Whipple - pro style? spread?

inWV

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I've seen a couple of comments to the effect that Whipple is a pro-style offensive guy. He's been described as a pass-liking old school spread guy, or as a former QB referred to his pass concepts, a hybrid of spread and West Coast. It appears his approach is a bit syncretic and can be tailored to the defense faced each week. You will see a Nebraska QB under center in games this year. Frost is a run first guy and there are elements of his offense that work and can be executed by the players on the roster. Whipple appears to be a guy who can meld things that he thinks can work with the players at his disposal.
 

mgbreeze

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To be clear, I'm ok with the shotgun stuff. But the next time I see us 1st and goal inside the 2 or 4th and short and lining up in shotgun I think I'll go hang myself in the closet.
 

TruHusker

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Not disputing the articles but you do realize they are meant to be "feel good" pieces?

I am one who could care less what label you put on the O, just get the job done. I would guess that 90% of us wouldn't know a pro spread from a true spread from a west coast O unless someone points it out. I believe Whipple has said multiple times his goal is do whatever the D is not expecting him to do. However he accomplishes that is just great, just get it done.

Really? Frost was a run first guy? Then I would give him an F for his O the last four years save year one with others recruits.
 

WHCSC

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Feb 4, 2002
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To be clear, I'm ok with the shotgun stuff. But the next time I see us 1st and goal inside the 2 or 4th and short and lining up in shotgun I think I'll go hang myself in the closet.
Even if they fumble the snap?
 

king_kong_

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Nov 3, 2021
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I am eagerly awaiting any and all reports of Thompson being a huge A-hole around town and in the locker room
 

mgbreeze

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I am eagerly awaiting any and all reports of Thompson being a huge A-hole around town and in the locker room
We've seen reports that he is "confident" and "vocal." Could be he's an a-hole. I like the vocal part, AM never seemed like much of a leader.
 
Jun 16, 2004
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I am a big fan of the spread offenses in general simply because it seems, in theory, to be easier to recruit to. That said, I hated that Nebraska waited 3.5 years to finally run a normal QB sneak and even then couldn't execute it well.
 

1ManBearPig

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Jan 20, 2021
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From what I gather, Whipple doesn't paint himself into a corner. He is able to adapt and adjust. I am sure he has his preference, but he isn't afraid to switch things up if things aren't working. He is more balanced than he gets credit for.
 

Husker.Wed._rivals

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Feb 13, 2004
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I've seen a couple of comments to the effect that Whipple is a pro-style offensive guy. He's been described as a pass-liking old school spread guy, or as a former QB referred to his pass concepts, a hybrid of spread and West Coast. It appears his approach is a bit syncretic and can be tailored to the defense faced each week. You will see a Nebraska QB under center in games this year. Frost is a run first guy and there are elements of his offense that work and can be executed by the players on the roster. Whipple appears to be a guy who can meld things that he thinks can work with the players at his disposal.
I'm not too proud to admit I had to look up "syncretic" in the dictionary.
 

bigboxes

All-American
Sep 4, 2004
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To be clear, I'm ok with the shotgun stuff. But the next time I see us 1st and goal inside the 2 or 4th and short and lining up in shotgun I think I'll go hang myself in the closet.
Going the David Carradine route, eh?
 
Aug 6, 2009
15,511
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I don't care if he runs the wishbone, the spread, the I formation, the fun and gun, the veer, the old wing T, or the West Coast offense. I just want us to be effective and score points. I want an offense that looks like it knows what in the hell it is doing. Everything else is beside the point. Good coaching + good athletes+good chemistry=points, no matter what offense you run.

Edit: I would also add that someone who calls plays that doesn't abandon what is working just so you can have fun calling different plays.
 
Last edited:
Aug 24, 2004
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Unless I'm mistaken, I looked up Pitt's offensive output last year and they were almost 50/50 run/pass in their play count. I'm sure its different from game to game but the totality of the season indicates the new OC coach is very balanced in his play calling.
 

king_kong_

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Unless I'm mistaken, I looked up Pitt's offensive output last year and they were almost 50/50 run/pass in their play count. I'm sure its different from game to game but the totality of the season indicates the new OC coach is very balanced in his play calling.
and that's with the likely first QB off the board in this year's NFL draft and the Belitnikoff winner at WR

I think Coach Whipp will prioritize what works over his ego
 

TruHusker

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I don't care if he runs the wishbone, the spread, the I formation, the fun and gun, the veer, the old wing T, or the West Coast offense. I just want us to be effective and score points. I want an offense that looks like it knows what in the hell it is doing. Everything else is beside the point. Good coaching + good athletes+good chemistry=points, no matter what offense you run.

