Beck's Offense

[MadRat]

After looking at the replay I'm shaking my head more often than not.  Physically we are mismatched at the point of attack the majority of the time.  Most of the pass plays appear at first to be reading routes but TMart isn't reading, he's counting time and flinging it down field.  Most of the drops are simply the delivery is the wrong choice or it's a fluttering ball.  I realize we have a free safety playing quarterback, but for Pete's sake make him deliver the ball properly.  The sidearm short-armed throws are fundamentally improper from the get go yet that is the delivery nearly every time.  And the arc of the throw is purely dictated by the hardness of the throw rather than finessing the tip of the ball.  I'm not even criticizing the placement of the ball right now, the mechanics are simply the same wrong technique used for every throw.

Rex Burkhead has lost some explosiveness out of the blocks.  We are not setting him up for success with the running lanes in this offense.  He rarely gets the ball with any depth to read the blocking.  Not good for a guy that excels the most
while running in space.  We aren't putting a wall of muscle in front of him.  Why are we throwing wide outs at the defensive ends!?   We don't outnumber the defense at the point of attack nor do we present size advantages.  What is the goal if we are hamstring the runningback with bad strategy and tactics?

The tight ends got used on passing situations lined up like they were going out on a pass.  What can be done to hide the play calling better?  Our personnel groupings are getting predictable.  We are getting to the point where we don't seem to care if the other team knows the play before the snap.  The problem is that when you are using bad tactics and strategy at least give yourself a fighting chance by hiding the play until it's run.  This isn't just a tight end issue, the OL telegraphs the plays, too.  Simple stuff to fix.  The question is why is it happening end of season?

There is something else bugging me while watching film.  The average waistlines on our team is growing.  We are losing team speed little by little.  Our guys tire so quickly.  TO brought in nutritionists for his players in the 90's.  What happened to that?  Why are our players so often running out of gas?  I think it's a combination of slower player rotations and conditioning.  And we are fat.  I mean it, looking across the board our guys are carrying too much weight in the wrong places.  This could explain why we fade so bad as games progress.

I'm thinking not only was this a bad outing for the offense, but there needs to be more emphasis on strategy and tactics.  And we need to refocus the training towards lean players that can run.

[Sexy Leather]

After looking at the replay I'm shaking my head more often than not.  Physically we are mismatched at the point of attack the majority of the time.  Most of the pass plays appear at first to be reading routes but TMart isn't reading, he's counting time and flinging it down field.  Most of the drops are simply the delivery is the wrong choice or it's a fluttering ball.  I realize we have a free safety playing quarterback, but for Pete's sake make him deliver the ball properly.  The sidearm short-armed throws are fundamentally improper from the get go yet that is the delivery nearly every time.  And the arc of the throw is purely dictated by the hardness of the throw rather than finessing the tip of the ball.  I'm not even criticizing the placement of the ball right now, the mechanics are simply the same wrong technique used for every throw.

Rex Burkhead has lost some explosiveness out of the blocks.  We are not setting him up for success with the running lanes in this offense.  He rarely gets the ball with any depth to read the blocking.  Not good for a guy that excels the most
while running in space.  We aren't putting a wall of muscle in front of him.  Why are we throwing wide outs at the defensive ends!?   We don't outnumber the defense at the point of attack nor do we present size advantages.  What is the goal if we are hamstring the runningback with bad strategy and tactics?

The tight ends got used on passing situations lined up like they were going out on a pass.  What can be done to hide the play calling better?  Our personnel groupings are getting predictable.  We are getting to the point where we don't seem to care if the other team knows the play before the snap.  The problem is that when you are using bad tactics and strategy at least give yourself a fighting chance by hiding the play until it's run.  This isn't just a tight end issue, the OL telegraphs the plays, too.  Simple stuff to fix.  The question is why is it happening end of season?

There is something else bugging me while watching film.  The average waistlines on our team is growing.  We are losing team speed little by little.  Our guys tire so quickly.  TO brought in nutritionists for his players in the 90's.  What happened to that?  Why are our players so often running out of gas?  I think it's a combination of slower player rotations and conditioning.  And we are fat.  I mean it, looking across the board our guys are carrying too much weight in the wrong places.  This could explain why we fade so bad as games progress.

