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How we win the next three games

Cornhuskers7 said:
One big question moving forward in these last few games is the health of Raiola. If he isn't good to go, Haarberg stepping in could be harmful or helpful. He obviously isn't as talented of a passer as DR, but his ability to run would add a wrinkle to the offense that might throw off opposing defenses. They seem to have figured out how to handle things with DR at QB, and we've yet to make the necessary adjustments to exploit what they are giving us. Maybe HH gives us a chance to adjust the offense more than Satt has been willing to with DR at QB.

If DR is QB, he has to be willing to let go of the football. Without seeing all-22s, it's hard to tell if he is holding the ball because people aren't open or because he is afraid of making a mistake. People have figured out that if they blitz us, we struggle to protect and DR lacks the mobility to extend plays. This means you need to have quicker routes or exploit them sending extra people by going deep.

Defense is the most realistic answer to your question, though. We go as our defense does. When we get off the field on 3rd down, we can hang with anyone, even with our so-so offense. I don't think we are going to see an offensive explosion over the next few games, so we need to be prepared to win a 17-14 or 20-13 type of game.
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It's not like they're going to sit there like "what could their offense be with that guy in there", all they need to do is watch last years film and they'll all handle us just like they did last year
 

Captkenny said:
Actually, I do think he knows how to draw up both these things. For quit hitting plays to defeat the blitz, you run screens. He has tried that. If this coaching staff lacks something, it’s the ability to coach WR’s to perimeter block. Doesn’t seem like it should be that hard. “See that guy? Knock him down or move him from where he is to where we want him to be.” Yet, the players have been unsuccessful in carrying out their 1 on 1 assignments. Another way to shut down the blitz is to run the ball. But we struggle to run when team’s don’t blitz, so that’s not promising, though they did get the run going a little Saturday. Probably should spend more time on this aspect of the offense.

One thing I saw UCLA do that I think we should consider is a toss sweep. It’s a shortened version of what we are trying to do with some of our screens. It gets the RB away from the middle fast and allows some vision to try and find a hole without trying to pound through 300 lb linemen. Throw in a fullback while you’re at it.
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That is just not true. There are many times where a blitz can still eat up a screen. Especially when a screen is run from the outside in. Additionally most teams that blitz ask the DB to press man with a one high or two high look which often results in a pick or loss on a screen. It depends how you run it and against what kind of coverage. Against a pass rush a run is actually more effective. There are pros and cons to each but it is obvious after 2 years that Rhule/Satt have not answer to the blitz!
 



It is proably too late in the season to do this but I would take the load off of the QB and put it on the O line and running backs. Let the freshman manage the game becasue, I think, his confidence has been shattered. I would like to see a few plays executed properly and with confidence than what we now have. If that meand throwing away part of the playbook so be it. Right now we do nothing with excellence on offense. Our defensae can play well enough to win games but it seems like we have a hard time geting started.
 
Warzone said:
That is just not true. There are many times where a blitz can still eat up a screen. Especially when a screen is run from the outside in. Additionally most teams that blitz ask the DB to press man with a one high or two high look which often results in a pick or loss on a screen. It depends how you run it and against what kind of coverage. Against a pass rush a run is actually more effective. There are pros and cons to each but it is obvious after 2 years that Rhule/Satt have not answer to the blitz!
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You’re the first person I’ve ever heard claim that screen passes are not a possible answer to combat a blitz. Thats a bit of news to me and apparently to a lot of folks. :oops:

Of course a blitz can still blow up a screen. If that weren’t the case, screens would always work and we would never stop running them. Maybe a run play is statistically more effective against a blitz, maybe not. But I guess that depends on where the blitz comes from and the screen being run and how good your run blocking is.

However, I can agree that in the one season MR and MS have run this offense at Nebraska, they have not successfully coached their players to block and execute the plays called to combat the blitz.
 
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Captkenny said:
You’re the first person I’ve ever heard claim that screen passes are not a possible answer to combat a blitz. Thats a bit of news to me. :oops: Of course a blitz can still blow up a screen. If that weren’t the case, screens would always work and we would never stop running them. Maybe a run play is statistically more effective against a blitz, maybe not. But I guess that depends on where the blitz comes from and the screen being run and how good your run blocking is.

However, I can agree that in the one season MR and MS have run this offense at Nebraska, they have not successfully coached their players to block and execute the plays called to combat the blitz.
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They can be the answer to a blitz but you dont run the pass once you realize that its a blitz. You have to call a screen pass in advance. A screen pass is similar to a run where everyone has to do their part. You dont just throw one once you see a blitz. No one would be blocking. Additionally, we run almost all of our screens outside in. If there is a middle rush then the DE or OLB can still be sitting there. A screen from shotgun requires at least 2 seconds to snap the ball and pass the ball to a receiver, unlike a sweep that takes all of a half second. Thus, even if there is a blitz a screen pass is not your best option. It can allow an OLB or a nickle back to react. A screen pass is best used against soft coverage. That is where a screen pass becomes super effective. In which case its just better to sweep the ball.... you know, like Nebraska used to do when its OC was the best in the business.
 