Edit: I would also add that someone who calls plays that doesn't abandon what is working just so you can have fun calling different plays.
I was with you until the Edit. I am going to go way out on a limb and predict a large complaint section about Whipple's play calling. He has stated over and over he wants to do what the D doesn't expect. I can see us running the ball and all the sudden he calls for a bomb. Uh oh. Mark my words, I said it in January!
 

king_kong_

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I was with you until the Edit. I am going to go way out on a limb and predict a large complaint section about Whipple's play calling. He has stated over and over he wants to do what the D doesn't expect. I can see us running the ball and all the sudden he calls for a bomb. Uh oh. Mark my words, I said it in January!
run the ball and chuck it deep!!!

I have been calling for this offense for years
 

inWV

All-Conference
Sep 22, 2007
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I don't care if he runs the wishbone, the spread, the I formation, the fun and gun, the veer, the old wing T, or the West Coast offense. I just want us to be effective and score points. I want an offense that looks like it knows what in the hell it is doing. Everything else is beside the point. Good coaching + good athletes+good chemistry=points, no matter what offense you run.

Edit: I would also add that someone who calls plays that doesn't abandon what is working just so you can have fun calling different plays.
The more I read about this guy, the more I like. It makes all the sense in the world to within reason modify your plans to fit the players you have. Whipple has participated in developing a variety of offensive schemes.
 

pgainey

Redshirt
Oct 19, 2021
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Below is the pass play percentage called by Whipple at Pitt the last 3 years and Frost at NU

2021 >> 2020 >> 2019

Pitt. 53% - 54% - 56%

NU. 45% - 42% - 39%
 

king_kong_

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Nov 3, 2021
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Below is the pass play percentage called by Whipple at Pitt the last 3 years and Frost at NU

2021 >> 2020 >> 2019

Pitt. 53% - 54% - 56%

NU. 45% - 42% - 39%
and below are the quarterbacks each called plays for:

2021 >> 2020 >> 2019

Pitt. Kenny Pickett - Kenny Pickett - Kenny Pickett

NU. AM - AM - AM

one of those will have their name called by Roger Goodell in the early first round of this years' draft

the other will have their name called by their live-in girlfriend about taking the trash out in manhattan, ks
 

pgainey

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Oct 19, 2021
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and below are the quarterbacks each called plays for:

2021 >> 2020 >> 2019

Pitt. Kenny Pickett - Kenny Pickett - Kenny Pickett

NU. AM - AM - AM

one of those will have their name called by Roger Goodell in the early first round of this years' draft

the other will have their name called by their live-in girlfriend about taking the trash out in manhattan, ks
yes - no doubt, player skill sets factored in
he also had the Biletnikoff winner at Pitt
 

Boiler_B

Heisman
Oct 21, 2003
36,554
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I was with you until the Edit. I am going to go way out on a limb and predict a large complaint section about Whipple's play calling. He has stated over and over he wants to do what the D doesn't expect. I can see us running the ball and all the sudden he calls for a bomb. Uh oh. Mark my words, I said it in January!
Yep, one of those coaches that constantly tries to outsmart themselves instead of sticking to whats working. We have seen way too much of that at NU the past few years and coaches.
Also sounds like Whip is a jack of all trades, master of none when it comes to offense. The whole "I am going to adjust my O to what the D is doing" sounds great in theory, but rarely ever works. His OC numbers for his career are proof of that. The guy has fielded exactly one good scoring O his entire career..and that was last years Pitt team, in a league that no one plays any D in save for Clemson..
The B10 plays much better D than the ACC does as a whole conference.

Add to that he is a 64 yr old dude who is going to be butting heads with Frost as far as the offense..I could see how this turns into a sh&t show pretty fast especially with how Frosts teams lack attention to detail, and even just minor or major communication issues that plague the team..
 

Boiler_B

Heisman
Oct 21, 2003
36,554
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Lost in this whole discussion is actual "reality".

Lets actually talk turkey here:

Whipple has this one season to change things for the better or else he and the rest of the crew are gone..they need to win games, a lot of them in order to keep their jobs another year.

