Who does the offense need most?

[ESPY]

Are you saying we have Heisman-caliber QBs and RBs on this team? I'm just saying Lee, Green, Helu, nor any other skill position players on this team are Heisman-caliber. I agree though, the O-line is important to our success. I just don't see us going from what we were last season to the upper echelon of offensive prowess this season.

 

[Blackdeuce]

If I have to pick one guy, I'm picking Burkhead. I think he's our number one RB now.

We also need a mobile quarterback. Lee looked very hesitant in the early part of the game against Arizona. It was like he was afraid to get hit. Then, a light bulb musta come on and he looked great running the ball.

 

[bshirt]

A competent OC.

 

[mmmtodd]

Ive given this a lot more thought...and I think the offense most needs me in my own luxury box next year. Its a pretty complicated and highly technical plan, so I wont bore you with minutiae... just trust me on this and figure out how much of your tax return you can contribute to making this happen. If you dont, well then you obviously dont care about Nebraska football and the success of next years Big Red Offense. You dont want to be that guy, do you? Thank you.

 

[HuskerTrucker]

We need an offensive line...period, without them this team goes back to where we were this past season....bottom of the list. If we should have learned anything this season, it is that we have to have an offensive line, or it doesn't matter who the QB, running backs, or receivers are...they can't run if there is no holes, and they QB can't pass if he don't have time, and the receivers and tight ends can't catch the ball when the QB is laying on his backside with 3 defenders on top of him or running for his life.

 

[Hunter94]

We need an offensive line...period, without them this team goes back to where we were this past season....bottom of the list. If we should have learned anything this season, it is that we have to have an offensive line, or it doesn't matter who the QB, running backs, or receivers are...they can't run if there is no holes, and they QB can't pass if he don't have time, and the receivers and tight ends can't catch the ball when the QB is laying on his backside with 3 defenders on top of him or running for his life.

i agree, the offensive line is critical, then we damn sure need a qb who can make all the throws.......after that, offensively, things should take care of themselves, meaning average guys at other positions can be successful.

 

[wilber24]

We need the Helu that finished the 2008 season when he took over for Lucky. He was dinged after the MU game this year and didn't really get back to 100%. If Helu is 90-100% for most of the season, we'll be able to open up our offense a little. I love what Burkhead brings and Niles matured alot after the TT and ISU games, but Helu needs to be our horse in 2010.

GBR

But, can Helu be a horse who handles the ball 25+ times? Will those carries actually make us better than if we do a 50/50 or 60/40 split between Helu & Rex? I don't think so. We need Rex just as much as we need Helu b/c we have a backfield that's perfect for a runner-by-committee gameplan. We don't need a horse, especially if we install the wildcat on a regular basis.

Your on point, doubtfull we will ever see a 25-30 carry Helu, but with a mix of Burkhead, Robinson, maybe Heard. We may be able to do things next year with our backs that will make the other Big 12 teams cry. If our offensive style changes like the Arizona game nobody will get over 15 carries, heck Lee may get more.

 

[Minnesota_husker]

The water boy.. if he doesnt keep our O hydrated, we cant get good drives going..... :sarcasm

 

[junior4949]

Are you saying we have Heisman-caliber QBs and RBs on this team? I'm just saying Lee, Green, Helu, nor any other skill position players on this team are Heisman-caliber. I agree though, the O-line is important to our success. I just don't see us going from what we were last season to the upper echelon of offensive prowess this season.

No, not at all. I'm simply pointing out that OU had a Heisman caliber QB, and he got hurt in 2009 because they graduated most of their OL from their 2008 team. Is it a coincidence that OU had one of their worst seasons under Stoops and that they had an extremely inexperienced pourous OL? If you have a poor OL, it doesn't matter if superman is in the backfield. If you have a poor DL, your LB's and secondary are going to look bad as well. Football games are won in the trenches. We could have had Frazier QBing this past year, and one of two things would have happened. 1) he would have looked average at best or 2) he would have gotten hurt. The success of Nebraska in 2010 all hinges upon the OL.

 

[ESPY]

Point taken. Good call....although I'm not so sure Superman would be stopped.

 

[zoogs]

Are you saying we have Heisman-caliber QBs and RBs on this team? I'm just saying Lee, Green, Helu, nor any other skill position players on this team are Heisman-caliber. I agree though, the O-line is important to our success. I just don't see us going from what we were last season to the upper echelon of offensive prowess this season.

