Your 2020 Nebraska Cornhuskers

Toe said:
Which receiver spot is Hickman expected to play?
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I'm terrible with the letters for the WR's, but I also think that many of the WR spots in Frost's offense are interchangeable (I could be wrong).  I think Hickman will be mainly an outside receiver to use his size and blocking ability on the edge, but can also slide him inside to get him isolated on a TE or safety.  

 
ColoradoHusk said:
I'm terrible with the letters for the WR's, but I also think that many of the WR spots in Frost's offense are interchangeable (I could be wrong).  I think Hickman will be mainly an outside receiver to use his size and blocking ability on the edge, but can also slide him inside to get him isolated on a TE or safety.  
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I agree and I think this could be huge.  Our perimeter blocking last year was absolutely HORRIBLE and the main reason why swing passes were not effective.  Our WRs were bad blockers (small) and our TEs were to slow to get the job done.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
The coaches love him as a blocker.  That's why he will see the field.  You may call him a "tweener", I call him a hybrid who can line up at TE on one play, and the next play line-up as an outside receiver.  That gives the offense a lot of flexibility and allows that offense to play fast, because if the offense subs in a player, they must allow the defense to sub in a player, as well.
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At the very least, he can line up as the inside receiver in a 3x1 set and have the size to reliably take on linebackers. 

 
Tempo has been s bug disappointment in this offense so far.  Guessing the staff knew that we needed more depth and also athletic oline.  Feel like this year will lean that way and 2021 will be better.

 
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GBRFAN said:
Tempo has been s bug disappointment in this offense so far.  Guessing the staff knew that we needed more depth and also athletic oline.  Feel like this year eill lesn that wsy and 2021 will be better.
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The lack of depth at WR and RB is the big driver there.  The offense couldn't play super fast because they couldn't get guys winded and have them subbed out the next series.

 
I like the whole tempo concept but I think the offense has to focus first on execution then bump up the speed.  No sense running crappy plays fast - just give your opponents more time to run their offense and a poorly executed play won't work against about any defense consistently and I think

you get the defense tired by sustaining drives and first downs.  If the idea is to fatigue the defenders by denying them the chance to substitute, you have to execute well enough to keep moving down the field.  Make the defense work hard at tackling etc.  

 
The issue of tempo probably gets undercut to a degree by (generally) all-around bad play by the offensive line.

We have to have a foundation of things that consistently work in the first place before we can really drive up the tempo...but that doesn't happen to begin with in the absence of solid line play.

 
Undone said:
The issue of tempo probably gets undercut to a degree by (generally) all-around bad play by the offensive line.

We have to have a foundation of things that consistently work in the first place before we can really drive up the tempo...but that doesn't happen to begin with in the absence of solid line play.
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OL was not the biggest issue. We trotted out one of the worst WR groups in recent memory and didn't have the RB depth we needed once Mo was out. UCF pace of play was because they had weapons that Frost could count on at every position and their defense could get turnovers which allowed the offense to really cruise. There were a lot of factors as to why the offensive tempo looked slow.

 
Ziebol said:
OL was not the biggest issue. We trotted out one of the worst WR groups in recent memory and didn't have the RB depth we needed once Mo was out. UCF pace of play was because they had weapons that Frost could count on at every position and their defense could get turnovers which allowed the offense to really cruise. There were a lot of factors as to why the offensive tempo looked slow.
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Yeah, when I said "undercut" what I meant there wasn't that offensive line play dictated our tempo being slower. Just that it was a systemic problem in several key games that, in general, really hamstrung our play.

 
Undone said:
The issue of tempo probably gets undercut to a degree by (generally) all-around bad play by the offensive line.

We have to have a foundation of things that consistently work in the first place before we can really drive up the tempo...but that doesn't happen to begin with in the absence of solid line play.
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Exactly.  You can't push tempo when you're always behind the sticks then you're risking going 3 and out in 30 seconds and putting a weak defense right back on the field.  We need better O-line play to get 4-5 yards on 1st down and our offense will then move much quicker.  And as a result we'll see more explosive plays.  You can put the blame wherever but that's what it largely boils down to imo. 

 
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You must have a run game that opponents respect enough to play defense fairly honestly.   This we lack imo.   I harp on the lack of power run plays - maybe unfairly - but if you have no confidence in getting a first down on 3rd and 2 with a basic run play from any formation, you have issues that are not solved by snapping quickly or by finesse schemes.  I cant cite stats but it seemed we had better luck on 2nd and 3rd and mediums than short yardage.  

You might say - If you live by the pass, you will eventually die by it too!   Inconsistent blocking is a part of it but its not just the 5 up front.  You need 9 blocking every play to get big plays (run or pass) - all over the field.  Those blocks away from the ball wear down the defense so as the game goes on, fatigue and frustration slows down the defenders and 8 or 10 yard gains become TDs.  

 
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