SSO practice observations

[dinglefritz]

If we were truly accepting of irrelevance the fans wouldn't care and wouldn't show up in my opinion.

I have always thought this was a two edged sword - NU fans show up no matter the product on the field - however this comes with pressure. l

I agree with most of your post but there were a lot of empty seats in my section during the last 2 years of Pelini. Many of my contemporaries were fed up with Pelini's behavior (little to do with his record) and refused to attend. It may have looked full on TV but I had more room than I've ever had at the few conference games I attended. So, most fans show up BUT there's a point where the enthusiasm for the program and attending games hits a tipping point and I along with lots of my fellow Husker fans had hit the tipping point with Bo. I think Riley will have support from the vast majority of fans as long as he keeps NU respectable if not nationally in the top 10. He's an easy guy to be patient with and root for.

 

[inWV]

Heck, I think these coaches could get this team to 10 wins. However, I am under the assumption that that would be one great coaching job and Riley would probably be one of the top candidates for B1G coach of the year and not the below assumption that you stated earlier in this thread. Nebraska is only returning 26% of last year's offensive production (3rd lowest in FBS) and the top 3 tacklers are gone as well.

Newby and TA graduated. Tommy was 55% of the offensive production in terms of rushing and passing. Stan and DPE will need to step up

 

[steelclaw]

I agree with most of your post but there a lot of empty seats in my section during the last 2 years of Pelini. Many of my contemporaries were fed up with Pelini's behavior (little to do with his record) and refused to attend. It may have looked full on TV but I had more room than I've ever had at the few conference games I attended. So, most fans show up BUT there's a point where the enthusiasm for the program and attending games hits a tipping point and I along with lots of my fellow Husker fans had hit the tipping point with Bo. I think Riley will have support from the vast majority of fans as long as he keeps NU respectable if not nationally in the top 10. He's an easy guy to be patient with and root for.

Most of my friends didn't care about Bo's personality. They were tired of getting our butts whipped nearly every time we played a good team.

 

[timnsun]

Most of my friends didn't care about Bo's personality. They were tired of getting our butts whipped nearly every time we played a good team.

No doubt... but his personality made it that much easier to give him the ax.

 

[coachDubs]

Interesting write-up, thanks for the link.

 

[Huskercigar]

YES TA did throw the ball away on his own on a called third down run, which would have let us run out the clock. Not sure how that could be any more clear at this point. But go on and choose to be fixated on the issues that existed in year one and not the fact that they were better in year two. We were able to run out the clock and win games at the end last year (Indiana, etc) and get big D stands at the end (Oregon) last year, but you chose to whine about issues from two years ago.

There is a reason it isn't clear. It wasn't a called third down run. It was a designed pass play that they told him not to pass on. And yet......the receiver was turned looking at him for the pass and all the lineman were pass blocking. EVERYTHING was called and carried out like a pass play. Wouldn't you think they could have just called a QB scramble to the right side? That is what the poster was referring to as junior high coaching

 

[timnsun]

There is a reason it isn't clear. It wasn't a called third down run. It was a designed pass play that they told him not to pass on. And yet......the receiver was turned looking at him for the pass and all the lineman were pass blocking. EVERYTHING was called and carried out like a pass play. Wouldn't you think they could have just called a QB scramble to the right side? That is what the poster was referring to as junior high coaching

Yes, it's junior high coaching, which is why it is so baffling that a college junior couldn't execute a junior high coached play properly. Shouldn't a three year starter know to run the ball and kill the clock? Considering that's what he was told to do, even if it was a pass play that was never supposed to be a pass, to confuse the defense? It was never called to confuse the QB...

 

[headcard]

There is a reason it isn't clear. It wasn't a called third down run. It was a designed pass play that they told him not to pass on. And yet......the receiver was turned looking at him for the pass and all the lineman were pass blocking. EVERYTHING was called and carried out like a pass play. Wouldn't you think they could have just called a QB scramble to the right side? That is what the poster was referring to as junior high coaching

They called a play, the player on his own decided not to execute it. He later said he was trying to stay in FG range. I guess you are right, they should have known their starting QB could/would go rouge. Would it be JH coaching if TA had ran the play as called and we win? Like we did almost every close game last year. My guess is you would be talking about Hail Mary defense or some other perceived negative.

