ADVERTISEMENT

"If it ain't broke don't fix it"

Pennsyhusker

Athletic Director
Aug 6, 2009
14,369
21,571
113
Harveys Lake, PA
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach
 
I thought Nebraska's roots was option football with zero passing game?
We were more than option football and we did have a solid play action passing game. Just ask Tennessee from the 97 Orange bowl if Nebraska had zero passing game...

Plus, returning to your roots doesn't mean you necessarily run the exact same scheme, but a modern version of it
 
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach

When he described the ideal offense, it was almost identical to UCF's current offense ( even mentioned option ball). Like i said, Moos doesn't come across as dumb, id bet a decent amount Frost is N. If not, well it's down to fuente, cambell, mullen, leach, possibly sumlin.
 
When he described the ideal offense, it was almost identical to UCF's current offense ( even mentioned option ball). Like i said, Moos doesn't come across as dumb, id bet a decent amount Frost is N. If not, well it's down to fuente, cambell, mullen, leach, possibly sumlin.
My kid QBed his 5th grade flag football team and they killed it with the option coached by none other than one of the Welter boys. When he ran an option pass they were always open. I don't think they had an incompletion the whole year.Laughing Undefeated 5th grade flag football champs.:D
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pennsyhusker
When he described the ideal offense, it was almost identical to UCF's current offense ( even mentioned option ball). Like i said, Moos doesn't come across as dumb, id bet a decent amount Frost is N. If not, well it's down to fuente, cambell, mullen, leach, possibly sumlin.
Leach?? How does his offense fit what Moos said he likes?
 
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach
Yep
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pennsyhusker
Leach?? How does his offense fit what Moos said he likes?
When Moos was asked what style of football he prefers he said "winning football". Which means he is open to a variety of approaches so long as they are successful. But then he went on to be more specific.

He was at Washington State. A bottom feeder program in the shadow of Washington. His coaching choice options were limited. So he searched out a coach who was a winner but who was unemployed. Smart move. Leach was the best hire available to him so he went with it.
 
We NEVER ran triple option football.
Well technically we did. Option 1. Fullback 2. QB keep 3. Pitch to the IB. Also could add 4. reverse to a WB or WR. Tom loved the WB counter out of the option look. 5. option pass so TECHNICALLY we ran the Quintuple option at times. You're getting hung up with the concept of the wishbone being called the triple option which isn't really accurate either.
 
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach

Hard to argue with that logic, nasty aggressive lines. I also liked it when he said that the blackshirts need to get back to being “well, the blackshirts”.
 
Well technically we did. Option 1. Fullback 2. QB keep 3. Pitch to the IB. Also could add 4. reverse to a WB or WR. Tom loved the WB counter out of the option look. 5. option pass so TECHNICALLY we ran the Quintuple option at times. You're getting hung up with the concept of the wishbone being called the triple option which isn't really accurate either.

The FB give was decided upon before the snap. So was the WB counter. QBs never made those decisions while the play was happening. Not a true triple option. And that's why it worked coming out of the I formation.
 
  • Like
Reactions: PeliniTheCrutch
We were more than option football and we did have a solid play action passing game. Just ask Tennessee from the 97 Orange bowl if Nebraska had zero passing game...

Plus, returning to your roots doesn't mean you necessarily run the exact same scheme, but a modern version of it
Our roots are physical dominate line and players. We have been weak as hell for years. Need toughness and discipline back in this program.
 
The FB give was decided upon before the snap. So was the WB counter. QBs never made those decisions while the play was happening. Not a true triple option. And that's why it worked coming out of the I formation.
Well back in my day, the fullback was one of the options of the QB depending on his read during the play. IF we ran a called fullback run we called it as a straight dive or trap play. I realize the wingback counter was a play call in the huddle BUT to the defense those are all viable OPTIONS. That's why I used the term "technically".
 
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach
There's a big difference between option football and what Moos said "dual threat QB" in a balanced offense. As I've learned from Moos in a short amount of time, he chooses his words carefully. Translation, it isn't Washington State, or Georgia Tech's offensive scheme, that he has in mind.
 
Then you should probably get to Wikipedia pronto.
Tom Osborne's roots were WCO with I formation fullback and RB runs. I'm not exactly sure when he added the option but Ferragamo and Humm virtually refused to run it. Tagge was a beast and could just truck a linebacker. Slow but effective.....:eek:
 
The triple option in 1983 was awesome to try in pick up football.

