Offense Under Bo Pelini
Husker fans have been understandably critical of Bo Pelini's defense after the game against UCLA. As he put it, it was a team loss. The offense managed just six points in the second half with two turnovers and a safety. NU held the ball for less than 10 minutes of the entire second half and managed just 127 yards. While some will quibble about what this outing means for the defense for the rest of the year, it's the offense that's been a more persistent problem in the Pelini era. What does a bad half on the road tell us about this unit it 2012?
There's certainly an argument that it is harder to generate consistent offense than consistent defense. If a defense gives up 28 points, that might mean they got 10 stops in a game out of 14 drives. It also may not require as much to get it right on defense. It's not an uncommon sight in college football to see a quarterback overthrow a wide open receiver or for a receiver to drop an easy pass. Or to see a team dig a hole with a false start penalty or illegal formation. A single pass rusher can often end a play early with a sack, hurried throw, or by drawing a holding penalty even if other members of his team might have made mistakes.
That said, you can't really say that any Pelini offense for any full year after 2008 has been anything to be pleased about. If the Husker offense managed to top just 17 points in each defeat (all else equal), they'd have erased three losses from 2009, and the fourth would have only required 25 and eliminating one costly fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Likewise in 2010, 21 points a game in the losses would have erased three of four defeats and 24 would have taken care of the fourth. 2011 was a different story. While the offense certainly played a role in each loss, 31 points a game would have only erased two of the defeats. Likewise, it might have taken 37 total points (or more) to outscore UCLA last Saturday. With the exception of the South Carolina game, the common thread in the losses from 2011 and last week is a substantial disadvantage in time of possession. Perhaps that's an indictment of the hurry-up approach to offense. When it doesn't work, it can really put your defense in a bad spot. Against Michigan in 2011 for example, Nebraska had just 11 first downs and held the ball for just over 18 minutes.
You'd have to be blind not to think the defense doesn't need improvement from what we saw Saturday. But the offense will have to be more consistent as well for Nebraska to win games.
9/13/2012
Bring back Bill Callahan to coach the offense!
I can’t believe I just said that.
Valencia, CA
9/13/2012
Timing is everything in college football. Some years, the D is far more talented. Some years, the O is far more capable. Obviously, the great Husker teams of the past were strong on both sides of the ball and when you mix in a Hall-of Famer at QB (Tommie Frazier), dominance ensues. In 2009 and 2010, we would have been in a BCS bowl vying for a national championship if our offense showed just a pulse.
This year is the flip side to that argument. However, it is much more difficult to win games when the D struggles.
http://www.B1GRedFootball.com
@B1GRedFootball
9/13/2012
I have the impression that recruiting has been a pendulum for NU, we need D, so we recruit D, then we need O, so we recruit O, then we need D… long-term, recruiting should be aiming for the best on both sides of the ball, with occasional special teams positions mixed in. Since you’re allowed 25/year (not to exceed 85 total) ideally there should be 11-12 O and 11-12 D and maybe up to 1-4 ST every class, and ideally the first team will always be Seniors. Reality doesn’t work that way, unfortunately.
9/13/2012
If we lose this week, the Husker Nation will come unglued and Pelini will surely have a meltdown. He showed a little of his old nasty self in the Monday press conference to a legit question players had mentioned regarding “want to”.
I do not think we need to change Pelini but he needs to coach smarter, see the forest and not just the trees when the heat is on. He seems to get too set in his plan instead of making small adjustments. Going to a 3-4 is too much. It reminds me of the Missery game when there was a hybrid shadow on Daniels.
Coaching is HARD if you cannot adjust on the fly AND remain calm. Like any great manager, a clear plan, simplicity and flexibility wins the games. The best coaches are usually the smartest guys in the room because all games are like chess. Pelini needs to learn the calm Osborne exuded which comes with experience but time is not on his side.
Osborne used two eared head phones maybe to calm the din and just focus with the other key coaches as to the strategy during the heat of battle.
I am also amazed that more technology in the form of video and note pads are not used to review and diagram plays immediately after plays. Seeing it can help make corrections so much better than words alone. A player makes a mistake, pull him, show him, correct it and put him back in. The incredible amount of wasted time during TV timeouts should be used instead of players standing around trying to loosen up and coaches pacing the sidelines.
Simplicity in plan and execution leads to less thinking and faster play.
9/13/2012
Ballfield and Howard- both great thoughts.
I think Nebraska has the skill level to be in a BCS bowl game, I honestly think its the lack of coaching. The play calling on both sides of the ball when the pressure it high is tough to watch.
Grand Island,NE
9/14/2012
I think that if we didnt have the coaches we have we would be hoping to make a bowl game they do wonders with the talent
pool of 3 stars and a few 4’s….they need to make better decisions yes but nobody could do what they have with that many
walkons and 3 star players
San Diego, Ca.
9/15/2012
Well, 08’s offense could still serve up “pic 6s” on those slants and quick outs that very quickly put the staff and team in an untenable position. Oh, and the run game was not an option on 3rd and two.
Looking back offensively, obviously it would’ve been better to go through the pain of a new, more college friendly system in ‘08, so that things would be stronger and more consistent, now.
But, looking back, it wasn’t the pragmatic thing to do, since the D had no confidence and couldn’t stop even average teams.
As average as that offensive system was, it was the only stable base Pelini could count on and allow hin to focus on his D.