 

[dinglefritz]

Newby and TA graduated. Tommy was 55% of the offensive production in terms of rushing and passing. Stan and DPE will need to step up

IF an offense is a "balanced" attack, the QB is always going to be at least rougly 50% of your offensive production so any time you change QBs you lose half of your production.

 

[F6n6]

Nebraska and Wisconsin both wear uniforms that look Dark Pink.
but Nebraska is 1-5 against Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten Conference.

any chance Nebraska beats Wisconsin this year on October 7?

 

[coachDubs]

Nebraska and Wisconsin both wear uniforms that look Dark Pink.
but Nebraska is 1-5 against Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten Conference.

any chance Nebraska beats Wisconsin this year on October 7?

No, we already called Alvarez to forfeit.

 

[headcard]

Nebraska and Wisconsin both wear uniforms that look Dark Pink.
but Nebraska is 1-5 against Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten Conference.

any chance Nebraska beats Wisconsin this year on October 7?

Strangest first post ever. I anticipate a down to the wire game, just like the last two, hopefully with the good guys pulling it out this time.

 

[Huskercigar]

They called a play, the player on his own decided not to execute it. He later said he was trying to stay in FG range. I guess you are right, they should have known their starting QB could/would go rouge. Would it be JH coaching if TA had ran the play as called and we win? Like we did almost every close game last year. My guess is you would be talking about Hail Mary defense or some other perceived negative.

I guess after having spent an entire spring and fall with that player and knowing what he was capable of they would have said.....hey we are the coaches......if we want him to run than call a run plan. But no.....they drew something up in the sand and said lets tell everyone its a pass play but then just tell the QB not to pass. Would it sound just as stupid to you if they had called a running play but then said......we don't want you to hand off the ball though. Instead.....throw it to the running back. It was a coaching blunder before it ever because a player blunder.

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I guess after having spent an entire spring and fall with that player and knowing what he was capable of they would have said.....hey we are the coaches......if we want him to run than call a run plan. But no.....they drew something up in the sand and said lets tell everyone its a pass play but then just tell the QB not to pass. Would it sound just as stupid to you if they had called a running play but then said......we don't want you to hand off the ball though. Instead.....throw it to the running back. It was a coaching blunder before it ever because a player blunder.

So based on this post, they should have known Armstrong didn't have the proper football IQ to know it was 3rd down with less than 115 seconds on the clock and that they had no intentions on attempting a field goal.

If that's what they were thinking they should have said, TA we are calling a pass play but I don't want you to throw it, just run it because we want to keep the clock running. They have no time outs left to stop the clock.

Oh wait that's what they did.

I once told my kid that the fire would burn her finger, to my surprise she tried to touch a flame even after I told her. Weird huh.

Could they have called another play? Sure. But a 3rd year starter should have been able to execute a simple play call. My youth teams are capable of running what I call.

 

[timnsun]

So based on this post, they should have known Armstrong didn't have the proper football IQ to know it was 3rd down with less than 115 seconds on the clock and that they had no intentions on attempting a field goal.

If that's what they were thinking they should have said, TA we are calling a pass play but I don't want you to throw it, just run it because we want to keep the clock running. They have no time outs left to stop the clock.

Oh wait that's what they did.

I once told my kid that the fire would burn her finger, to my surprise she tried to touch a flame even after I told her. Weird huh.

Could they have called another play? Sure. But a 3rd year starter should have been able to execute a simple play call. My youth teams are capable of running what I call.

You're a sucky dad for letting your daughter reach for the flame. It's all your fault.

 

[coachDubs]

I guess after having spent an entire spring and fall with that player and knowing what he was capable of they would have said.....hey we are the coaches......if we want him to run than call a run plan. But no.....they drew something up in the sand and said lets tell everyone its a pass play but then just tell the QB not to pass. Would it sound just as stupid to you if they had called a running play but then said......we don't want you to hand off the ball though. Instead.....throw it to the running back. It was a coaching blunder before it ever because a player blunder.