Another butthurt UCF fan. Why don't you guys commiserate about losing your coach and who will replace him on the UCF board? We don't have time for your tears here.
 
Tom Osborne's roots were WCO with I formation fullback and RB runs. I'm not exactly sure when he added the option but Ferragamo and Humm virtually refused to run it. Tagge was a beast and could just truck a linebacker. Slow but effective.....:eek:

The WCO wasn't yet defined when TO took over. We were running a standard power I pro offense at the time, with packages to emphasize a play-making flanker. TO changed his offense when he got tired of getting trucked by OU in what, '79? Can't remember if 79 or 80 was the first year we implemented the dual-threat QB and option game.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sinomatic
To me that was the most important line from the presser. He was clearly saying Nebraska lost its way when it went away from the formula that worked. Solid defense and an offense centered on a dual threat QB, which he said is impossible to stop.
Translation: I think Nebraska should return to its roots

He also spoke of our fractured and fragile fan base and an increase in apathy. He wants to hire a coach that will unite the fans and ignite excitement.
Translation: I am not going to hire a head scratcher. I am going to hire someone this fan base will really rally around.

He said he liked the sandwiches in Philly in response to the question about meeting Frost there.

Add it up. Scott Frost is our next coach

Yes, Nebraska did lose their way. They had two head coaches over a few decades that built the program to amazing heights.

Solich was an Osborne protege but was fired after just 58-19 record. That's where it first went wrong because Husker people thought they could do better. Callahan came in and set program back. Just never has fully recovered. Solich never should have been fired when he was.

Solich, Callahan, Pelini, Riley, and now a 5th coach in just the past 20 years. Nothing about that is stability.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pennsyhusker
W
The WCO wasn't yet defined when TO took over. We were running a standard power I pro offense at the time, with packages to emphasize a play-making flanker. TO changed his offense when he got tired of getting trucked by OU in what, '79? Can't remember if 79 or 80 was the first year we implemented the dual-threat QB and option game.
WCO the term supposedly came to be when Parcells beat the Niners in the playoffs in 85 and he described their offense as a WCO. The pro-style option system was used by some pro teams for decades before that and it often, as we saw with the Niners and Walsh later on, used a fullback and I formation. The WCO offense was in it's infancy in pro football when Osborne was with the Niners and Redskins but he was a WR in an offense that gave the QB the option of multiple receivers in routes to throw it to. So while technically what Osborne was using wasn't called a WCO at the time, what he played in and carried over to the Huskers was a WCO system. The WCO is a non-specific term but it basically describes a passing based option system of offense which has been around since before Don Coryell and way before Bill Walsh though he gets credit for perfecting his version of it. I'm really old and can remember way too much about watching pro football in black and white....
 
W

WCO the term supposedly came to be when Parcells beat the Niners in the playoffs in 85 and he described their offense as a WCO. The pro-style option system was used by some pro teams for decades before that and it often, as we saw with the Niners and Walsh later on, used a fullback and I formation. The WCO offense was in it's infancy in pro football when Osborne was with the Niners and Redskins but he was a WR in an offense that gave the QB the option of multiple receivers in routes to throw it to. So while technically what Osborne was using wasn't called a WCO at the time, what he played in and carried over to the Huskers was a WCO system. The WCO is a non-specific term but it basically describes a passing based option system of offense which has been around since before Don Coryell and way before Bill Walsh though he gets credit for perfecting his version of it. I'm really old and can remember way too much about watching pro football in black and white....

What is a "pro style option system?" If you are saying that the QB pitched to the RB in the WCO, I've never heard of or seen that before.
 
Yes, Nebraska did lose their way. They had two head coaches over a few decades that built the program to amazing heights.

Solich was an Osborne protege but was fired after just 58-19 record. That's where it first went wrong because Husker people thought they could do better. Callahan came in and set program back. Just never has fully recovered. Solich never should have been fired when he was.

Solich, Callahan, Pelini, Riley, and now a 5th coach in just the past 20 years. Nothing about that is stability.

I know, isn't it funny that during our most unstable period as a football program, our record is better than Iowa during your best years?
 
