3rd Quarter Play Analysis vs NW

[HominidHusker]

I didn’t rewatch the entire game, but did want to dive into the second half (out of curiosity to learn why we got kicked in the nards despite the chance to make halftime adjustments).
I didn’t make it to the end of the 3rd Quarter without noticing several concerns, and my focus was on coaching in most these examples.

Start with disclaimer: I’m a typical schmuck and don’t know what their concepts look like, but feel there’s enough common sense here. Also wish I could include pics to illustrate, but I’ll do my best to describe.

My general statements are that our guys on defense seemed to bunch up a lot and struggle to avoid or get off blocks at times (which is key). General situational awareness with each other was severely lacking.
The offense comments are below, but want to point out I was satisfied with our QB play overall despite some CT critique.

Individual 3rd Quarter plays:
Defense-
1. 3rd and 5, I think we had some safeties in no man land and Newsome runs into Gifford who already seemed late jetting over to the RB releasing in the flat. Gifford proceeds to give up leaky yards in the open field for a first down. We had 4 defenders bunched near only 1-2 NW players while giving the RB an entire open side of the field.
2. Nelson and Gifford get sucked inside on bootleg with another open RB release to the flat and no help out there. Lucky he dropped the easy pass.
3. Three of our guys (Farmer/Reimer/Heinrich) getting sucked towards one TE on a shallow cross route, leaving a free RB/WR behind them on deeper crossing route... meanwhile on same side of field Farmer was passing off a WR to a safety who left to double team a different WR crossing the other way I believe, This left 2 targets wide open behind Farmer on the side the QB rolled to. Reimer with eyes on the shallow TE failed to drop to cover the cross route target behind him, and failed to (almost) tip a pass he could have got to prevent the bobbling completion. Blame secondary or LBs, but it was a mess of coverage and awareness.
4. Heinrich considers lifting arm(s) on unobstructed path to QB outside the pocket to tip pass but decides not to, cus why try to tip passes when you could give up completions instead?
5. Nelson is left unblocked, flat footed staring at a zone read type handoff (with Newsome covering behind for any RB release to the flat), and instead of sprinting to the handoff point to blow up the handoff or fake (sack), he waits for a pulling lineman to come seal him off from the side, opening the big hole for the RB. A second pulling linemen came around with Newsome doing little to avoid him, getting himself taken out from making a play with no LB in sight to fill that gaping hole. Meanwhile, our 3 DL guys are literally all piled on top of each other surrounded by NW blockers, sealing the other side of the open hole.

Offense:
1. Our first offensive series shows Bando and Benhart getting EASILY pushed on their ass, on the right side and a giant fat guy running free around us on the left side.
2. Casey drops back and seems to be staring into the wide open space where Alante Brown will be crossing into if Casey is familiar with the route that seemed obvious, and right where he was looking. Plenty of time to deliver the strike. There’s likely another WR deep slant open up top for a well thrown ball, but Brown was the very easy, routine throw. Instead, Casey tried to spin around and slipped for a sack.
——
Bottom line is these aren’t all the popular plays being discussed (onside kick, INTs, etc.) but in less than one quarter, after halftime adjustments, I found 7 plays where I genuinely question what our players are being taught, particularly defense.

 

[TruHusker]

I can't bring myself to watch the game and chart it. What I saw Saturday during the game was enough.

Chins D puts a ton of pressure on the LB's. They are not only responsible for the run game but also over the middle and sideline to sideline which isn't totally unusual but this system is really confusing. Thus why you see so many busts. The favorite thing you see teams do like NW is get the ball to the outside at different levels. Run the WR down the field which takes the DB and Safety (unless it is a spread and he has a man) then run the RB to the outside knowing the LB can't get clear out there. NW dropped several of those passes or it would have been much worse. On other throws they use half of the field and just clear out the safety and find holes in between. It is nothing difficult or complicated but you are left with the safety playing very deep and coming up to make a play and they had better be very good in space, obviously we are not.

Their running game destroyed us. That replay in the second half to their left where the hole was so big you almost didn't see other players was telling. It is generally a basic pistol formation take the D end out, push down on the DL and seal the LB on that side and weak side and really that is all you need to do. You can also easily trap out of that. Then run it weak side and you don't have to worry about the nickel being over there.

None of this is new. IMHO, what saved Chins last year was the total amount of experience all across the field. There weren't exceptionally fast and athletic but could read and get to the right spot for him most of the time. This group is far from that. If we insist on keeping the 2 safeties deep, prepare to see teams run right at us.

 

[cubsker]

Extremely seasoned safeties seemed to elevate this D last year. I felt like our corners were generally ok on Sat. NW went after safeties and LBs over and over and over. When you get zero pass rush, as we generally do, it's just too easy for the QB against our D. I'll be surprised if we don't continue to get picked apart all year long by RB/TE/slot WR.