The big problem? Whipple has never been in his whole career a "quick fix" guy, whether that is with an offense, or a QB he has developed. So do you see the problem here? He needs to be something he has NEVER been in not one, but two different categories..He needs to improve the O quite a bit, and he will need to develop the QB really quickly to run the offense to win enough games to keep his job. Neither of which he has EVER been able to do as an OC or a QB coach in a short amount of time. Hes not even been close to doing that ever at any OC/QB coach job he has had.

People rave about the job he did with Pickett and that is all fine and dandy, but Pickett had already been the starter for a year prior to Whipple getting to Pitt, he wasnt some True Frosh that he molded and needed time to develop, he was a Jr, who had already been the starter for a full year. Picketts numbers did not really improve as a QB from before Whipple got there to after he got there until Whipples 3rd year with Pickett..It took until year 3 before Picket made that Heisman Jump in his play and his numbers. Whipple doesnt have that kind of time to develop a QB at NU. Whipple will also be facing much better defenses in the B10 than he did in the ACC as a whole.

So I get the whole Rah rah stuff and the puff piece articles and all that...but that is kind of like not seeing the forest through the trees if we are being completely honest here. And add to that, we have a O line coach who is very green (which makes no sense) who has Zero P5 experience and coaching pros vs coaching college kids is a whole different animal altogether so he will have to adjust.

So we have an inexperienced O line coach who has to adjust and learn on the fly to the college game, with a new OC who will have to work with Frost fluidly on the Offense, and who will also have to improve the offense quickly (which he has never done) and will also have to improve the QB play quickly (which he has also never done). Ummmm OK...
 

leodisflowers

Senior
Feb 25, 2011
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Lost in this whole discussion is actual "reality".

Lets actually talk turkey here:

Whipple has this one season to change things for the better or else he and the rest of the crew are gone..they need to win games, a lot of them in order to keep their jobs another year.

The big problem? Whipple has never been in his whole career a "quick fix" guy, whether that is with an offense, or a QB he has developed. So do you see the problem here? He needs to be something he has NEVER been in not one, but two different categories..He needs to improve the O quite a bit, and he will need to develop the QB really quickly to run the offense to win enough games to keep his job. Neither of which he has EVER been able to do as an OC or a QB coach in a short amount of time. Hes not even been close to doing that ever at any OC/QB coach job he has had.

People rave about the job he did with Pickett and that is all fine and dandy, but Pickett had already been the starter for a year prior to Whipple getting to Pitt, he wasnt some True Frosh that he molded and needed time to develop, he was a Jr, who had already been the starter for a full year. Picketts numbers did not really improve as a QB from before Whipple got there to after he got there until Whipples 3rd year with Pickett..It took until year 3 before Picket made that Heisman Jump in his play and his numbers. Whipple doesnt have that kind of time to develop a QB at NU. Whipple will also be facing much better defenses in the B10 than he did in the ACC as a whole.

So I get the whole Rah rah stuff and the puff piece articles and all that...but that is kind of like not seeing the forest through the trees if we are being completely honest here. And add to that, we have a O line coach who is very green (which makes no sense) who has Zero P5 experience and coaching pros vs coaching college kids is a whole different animal altogether so he will have to adjust.

So we have an inexperienced O line coach who has to adjust and learn on the fly to the college game, with a new OC who will have to work with Frost fluidly on the Offense, and who will also have to improve the offense quickly (which he has never done) and will also have to improve the QB play quickly (which he has also never done). Ummmm OK...
cool.
 

inWV

All-Conference
Sep 22, 2007
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Given the recent history, it would be really easy to Debbie Downer the coaching changes and portal additions. Frost brought an offense that has been vert successful with other programs. But if you don't bring have the personnel to have success in a run and QB run offense in the B1G (6 B1G run Ds in the top 30), maybe its time to consider optimizing a pass offense instead of treating it like something you do when you are not running the ball. As for Whipple not being a quick turnaround guy, the UMass FB team was 3-8. Whipple had them at 12-3 the next year, and won the 1-AA title game. So there's that.
As for the portal additions, I'd say NU has done just fine given the 2021 win-loss record.
 

Boiler_B

Heisman
Oct 21, 2003
36,554
10,135
113
Given the recent history, it would be really easy to Debbie Downer the coaching changes and portal additions. Frost brought an offense that has been vert successful with other programs. But if you don't bring have the personnel to have success in a run and QB run offense in the B1G (6 B1G run Ds in the top 30), maybe its time to consider optimizing a pass offense instead of treating it like something you do when you are not running the ball. As for Whipple not being a quick turnaround guy, the UMass FB team was 3-8. Whipple had them at 12-3 the next year, and won the 1-AA title game. So there's that.
As for the portal additions, I'd say NU has done just fine given the 2021 win-loss record.
U are kinda desperate if u are quoting UMass stats to defend Whipple.

