How does this offense cut back on negative plays/sacks

[BigNUFan51]

Thorson was sacked 38 freaking times last year! It truly is amazing that this team was able to win 7 games given that statistic.

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Obviously the oline is going to get a lot of blame here, but not all of those sacks can be on them. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions out there, and McCall needs to call better plays.

I can recall countless drives last year stalled by either a sack or a holding penalty. It really was unreal!

 

[corbi2961]

Thorson was sacked 38 freaking times last year! It truly is amazing that this team was able to win 7 games given that statistic.

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Obviously the oline is going to get a lot of blame here, but not all of those sacks can be on them. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions out there, and McCall needs to call better plays.

I can recall countless drives last year stalled by either a sack or a holding penalty. It really was unreal!

Explosive, game changing plays usually take more time to develop. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions but if we want to score more points the play calling will need to be aggressive. It's up to the OL to hold its own rather than have a situation where the OL needs to be "protected".

 

[Williesfan]

Thorson was sacked 38 freaking times last year! It truly is amazing that this team was able to win 7 games given that statistic.

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Obviously the oline is going to get a lot of blame here, but not all of those sacks can be on them. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions out there, and McCall needs to call better plays.

I can recall countless drives last year stalled by either a sack or a holding penalty. It really was unreal!

Would you rather have 38 sacks or 28 interceptions. I will take the sack in lieu of a bad decision.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Thorson was sacked 38 freaking times last year! It truly is amazing that this team was able to win 7 games given that statistic.

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Obviously the oline is going to get a lot of blame here, but not all of those sacks can be on them. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions out there, and McCall needs to call better plays.

I can recall countless drives last year stalled by either a sack or a holding penalty. It really was unreal!

Blocking better.

 

[Deeringfish]

Would you rather have 38 sacks or 28 interceptions. I will take the sack in lieu of a bad decision.

+1

 

[docrugby1]

Would you rather have 38 sacks or 28 interceptions. I will take the sack in lieu of a bad decision.

Did Sam Arnold throw 28 interceptions ?

 

[acedog]

Cannot hold the ball. Throw it away to avoid the sack.

 

[KramerCat91]

Thorson was sacked 38 freaking times last year! It truly is amazing that this team was able to win 7 games given that statistic.

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Obviously the oline is going to get a lot of blame here, but not all of those sacks can be on them. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions out there, and McCall needs to call better plays.

I can recall countless drives last year stalled by either a sack or a holding penalty. It really was unreal!

Run the ball more frequently. I saw an advanced stat that indicated that we threw the ball the on standard downs at a very high rate last year.

 

[Williesfan]

Did Sam Arnold throw 28 interceptions ?

I am not concerned with what Darnold, Luck or Navarre does. Thor made positive progress last season. I hope he builds on that.

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

RUN SOME SCREENS!

"Screens are usually deployed against aggressive defenses that rush the passer."

 

[willycat]

Run the ball more frequently. I saw an advanced stat that indicated that we threw the ball the on standard downs at a very high rate last year.

I'd bet that NU runs the ball a high rate of time on first down. JJTBC!

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

Seriously, what does McCall have against screens?

 

[julescat]

Seriously, what does McCall have against screens?

For the most part pretty unathletic O-linemen.

 

[Deeringfish]

For the most part pretty unathletic O-linemen.

This

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

Explosive, game changing plays usually take more time to develop. Thorson needs to make quicker decisions but if we want to score more points the play calling will need to be aggressive. It's up to the OL to hold its own rather than have a situation where the OL needs to be "protected".

Thorson wasnt the problem.

 

[Frabjous_rivals]

Not really a proper comparison, USC's O line was crazy good last year. If NU runs the read/option (or some variation) capably and has even a middling B1G O line, the sacks should come way down.
Oddly, a very efficient read/option offense is a quick-strike offense and could wear out NU's defense, if the defense can't rotate enough players, but maybe a quick-strike offense is not the worst problem to have. How deep does NU's defense look to you guys?

 

[MrCat95]

Better pass blocking obviously, but a more physical run game and more consistent exececution leading to fewer 3rd down and longs can do wonders for sack stats.

The best way to avoid getting sacked is to limit the number of plays where both you and the opponent know your QB has to hold the ball long enough to get a receiver down field beyond the sticks.

Justin Jackson can do a lot with very little. However, if the OL can give him more to work with, look out!

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Cannot hold the ball. Throw it away to avoid the sack.

