Husker offense

[Pennsyhusker_rivals246774]

The landscape of college football has changed dramatically since Osborne retired. Everyone is on TV, everyone is flush with cash, and everyone has really good to great facilities. It is highly unlikely that Nebraska can consistently get the elite recruits teams like Ohio State get. Furthermore, a lot of teams run an offense similar to Frost’s. There really isn’t anything that unique about it and defenses have caught up and adjusted to it. Osborne, despite the recruiting advantages he had back then, still understood the difficulty of recruiting top talent to Nebraska. He eventually did, starting in the 80’s, but he understood something important in order to do so. Namely, that Nebraska, especially on offense, needed to have a unique system that was run oriented and was a kind of talent equalizer. I would love to see us return to some version of that offense. I would freak out for joy if we came out against Illinois and lined up in the I formation with a fullback. Imagine memorial stadium if that happened too in our first home game.

I know this is just an old man’s nostalgic pipe dream and given that Frost’s seat is a bit warm I know he won’t change offenses now. Too risky in a year where we need consistency. Still… would love to see him gradually work in some old I formation plays.

 

[Husker Hambone]

Would love to see the I. Frost ran a series of it against Ohio St 2 years ago and moved the ball. Who would be our fullback?

 

[Pennsyhusker_rivals246774]

Would love to see the I. Frost ran a series of it against Ohio St 2 years ago and moved the ball. Who would be our fullback?

Good question. Probably one of our bigger running backs or better yet, if we really want to resurrect the tradition, find another Mackovica somewhere in the wings!

 

[Redscarlet]

Good question. Probably one of our bigger running backs or better yet, if we really want to resurrect the tradition, find another Mackovica somewhere in the wings!

Jaquez Yant would be the first obvious choice.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Don't look back....You're not going that way.

I get the love affair with the past. I believe too many people put more credence in the offense than they do in the man who ran that offense. Many coaches in that time frame ran an offense similar to what Osborne ran, none of them shared the success that Osborne did. Secondly, Osborne has said on a few occasions that if he stayed in coaching, his offense would have morphed into a version similar to what Kelly and Frost ran at Oregon.

That underdog mentality is what is going to be the end of Nebraska football as we knew. We're a small state, no one will come here, hard work beats talent, all the excuses.

Pick the offense you will run, recruit the best players to that offense, teach and develop the players, run the offense. It doesn't matter if it is wing T or Fun and Gun, commit to it and go.

 

[Pennsyhusker_rivals246774]

Don't look back....You're not going that way.

I get the love affair with the past. I believe too many people put more credence in the offense than they do in the man who ran that offense. Many coaches in that time frame ran an offense similar to what Osborne ran, none of them shared the success that Osborne did. Secondly, Osborne has said on a few occasions that if he stayed in coaching, his offense would have morphed into a version similar to what Kelly and Frost ran at Oregon.

That underdog mentality is what is going to be the end of Nebraska football as we knew. We're a small state, no one will come here, hard work beats talent, all the excuses.

Pick the offense you will run, recruit the best players to that offense, teach and develop the players, run the offense. It doesn't matter if it is wing T or Fun and Gun, commit to it and go.

Yep. All true. It is pure nostalgia on my part. But I don't think I have an underdog mentality. I think we can be very, very good and match up year in and year out with the Wisconsins of the world. If I do have an underdog mentality I guess it would have to be that I really do doubt that we will ever be able to recruit the way Ohio State does. That does not mean we cannot beat them from time to time if we really get things rolling again, but it is going to take a great coach to raise us to the level of an elite team. Is Frost that coach?? I have no idea.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Yep. All true. It is pure nostalgia on my part. But I don't think I have an underdog mentality. I think we can be very, very good and match up year in and year out with the Wisconsins of the world. If I do have an underdog mentality I guess it would have to be that I really do doubt that we will ever be able to recruit the way Ohio State does. That does not mean we cannot beat them from time to time if we really get things rolling again, but it is going to take a great coach to raise us to the level of an elite team. Is Frost that coach?? I have no idea.