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BlueTurfHusker said:
Enough with the doom and gloom. Giving up on this season is self-defeating. While the Huskers haven't yet proven to be world beaters this year, neither have our remaining opponents. They are all beatable. By Nebraska. What recommendations can we offer that would help our team win the next three games? Broad ideas (maintain unity of purpose) or specific advice (scheme seam routes for Fidone so he's moving forward when he catches the ball), what constructive thoughts can you offer? Go Huskers!
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We ain't winning 2 in a row, let alone 3 or 4 in a row. Trying reverse psychology here.
 
Huskerfan69 said:
World beaters?

Nebraska has shown up in one and a half games all year. I mean, the kind of Nebraska that it would take to beat anyone of the remaining teams on our schedule!

We need a Nebraska team that has very seldom shown up this year. First half of the Colorado game and then the Ohio State game, that is the only time Nebraska has shown up and that is the only team that can beat the remaining teams on our schedule.

I get being positive. I get pumping sunshine, but we need to start being realistic, too. If we can find the team against Ohio State, sure, if we get the team that has played 99% of the rest of the games, nope, won’t happen.

UCLA is two and five. They are a crappy team being coached by a first year coach. He’s never even been at an assistant level, yet he got his team to beat us!
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Sorry, the bolded is not true. For none of the teams. UCLA beat us. I think the true talent gap between us and UCLA (1-100) is greater than our talent gap with U $till Cheat.

U $till Cheat has an average defense. Our defense can at least hold them to 20-27 points. Can we score more? Guess we will find out. Wisconsin is very beatable. Iowa looks stout but they are not without flaws as well.
 
Warzone said:
They can be the answer to a blitz but you dont run the pass once you realize that its a blitz. You have to call a screen pass in advance. A screen pass is similar to a run where everyone has to do their part. You dont just throw one once you see a blitz. No one would be blocking. Additionally, we run almost all of our screens outside in. If there is a middle rush then the DE or OLB can still be sitting there. A screen from shotgun requires at least 2 seconds to snap the ball and pass the ball to a receiver, unlike a sweep that takes all of a half second. Thus, even if there is a blitz a screen pass is not your best option. It can allow an OLB or a nickle back to react. A screen pass is best used against soft coverage. That is where a screen pass becomes super effective. In which case its just better to sweep the ball.... you know, like Nebraska used to do when its OC was the best in the business.
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I’m not sure why you are seemingly arguing with me. You first say I am wrong about screen passes being a tool to defend against the blitz. Now you are conceding that is true, after first saying it was not, and instead arguing that sometimes screens don’t work and that you think there are better plays to run. Fair enough. One of those plays you say is the toss sweep. Fair enough, I suggested the same thing in the post you responded to.

After conceding that a screen can be used to combat a blitz you suggest that if the QB senses a blitz is coming, he should NEVER throw the pass. Seems like both can’t be true. And then you add in an extra tidbit about the screen must be called in advance! Presumably you mean you never audible into a screen pass if you suspect the defense is blitzing. But again, doesn’t it depend on the screen play called and where you think the blitz is coming from?

Perhaps it would be more acceptable to you if I simply said that screens are considered a a play call to defend against defensive pressure? Does that help? If a team is rushing 4 and getting pressure on the QB, would you be ok with the OC calling a screen play? Or is it always the wrong call in a situation where the defense is shooting into the offensive backfield?
 



lincoln84 said:
Pelini was 20-8 in November. Every coach SINCE is 9-26. November isn’t good to NU. We have won 9x in November in the last decade. NU does not finish seasons well.
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And it's getting worse, not better. Riley wasn't good, but I think Frost was worse. Mickey picked up one November win as interim HC. Rhule is now 0-5 so far against two bad teams ('23 Mich St and '24 UCLA) and three fairly average teams ('23 Maryland, '23 Wisconsin, and '23 Iowa).
 

Something to keep in mind heading into the last three games... Nebraska is 5-0 in games where opponents score 10 points or less. Nebraska is 0-4 in games where opponents score 21 points or more. I guess the mystery for now is what happens if an opponent scores 11 - 20 points. Assuming the offense continues to struggle, who can we keep under 21 points?

USC is probably the best offense we will see in the last three games. Their scheme on offense seems like a bad match-up for Nebraska. I can't see NU holding USC under 21 points.

Wisconsin at home is a team we should have a chance to keep under 21 points. Obviously, that will take a more inspired effort than what we saw against UCLA.

Early in the season, I would have felt pretty good about our chances to keep Iowa under 21. Based on how both teams have played the last 4 - 5 weeks, I no longer think that will happen.
 
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