No, not at all. I'm simply pointing out that OU had a Heisman caliber QB, and he got hurt in 2009 because they graduated most of their OL from their 2008 team. Is it a coincidence that OU had one of their worst seasons under Stoops and that they had an extremely inexperienced pourous OL? If you have a poor OL, it doesn't matter if superman is in the backfield. If you have a poor DL, your LB's and secondary are going to look bad as well. Football games are won in the trenches. We could have had Frazier QBing this past year, and one of two things would have happened. 1) he would have looked average at best or 2) he would have gotten hurt. The success of Nebraska in 2010 all hinges upon the OL.

It does hinge on the OL, but if we lose, say, Marcel Jones. We put in DJ Jones instead. If we lose Mike Caputo. Well, that'd be interesting because I don't know who goes in there, maybe a RFr who has a chance to hold up. Or Ricky Henry? It wouldn't be any worse than losing Keith Williams, probably our best OL. It's true that our success hinges on the OL play, but any one of those guys do not individually affect things as much as Zac Lee, I think. So losing one of those guys, depending on which, would be pretty bad. Comparable, mostly, to losing another one of the guys. But losing Zac and having to put a #2 in there probably affects the O the most negatively.

 

[junior4949]

Not according to all those leg humpin Cody! I don't really know where our offense is headed, but I do know back in the day we could plug in the #2 QB or RB without much if any dropoff. We did it in 94' with Berringer and Turman. We did it in 95' with Ahman after LP pulled his little stunt. In one of those years, we had so many RB's hurt that we started our #4 RB in Childs if memory serves me correctly. He went on to rush for like 150 yards or so. I think we have at least 3 very capable RB's. I think we have at least 2 very capable QB's. I still remember the 96' season when we had Taylor in there at center. He's the one that hiked the ball into the endzone while Frost was checking off against Arizona State. After a few games, they moved Taylor back to his natural position (guard) and the OL looked and played a lot better. I realize the so called skill players get all the glory, but the games are still won in the trenches. You can have 4 excellent OL and still have a poor OL if the other OL is subpar.

 

[sarge87]

Are you saying we have Heisman-caliber QBs and RBs on this team? I'm just saying Lee, Green, Helu, nor any other skill position players on this team are Heisman-caliber. I agree though, the O-line is important to our success. I just don't see us going from what we were last season to the upper echelon of offensive prowess this season.

No, not at all. I'm simply pointing out that OU had a Heisman caliber QB, and he got hurt in 2009 because they graduated most of their OL from their 2008 team. Is it a coincidence that OU had one of their worst seasons under Stoops and that they had an extremely inexperienced pourous OL? If you have a poor OL, it doesn't matter if superman is in the backfield. If you have a poor DL, your LB's and secondary are going to look bad as well. Football games are won in the trenches. We could have had Frazier QBing this past year, and one of two things would have happened. 1) he would have looked average at best or 2) he would have gotten hurt. The success of Nebraska in 2010 all hinges upon the OL.

It does hinge on the OL, but if we lose, say, Marcel Jones. We put in DJ Jones instead. If we lose Mike Caputo. Well, that'd be interesting because I don't know who goes in there, maybe a RFr who has a chance to hold up. Or Ricky Henry? It wouldn't be any worse than losing Keith Williams, probably our best OL. It's true that our success hinges on the OL play, but any one of those guys do not individually affect things as much as Zac Lee, I think. So losing one of those guys, depending on which, would be pretty bad. Comparable, mostly, to losing another one of the guys. But losing Zac and having to put a #2 in there probably affects the O the most negatively.

When NU won back-to-back National Championships in 94 and 95, the only constant on the offense was the O-Line. In 94, NU started 3 different QB's in different points during the season, and in 95, they went through a whole slew of RB's.

 

[walksalone]

When NU won back-to-back National Championships in 94 and 95, the only constant on the offense was the O-Line. In 94, NU started 3 different QB's in different points during the season, and in 95, they went through a whole slew of RB's.

Thats exactly what i'm talking about. Perfect example this year, the NY Jets. They had a hell of a O-line, and pretty decent RB's and a rookie QB, and almost made it to the SB.

 

[Touchdown Tommie]

If the line can step up and play well, I know good things will happen. This is just not a skill thing for the line, it is a mindset. At times it just seemed like they did not trust themselves/each other. Also, all of the penalties hurt and cost them some points. If they do step up, the rest will fall into place. Lee/whoever the QB is will have time and the RBs will be able to gash defenses.