You don't have to recruit like Ohio St, you just have to be in the top 12-18. Where you can't be is in the 50s or 60s

 

[GeorgeFlippin]

Yep. All true. It is pure nostalgia on my part. But I don't think I have an underdog mentality. I think we can be very, very good and match up year in and year out with the Wisconsins of the world. If I do have an underdog mentality I guess it would have to be that I really do doubt that we will ever be able to recruit the way Ohio State does. That does not mean we cannot beat them from time to time if we really get things rolling again, but it is going to take a great coach to raise us to the level of an elite team. Is Frost that coach?? I have no idea.

You need a coach that is damn good like Tom or Bob, and a great coaching staff that could sell ice to a Penguin and recruit similar players like tOSU.

 

[dinglefritz]

You don't have to recruit like Ohio St, you just have to be in the top 12-18. Where you can't be is in the 50s or 60s

You can only put 11 guys on the field at any one time. You need 22 outstanding players on your roster at least and a few difference makers. IF you can gather that you can compete. The place that OSU has an advantage is that they can whiff on highly ranked kids and if somebody gets hurt they have a stud ready to step in usually. NUMBER 1 priority is finding the guy at QB and OSU has done that year after year since Urban got there.

 

[PCastro]

Would love to see the I. Frost ran a series of it against Ohio St 2 years ago and moved the ball. Who would be our fullback?

Hopefully we have ability to get under center

 

[TruHusker]

I am one who doesn't care what we run. I just want it coached and taught to perfection. THAT is what set Osborne's team apart, the details of coaching. We have been lacking that for many years.

Harking back to the game with tOSU, we ran what, one play, a trap, over and over and that gives people hope?

Now we just hope we can beat Wisconsin and Iowa every once in a while. Sad

 

[John_J_Rambo_rivals315142]

our scoring avg needs to improve

it starts with redzone efficiency

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

our scoring avg needs to improve

it starts with redzone efficiency

I agree. The two efficiency ratios that need to improve the most, in my estimation...


Red Zone offense, especially the TD pct, we ranked like 107 in TDs

3rd down defense, where we ranked like mid 60s

 

[egaRdeR]

The landscape of college football has changed dramatically since Osborne retired. Everyone is on TV, everyone is flush with cash, and everyone has really good to great facilities. It is highly unlikely that Nebraska can consistently get the elite recruits teams like Ohio State get. Furthermore, a lot of teams run an offense similar to Frost’s. There really isn’t anything that unique about it and defenses have caught up and adjusted to it. Osborne, despite the recruiting advantages he had back then, still understood the difficulty of recruiting top talent to Nebraska. He eventually did, starting in the 80’s, but he understood something important in order to do so. Namely, that Nebraska, especially on offense, needed to have a unique system that was run oriented and was a kind of talent equalizer. I would love to see us return to some version of that offense. I would freak out for joy if we came out against Illinois and lined up in the I formation with a fullback. Imagine memorial stadium if that happened too in our first home game.

I know this is just an old man’s nostalgic pipe dream and given that Frost’s seat is a bit warm I know he won’t change offenses now. Too risky in a year where we need consistency. Still… would love to see him gradually work in some old I formation plays.

While I get the nostalgia it seems we all just want to win. And it is easy to correlate winning with what we did in the past.

I wonder if any OU fans wish they were still running the wishbone. After all, it was unique at the time and set them apart from others. And they won. A lot. But since they are winning now it really doesn't matter what they are running. I am sure their fans are happy. And if someone suggested going back to the wishbone everyone would think they are crazy.

It is simple, we just want to win.

 

[FargoNDHusker]

I'm not trying to bash Frost but I honestly don't know what our offense is really supposed to be. Usually the first drive of the game and after half it's quick and efficient with usually good results. After that it seems like an offense with no true staple or direction, whether that's because of players not knowing what to do, not being able to do it, me being to dumb to see what they are trying to do (very possible) but I honestly don't know what the true Scott Frost offense is supposed to look like at this point.