 

[king_kong_]

I wouldn't be surprised if nw only ran 12 or so offensive plays the whole game

surprised nobody has said their pass pro was something they weren't expecting (they kept 6+ in to block A LOT, and also moved the pocket with multiple pullers off play action), since that was very obviously something they hadn't prepared for and were unable to adjust to

nw played the numbers game like a middle school team and chins & co were stupefied by it

 

[cubsker]

I'd rather have blitzed and played tight coverage and make em keep beating you. Instead we got beat once for 8 yards on 3rd and 7 and played scared afterwards.

 

[TruHusker]

I'd rather have blitzed and played tight coverage and make em keep beating you. Instead we got beat once for 8 yards on 3rd and 7 and played scared afterwards.

We did blitz, I don't know how many times and it was picked up at the LOS every time. When Nebraska blitzes, bad things happen to us, you just took one more person out of the coverage that already struggles to get to his spot and stay with someone. IF, and that is a big IF and always has been with Chins D, the blitz is successful, then good, but by the numbers overall, it is a losers game with this D. JMHO

 

[itseasyas1-2-3]

I didn’t rewatch the entire game, but did want to dive into the second half (out of curiosity to learn why we got kicked in the nards despite the chance to make halftime adjustments).
I didn’t make it to the end of the 3rd Quarter without noticing several concerns, and my focus was on coaching in most these examples.

Start with disclaimer: I’m a typical schmuck and don’t know what their concepts look like, but feel there’s enough common sense here. Also wish I could include pics to illustrate, but I’ll do my best to describe.

My general statements are that our guys on defense seemed to bunch up a lot and struggle to avoid or get off blocks at times (which is key). General situational awareness with each other was severely lacking.
The offense comments are below, but want to point out I was satisfied with our QB play overall despite some CT critique.

Individual 3rd Quarter plays:
Defense-
1. 3rd and 5, I think we had some safeties in no man land and Newsome runs into Gifford who already seemed late jetting over to the RB releasing in the flat. Gifford proceeds to give up leaky yards in the open field for a first down. We had 4 defenders bunched near only 1-2 NW players while giving the RB an entire open side of the field.
2. Nelson and Gifford get sucked inside on bootleg with another open RB release to the flat and no help out there. Lucky he dropped the easy pass.
3. Three of our guys (Farmer/Reimer/Heinrich) getting sucked towards one TE on a shallow cross route, leaving a free RB/WR behind them on deeper crossing route... meanwhile on same side of field Farmer was passing off a WR to a safety who left to double team a different WR crossing the other way I believe, This left 2 targets wide open behind Farmer on the side the QB rolled to. Reimer with eyes on the shallow TE failed to drop to cover the cross route target behind him, and failed to (almost) tip a pass he could have got to prevent the bobbling completion. Blame secondary or LBs, but it was a mess of coverage and awareness.
4. Heinrich considers lifting arm(s) on unobstructed path to QB outside the pocket to tip pass but decides not to, cus why try to tip passes when you could give up completions instead?
5. Nelson is left unblocked, flat footed staring at a zone read type handoff (with Newsome covering behind for any RB release to the flat), and instead of sprinting to the handoff point to blow up the handoff or fake (sack), he waits for a pulling lineman to come seal him off from the side, opening the big hole for the RB. A second pulling linemen came around with Newsome doing little to avoid him, getting himself taken out from making a play with no LB in sight to fill that gaping hole. Meanwhile, our 3 DL guys are literally all piled on top of each other surrounded by NW blockers, sealing the other side of the open hole.

Offense:
1. Our first offensive series shows Bando and Benhart getting EASILY pushed on their ass, on the right side and a giant fat guy running free around us on the left side.
2. Casey drops back and seems to be staring into the wide open space where Alante Brown will be crossing into if Casey is familiar with the route that seemed obvious, and right where he was looking. Plenty of time to deliver the strike. There’s likely another WR deep slant open up top for a well thrown ball, but Brown was the very easy, routine throw. Instead, Casey tried to spin around and slipped for a sack.
——
Bottom line is these aren’t all the popular plays being discussed (onside kick, INTs, etc.) but in less than one quarter, after halftime adjustments, I found 7 plays where I genuinely question what our players are being taught, particularly defense.

In your 1st paragraph #5 is what I talked about earlier with the 3 DL all bunched within a few yards of each other. The middle OL could have touched any of the three it looked like. Brutal to watch.

 

[OzzyLvr]

I didn’t rewatch the entire game, but did want to dive into the second half (out of curiosity to learn why we got kicked in the nards despite the chance to make halftime adjustments).
I didn’t make it to the end of the 3rd Quarter without noticing several concerns, and my focus was on coaching in most these examples.

