Stats that show you why we are fighting to be .500.

[RealTucoSalamanca]

So far In 2019 the Husker offense has been the red zone 40 times.

28 scores. 21 TDs and 7 FGs.

70%/ 52%/25%

national average

83%/61%/21%

Defensively opponents have made 43 trips

39 scores 30 TDs and 9 FGs.

91%\70%\20%

National average

83%\60%\20%

so basically nearly equal red zone trips but we are below average on offense and defense. Burning the candle at both ends. I wonder what the record would be if we able to score just at the national average.

 

[Headcard]

Inability to get TD's in the red zone and kicking woes have killed us.

 

[huskerbaseball13]

Have to wonder how often we go against tendency while inside the red zone. On offense I think it’s mostly been execution mixed in with some boneheaded play calls by Frost.

On defense it seems that teams can read Chinander like a book. Like Purdue said, they watched tape and Nebraska likes to go man inside the redzone. I’d bet Ferentz and company knew exactly what we were bringing last year on their 4Th down conversion.

 

[TheBeav815]

Inability to get TD's in the red zone and kicking woes have killed us.

How you don't have two guys on your roster who can be serviceable kicking short FGs and extra points boggles the mind. I don't need two NFL kickers, FFS how hard can it be to find a kid who is pretty good from 35 yards and in?

Talent notwithstanding, the special teams play has been completely unacceptable. Kickoff coverage is awful, kick return is so bad they don't even run it out any more, punt return is no threat, punt coverage is ok, placekicking is flat out terrible.

The result is they've gone for it on 4th way more than you ever should after consistently finding ways to piss away drives in opponent territory.

 

[ridge222]

So far In 2019 the Husker offense has been the red zone 40 times.

28 scores. 21 TDs and 7 FGs.

70%/ 52%/25%

national average

83%/61%/21%

Defensively opponents have made 43 trips

39 scores 30 TDs and 9 FGs.

91%\70%\20%

National average

83%\60%\20%

so basically nearly equal red zone trips but we are below average on offense and defense. Burning the candle at both ends. I wonder what the record would be if we able to score just at the national average.

This actually says more than you think as well.

The amount of times that Nebraska is getting to the Redzone is in the bottom 1/3 of the FBS. Also they are allowing teams to get to the Redzone at a much higher clip than other FBS teams. There are only 19 teams in FBS that have allowed more trips to the Redzone by the opponents than Nebraska.

So not only are they horrible at scoring when they get there, they are not getting there very often, and defensively it is just as bad on the flip side.

Last season Nebraska only had 44 redzone attempts for the whole season. They should equal or better that this season, but not by much. Last season they were converting redzone chances at an 88.6%.

 

[huskat]

So basically our offense,defense,and special teams stink?

 

[PeliniTheCrutch_rivals294365]

How you don't have two guys on your roster who can be serviceable kicking short FGs and extra points boggles the mind. I don't need two NFL kickers, FFS how hard can it be to find a kid who is pretty good from 35 yards and in?

You would know how hard it is better than anyone Bears fan!!

 

[Buckman01213]

Frost often says the key to the offense is to get playmakers in space and have them make plays. That works great when you have the space, but it has been shown this year time and time again that Frost does not know how to call plays in the redzone due to there not being space for his guys to work in. The 1st and goal at the 2 vs. Purdue is what sticks out in my mind the most. You pick off an inside shovel and decide to run the exact same play on the next play?

 

[dand84]

It seems like in a lot of games, if we are just 10% better on both sides, we win some of these closer games.

 

[HUSKERFAN66]

It seems like in a lot of games, if we are just 10% better on both sides, we win some of these closer games.

One play in most games was the difference between W/L

 

[ridge222]

I know a lot of people don't like Chatelain, but he makes some good points here about the difference between good teams and bad teams and how they are able to finish drives.

https://post.futurimedia.com/klinam/playlist/28/listen-1307.html?cb=1574089131.281847

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

One play in most games was the difference between W/L

Sorry, but no....no one loses that many games because of one play.

 

[HUSKERFAN66]

Sorry, but no....no one loses that many games because of one play.