 

[BleedRed78]

The landscape of college football has changed dramatically since Osborne retired. Everyone is on TV, everyone is flush with cash, and everyone has really good to great facilities. It is highly unlikely that Nebraska can consistently get the elite recruits teams like Ohio State get. Furthermore, a lot of teams run an offense similar to Frost’s. There really isn’t anything that unique about it and defenses have caught up and adjusted to it. Osborne, despite the recruiting advantages he had back then, still understood the difficulty of recruiting top talent to Nebraska. He eventually did, starting in the 80’s, but he understood something important in order to do so. Namely, that Nebraska, especially on offense, needed to have a unique system that was run oriented and was a kind of talent equalizer. I would love to see us return to some version of that offense. I would freak out for joy if we came out against Illinois and lined up in the I formation with a fullback. Imagine memorial stadium if that happened too in our first home game.

I know this is just an old man’s nostalgic pipe dream and given that Frost’s seat is a bit warm I know he won’t change offenses now. Too risky in a year where we need consistency. Still… would love to see him gradually work in some old I formation plays.

Frost could incorporate a fly spread offense like I do in my NCAA Football 14 game lol. It's and equalizer version of his offense anyway. Probably 95% of offensive snaps feature a jet motion where the guy in motion MIGHT get the ball (either jet sweep run, motion triple option, or swing pass). Creates a nice diversion form of window dressing that can further spread the defense out. Just saying

 

[steinek11]

You can only put 11 guys on the field at any one time. You need 22 outstanding players on your roster at least and a few difference makers. IF you can gather that you can compete. The place that OSU has an advantage is that they can whiff on highly ranked kids and if somebody gets hurt they have a stud ready to step in usually. NUMBER 1 priority is finding the guy at QB and OSU has done that year after year since Urban got there.

Start winning games, put guys into the NFL and the quality of our recruiting takes off. Until then, we might even be overachieving as is.

 

[TheNewNU_rivals50820]

Football has changed. I formation and those gap option schemes are a thing of the past. You have to be able to outscore teams now and do it fast. If you can't you're going to get boat raced.

 

[steinek11]

Football has changed. I formation and those gap option schemes are a thing of the past. You have to be able to outscore teams now and do it fast. If you can't you're going to get boat raced.

True in college. Defense is still ultra important in the NFL

 

[salsa red]

If frost got his offense going we'd be all about it. Oklahoma fans aren't begging for the wishbone.

 

[HominidHusker]

Coaching.
Given our net recruiting (after attrition), our performance outcomes are sub par for a highly paid staff.
Other coaches win with less.

 

[RedCap_rivals330392]

You're right that times have changed a lot since the days of Osborne and are continuing to change some more with NIL and potentially more conference realignment in the offing.

I continue to believe that NIL could be a huge new advantage to Nebraska in recruiting to help level the playing field a bit but it will only be so if some businesses step up to the plate and Nebraska isn't too timid to take advantage of the situation.

BUT always first and foremost is the coaching. The last couple of coaches have NOT mastered it and that is the key to the kingdom before anything else.

 

[TruHusker]

Start winning games, put guys into the NFL and the quality of our recruiting takes off. Until then, we might even be overachieving as is.

This all sounds good but it's the proverbial chicken and egg concept. Frost recruited well early but didn't win and keep some recruits. Now the recruiting is dropping off because we are not winning, or that is the guess. We can't even get our in-state top talent to visit!

So eventually, to build some momentum, he is going to have to win with what he's got. Somewhere this staff will have to figure out how to overacheive and exceed expectations.

 

[The_Guy_Behind_The_Guy_Behind_The_Guy]

Winning more would do a lot to help recruiting. Kids want to play at programs that win

 

[bigboxes]

our scoring avg needs to improve

it starts with redzone efficiency

We need a QB. I am so tired of sub .500 ball.

 

[huskerbaseball13]

I'm not trying to bash Frost but I honestly don't know what our offense is really supposed to be. Usually the first drive of the game and after half it's quick and efficient with usually good results. After that it seems like an offense with no true staple or direction, whether that's because of players not knowing what to do, not being able to do it, me being to dumb to see what they are trying to do (very possible) but I honestly don't know what the true Scott Frost offense is supposed to look like at this point.

