What do trick plays mean???

[Syzygyone]

Offensive plays have a shelf life. They must be set up, and then used at the appropriate time. But, you seldom get to use them multiple times. BC did a great job using the end around to set up the half back pass. Certainly it caught opponent off guard. And certainly a "trick" play is usually very risky as it requires significantly more ball handling, i.e. two or more hand offs, a pass, a blown defenseive coverage and a catch.

It makes for GREAT spectating but, this gives me pause. Does the resort to "trick" plays mean you don't think you can grind it out and power your way to scores. Is it a realization that you don't have the offensive punch to get the job done in regular fashion.

I'm not casting stones here. Just real curious as to how those plays are perceived. Do we need them to score?

 

[Huskerfan55]

No we don't need them to score! We have shown the ability to score doing many different things but it sure does keep the other team off balance or at least it should.

 

[tattooedhusker]

i think he uses them to keep the other team guessing, and so far it's working! we don't need them to score, it's obvious when watching the games that we don't. i see your point of view though

 

[Nalow]

I too feel that "trick" plays are kind of an easy score... I like to see sustained drives, and having backs power the ball into the end zone... But what the team has shown, is that it can consistenly pull off the trick play almost seemingly at will.

If they work, keep doing it... Points are points!

 

[ttheKid1*18]

It seems like they have been setting up the trick plays all season. That rb toss outside set up the throw from Lucky to Swift in the UT, and we had been doing the toss all season.

I think a trick play is made to see if the D is paying attention. If they aren't, they will get burned.

 

[bennychico11]

the trick plays, especially the half back pass help change the momentum of the game for us. It worked extremely well in the UT game and I think it helps give the Huskers confidence when we pull it off (which so far has been every time we've used it)

I think Callahan likes to call it in situations where we could use a momentum change...AND...in situations where he can see the defense is over commiting to the trap. Particularly in the HB pass play, it relies heavily on the other team to take the bait and go after the running back, leaving our receivers open. I think especially after watching us do so many run plays, one after another...he sees the opponents defense start to go into auto pilot and just assume it's another run play for us, catching them off guard.

Not only does it help our guys get motivated...but it makes the other team look stupid and can ruin their morale.

 

[gamecocks]

Trick plays also make the defense slow down and not pursue so fast. the safeties must stay back and not commit to the run so quick and the backside end and linebacker has to stay home and not come down the line so quickly. Trick plays opens up the regular offense just as much as our regular offense sets up trick plays.

 

[DaveH]

Trick plays also make the defense slow down and not pursue so fast. the safeties must stay back and not commit to the run so quick and the backside end and linebacker has to stay home and not come down the line so quickly. Trick plays opens up the regular offense just as much as our regular offense sets up trick plays.

Exactly.

It's all about timing and keeping the defense honest to all phases of your offense. Like Callahan said once with regard to the pass and run, "You can't serve two masters." The same goes for this. We've used that play, or a similar play, once a game in two of the last three games. It's on film, future teams know we have done that successfully so they have to respect it to some degree. Missouri was a good example. Nunn wasn't wide open. The defenders were there for that play, but the throw was outstanding and so was the catch.