls by results then it becomes tough to discuss anything at all about their quality. Would you agree? Because if we are judging them on how they could or should have turned out, well... we can interpret that and argue that in any way we want to meet our conclusions. Right? It's tough. Ultimately coaches will be judged on results. Even if they can go back and show reasons for why every call should have been perfect in theory. And of course we can always go back and build such a story.

He still could have seen the 1 on 1 matchup on that side and decided to go straight to it instead of looking towards our number 1 and 2 WR. We won't know what Armstrong was thinking, and also what Beck's play call was, unless it's told to us by either Beck or Armstrong. The primary look could have been a little drag out to the inside receiver (either Bell or Enunwa), but Armstrong decided he wanted to throw that fade route.

We just don't know, and since every game is different you can use per game stats as a trend, but they won't speak the whole story. Michigan was averaging 150+ yards of rushing and NU's defense was giving up 185, yet we held them to -21.

Beck didn't call a great game, but he did call an ok game.

 

[JTrain]

I considered context in my original posts. I was told that was adding my own narrative so I presented objective stats. See page one.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

That's true. I hope we all have girlfriends to f#*k and dogs to pet. I think in the long term Beck is responsible for the offensive results in the big games. To me it seems really obvious that his playcalling is mediocre, and I think the results in the big games attest to that. Hell, just the fact that I (being an average fan) can predict almost half his calls based on down and distance is bothersome to me.

But as far as a detailed play-by-play breakdown--I don't have it in me tonight. For those that think Beck has done a good job this season, we'll just have to agree to disagree. But at least we can agree that we hope he comes up big against MSU. See you in Lincoln!

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

I considered context in my original posts. I was told that was adding my own narrative so I presented objective stats. See page one.

Ain't nobody got time for that.

That's true. I hope we all have girlfriends to f#*k and dogs to pet. I think in the long term Beck is responsible for the offensive results in the big games. To me it seems really obvious that his playcalling is mediocre, and I think the results in the big games attest to that. Hell, just the fact that I (being an average fan) can predict almost half his calls based on down and distance is bothersome to me.

But as far as a detailed play-by-play breakdown--I don't have it in me tonight. For those that think Beck has done a good job this season, we'll just have to agree to disagree. But at least we can agree that we hope he comes up big against MSU. See you in Lincoln!

I don't think he's done a good job by any means. I don't think he's done a bad job though. And if you can predict almost half the calls based on down and distance, that doesn't mean they are bad calls.

 

[Scratchtown]

Zach sterup is a viable option at tackle. They ran to his side more than less when he came in. And he had a head of hair that makes Clay Matthews jealous

Coached against this kid his senior year. Really didn't think he was as good as he was rated as a recruit. I guess I may have been proven wrong?

 

[StPaulHusker]

This defense should give us a chance against Michigan St.

Ameer Abdullah is just plain money.

RG44 is just the player this defense needed.

 

[Guy Chamberlin]

I honestly had faith that the defense would hold on that final series. That was nice.

Abdullah is special.

Very few penalties, especially with reserves on the offensive line, looked like progress.

Both of these teams looked really mediocre. Good win but not great football.

We shouldn't be ranked yet.

 

[jsneb83]

The only specific play you've talked about is one where you don't even know if Armstrong threw to the primary receiver.

Watch the play. He looks immediately to the left after the play fake. But either way, are you contending that pass was a good call?

If we can't judge calls by results then it becomes tough to discuss anything at all about their quality. Would you agree? Because if we are judging them on how they could or should have turned out, well... we can interpret that and argue that in any way we want to meet our conclusions. Right? It's tough. Ultimately coaches will be judged on results. Even if they can go back and show reasons for why every call should have been perfect in theory. And of course we can always go back and build such a story.

He still could have seen the 1 on 1 matchup on that side and decided to go straight to it instead of looking towards our number 1 and 2 WR. We won't know what Armstrong was thinking, and also what Beck's play call was, unless it's told to us by either Beck or Armstrong. The primary look could have been a little drag out to the inside receiver (either Bell or Enunwa), but Armstrong decided he wanted to throw that fade route.

We just don't know, and since every game is different you can use per game stats as a trend, but they won't speak the whole story. Michigan was averaging 150+ yards of rushing and NU's defense was giving up 185, yet we held them to -21.

Beck didn't call a great game, but he did call an ok game.

He was also getting pressured right after the play action, I believe, so he probably figured the 1-on-1 on the outside was his best chance at a completion while getting hit. Also if we weren't hampered at WR, that probably would have been Jamal or Westy who might have been able to have a better chance at making the play.

 

[Danimal]

1) Great win...the best this season for me as it was totally unexpected. I gladly eat crow as I thought we had no shot at Michigan.

2) When Bo Pelini is fighting for his job, we can play aggressive defense. I am not happy it took this long, but that is how Nebraska defense is played and how we should scheme. Hats off to the defense...they won this game.

3) Randy Gregory continues to wreak havoc. I don't think there is another defensive player in conference I would trade him for...he has been playing that good.

4) Even before the muffed punt, in several games Westy has looked tentative in the punt return game...some punts he should have fielded but he has let go. This one today, there was no avoiding it and it got him. I know he has great hands but not sure he is the right guy back there.

5) Great job by the patch-work O-Line. They made the best of a tough situation.