Feel free to bash him. You are not dumb, it would seem even Frost has no idea what his offense is. But hey, when all else fails…call a swing pass. Or, a QB draw on third and long.

 

[huskerdrb]

Don't look back....You're not going that way.

I get the love affair with the past. I believe too many people put more credence in the offense than they do in the man who ran that offense. Many coaches in that time frame ran an offense similar to what Osborne ran, none of them shared the success that Osborne did. Secondly, Osborne has said on a few occasions that if he stayed in coaching, his offense would have morphed into a version similar to what Kelly and Frost ran at Oregon.

That underdog mentality is what is going to be the end of Nebraska football as we knew. We're a small state, no one will come here, hard work beats talent, all the excuses.

Pick the offense you will run, recruit the best players to that offense, teach and develop the players, run the offense. It doesn't matter if it is wing T or Fun and Gun, commit to it and go.

I remember when Osborne said that you couldn’t have a pass first team in the weather we had in Nebraska. But I do believe that Tom was slowly spreading the field more each year even though he stayed a run first coach.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

I remember when Osborne said that you couldn’t have a pass first team in the weather we had in Nebraska. But I do believe that Tom was slowly spreading the field more each year even though he stayed a run first coach.

OMG the weather is the most ridiculous argument. Boise St and Washington St used to throw the ball 100 times per game in blowing *** snow and freezing temps.

Oregon was not a pass first offense, they were still a 55/45 run/pass under Kelly and Helfrich, and had a number of good backs.

Weather affects about 2 games per year in Lincoln, and it affects both teams. Texas doesn't run a run dominated offense because they may play at Iowa St in November.

Finally, no offense, but too many of Osborne's QBs didn't or couldn't complete more than 53% of their passes on a bright sunny day with no wind. So yes those teams couldn't have a pass first offense. But if you recruit strong passing QBs, you can throw the ball at Nebraska.

Edit - Truth be told, I would bet that Osborne decided he would rather compete with 10-20 teams for the best DT or run first QBs than 100 teams for the best pro style QBs.

 

[inWV]

OMG the weather is the most ridiculous argument. Boise St and Washington St used to throw the ball 100 times per game in blowing *** snow and freezing temps.

Oregon was not a pass first offense, they were still a 55/45 run/pass under Kelly and Helfrich, and had a number of good backs.

Weather affects about 2 games per year in Lincoln, and it affects both teams. Texas doesn't run a run dominated offense because they may play at Iowa St in November.

Finally, no offense, but too many of Osborne's QBs didn't or couldn't complete more than 53% of their passes on a bright sunny day with no wind. So yes those teams couldn't have a pass first offense. But if you recruit strong passing QBs, you can throw the ball at Nebraska.

Edit - Truth be told, I would bet that Osborne decided he would rather compete with 10-20 teams for the best DT or run first QBs than 100 teams for the best pro style QBs.

TO did coach Humm and Ferragamo. Then went option. And generally had pretty high end QBs running it. The passing was a little ugly, but a good share of the time the receiver was open by 5-10 yards.

 

[bigboxes]

TO did coach Humm and Ferragamo. Then went option. And generally had pretty high end QBs running it. The passing was a little ugly, but a good share of the time the receiver was open by 5-10 yards.

TO ran a pro style offense at the end of the Devaney era and the beginning of his head coaching stint. He moved to a power running game to compete with OU. And @Tuco Salamanca is right. You can pass in Lincoln. If Green Bay can field championships by slinging the ball around, then I'm sure that NU can do it as well.

 

[TruHusker]

Winning more would do a lot to help recruiting. Kids want to play at programs that win

That seems to be the common thinking but the reality is this team can't even get to .500 ball. Something is terribly wrong if it continues. The longer it continues in this direction, the more difficult it is going to be to get players to come and turn it around.

So, I will ask you, what is the definition of "winning?" What is it going to take to wake up the recruits and convince them there is something going on in the formerly dead program?

