Pluses and minuses of the Spring Game

[Red Reign]

A Bubble Screen is a quick pass to a WR or TE with other WRs/TE blocking downfield for them. A Swing Pass is thrown to a RB running horizontal to the Line of Scrimmage after starting in the backfield, but it's only truly a Swing Pass if he has started to turn upfield. A screen pass to a RB could look like a combination of both the Bubble Screen and the Swing Pass, but he must catch it behind the LoS, and most screen passes also have OL getting out front and downfield to block.

Based on what I've read on HM, ALL of the above used to be called "Swing Passes," but now that seems to be evolving.

Fwiw, I don't remember any Bubble Screens in Saturday's Red-White game, though I do remember a couple of swing passes to the RB, and a sort of odd delayed screen pass to the RB after the QB rolled out in the opposite direction. This was the play where AM (with assistance from the wind) threw a backwards pass for a 9-yard loss.

As far as the dangerous passes mentioned above, I think that the most dangerous Out-patterns that I saw on Saturday were some simple sideline Out-patterns where the WR sat down in the cushion of zone coverage, or the Smash concepts that Nixon & Co. ran where they started inside then crossed underneath at least one outside WR who was slanting in. Both are relatively generic offensive plays that are a part of every offensive scheme that I know of from Osborne's era through now and into the foreseeable future. Jeff Smith was running a variant of the Smash concept when we failed to convert the 2-point conversion against Miami in the '84 Orange Bowl. About half of the passes that Ricky Simmons caught in the early 80s were variants of the mid-level Out-pattern against deep zone coverage.

Great stuff

 

[Stuck in the South]

A Bubble Screen is a quick pass to a WR or TE with other WRs/TE blocking downfield for them. A Swing Pass is thrown to a RB running horizontal to the Line of Scrimmage after starting in the backfield, but it's only truly a Swing Pass if he has started to turn upfield. A screen pass to a RB could look like a combination of both the Bubble Screen and the Swing Pass, but he must catch it behind the LoS, and most screen passes also have OL getting out front and downfield to block.

Based on what I've read on HM, ALL of the above used to be called "Swing Passes," but now that seems to be evolving.

Fwiw, I don't remember any Bubble Screens in Saturday's Red-White game, though I do remember a couple of swing passes to the RB, and a sort of odd delayed screen pass to the RB after the QB rolled out in the opposite direction. This was the play where AM (with assistance from the wind) threw a backwards pass for a 9-yard loss.

As far as the dangerous passes mentioned above, I think that the most dangerous Out-patterns that I saw on Saturday were some simple sideline Out-patterns where the WR sat down in the cushion of zone coverage, or the Smash concepts that Nixon & Co. ran where they started inside then crossed underneath at least one outside WR who was slanting in. Both are relatively generic offensive plays that are a part of every offensive scheme that I know of from Osborne's era through now and into the foreseeable future. Jeff Smith was running a variant of the Smash concept when we failed to convert the 2-point conversion against Miami in the '84 Orange Bowl. About half of the passes that Ricky Simmons caught in the early 80s were variants of the mid-level Out-pattern against deep zone coverage.

Okay, your showing off. In the old days the swing pass was a pass in the flat to the running back. And since you mentioned, i too don’t recall a bubble screen.

 

[YUENGLING]

The sideline, out in the flat pass was a dud. Nixon was the only one I saw that juked his way for yardage. That pass has the potential for disaster in the way of an interception for a TD!

Absolutely if I never see that play again I’ll be happy.Throw the ball down the field...if you must throw it.

 

[jreb14]

They are not gonna stretch the field with defense waiting for it. Plays like that need to set up and get the defense guessing.

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

They are not gonna stretch the field with defense waiting for it. Plays like that need to set up and get the defense guessing.

Or, if the D moves or, if the D doesnt move.
We have to be good enough to extend the tell, meaning we have to make the D respect something, so they move to stop it, then counter.

We havnt executed well in this or many plays, and just throwing down field if theyre waiting for that as well.
Its coming down to, less and less is it just my guy beats your guy, but making the guy have to make the wrong choice.

