Why We Could Not Convert 3rd and Short Late in the Game

[Enhance]

I think it was just a surprising play call that ended up being poorly executed offensively and sniffed out rather quickly defensively. On that same drive, I think Cross had a 10+ yard carry for a first down, and it was pretty clear from about midway through the 3rd quarter that BYU's defense was not only tired, but wearing down on the interior.

I don't hate the play call but I think they were pretty vulnerable inside.

Edit - Let's just be glad they didn't attempt to throw the football there, too. That would've been very Callahan.

 

[Hayseed]

I think a couple of the first downs might have been made by experienced receivers who were more aware of the yardsticks, but I'll give the younger guys a break because of the great job they did catching the ball. I was pleased by the number of newbs who stepped up. It's a work in progress. Less time wasted on types of play that don't fit our player's abilities will go a long way, IMO.

 

[Kernal]

It is a very young line that needs the experience. This was the lineup yesterday along with their career starts:

LT - Alex Lewis (14)

LG - Dylan Utter (2)

C - Ryan Reeves (2)

RG - Chongo Kondolo (1)

RT - Nick Gates (1)

I totally get the arguments for having a rotation, and I agree with it as it pertains to the heat yesterday. But so much of what comes from having a dominating offensive line is by being comfortable and having a chemistry with the man playing next to you. Judging by who our best 5 are and their total career starts, it only made sense that they played all game yesterday. It will be a positive for them and Nebraska as we move forward into the season.

I have no problems with coaches playing the same 5 guys (barring injury) right now. It allows them to develop chemistry, and might light a little bit of fire under guys who can no longer just show up and expect to play. I like Cav's rationale: If you want to play be one of the top five guys. I doubt that will always be the case but early in this staff's tenure it's good to set the standards high. We'll need that if we want to get back to the level of players maximizing their potential.

 

[MichiganDad3]

We were shut out in he 2nd and 4th quarters. Were the lineman out of gas? It looked like it to me.

 

[BigWillie]

The line, especially the interior line, is just average at best.

Too often we saw Tommy under pressure from the pocket, or forced to sprint out to avoid an oncoming title wave of rushers. And a huge portion of that pressure was from inside blitzes, or DTs just simply kicking the butts of our interior lineman. Too many times we had open WRs missed simply for the fact that Tommy had to rush throws because of the pressure.

 

[Bigred_inSD]

The play call hurt more than lack of rotation. Personally I would of handed it off to Wilbon. BYU knew the game was on the line and they were going to attack, Wilbon is patient and always seems to fall forward after contact. I think he could of exploited a small gap of someone trying to make a play and picked up those needed yards

 

[lo country]

Langs said the sweep on 3rd and3 to JT was a bad call. Ran to short side and BYU was ready. On QB sneak, Langs said that the no huddle was slowed as the ref took more time to set the ball allowing BYU to set. Other 3rd and 1, ran right into blitz. All this per Langs..... Perfect storm. What could go wrong did.

I think that we will see different play calling. I am sure we will have different results (less talented team allegedly) and won't be an honest reflection of our improvement, but will see something different than last week.

 

[Enhance]

Langs said the sweep on 3rd and3 to JT was a bad call. Ran to short side and BYU was ready. On QB sneak, Langs said that the no huddle was slowed as the ref took more time to set the ball allowing BYU to set. Other 3rd and 1, ran right into blitz. All this per Langs..... Perfect storm. What could go wrong did.

I think that we will see different play calling. I am sure we will have different results (less talented team allegedly) and won't be an honest reflection of our improvement, but will see something different than last week.

I'm definitely no offensive expert - far from it. But, I actually liked the play calls, for the most part, purely from a schematic perspective. You could say, yes, some of the were ill-timed or got blown up. But, some of that was just bad execution more than BYU making a good play. I was rewatching parts of the game last night and there were a few running plays where our backs just misread the hole. Our line's inconsistency also played a role on some other miscues.

Langs also knows how to design a damn good screen play. TA needs to settle down on them a bit more and I think, at times, they need to develop a bit quicker. But man some of them would've been brilliant had we just connected on the throw.

 

[lo country]

Langs said the sweep on 3rd and3 to JT was a bad call. Ran to short side and BYU was ready. On QB sneak, Langs said that the no huddle was slowed as the ref took more time to set the ball allowing BYU to set. Other 3rd and 1, ran right into blitz. All this per Langs..... Perfect storm. What could go wrong did.

I think that we will see different play calling. I am sure we will have different results (less talented team allegedly) and won't be an honest reflection of our improvement, but will see something different than last week.