Both ways. We could have lost a couple too

 

[huskerssalts]

Sorry, but no....no one loses that many games because of one play.

sorry but yes, we have found away to do just that. Go back the past 2 years and look how many one possession games we lost. There’s a reason (some/most) people say we could be 8-2 as easily as 4-6 and the same last year. We are literally right there in most games, we always seem to find away to lose the games instead of win them.

 

[Sporty]

And based one possession rule we could be 2-8 this year just as easily! What happens in games is what happens in games!

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

sorry but yes, we have found away to do just that. Go back the past 2 years and look how many one possession games we lost. There’s a reason (some/most) people say we could be 8-2 as easily as 4-6 and the same last year. We are literally right there in most games, we always seem to find away to lose the games instead of win them.

Well....I used the following in a reply to Uber, but I feel it is appropriate here in order to make the point....

If Alabama has one more TD drive against LSU, they're still undefeated.....

If Utah has one more TD drive, and they go to OT against USC, and remain undefeated with a win....

If Minnesota has another TD drive against Iowa, they're still undefeated....

If Miami has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 8-2 instead of 6-4...and they go to OT with another TD drive in 2 other games....

If Washington has another TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 9-1 instead of 6-4.....

If Colorado has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 6-4, instead of 4-6.....and they go to a 2nd OT with yet another TD drive, and are possibly 7-3.

If Army has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 8-3 instead of 5-6.....

If Kansas has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 6-4 instead of 3-7....

In other words, it isn't uncommon for teams to lose by less than a TD. Nebraska is not unique in that regard. It's also not the same as losing because of one play.

 

[ridge222]

Well....I used the following in a reply to Uber, but I feel it is appropriate here in order to make the point....

If Alabama has one more TD drive against LSU, they're still undefeated.....

If Utah has one more TD drive, and they go to OT against USC, and remain undefeated with a win....

If Minnesota has another TD drive against Iowa, they're still undefeated....

If Miami has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 8-2 instead of 6-4...and they go to OT with another TD drive in 2 other games....

If Washington has another TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 9-1 instead of 6-4.....

If Colorado has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 6-4, instead of 4-6.....and they go to a 2nd OT with yet another TD drive, and are possibly 7-3.

If Army has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 8-3 instead of 5-6.....

If Kansas has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 6-4 instead of 3-7....

In other words, it isn't uncommon for teams to lose by less than a TD. Nebraska is not unique in that regard. It's also not the same as losing because of one play.

"How did a great ball striker like you manage to shoot an 83?"

"Well I missed a 4 foot putt on 18 to shoot and 82."

 

[TruHusker]

Teams are better if they get us into the red zone and not let us score from distance. That would probably explain why so many teams play a zone against us. Keep everything in front of them and eventually we run out of gas before finding the end zone.

 

[PeliniTheCrutch_rivals294365]

"How did a great ball striker like you manage to shoot an 83?"

"Well I missed a 4 foot putt on 18 to shoot and 82."

So good.

 

[huskerwa_rivals80749]

I'm confused as to why Coach Frost doesn't throw the ball to one of the 6'6"+ tight ends in the endzone? A back corner high lob seams unstoppable to me. Am I wrong?

 

[mgbreeze]

Teams are better if they get us into the red zone and not let us score from distance. That would probably explain why so many teams play a zone against us. Keep everything in front of them and eventually we run out of gas before finding the end zone.

Bingo. We do NOT hit big plays. We're forced constantly to chip away and convert multiple 3rd downs to get to the red zone. Too hard to sustain, and almost inevitable that a sack, penalty or turnover kills the drive. Especially when you can't make a FG outside of 25 yards. We need an over the top WR threat sooooooo bad.

 

[huskerwa_rivals80749]

Well....I used the following in a reply to Uber, but I feel it is appropriate here in order to make the point....

If Alabama has one more TD drive against LSU, they're still undefeated.....

If Utah has one more TD drive, and they go to OT against USC, and remain undefeated with a win....

If Minnesota has another TD drive against Iowa, they're still undefeated....

If Miami has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 8-2 instead of 6-4...and they go to OT with another TD drive in 2 other games....

If Washington has another TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 9-1 instead of 6-4.....

If Colorado has one more TD drive in 2 of their games, they're 6-4, instead of 4-6.....and they go to a 2nd OT with yet another TD drive, and are possibly 7-3.

