I guess I'm not technically savvy enough to understand all the nuances of play calling, but I do get a nagging feeling when something is "wrong". Early this season I didn't feel good about the backs rotating so much, the receiver downfield blocking and the FG and KO return defense teams. But so far this year I HAVE NOT been chewing the paint off the walls wondering why Satterfield called the plays the way he did. I think he is doing a good job unlike almost all the Scott Frost games and some of Satt's games last year (e.g. Minnesota). Luckily at least we have settled on two backs and the receivers blocked well Saturday. Jury still out on special teams. I could quickly change my mind about Satterfield if NU starts losing and the offense starts getting shut down.
I did some small HS coaching and called plays at the JV level. It is the most difficult thing I have ever tried. I also have friends and coaches who have called plays at the small college level and talked with other coaches. Still, I only know enough to be dangerous and each OC/HC will have a different take on it. All this is general and not necessarily specific to Nebraska because I do not know.
During the prep week you watch film and see where teams line up, how they line up and find a weak area. They will all have some tendencies even if it is so slight as to go to zone on 3rd and 8 or whatever. So you build a list of plays that you believe should work given their personnel and alignment. You practice them and you may also change up some blocking schemes of the same plays you have been running all year. At the varsity level we changed blocking schemes at halftime, same play but it was blocked differently and therefore looked differently. I would get a kick out of fans who would say, why were you not running that play before, we were.
During the game, the OC will generally call two plays, a pass and a run anticipating what the D might look like. Then the QB comes to the line and generally reads the safeties. Two deep generally calls for a run, single high, generally a pass. The QB can go between the plays or even switch completely out of whatever the OC sent in if they see something totally different.
What then happens is the D catches on that the play was changed or anticipates it and jumps into something different at the last second and blows things up at times. During all of this the OL is calling out blitz pickups and blocking schemes, usually the center. The WR's are communicating with the QB as well based on positioning of the DB and other variables. The WR has to be able to read the D and alter routes which is what killed us last year with the young guys.
If anyone in the mix misses a call or assignment, things can go south in a hurry. The average person would be totally amazed at the amount of information that is passed between all these people in a just a few seconds. With the radios in helmets the play gets directly to the QB and he can get to the line and start changing or stay much sooner.
All this is why, even as a coach, I didn't get all bent out of shape when a QB changed the play, he did as he was told based on what he saw at the time. Not every play works, that is just reality and I don't understand those that question EVERY call that doesn't seem to work.
As for counters, I don't know a single offense that doesn't use them. I know coaches who run the veer (blast from the past) and they even leave tackles completely unblocked at times. Watch when the O line pulls to one side but the play goes to the area they just vacated. LBs are sometimes taught to follow the pulling guard who will lead them to the hole. There is misdirection all of the time! Nothing new under the sun. Getting into the right play and executing seems to make play callers much smarter.