 

[Middle-aged_Ball_Coach]

Okay, your showing off. In the old days the swing pass was a pass in the flat to the running back. And since you mentioned, i too don’t recall a bubble screen.

Yes, it was and still is. If you watch the Johnny Rodgers era games, we put him in motion and threw swing passes to him a lot.

 

[36Blast]

I appreciate your optimism.

I appreciate your contribution to the discussion.

 

[goodnterribles]

I appreciate your contribution to the discussion.

It sounds like you've already made your mind up. Even something as meaningless and for entertainment purposes only as a spring game has to be a negative.

 

[FLAinCALI]

I finally got around to watching the spring game. I don't think you can really say anything about what this team might or might not be in the fall. It was fun to see the guys out there running some plays but nothing was really revealed...at least I hope nothing was revealed because if that was it...

I suspect that Frost and the coaches were just doing things to evaluate a few of the players on the bubble, make some decisions about a few others.

It was fun to watch some plays and I know it is a spring game (practice) but I hope that isn't anywhere near what we see in the fall.

(for all the people saying that AM looked faster...he better have looked faster, he didn't have all the restrictions on his play the other players did and he is a starter and they weren't)

 

[NorthwoodHusker]

The fist half, with so many starters on defense out, the running clock, the green jerseys and only thud tackling, all that mudding the waters, only giving up what, 19 yards? is a good sign.
The numbers of possessions first half was cut way down by the red offense as well first half, as the running clock and tempo wasn't basically run.
So, normal outcomes werent meant to be seen, it also hurt better play more than mediocre play, so what it came down to was individual exceptional play, which is what we normally get in spring games, where a walkon intercepts the ball, and we dont see him again type of thing.

But beyond all that was a consistency by players, and play makers making plays that stand out even with all the restrictions/constrictions.

So, rewatching it, fans can get a glimpse of who are the guys, and who are the spring game heroes.

 

[Stuck in the South]

Yes, it was and still is. If you watch the Johnny Rodgers era games, we put him in motion and threw swing passes to him a lot.

Osborne considered the option pitch a pass when asked about lack of passing game

 

[36Blast]

It sounds like you've already made your mind up. Even something as meaningless and for entertainment purposes only as a spring game has to be a negative.

If by making up my mind in believing that Scott did not want his offense to look bad, so he had his 1s play against a bunch of Walk-Ons, then yes you are correct. Tough to assess any improvement in that environment.

And let's be honest, that format was not entertaining at all.

 

[goodnterribles]

If by making up my mind in believing that Scott did not want his offense to look bad, so he had his 1s play against a bunch of Walk-Ons, then yes you are correct. It's all about optics with North Stadium.

And let's be honest, that format was not entertaining at all.

If you think that putting on a show and not revealing too much during a spring game is exclusive to Lincoln, Nebraska, then I don't really know what to tell you.
Of course this defense is going to be ahead of the offense, it's experienced and deep, and defenses are almost universally ahead of offenses in the spring. But from the things I've read and heard, the offense had their moments as well during the spring. And if the offense was destroying the defense, then people would complain about how much our defense sucks.

I agree, the first half was terrible and they shouldn't do that again.

 

[36Blast]

If you think that putting on a show and not revealing too much during a spring game is exclusive to Lincoln, Nebraska, then I don't really know what to tell you.

Please tell me where I complained about the vanilla playcalling? That has nothing to do with my previous statement. My complaint was about the crappy format (which we agree on) and pitting starters against 2nd and 3rd stringers.

 

[goodnterribles]

Please tell me where I complained about the vanilla playcalling? That has nothing to do with my previous statement. My complaint was about the crappy format (which we agree on) and pitting starters against 2nd and 3rd stringers.

Actually, you said a "bunch of walkons" due to optics, because apparently that's all they care about in North stadium is optics. It could also be an evaluation to see how the 2nd string guys on defense do against the 1st string offense, and whether any of those guys can make a move on the depth chart.