If Army has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 8-3 instead of 5-6.....

If Kansas has one more TD drive in 3 of their games, they're 6-4 instead of 3-7....

In other words, it isn't uncommon for teams to lose by less than a TD. Nebraska is not unique in that regard. It's also not the same as losing because of one play.

Heck, Wyoming has lost 4 games by a total of only 14 points. Widest margin was 4 points, twice.

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

"How did a great ball striker like you manage to shoot an 83?"

"Well I missed a 4 foot putt on 18 to shoot and 82."

1) That's golf, not football, and 2) you're ignoring all the instances of teams this year losing by less that a TD, thereby showing that it's not really indicative of how good or bad someone is.

In other words...Nebraska is 4-6 because they're 4-6....just like all those teams I listed have the records they do...because they do.

When you talk about another football team...say, Kansas....are you more likely to say, "Oh, they aren't good...they're 3-7", or are you more likely to say something like, "Gosh...they're 3 TD drives away from being 6-4"?

Before you come back with telling me that you don't care about Kansas...understand the bigger point is that most teams in the country can sit there and say how they have a different record with "just one more TD drive".

Heck....why not just say Nebraska was just 3 or 4 TD drives away from beating Minnesota?

You're also forgetting that Nebraska is a TD drive by Illinois and a TD drive by Northwestern from being 2-8 overall, 0-7 in the B1G, and in last place in the B1G West....and Frost needing to win 11 games next year (if they were able to win out this season) to match Riley's record.

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

Heck, Wyoming has lost 4 games by a total of only 14 points. Widest margin was 4 points, twice.

And do you run around saying, "Wyoming is only 4 TD drives away from being undefeated", or are they merely 6-4?

That's kind of a secondary point....we don't run around saying such things about other teams when we talk college football, so why are we thumping our chests about Nebraska in that manner?

 

[ridge222]

1) That's golf, not football, and 2) you're ignoring all the instances of teams this year losing by less that a TD, thereby showing that it's not really indicative of how good or bad someone is.

In other words...Nebraska is 4-6 because they're 4-6....just like all those teams I listed have the records they do...because they do.

When you talk about another football team...say, Kansas....are you more likely to say, "Oh, they aren't good...they're 3-7", or are you more likely to say something like, "Gosh...they're 3 TD drives away from being 6-4"?

Before you come back with telling me that you don't care about Kansas...understand the bigger point is that most teams in the country can sit there and say how they have a different record with "just one more TD drive".

Heck....why not just say Nebraska was just 3 or 4 TD drives away from beating Minnesota?

You're also forgetting that Nebraska is a TD drive by Illinois and a TD drive by Northwestern from being 2-8 overall, 0-7 in the B1G, and in last place in the B1G West....and Frost needing to win 11 games next year (if they were able to win out this season) to match Riley's record.

What if's mean nothing. You are what you record is for a reason. I think a pretty true indication of a team is looking at their statistical rankings. Especially through 10 games.

I am not forgetting or ignoring anything, by my reply I am pointing out the fact of you are what you are because of what you did and what you didn't do.

 

[Baxter48_rivals204143]

Sorry, but no....no one loses that many games because of one play.

Really

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

What if's mean nothing. You are what you record is for a reason. I think a pretty true indication of a team is looking at their statistical rankings. Especially through 10 games.

I am not forgetting or ignoring anything, by my reply I am pointing out the fact of you are what you are because of what you did and what you didn't do.

My point of all that was directed at the folks that think Frost is so awesome (Uber, for example, on another thread, which is where I originally posted that) because Nebraska was "one TD drive in several games" from having a much better record. All I was doing was pointing out that such things are the case with several other teams....in other words, it doesn't matter much.

As far as statistical rankings go......

“You know how I feel about stats. Stats are for losers. Final scores are for winners.”- Bill Belichick.....I don't like the guy or the Patriots, but kind of hard to argue.

 

[John_J_Rambo]

And do you run around saying, "Wyoming is only 4 TD drives away from being undefeated", or are they merely 6-4?