6) When opposing teams hit us helmet to helmet it is great football play. When we do it to other teams, we are penalized and and/or ejected. This rule continues to be a complete joke.

I believe Westerkamp was injured. The fact that he didn't even get his arms extended when the punt was coming down (and that he looked like he was favoring one side), is on the coaches. Even if he has the best hands on the team, if he's not healthy, it's not worth it. Reminds me of a 50% TMart vs Minny. That didn't work so well either.

There was real room for a return that play. I think kamp just got excited and lost focus on catching the ball. I couldnt' believe he dropped it, fortunately it didn't cost us.

 

[NoLongerN]

More than anything for me was just how bad Michigan really is. Even with plenty of mistakes in the second half with big time turnovers and mistakes ... Michigan is just not good enough to take advantage of our bad play at key points of the game.

 

[BigWillie]

Entire d-line deserves credit.

Gregory will make alot of money in a year or so. Curry, while only having 1 tackle, was very disruptive in the middle. Thad looked like a football player and not a fat slob today.

Michael Rose needs to stay on the field. Do not care if it is at MIKE or WILL, he just makes plays. Very good game from him.

Zaire and Corey were very good on hiding blitzes today. Easily Zaire's best game as a Husker.

Stop the QB rotation when 1 of the QBs is putting up points. If Tommy or Ron is struggling, fine. Make the change. But when a QB gets you points on 2 out of 3 drives, it makes no sense at all to make the switch.

Ameer, that guy is all heart. Every play, every inch matters to that kid. It can be 1st down, on the 1st play, in the 1st quarter, and he will run the same as if it is the last play of a tie game on the goal line.

God help our offensive backfield next week. Sparty's front 7 vs our offensive line, which is decimated by injuries ..

 

[VectorVictor]

I learned that TA isn't afraid of prime time...which is pretty ballsy for a redshirt Freshman, and it bodes well for the future.

---

I learned that someone on the sideline can actually coach a defense...and no, I'm not talking about our blitzing or overall stats.

I'm talking about when Borges finally started using speed against us on the delays, screens, and stacked receivers against us successfully in the second half. Bo and Co. Coached those kids on what to look for, and the kids started snuffing them out...which was about all of the second half offensive adjustments Michigan made.

---

Finally, I learned that, while Beck may have a brilliant offensive mind...he gets stubborn and is content to pound a square peg through a round hole until the corners are shaved off.

Yes, you still get success by getting the peg through, but you expend much more energy than needed to make it happen, and it also damages the peg going forward.

We saw a lot of this with Beck's play calling--Michigan has excellent fat-bodied, run stopping D Linemen, and Michigan chose to stack the box against the run time and again. So what do we do, time after time? Run right into them up the middle.

Granted, you must run plays up the middle to keep them honest...but plays like the quick slant to Bell were there ALL NIGHT LONG. Power sweeps/toss plays to the edge were there. Screen passes were there all night long. All things we didn't see until the last TD drive, save for some occasional option sweeps.

It seems that, week after week, this offense is succeeding in spite of Beck, and not because of him. And we know Beck is smart and talented enough that this shouldn't be the case.

 

[TheSker]

Granted, you must run plays up the middle to keep them honest...but plays like the quick slant to Bell were there ALL NIGHT LONG. Power sweeps/toss plays to the edge were there. Screen passes were there all night long. All things we didn't see until the last TD drive, save for some occasional option sweeps.

It seems that, week after week, this offense is succeeding in spite of Beck, and not because of him. And we know Beck is smart and talented enough that this shouldn't be the case.

I'm not writing this to defend Beck's play calling per se......but part of what we needed from Beck was to help protect Armstrong from turning the ball over. Armstrong did not turn the ball over yesterday. That's a big deal on the road and something we've struggled with from the quarterback position.

 

[It'sNotAFakeID]

Look at Beck's output in the important games: UCLA, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan. Compare to the other opponents of those teams. Those are the stats. Those are the facts. To run away from them you will have to do a lot of interpretation, and apparently 3-4 mistakes per game by the players does the explaining. So anytime players make three mistakes in a game, the coordinator is no longer responsible. That is what you're implying. He can only be judged if his players execute flawlessly.

Because every team the opponent faced has a banged up offensive line, their senior quarterback on the sideline, and a couple of WR not at 100%.

Every team has injuries. Our senior quarterback is not that great. And every team has WR or other positions "not at 100%". Doesn't make Beck a good playcaller.

Also, what about UCLA and Minnesota when all those things weren't even the case?

You are missing the point. You are comparing Beck's output to how opponents have done, and that's not a fair comparison because every team isn't the same.

UCLA and Minnesota were bad days for Beck. But I don't think it's fair to say that today was a bad day for him.

If I can't compare stats then we have no objective grounds to argue. Do you see that point? So it just becomes a back and forth of interpretations based on several plays out of 50+. Which is why 99% of internet arguments like this never get anywhere.

Also, you say UCLA and Minnesota were bad days but where are your facts, interpretations, etc.?

Since you edited this:

I do see that point. That's the exact point I'm trying to make. You think Beck is a bad play caller, I don't think he's that bad. No opinion is going to change.

UCLA and Minnesota were bad days because there were plays there for the taking, but Beck was too focused on the screen passes. Both games.

 

[Redmusky]

That even if we win some fans still cry about something.

 

[2ndNnine]

Targeting is OK if not wearing red.