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

TO did coach Humm and Ferragamo. Then went option. And generally had pretty high end QBs running it. The passing was a little ugly, but a good share of the time the receiver was open by 5-10 yards.

Nebraska has had 10 QBs drafted in the NFL, Claridge, Tagge, (Devaney) Humm, Farragamo and Bruce Mathison (Osborne) and Lee (Riley) were the only ones that were even on an active roster for 1 game.

Maybe I am missing the other high end guys. Hell Mathison was a backup at Nebraska, and that was after the switch to a more running QB.

 

[Pennsyhusker_rivals246774]

TO ran a pro style offense at the end of the Devaney era and the beginning of his head coaching stint. He moved to a power running game to compete with OU. And @Tuco Salamanca is right. You can pass in Lincoln. If Green Bay can field championships by slinging the ball around, then I'm sure that NU can do it as well.

So true. I never understood Osborne’s comments on this.

 

[redwine65]

The landscape of college football has changed dramatically since Osborne retired. Everyone is on TV, everyone is flush with cash, and everyone has really good to great facilities. It is highly unlikely that Nebraska can consistently get the elite recruits teams like Ohio State get. Furthermore, a lot of teams run an offense similar to Frost’s. There really isn’t anything that unique about it and defenses have caught up and adjusted to it. Osborne, despite the recruiting advantages he had back then, still understood the difficulty of recruiting top talent to Nebraska. He eventually did, starting in the 80’s, but he understood something important in order to do so. Namely, that Nebraska, especially on offense, needed to have a unique system that was run oriented and was a kind of talent equalizer. I would love to see us return to some version of that offense. I would freak out for joy if we came out against Illinois and lined up in the I formation with a fullback. Imagine memorial stadium if that happened too in our first home game.

I know this is just an old man’s nostalgic pipe dream and given that Frost’s seat is a bit warm I know he won’t change offenses now. Too risky in a year where we need consistency. Still… would love to see him gradually work in some old I formation plays.

the pass happy top brass decide run/pass qb's are not flamboyant enough for the sky box crowd.
apparently frost is going to get the next marino, bradshaw, montana and brady in lincoln...
then things will really take off...

 

[dinglefritz]

Nebraska has had 10 QBs drafted in the NFL, Claridge, Tagge, (Devaney) Humm, Farragamo and Bruce Mathison (Osborne) and Lee (Riley) were the only ones that were even on an active roster for 1 game.

Maybe I am missing the other high end guys. Hell Mathison was a backup at Nebraska, and that was after the switch to a more running QB.

Jeff Quinn led the nation in passing efficiency his senior year and went on to back up Mark Malone for the Steelers. He was a dual threat QB under Osborne.

 

[dinglefritz]

Start winning games, put guys into the NFL and the quality of our recruiting takes off. Until then, we might even be overachieving as is.

This past year pretty much torched the shine right off of that undefeated year at UCF as far as recruiting goes. Need to put some shine back on the apple.

 

[RealTucoSalamanca]

Jeff Quinn led the nation in passing efficiency his senior year and went on to back up Mark Malone for the Steelers. He was a dual threat QB under Osborne.

Not drafted and to the best of my knowledge, never played in a game.

 

[inWV]

Jeff Quinn led the nation in passing efficiency his senior year and went on to back up Mark Malone for the Steelers. He was a dual threat QB under Osborne.

Quinn is under rated in the pantheon of Husker QBs.

 

[dinglefritz]

Quinn is under rated in the pantheon of Husker QBs.

If ever there was a system QB or "game manager" at NU, Quinn was it. Not overly flashy. Not a tremendous passer OR runner but damned efficient. Great high school athlete, smart guy, good dude who stuck around and took coaching. We need somebody as smart and steady as he was at QB now.

 

[dinglefritz]

Not drafted and to the best of my knowledge, never played in a game.

Yeah I don't know if he did or not either. No stats on NFL.com but that just might be because of when he was in the league. You would think he at least took some snaps at the end of games.