Start with disclaimer: I’m a typical schmuck and don’t know what their concepts look like, but feel there’s enough common sense here. Also wish I could include pics to illustrate, but I’ll do my best to describe.

My general statements are that our guys on defense seemed to bunch up a lot and struggle to avoid or get off blocks at times (which is key). General situational awareness with each other was severely lacking.
The offense comments are below, but want to point out I was satisfied with our QB play overall despite some CT critique.

Individual 3rd Quarter plays:

Offense:
1. Our first offensive series shows Bando and Benhart getting EASILY pushed on their ass, on the right side and a giant fat guy running free around us on the left side.
2. Casey drops back and seems to be staring into the wide open space where Alante Brown will be crossing into if Casey is familiar with the route that seemed obvious, and right where he was looking. Plenty of time to deliver the strike. There’s likely another WR deep slant open up top for a well thrown ball, but Brown was the very easy, routine throw. Instead, Casey tried to spin around and slipped for a sack.
——
Bottom line is these aren’t all the popular plays being discussed (onside kick, INTs, etc.) but in less than one quarter, after halftime adjustments, I found 7 plays where I genuinely question what our players are being taught, particularly defense.

1. First offensive series - there is a stunt by the defense after both Bando & Benhart absorb contact. Looks like Benhart is passing his man (#99, their best DE) off to Bando but Bando keeps driving his man into Benhart and ends up knocking both him & Benhart down along with the DL. There is no giant fat guy running free around us on the left side. There’s a stunt on that side as well. Teddy is engaged with his man the whole time. Corcoran & Hixon both push the tackle outside that is looping. The pass is away with nobody within 3 yards of CT.
2. I doubt that CT is taught to bail that quickly when AB was open in front & it appeared that TP was open behind coming from the other side. Sometimes the QB makes the incorrect read. Whatever the case, CT bailed too quickly. I’d be very surprised if Whip didn’t discuss that one with him.
3. Nice surge by the OL (Bando & Benhart) & Vokelek on both plays after the DPI penalty that resulted in a TD. I know you didn’t list a #3 maybe due to time but if you’re going to point out some negatives, at least acknowledge some positives.
4. Great job by the OL, & a nice call by Whip, on the 46 yd TD run by Grant. Every OL drove their blocks - Bando did a great job on his trap block. TP was clearly interfered with on the play before.
5. Horrible execution by Franke on the onside kick. Absolutely horrible execution.

 

[Baxter48]

We did blitz, I don't know how many times and it was picked up at the LOS every time. When Nebraska blitzes, bad things happen to us, you just took one more person out of the coverage that already struggles to get to his spot and stay with someone. IF, and that is a big IF and always has been with Chins D, the blitz is successful, then good, but by the numbers overall, it is a losers game with this D. JMHO

The problem I see is chin must love the secondary playing zone

 

[HominidHusker]

1. First offensive series - there is a stunt by the defense after both Bando & Benhart absorb contact. Looks like Benhart is passing his man (#99, their best DE) off to Bando but Bando keeps driving his man into Benhart and ends up knocking both him & Benhart down along with the DL. There is no giant fat guy running free around us on the left side. There’s a stunt on that side as well. Teddy is engaged with his man the whole time. Corcoran & Hixon both push the tackle outside that is looping. The pass is away with nobody within 3 yards of CT.
2. I doubt that CT is taught to bail that quickly when AB was open in front & it appeared that TP was open behind coming from the other side. Sometimes the QB makes the incorrect read. Whatever the case, CT bailed too quickly. I’d be very surprised if Whip didn’t discuss that one with him.
3. Nice surge by the OL (Bando & Benhart) & Vokelek on both plays after the DPI penalty that resulted in a TD. I know you didn’t list a #3 maybe due to time but if you’re going to point out some negatives, at least acknowledge some positives.
4. Great job by the OL, & a nice call by Whip, on the 46 yd TD run by Grant. Every OL drove their blocks - Bando did a great job on his trap block. TP was clearly interfered with on the play before.
5. Horrible execution by Franke on the onside kick. Absolutely horrible execution.

1. While I agree the pass was gone, making it a non-issue, the DL definitely got behind Hixson and Corcoran while Bando and Benhart needed to keep their feet. Any still image of two OL on the ground with one DL still standing on that side means it was not successful. Benhart needed to move his feet instead of falling on his butt so easily.
3.-4. The point of the already long post was for critique, not kudos, but I agree there were some highlight surges on those plays. Most everyone agrees that run blocking overall was a problem. However, I actually agree with Whipple that I was encouraged by offense- save pending concerns with our run blocking scheme/ability against NW.
5. I’d add any concerns over Franke’s execution to the theme of coaching concerns… being that we also kicked an onside kick backwards during Frost’s tenure. And it’d be a non-issue if coaching was smart enough to dismiss the play idea.