That's kind of a secondary point....we don't run around saying such things about other teams when we talk college football, so why are we thumping our chests about Nebraska in that manner?

wyoming fans probably say that, yea

 

[Charlie Marlow_rivals363743]

Bingo. We do NOT hit big plays. We're forced constantly to chip away and convert multiple 3rd downs to get to the red zone. Too hard to sustain, and almost inevitable that a sack, penalty or turnover kills the drive. Especially when you can't make a FG outside of 25 yards. We need an over the top WR threat sooooooo bad.

We lead the conference in plays of 40 yards or more this season.

 

[kaz36_rivals189319]

Nebraska has a lot of empty yards on offense. They are 59th in total yards per game but are 87th in points per game. Our defense is awful getting off the field on 3rd down and our special teams have been less than special. Put all that together and you get a bad season.

 

[WoodRiverJennings]

Nebraska has a lot of empty yards on offense. They are 59th in total yards per game but are 87th in points per game. Our defense is awful getting off the field on 3rd down and our special teams have been less than special. Put all that together and you get a bad season.

And that's why I don't understand why people have so much faith in the offense getting it together to carry the team in the future. As bad as the defense has been, the offense has been even more disappointing, imo.

 

[Nebraska_Reality]

wyoming fans probably say that, yea

There's Nebraska fans doing so as well.

 

[dinglefritz]

So far In 2019 the Husker offense has been the red zone 40 times.

28 scores. 21 TDs and 7 FGs.

70%/ 52%/25%

national average

83%/61%/21%

Defensively opponents have made 43 trips

39 scores 30 TDs and 9 FGs.

91%\70%\20%

National average

83%\60%\20%

so basically nearly equal red zone trips but we are below average on offense and defense. Burning the candle at both ends. I wonder what the record would be if we able to score just at the national average.

When you don't have WRs that are threat in tight quarters or much of a power run game, that is what you get I'm afraid. Obviously there's less field to defend so the old "getting athletes in space" game doesn't work very well in the red zone. It almost completely takes guys like Wandale and JD out of the equation. We HAVE to find that redzone big bodied sticky hands receiver who can box out and high point a jump ball.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

When you don't have WRs that are threat in tight quarters or much of a power run game, that is what you get I'm afraid. Obviously there's less field to defend so the old "getting athletes in space" game doesn't work very well in the red zone. It almost completely takes guys like Wandale and JD out of the equation. We HAVE to find that redzone big bodied sticky hands receiver who can box out and high point a jump ball.

Like 6’7” tight ends that you can split out?

 

[NorthWillRiseAgain]

sorry but yes, we have found away to do just that. Go back the past 2 years and look how many one possession games we lost. There’s a reason (some/most) people say we could be 8-2 as easily as 4-6 and the same last year. We are literally right there in most games, we always seem to find away to lose the games instead of win them.

This was the same issue that has carried over from Riley(besides 2017).

 

[HominidHusker]

Losing the close games just tells me that we’re “not as far away” as it sometimes appears based on the losing record- factoring in the consistent mistakes that cost us games.
The team making some relatively small improvements could potentially yield big results.

Now, the expectation needs to be set that the team will make big enough improvements so that fewer games are so close (as others have pointed out we’ve won a couple close ones that could easily go the other way).

Minimizing the one score games needs to become the standard, and then hopefully they’ll become good enough to win more of those close ones.

-and to clarify I think our execution in all three phases has been abysmal most of this season, but we’re not ‘usually’ losing by much with that sh*ty play.

 

[schuele]

Losing the close games just tells me that we’re “not as far away” as it sometimes appears based on the losing record- factoring in the consistent mistakes that cost us games.

I would be more inclined to feel that way if the close losses were to good teams. In most cases this season, they are not.

I agree that a rebuild takes time, and my expectations for this year were pretty modest. But we've seen a lot of flat out bad football, no matter how much lipstick is applied.

 

[spinner4_rivals42045]

Bingo. We do NOT hit big plays. We're forced constantly to chip away and convert multiple 3rd downs to get to the red zone. Too hard to sustain, and almost inevitable that a sack, penalty or turnover kills the drive. Especially when you can't make a FG outside of 25 yards. We need an over the top WR threat sooooooo bad.

I’d say that’s part true. We do hit big plays. We don’t hit big plays for TDs. Last week alone we had a ton. We had 2 runs of 40+ yards on the same drive and still came away with no points. Almost laughable honestly.

