Arod to OT

[FeelLikeAStranger]

When do we see results?

I personally think that we have seen results this past year. The actual play was much improved imo. If you take out some completely bonehead actions I would consider this an improvement worthy of a small amount of praise. As for the mistakes, the Oline wasn't any worse than any other position and much better than some. The brain farts need to stop for us to get where we want..........but that goes for the entire team. A constant in every loss we had were mental errors. Bo and co really need to address this factor this coming season.......team wide.

Someone was paying attention.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

[Big Sky Husker]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

The Badgers rushed for 231 yards on 50 carries against us last year.  That's 4.5 yards a pop.  Nebraska... 43 rushes for 159 yards.  Last year, and I'd argue the last several years, Wisconsin has had a markedly better OL than Nebraska.  One reason, among several, why Wisconsin is a better program, right now, than we are. 

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

The Badgers rushed for 231 yards on 50 carries against us last year.  That's 4.5 yards a pop.  Nebraska... 43 rushes for 159 yards.  Last year, and I'd argue the last several years, Wisconsin has had a markedly better OL than Nebraska.  One reason, among several, why Wisconsin is a better program, right now, than we are. 

You can't look at one game, especially one where we had 3 INT's and were playing catch-up and extrapolate any conclusions.  Look at the last two years.

[74Hunter]

fwiw, Reeves is coming off of 2 shoulder surgeries, too. He should be fine where ever he finds a home. I was hoping/thinking C, but if not, so be it.

[Big Sky Husker]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

The Badgers rushed for 231 yards on 50 carries against us last year.  That's 4.5 yards a pop.  Nebraska... 43 rushes for 159 yards.  Last year, and I'd argue the last several years, Wisconsin has had a markedly better OL than Nebraska.  One reason, among several, why Wisconsin is a better program, right now, than we are. 

You can't look at one game, especially one where we had 3 INT's and were playing catch-up and extrapolate any conclusions.  Look at the last two years.

If you mean Nebraska's OL is better over the past two years... I agree.  Generally more consistent, though there are still too many head scratching breakdowns in big time games.  I thought we'd be further along with the OL after 4 years with Cotton in charge, but that's probably just me. 

I think Wisconsin, across the OL, has a more physical, more punishing type demeanor to it than our OL.  And I think that's one reason the Badgers have been pretty good the last couple years. 

[NIdahohusker]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

I am certainly not surprised Pensick is the top OC now, but I expected Reeves to be #2. Justin Jackson has less experience at OC than Reeves. Mark Pelini or Reeves? Again I would have guessed Reeves. Does Pelini have the tools of Reeves who was thought to be among the best linemen in the country. Is Pelini some veteran who played last year? I am really surprised Reeves finished 4th in the race. I was really hoping to get somebody bigger than 6-1 270 at center. We have a 6-3 292lb center in 1982. Jake Young was not that heavy at 65-5 270, but he pulled like a guard and reminded me of Rik Bonness

I am just pointing our that the staff obviously recruited Nick Ash and Reeves to play center and apparently found out they were not cut out for the position. I know Caputo was rock solid but never confused anyone with an All American. The coaches were real excited about the class of Nick Ash, Qvale, Sirles, two years ago. Now it looks like Sirles is the only one with a chance of starting. Nebraska needs for recruits with a high ceiling to pan out. Prospects for Moore to live up to expectations looks pretty good right now, or they would not have moved him to LT and Sirles to RT. I am looking for guys who can out muscle the DLinemen. 270lb OC's and 290OG are not usually the size of All Americans. It shows the determination and work ethic of the little guys are at a higher level than the big guys, but their ceiling is still limited. If Pensick, Choi, JAckson, and Pelini have mobility that can be used like Jake Young, then I am all for the smaller guys. . But maybe it is just that they know the offense better. When I read that Sirles looks at Yoshi and Marcel as role models, I question what is going on. Yoshi admitted to not watching firm for Northwestern. Marcel obviously did not make much progress in the weight rom as his 13 reps in the bench indicates. These guys need to watch film of Stai in 1994 and see what a real Nebraska lineman looks like.