He did last year. A lot.

 

[corbi2961]

Thorson wasnt the problem.

I didn't say he was the problem. I know he wasn't but I also know he can play better than he did last season.

 

[Mr Wickerpark]

I didn't say he was the problem. I know he wasn't but I also know he can play better than he did last season.

True. I thought he progressed good last year and stayed in the pocket better. I think he still stumbled on read options. McCalls game planning seemed fairly good but hopefully we can have a bit more of an option. But i really love that kid in the pocket. Mccall incorporated dickerson into the plan alot more last year. I hope dickerson even plays more. Whether blocking or releasing, he is a stud.

It was asked elsewhere who our hifhest nfl draftee will b next year. Id say thorson by the third and dickerson closeby or sooner.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

True. I thought he progressed good last year and stayed in the pocket better. I think he still stumbled on read options. McCalls game planning seemed fairly good but hopefully we can have a bit more of an option. But i really love that kid in the pocket. Mccall incorporated dickerson into the plan alot more last year. I hope dickerson even plays more. Whether blocking or releasing, he is a stud.

It was asked elsewhere who our hifhest nfl draftee will b next year. Id say thorson by the third and dickerson closeby or sooner.

If Thorson is projected as a third, I would hope he doesn't come out.

 

[StreamCat]

He did last year. A lot.

He did except when he didn't.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

He did except when he didn't.

Thanks, Confucius.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

By comparison Sam Darnold was only sacked 6 times in 10 games.

Sam Darnold is also projected to be a top 3 pick in next year's NFL Draft, so he's a talented guy. No wonder Fitz recruited him so hard. Not to infringe on that long recruiting thread, but our staff has no trouble identifying the talent. We even get in on some guys before they blow up.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

He did last year. A lot.

I can't believe that anybody here could put the blame on Thorson or McCall but they always do. Like "the economy, stupid" it's "the OL, stupid." We've got a talented QB, a proven OC who has won with many different QBs at the helm, and a great RB. Even our receivers started having a pulse last year. What's left to blame? The OL.

 

[Hungry Jack]

I am surprised none of the genii here brought up punting on third down.

What kind of board is this?

 

[StreamCat]

Thanks, Confucius.

“The cautious seldom err.” – Confucius

 

[Deeringfish]

I can't believe that anybody here could put the blame on Thorson or McCall but they always do. Like "the economy, stupid" it's "the OL, stupid." We've got a talented QB, a proven OC who has won with many different QBs at the helm, and a great RB. Even our receivers started having a pulse last year. What's left to blame? The OL.

Yeah but isn't the OC ultimately responsible for the OL? Shouldn't he be the one who directs the OL Coach to do things differently or appeals to the Head Coach for different support in OL development. I get that OL is not McCall's strength but he seems to be an excellent QB developer. The OL needs either better physical development or technique development or recruiting.

 

[BretEpic]

The line was really bad last season, not 2015 bad, but really bad. They need to improve, we know CT will

 

[NJCat]

and McCall needs to call better plays.

I wish McCall would call the touchdown play more often.....

 

[YesterdaysCat]

Yeah but isn't the OC ultimately responsible for the OL? Shouldn't he be the one who directs the OL Coach to do things differently or appeals to the Head Coach for different support in OL development. I get that OL is not McCall's strength but he seems to be an excellent QB developer. The OL needs either better physical development or technique development or recruiting.

By that logic, isn't Fitz ultimately responsible for McCall if McCall is responsible for poor OL play? And isn't Jim responsible for Fitz and isn't Morty and the Board responsible for Jim?

I'm calling for the Board of Trustees to resign.

Kidding aside, I strongly doubt that McCall or even Cushing is clueless about what is and what isn't good OL play. I am starting to believe in what GCG was selling, that we just aren't recruiting good enough OL talent. Well, we are recruiting good enough talent but we are not signing it. We need to close the deal a lot better on OL recruits.

Who's responsible for that? The NU Board, of course.

 

[YesterdaysCat]

The line was really bad last season, not 2015 bad, but really bad. They need to improve, we know CT will

You are saying that they are terrible but not train wreck terrible. Do we have a chance at just being crappy this year? Maybe in two more years we will be mediocre.

 

[KramerCat91]

I'd bet that NU runs the ball a high rate of time on first down. JJTBC!

NU's adjusted run rate was 102nd in the country in 2016. See http://www.footballoutsiders.com/stats/ncaaoff. We did run successfully a lot in the Pinstripe Bowl and I hope that trend continues.