I'm thinking not only was this a bad outing for the offense, but there needs to be more emphasis on strategy and tactics.  And we need to refocus the training towards lean players that can run.

No offense can have WRs consistently dropping passes or having OL false start repeatedly and be successful.

[OhioHusker43065]

Got a lot of work to do, that's for sure.  Each area of the offense needs to improve, with the exception of Burkhead.  Beck isn't the tonic I hoped he would be, but it's also hard to judge when things go wrong on plays that you should count on occurring.  Catching catchable balls, blocking the guy in front of you, making an easy throw - all things that could make Beck look like an all-star but all things that consistently don't happen on this team.  Got to fix the pieces and parts before we can judge the whole.  I hope we get to the point that we can judge the whole, but we're pretty far away right now.

[bowz]

To be honest I like the potential I see in this O, if wishes were fishes...  But I think Beck has done better than Watson, and he did better in his first year compared to a seasoned coordinator.  This O is very complex, in year one, with well a free safety at QB.  Give it time, and it will be very hard to defend.

[HuskervilleJoe]

I did a blood work up on a colt today and the results of it could very well describe the Husker Offense,  Anemic!

[OhioHusker43065]

I'd give Solly's left nut for another year of Joe Ganz. 

[bowz]

Rat, agree on the growing waistline and decreasing speed, I personally believe the coaches bought too much into the BIG grind and upped the kcal content too much, speed kills, I think a leaner and meaner NU team is seen next year, one with better team speed.

[Red Said Ted]

I like much of what I have seen out of Beck, but there is room for improvement to be sure.  He could be helped with better talent and execution.  But not a bad showing for a first year OC.

[Sexy Leather]

What I'd really like to see is a full time, 100% committment to the fast paced, up-tempo offense. 

[512Husker]

After looking at the replay I'm shaking my head more often than not.  Physically we are mismatched at the point of attack the majority of the time.  Most of the pass plays appear at first to be reading routes but TMart isn't reading, he's counting time and flinging it down field.  Most of the drops are simply the delivery is the wrong choice or it's a fluttering ball.  I realize we have a free safety playing quarterback, but for Pete's sake make him deliver the ball properly.  The sidearm short-armed throws are fundamentally improper from the get go yet that is the delivery nearly every time.  And the arc of the throw is purely dictated by the hardness of the throw rather than finessing the tip of the ball.  I'm not even criticizing the placement of the ball right now, the mechanics are simply the same wrong technique used for every throw.

Rex Burkhead has lost some explosiveness out of the blocks.  We are not setting him up for success with the running lanes in this offense.  He rarely gets the ball with any depth to read the blocking.  Not good for a guy that excels the most
while running in space.  We aren't putting a wall of muscle in front of him.  Why are we throwing wide outs at the defensive ends!?   We don't outnumber the defense at the point of attack nor do we present size advantages.  What is the goal if we are hamstring the runningback with bad strategy and tactics?

The tight ends got used on passing situations lined up like they were going out on a pass.  What can be done to hide the play calling better?  Our personnel groupings are getting predictable.  We are getting to the point where we don't seem to care if the other team knows the play before the snap.  The problem is that when you are using bad tactics and strategy at least give yourself a fighting chance by hiding the play until it's run.  This isn't just a tight end issue, the OL telegraphs the plays, too.  Simple stuff to fix.  The question is why is it happening end of season?

There is something else bugging me while watching film.  The average waistlines on our team is growing.  We are losing team speed little by little.  Our guys tire so quickly.  TO brought in nutritionists for his players in the 90's.  What happened to that?  Why are our players so often running out of gas?  I think it's a combination of slower player rotations and conditioning.  And we are fat.  I mean it, looking across the board our guys are carrying too much weight in the wrong places.  This could explain why we fade so bad as games progress.