The problem with big plays for TDs and our redzone woes is we have no size.

In the redzone, speed isn’t that big of an asset. AM has no true threat of a fade, cause he has no WRs capable of catching a fade. We can’t hammer away in the run game cause a) it’s not our style b) we don’t have a big package formation worth a **** c) we have one RB who can carry the rock down in the redzone and our staff loves to mix it up with the backs down there. I honestly watch a ton of football and I don’t understand what the hell we are trying to ever do in the redzone. I understand what every other team in college football is doing and what the hell the pros are doing, I just can’t understand our offense tries to do. We have zero identity in the redzone and zero go to guys that can be effective in the redzone. Not having a go to guy in the redzone kills us. It allows defenses to do whatever they really want to do. I am always hoping Stoll becomes that but he’s not. But we need some size on the field to be effective

And lack of size is also why I believe we don’t see many big plays go for TD. Everyone knows you force us to the middle of the field. That’s how you defend us. That’s why we see big chunk plays over the middle every week. They are there very often but you know what’s NEVER there, a streak down the sideline. When’s the last time we’ve had a long TD pass down the sideline? I guess JD had a nice route last week for a TD but that really wasn’t what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is teams know they can completely taking this away from us because we don’t have a WR with size we can trust on 50/50 balls or even back shoulder throws. Do we even have a QB who can make those type of throws. So then we are forced in the middle of the field and we don’t have the size or depth to fight thru the big hits they take. I’ll tell you, if I’m a defensive Cord, defending NU would probably be the easiest task I had all year. and as for the other end of the candle, the defense, that’s even more a mess. Maybe it’s cause I watch NU more closely then any other team but I’ve never seen an easier team to scheme against in my life. This team is like playing a video game on easy.

 

[phoenix4nu]

I’d say that’s part true. We do hit big plays. We don’t hit big plays for TDs. Last week alone we had a ton. We had 2 runs of 40+ yards on the same drive and still came away with no points. Almost laughable honestly.

The problem with big plays for TDs and our redzone woes is we have no size.

In the redzone, speed isn’t that big of an asset. AM has no true threat of a fade, cause he has no WRs capable of catching a fade. We can’t hammer away in the run game cause a) it’s not our style b) we don’t have a big package formation worth a **** c) we have one RB who can carry the rock down in the redzone and our staff loves to mix it up with the backs down there. I honestly watch a ton of football and I don’t understand what the hell we are trying to ever do in the redzone. I understand what every other team in college football is doing and what the hell the pros are doing, I just can’t understand our offense tries to do. We have zero identity in the redzone and zero go to guys that can be effective in the redzone. Not having a go to guy in the redzone kills us. It allows defenses to do whatever they really want to do. I am always hoping Stoll becomes that but he’s not. But we need some size on the field to be effective

And lack of size is also why I believe we don’t see many big plays go for TD. Everyone knows you force us to the middle of the field. That’s how you defend us. That’s why we see big chunk plays over the middle every week. They are there very often but you know what’s NEVER there, a streak down the sideline. When’s the last time we’ve had a long TD pass down the sideline? I guess JD had a nice route last week for a TD but that really wasn’t what I’m talking about. What I’m talking about is teams know they can completely taking this away from us because we don’t have a WR with size we can trust on 50/50 balls or even back shoulder throws. Do we even have a QB who can make those type of throws. So then we are forced in the middle of the field and we don’t have the size or depth to fight thru the big hits they take. I’ll tell you, if I’m a defensive Cord, defending NU would probably be the easiest task I had all year. and as for the other end of the candle, the defense, that’s even more a mess. Maybe it’s cause I watch NU more closely then any other team but I’ve never seen an easier team to scheme against in my life. This team is like playing a video game on easy.

So is it all because we don’t have the right type of players, as Frost implies in his press conferences?

 

[spinner4_rivals42045]

So is it all because we don’t have the right type of players, as Frost implies in his press conferences?

It really is but we only get one life to live unfortunately. Ones got to make due with what cards they have. And if it were easy, anyone could do it. There’s a reason he makes $5 Million a year. If he didn’t think he could succeed here, why did he take the job. I know these are all cliches but they hold true here.

any coach can win if they have exactly what they need. Great coaches win with what they have.