1. Its UMass
2. He was the HC, not the OC and Qb coach
3. It's UMass
4. His history at ANY P5 school where he was OC /QB coach shows a guy who is not a quick turnaround guy, and last time I checked UMass is not a P5 school, nor a B10 school.

5. B10 has better defenses than what Whipple faced in the ACC which Is essentially the pac12 of the west Coast as far as D being played in the conference goes.
 

pgainey

Redshirt
Oct 19, 2021
722
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Any yahoo can win with an all American QB

the real test is if you can still manage to win 8-10 games with schmucks like Petras, Mertz or Morgan
 

king_kong_

Redshirt
Nov 3, 2021
24,413
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Given the recent history, it would be really easy to Debbie Downer the coaching changes and portal additions. Frost brought an offense that has been vert successful with other programs. But if you don't bring have the personnel to have success in a run and QB run offense in the B1G (6 B1G run Ds in the top 30), maybe its time to consider optimizing a pass offense instead of treating it like something you do when you are not running the ball. As for Whipple not being a quick turnaround guy, the UMass FB team was 3-8. Whipple had them at 12-3 the next year, and won the 1-AA title game. So there's that.
As for the portal additions, I'd say NU has done just fine given the 2021 win-loss record.
As we saw in bowl games, B1G defenses are nothing special. Their national ranks are entirely a product of all but 3 or 4 B1G offenses being vastly below average.

against non-B1G opponents, B1G defenses looked very average.

also - Whipple is taking over an offense that’s consistently finished in the top half of the league in terms of total yardage. His QB has a full year of starting under his belt. He is not starting from scratch here, and he is not, contrary to popular belief, coming into a defense-dominant league.

As is tradition, the B1G is pedestrian in all facets, and can absolutely be had in short order.
 

1NebrFan

Sophomore
Dec 3, 2004
209
154
38
U are kinda desperate if u are quoting UMass stats to defend Whipple.

1. Its UMass
2. He was the HC, not the OC and Qb coach
3. It's UMass
4. His history at ANY P5 school where he was OC /QB coach shows a guy who is not a quick turnaround guy, and last time I checked UMass is not a P5 school, nor a B10 school.

5. B10 has better defenses than what Whipple faced in the ACC which Is essentially the pac12 of the west Coast as far as D being played in the conference goes.
I know this isn't stats from college, however I would assume he saw some pretty good defenses in the NFL :) As QB coach with the Steelers.
....the Steelers were 6-10 in 2003 before he started....15-1 in 2004 his first year as QB coach....Super Bowl Champs in 2005. Not a bad turnaround.

He spent three seasons as the quarterbacks coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004 to 2006, during Ben Roethlisberger’s first three NFL seasons. In 2004, Roethlisberger was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and in 2005 Whipple helped the Steelers capture the Super Bowl.
 

inWV

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Sep 22, 2007
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I know this isn't stats from college, however I would assume he saw some pretty good defenses in the NFL :) As QB coach with the Steelers.
....the Steelers were 6-10 in 2003 before he started....15-1 in 2004 his first year as QB coach....Super Bowl Champs in 2005. Not a bad turnaround.

He spent three seasons as the quarterbacks coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004 to 2006, during Ben Roethlisberger’s first three NFL seasons. In 2004, Roethlisberger was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, and in 2005 Whipple helped the Steelers capture the Super Bowl.
He's a offensive turnaround shlub because in the two P5 programs where he was OC/QB coach, Miami only went from 7-6 in year 1 to 9-4 the next, and Pitt went from 7-7 to 8-5. And they don't play D in the ACC. All other aspects of his coaching resume are inapplicable. The fact that he was primarily responsible for the development of a 6X Pro Bowl QB and 2X Super Bowl winner is not informative.
As an OC, he's an upgrade from the previous two OCs. And given NU's record of the past several years (especially last season), he's more than a decent addition.
 

Boiler_B

Heisman
Oct 21, 2003
36,554
10,135
113
please, nobody show this to @Boiler_B


Good, so there should be ZERO excuses for the offense not to improve a TON this year, or for Frost not to win 8 plus games this year to save his job.

You cant have it both ways. You want to call Whip a top 5 OC.. great...then you cant hem and haw and want Frost retained if he wins 6-7 or fewer games this year with this schedule, or if the O doesnt make a HUGE jump this year.

Right?