 

[huskerfan1414]

I guess i dont know why you dont just hand it off? I mean its the obvious play and we win the game even with a -1 yard loss.
Sorry but this ones on the staff.

 

[Huskercigar]

I guess i dont know why you dont just hand it off? I mean its the obvious play and we win the game even with a -1 yard loss.
Sorry but this ones on the staff.

Well obviously its not allowed to be on the staff.......we have to put the players under the bus instead. Funny thing is if they had called a running play the lineman would have actually run blocked and we might have got a first down running the ball. Instead of running while the players were pass blocking. In this case the lead blocker was turning towards TA waiting for a pass to be thrown to him.

 

[coachDubs]

@kaz36 left the HPH door open.

 

[huskerfan1414]

I guess in the same situation again would they call the same thing? Probably not...I have no idea why people would assume Riley and Langs cant be reflective.
This doesnt seem like it should even be an argument. Im not saying "fire riley!" but it was a poor play call in a situation that has an easy play call.

 

[JohnRossEwing]

I guess in the same situation again would they call the same thing? Probably not...I have no idea why people would assume Riley and Langs cant be reflective.
This doesnt seem like it should even be an argument. Im not saying "fire riley!" but it was a poor play call in a situation that has an easy play call.

I agree...this is like a basketball coach that told his players "don't foul" or a baseball manage that said "don't give that guy anything good to hit"

Well...shit happens. If you leave ANYTHING to chance, it can happen.

 

[jlb321]

Everyone can look to that call late in the 4th quarter - was it a run - was it a pass -blah blah blah

What really cost us that game was that inside run call on 2nd and 8 with 10:32 left in the 2nd quarter. Completely turned the game around - all downhill after that. Horrible play call.

 

[H8FULLGR8]

Nebraska and Wisconsin both wear uniforms that look Dark Pink.
but Nebraska is 1-5 against Wisconsin since joining the Big Ten Conference.

any chance Nebraska beats Wisconsin this year on October 7?

Iowa sucks, go home.

 

[dinglefritz]

I guess in the same situation again would they call the same thing? Probably not...I have no idea why people would assume Riley and Langs cant be reflective.
This doesnt seem like it should even be an argument. Im not saying "fire riley!" but it was a poor play call in a situation that has an easy play call.

There was some deception involved with calling a run/pass option play at that point which might have resulted in a nice gain IF it had worked. Unfortunately TA made a bad decision. Nobody should be surprised by that. IF TA tucks the ball for 10 yards or even completes a pass for a first down most are singing DL's and TA's praises.

 

[timnsun]

I will freely admit that if the coaches would have simply called a run play, game over, and we aren't having this conversation today.

I will also contend that had TA run the play as designed, game over as well. Can it be possible that both made mistakes?

 

[Tuco Salamanca]

I will freely admit that if the coaches would have simply called a run play, game over, and we aren't having this conversation today.

I will also contend that had TA run the play as designed, game over as well. Can it be possible that both made mistakes?

Nope because it's about who made the mistake first.

I have also said a different play could have been run. I believe DL out thought himself a little and tried to be too cute with the play call, but I stand by my assertion that a 3rd year starting QB should be able to understand down, distance, time mgmt and scoreboard, and understand not to throw the ball.

The second part of this equation is that DL also revamped his offense quite a bit from year 1 to year 2 to better utilize Armstrong's abilities. The play calling was much more concervative in year 2, mostly to help Armstrong and limit the number of uncomfortable positions he was put in. The win/ loss record was better but the offensive numbers were down.

With that more conservative play calling Nebraska ran 32 less plays in 2016 as compared to 2015, which resulted in 30 less plays the defense needed to defend.

Progress

 

[inWV]

Tuco is absolutely correct about the QB need to be aware of down/distance/clock. If DL is to be criticized, it is for not being aware that this might be problematic for TA.

 

[huskerfan1414]

I will freely admit that if the coaches would have simply called a run play, game over, and we aren't having this conversation today.

I will also contend that had TA run the play as designed, game over as well. Can it be possible that both made mistakes?

Absolutely.