[FeelLikeAStranger]

Bo Pelini and Cotton recruited all of these lineman. No more excuses for BC recruiting dancing bears. A good offensive lineman will excel in an system. Nick Ash, and then Reeves were recruited to take over at OC. We are left with nothing but walkins for the interior of the line. Yes, Pensick got a scholarship, but at 6-1 240, NU was the only major offer. The Pensick name also helped. Bo wanted this offense before he was even hired. He hired Cotton as his line coach. I do not see any intention of bringing in big guys and not coaching them to be aggresive. Bo is aggresive, and I cannot fathom him wanting "dancing bears". As for Rodriquez and Qvale being hurt, Caputo, Jones, and Yoshi were hurt as well. Pelini and Jackson are not veterans with scholarships, yet they were able to beat out Reeves. I am very disappointed in that. Last years thought of An interior of Reeves, Qvale, and Rodriquez, and Sirles and Moore at the tackle spots really looked like a great line for the future. Why can small walkons beat out taller heavier scholarship players. If they were recruited to be dancing bears then they should have good mobility. The excuses I read do not seem valid in IMHO. The staff was really excited about the freshmen OL class three years ago, and again last year. Yet they keep moving everybody around trying to find a spot where they can play. When do we see results?

I'm talking skill sets, not 'aggressiveness'.  I don't care how aggressive you are, if you don't have the footwork or agility to do everything you need to as well as others, then you are probably in the wrong position. There's quite a bit of difference in what we were asking OG's to do under Watson that what we are under Beck.  How is that in ANY WAY an 'excuse'?  It's just reality.  Three years ago Pelini had an idea of where he wanted to go with an offense.  He didn't have THIS specific offense to recruit to.  (If you take Gerry Dinardo's opinion as anything, he thinks this offense is quite unique.)  To say that a guy recruited as an OG in the previous offensive system should automatically be best suited to that position in Beck's offense-which resembles Osborne/Milt's moreso than Watson's-is really just conjecture on your part. 

Reeves is a rFR...and you are surprised that a group of upperclassmen beat him out at OC?  If the reports are right, Pensick's made a huge jump this spring, and that's what we needed him to do as the previous #2 C.   Maybe Reeves doesn't have the skill set to be an OC and he fits better at OG...nobody guaranteed he would be the next center.  That was a lot of talk on message boards that apparently you took as gospel.  Likely, Reeves is a better fit at OG and might see the field sooner there. 

Who are the "smaller walkons beating out bigger scholarship players" you refer to?  Your complaints are all over the board and not backed by any actual facts.  Despite a new offensive system, we improved again last year.  I expect another jump this year, despite losing 3 starters.  I think some of you are remembering the days of Nebraska playing Pacific or an Iowa State team that didn't even have a strength program.  The game is different.  Nobody just consistently runs over the top of any DL these days...not even Wisconsin.  We've been pretty much on par with Wisconsin the past couple of years in rushing yards, ypc, etc..  If they are the measuring stick for a top rushing team, we really aren't far very far off.

The Badgers rushed for 231 yards on 50 carries against us last year.  That's 4.5 yards a pop.  Nebraska... 43 rushes for 159 yards.  Last year, and I'd argue the last several years, Wisconsin has had a markedly better OL than Nebraska.  One reason, among several, why Wisconsin is a better program, right now, than we are. 

You can't look at one game, especially one where we had 3 INT's and were playing catch-up and extrapolate any conclusions.  Look at the last two years.

If you mean Nebraska's OL is better over the past two years... I agree.  Generally more consistent, though there are still too many head scratching breakdowns in big time games.  I thought we'd be further along with the OL after 4 years with Cotton in charge, but that's probably just me. 

I think Wisconsin, across the OL, has a more physical, more punishing type demeanor to it than our OL.  And I think that's one reason the Badgers have been pretty good the last couple years. 

I agree that there has been improvement the past two years.  But, I meant compare the season stats for UW and NU the past two years.  NU was better than UW in 2010 in several rushing categories.  Last year UW clearly benefitted from having a good QB who could take pressure off the run game and were better statistically.  If Wisconsin is the holy grail, we aren't far off statistically from what they are doing the past couple of years.

There's still work to be done...we need to be better on short yardage (Burkhead was nails but he didn't do it ALL himself), we still need to clean up some penalties, but even those things have improved quite a bit since 2009.  Having the same system in place this year should help those things by leaps and bounds.  If we can get that offensive tempo up a little bit this year with guys knowing what to do without thinking...I think we'll see some good things happen this year.