What is a "pro style option system?" If you are saying that the QB pitched to the RB in the WCO, I've never heard of or seen that before.
The "option" in this case refers to the options to throw to multiple receivers the QB has. In addition depending on the defender the receiver may have an "option" in his route. I don't know if you've watched much old film from the early 60s (black and white) but, when you do you rarely see more than one or two receivers in a pattern. Option football over the years became to mean run based option, but in reality the WCO and all pro offenses are option passing offenses. Ironically virtually all of their run plays are straight up non-option run plays.
 
The "option" in this case refers to the options to throw to multiple receivers the QB has. In addition depending on the defender the receiver may have an "option" in his route. I don't know if you've watched much old film from the early 60s (black and white) but, when you do you rarely see more than one or two receivers in a pattern. Option football over the years became to mean run based option, but in reality the WCO and all pro offenses are option passing offenses. Ironically virtually all of their run plays are straight up non-option run plays.

Multiple receivers were available in vertical passing offenses prior to the WCO, but their routes weren't to be altered. In the WCO receivers can change their routes based on defensive alignments. The WCO original tenets were that short passes and RAC were used to complement the running game.
 
Multiple receivers were available in vertical passing offenses prior to the WCO, but their routes weren't to be altered. In the WCO receivers can change their routes based on defensive alignments. The WCO original tenets were that short passes and RAC were used to complement the running game.
Sure the WCO term wasn't used until the mid 80s but the root concepts were developed during the 60s. Osborne played in the NFL in 61. The term WCO is really a non-specific passing offense where the QB has multiple options. Air Coryell was considered by many to be a WCO and he often had multiple layers of routes with the "QB option" on who to throw it to. If he had a double on a WR on a fly, he could throw it underneath etc. Back in the dark ages you might only have one guy in a pattern.
 
Sure the WCO term wasn't used until the mid 80s but the root concepts were developed during the 60s. Osborne played in the NFL in 61. The term WCO is really a non-specific passing offense where the QB has multiple options. Air Coryell was considered by many to be a WCO and he often had multiple layers of routes with the "QB option" on who to throw it to. If he had a double on a WR on a fly, he could throw it underneath etc. Back in the dark ages you might only have one guy in a pattern.

Those were definitely the Dark Ages, when the NFL was a mostly run-oriented league.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Can o' corn
This is correct. We've never been a true triple option team. OU was a true triple option team.
You are making the assumption that the only way to run true triple option is the wishbone then and that isn't the only way to have done it. As a kid we ran it out of the wishbone, 2-back pro sets, and the I formation with a fullback. Some college teams did the same. People who say "triple option" to reference Osborne's offense are remembering something different than what your view of what the triple option is.. I have never called Osborne's offense a triple option offense either, but I understand why they do that. Again, that's why I used the word "technically" to say it was triple option offense. (Edit: should say could be considered a triple option offense)
 
Tom Osborne's roots were WCO with I formation fullback and RB runs. I'm not exactly sure when he added the option but Ferragamo and Humm virtually refused to run it. Tagge was a beast and could just truck a linebacker. Slow but effective.....:eek:

Having just watched the game of the century again, Tagge ran the option a number of times.
 
Having just watched the game of the century again, Tagge ran the option a number of times.
yes he did. Tom started running that pretty early in his career. Tagge could do it because he could run over linebackers. Bob loved him some pro-style QBs. I'm not sure who Tom's first dual threat QB was.
 
I played against Quinn. Super quick feet and decent straight ahead speed. Tough to corral. He wasn't much of a passer in high school. We beat Ord pretty handily.
I was hopeful but Remember my friend telling me over and over we’d never win a national championship with a QB from ord. But we did win one with a QB from wood river.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hoosker Du
I think quinn was the first one recruited specifically for that role.
Humm, Ferragamo and Van Brownson followed Tagge and it was almost comical to watch them run option. They knew before the ball was snapped that they were going to pitch it.Winking
 
  • Like
Reactions: Hoosker Du
The FB give was decided upon before the snap. So was the WB counter. QBs never made those decisions while the play was happening. Not a true triple option. And that's why it worked coming out of the I formation.
Not true.
Sometimes it wasdecided, but many times it was a legit option.
Osborne had as many as 9-10 different option plays out of the I or offset I alone. At least three of those were legit FB options although he might say "give it" if he saw something. Also, many FB designed runs had option fakes, which is what you're saying. Didn't use all option plays every game or even every year and didn't run option as often as people remember. But it worked so damn well.

However, I agree in the main point that many fans completely misunderstand the offense Osborne ran.
 
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest posts

ADVERTISEMENT