 

[mickbula]

Can CThor take some tutelage from Mike Kafka? Does anyone remember Kafka's quick decisions/throws and dominant play his senior year? If Mike hadn't had the hamstring injuries, we may have been playing for the national championship that year. Our OL was as good or worse than the current players that we have now that year. Mike took us to overtime in the bowl game against Auburn that year- they won the nat.championship the following year. I don't buy this bs about blaming the sacks on the OL. CThor may be more talented than Kafka- with now more experience! Get CThor in Kafka's mindframe and we will dominate even more this year!

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

Can CThor take some tutelage from Mike Kafka? Does anyone remember Kafka's quick decisions/throws and dominant play his senior year? If Mike hadn't had the hamstring injuries, we may have been playing for the national championship that year. Our OL was as good or worse than the current players that we have now that year. Mike took us to overtime in the bowl game against Auburn that year- they won the nat.championship the following year. I don't buy this bs about blaming the sacks on the OL. CThor may be more talented than Kafka- with now more experience! Get CThor in Kafka's mindframe and we will dominate even more this year!

Mike also had a bunch of receivers capable of running underneath routes to get open quickly.

 

[mickbula]

Mike also had a bunch of receivers capable of running underneath routes to get open quickly.

I see no reason why we/he/CThor can't do what Kafka did his best season for NU. If I remember correctly, wasn't the best wide receiver for the Cats that year a 5'6" smurf walk-on named Zeke- who ran probably a 40 slower than most of our OLinemen that year? I believe our new stud wr transfer. Nagel, Lees, Skow, Dickerson etc etc should have no problem being just as good and most likely a lot better as wide receivers for us now! This may be CThor's finale performance for we fans- I think it will be one of the finest in Nu's history. We can be really good this year. I really hope we have Coach Fitz's best team on record!

 

[bringbacktherantboard]

For the most part pretty unathletic O-linemen.

Hey, if our O-linemen are letting the rushers through, just like they would on a screen play, why not throw the screen pass? It seems like we're already running half the play already; why not finish it?

But seriously, the screen is designed to punish teams that blitz. Maybe NU's O-line is so bad that they're sacking the QB without blitzing. But if our O-line is a known weakness, then it makes sense that teams are going to try to exploit that by going after the QB, and a few well-timed screens during a game would really punish them for it. That IS the answer to a blitzing opponent and we don't have that weapon in our arsenal; is it any surprise we get sacked so much?

 

[corbi2961]

Hey, if our O-linemen are letting the rushers through, just like they would on a screen play, why not throw the screen pass? It seems like we're already running half the play already; why not finish it?

But seriously, the screen is designed to punish teams that blitz. Maybe NU's O-line is so bad that they're sacking the QB without blitzing. But if our O-line is a known weakness, then it makes sense that teams are going to try to exploit that by going after the QB, and a few well-timed screens during a game would really punish them for it. That IS the answer to a blitzing opponent and we don't have that weapon in our arsenal; is it any surprise we get sacked so much?

No team is going to blitz if you are getting quick pressure just with your down 4. That has happened a lot to our OL over the last two years. Screens, or anything else for that matter, will not be particularly effective when your OL is consistently getting whipped at the line of scrimmage. So screens would not be that effective although I will note we run a lot of WR screens out of our spread formation.

 

[Gocatsgo2003]

I see no reason why we/he/CThor can't do what Kafka did his best season for NU. If I remember correctly, wasn't the best wide receiver for the Cats that year a 5'6" smurf walk-on named Zeke- who ran probably a 40 slower than most of our OLinemen that year? I believe our new stud wr transfer. Nagel, Lees, Skow, Dickerson etc etc should have no problem being just as good and most likely a lot better as wide receivers for us now! This may be CThor's finale performance for we fans- I think it will be one of the finest in Nu's history. We can be really good this year. I really hope we have Coach Fitz's best team on record!

Zeke Markshausen is/was highly underrated as an athlete (ran a better 40 than Brewer), and just flat *** knew how to get open. Add in Dunsmore, Stewart, Ebert, and Fields and that's probably one of the better receiver groups we've had lately.

 

[BretEpic]

You are saying that they are terrible but not train wreck terrible. Do we have a chance at just being crappy this year? Maybe in two more years we will be mediocre.

They are a step above abysmal, on a trajectory to somewhat capable