I'm definitely no offensive expert - far from it. But, I actually liked the play calls, for the most part, purely from a schematic perspective. You could say, yes, some of the were ill-timed or got blown up. But, some of that was just bad execution more than BYU making a good play. I was rewatching parts of the game last night and there were a few running plays where our backs just misread the hole. Our line's inconsistency also played a role on some other miscues.
Langs also knows how to design a damn good screen play. TA needs to settle down on them a bit more and I think, at times, they need to develop a bit quicker. But man some of them would've been brilliant had we just connected on the throw.

Agree with ya. Listening to Langs, it was just right place wrong time. Really think BYU got lucky. I still would love to see some Cross smash in those situations and challenge the OL to get us that yard.

Still a lot more football to play. I think seeing what works in practice vs games will make them adjust. Also helps to have some game film on an actual opponent going good on good.

Riley said 10 of the 12 penalties were correctable. Unsure of the 2, but the 12 cost us 90 yards.

 

[True2tRA]

Langs said the sweep on 3rd and3 to JT was a bad call. Ran to short side and BYU was ready. On QB sneak, Langs said that the no huddle was slowed as the ref took more time to set the ball allowing BYU to set. Other 3rd and 1, ran right into blitz. All this per Langs..... Perfect storm. What could go wrong did.

I think that we will see different play calling. I am sure we will have different results (less talented team allegedly) and won't be an honest reflection of our improvement, but will see something different than last week.

I'm definitely no offensive expert - far from it. But, I actually liked the play calls, for the most part, purely from a schematic perspective. You could say, yes, some of the were ill-timed or got blown up. But, some of that was just bad execution more than BYU making a good play. I was rewatching parts of the game last night and there were a few running plays where our backs just misread the hole. Our line's inconsistency also played a role on some other miscues.
Langs also knows how to design a damn good screen play. TA needs to settle down on them a bit more and I think, at times, they need to develop a bit quicker. But man some of them would've been brilliant had we just connected on the throw.

I loved this play. Loved the call, love how the play develops, and Foster set it up nicely.

 

[Hunter94]

i think we all knew the O L was going to be inexperienced and unproven......playing lesser talent will help, but w/o Ameer there is no disguising our weakness......if the back ups are so bad we can't even spell our starters for a play or two for a breather, in 90 degree heat, it will be a long season for sure......

 

[Kernal]

Riley said 10 of the 12 penalties were correctable. Unsure of the 2, but the 12 cost us 90 yards.

Riley said the two penalties that aren't necessarily correctable are "Pass Interference" and "Holding," presumably because when those are called it's sorta subjective. But he said they would go over those again with the players anyway.

 

[Kernal]

Langs said the sweep on 3rd and3 to JT was a bad call. Ran to short side and BYU was ready. On QB sneak, Langs said that the no huddle was slowed as the ref took more time to set the ball allowing BYU to set. Other 3rd and 1, ran right into blitz. All this per Langs..... Perfect storm. What could go wrong did.

I think that we will see different play calling. I am sure we will have different results (less talented team allegedly) and won't be an honest reflection of our improvement, but will see something different than last week.

I'm definitely no offensive expert - far from it. But, I actually liked the play calls, for the most part, purely from a schematic perspective. You could say, yes, some of the were ill-timed or got blown up. But, some of that was just bad execution more than BYU making a good play. I was rewatching parts of the game last night and there were a few running plays where our backs just misread the hole. Our line's inconsistency also played a role on some other miscues.
Langs also knows how to design a damn good screen play. TA needs to settle down on them a bit more and I think, at times, they need to develop a bit quicker. But man some of them would've been brilliant had we just connected on the throw.

I loved this play. Loved the call, love how the play develops, and Foster set it up nicely.

Foster did a great job selling that. Nice execution all the way around.

 

[2ndNnine]

We really couldn't run the whole game. Not terribly surprising we couldn't convert running into the teeth of sellout run blitzing late in the 4th quarter.

 

[Mavric]

We were shut out in he 2nd and 4th quarters. Were the lineman out of gas? It looked like it to me.

That's a really interesting point.

I don't mind playing the same guys most of the time. But the contrast is odd. The coaches are talking about not increasing McMullen's snap count even with Gangwish out. He played 45 snaps and they don't want to go more than that. We'd subbed an entire second unit defensive line by the fourth or fifth play of the game. Yet every single offensive lineman played 80+ (probably 90+) snaps. I don't think giving a guy a series off here and there is going to damage the continuity that much.