I'm thinking not only was this a bad outing for the offense, but there needs to be more emphasis on strategy and tactics.  And we need to refocus the training towards lean players that can run.

No offense can have WRs consistently dropping passes or having OL false start repeatedly and be successful.

No WR's can consistently catch ducks or frozen ropes thrown behind them.

[Busticket]

What I'd really like to see is a full time, 100% committment to the fast paced, up-tempo offense. 

I agree 100%.  In the Big 12, we shifted away from 3 LB sets and went Peso because the traditional 4-3 is at a significant disadvantage vs. the spread offenses we were facing.  Moving into a conference where I think everyone but Indiana runs 3 LB sets as their base, we veer more to a power-based offense with a dash of spread.  I believe we should have done the opposite and opened it up to take advantage of the Big 10 defensives.  The spread also creates big running lanes...basically the pass setting up the run.  I think this would be a serious benefit to Martinez because when the field is congested he seems to struggle running the ball.  If the defense is chasing 4 or 5 receivers/TE's Martinez could take advantage of the lanes and use his freakish straight line speed to inflcit some serious damage.  Naturally, the big drawback to the spread offenses is they tend to work better between the 20's but with our offensive line I think it is a much better option.

[Sexy Leather]

What I'd really like to see is a full time, 100% committment to the fast paced, up-tempo offense.  

I agree 100%.  In the Big 12, we shifted away from 3 LB sets and went Peso because the traditional 4-3 is at a significant disadvantage vs. the spread offenses we were facing.  Moving into a conference where I think everyone but Indiana runs 3 LB sets as their base, we veer more to a power-based offense with a dash of spread.  I believe we should have done the opposite and opened it up to take advantage of the Big 10 defensives.  The spread also creates big running lanes...basically the pass setting up the run.  I think this would be a serious benefit to Martinez because when the field is congested he seems to struggle running the ball.  If the defense is chasing 4 or 5 receivers/TE's Martinez could take advantage of the lanes and use his freakish straight line speed to inflcit some serious damage.  Naturally, the big drawback to the spread offenses is they tend to work better between the 20's but with our offensive line I think it is a much better option.

I agree with you but when WRs are consistently dropping the ball (after it hits them in their hands) running a passing spread offense results in quick change of possessions.

Another element I'd like to see is more of the 30 personnel or diamond.  We have Rex and three (now sophomore) running backs who can all get it done.  Short of being injured and unable to play, why they aren't on the field playing boggles my brain.  Rex may be Superman but even he gets tired and when he does the offense usually falters.

I'd be willing to bet that if Nebraska were to start at their own 20 they could line up in the Diamond, vary who carries the ball, where they line up, where it goes; inside, off-tackle, outside, counters, etc and they could probably drive up the field, score a TD and not have to throw the ball one time.  And I'd be willing to bet they could do it over and over again in every game.

[MadRat]

I didn't bring up the lack of a misdirection/counter game because I beat that dead horse early season.

I disagree that the dropped passes were always catchable because it hit them in the hands.  Most of the time the ball arrives with the tip fluttering, not predictably rotating like a normal throw, and it's moving away from the reciever, not into their grasp.  That makes it difficult to snag let alone secure it to run.

Another point I should bring up is how the ball carriers secure the ball with one hand.   This is reckless and they often carry it outside the frame of their body.  Purify could do that with his foot long fingers.  But generally it's bad.  And in traffic people aren't getting the second hand down on the ball.  Your chances of breaking free from a good grasp drops sharply as the number of fellas grab ahold, so it's imperative to secure it at that point.  Ironically Abdullah did use too hands on his fumble but he let it get out from his chest when the player came and hit him.

[MadRat]

Autocorrect kills me :0

[Nevada Husker]

An irritation I have with Beck and something many new coordinators do as well is getting too "cute" when it's not necessarily warranted.  There were more than a few instances Monday but the one that really stands out was 1st and Goal in the fist half and Rex lined up behind center and pitched it to Abdullah.  Granted it was a touchdown, but it was a good example of taking a risk where none was warranted.  We could have lined up and ran dives with Rex 3 straight plays and we would have scored.