Wide Receivers and Running Backs

Husker in WI said:
He's already doing that.. He's at exactly 5 ypc for the year. I think Tompkins can be really good, but I don't see any way he's option 1a by next year. It'll be Mills/Washington/Wan'dale in some packages again IMO, but I think we'll be more confident in rotating backups in. 
Click to expand...


Probably could have explained that better.  Lets focus on the eye test, how many times has Mills ran directly into the back of an offensive linemen, or tried to just run over a guy vs making one move.  I am rooting for him, he seems like a good guy and you can tell he wants to do well.  This much talent is a great problem to have.  :)

 
CAHusker said:
Probably could have explained that better.  Lets focus on the eye test, how many times has Mills ran directly into the back of an offensive linemen, or tried to just run over a guy vs making one move. 
Click to expand...


This definitely happened in the first two games, but in the last two it really didn't occur that much at all. He started finding holes and he's broken some good runs - a couple nice 10+ yard TD runs.

So the question is whether the trend over the last two games continues. If it does and he can lose the fumbleitis, we're looking pretty good at RB across the stretch of games 7-12, which are the ones we need to win to win the West. 

 
CAHusker said:
Probably could have explained that better.  Lets focus on the eye test, how many times has Mills ran directly into the back of an offensive linemen, or tried to just run over a guy vs making one move.  I am rooting for him, he seems like a good guy and you can tell he wants to do well.  This much talent is a great problem to have.  :)
Click to expand...
I think a lot of recruiting followers were big on Thompkins, I think Severe really liked his film.  His knee injury limited Thompkins in camp, but I think the plan is to have him as an option in the last month of the season.  If Mills struggles to hold onto the ball in October, Thompkins could be a guy who is used the last 4 games, and his redshirt is retained.

 
ColoradoHusk said:
I think a lot of recruiting followers were big on Thompkins, I think Severe really liked his film.  His knee injury limited Thompkins in camp, but I think the plan is to have him as an option in the last month of the season.  If Mills struggles to hold onto the ball in October, Thompkins could be a guy who is used the last 4 games, and his redshirt is retained.
Click to expand...


I follow recruiting a little, I think the consensus was if he was healthy in high school, we probably don't get him.   I saw some clips of him running drills earlier in the year and it just looked different from all our other backs.  It appears he could be special, and by special I mean Washington and Wandale special.  Obviously they are different kinds of players, but nobody here is going to say those guys are not on a different level.  If I am wrong about Mills staying our main big back, I am totally fine with that.  I love all these players and want to see them succeed.  

 
CAHusker said:
I follow recruiting a little, I think the consensus was if he was healthy in high school, we probably don't get him.   I saw some clips of him running drills earlier in the year and it just looked different from all our other backs.  It appears he could be special, and by special I mean Washington and Wandale special.  Obviously they are different kinds of players, but nobody here is going to say those guys are not on a different level.  If I am wrong about Mills staying our main big back, I am totally fine with that.  I love all these players and want to see them succeed.  
Click to expand...


Who knows what would have happened if he didn't get injured, but he committed to NU before his senior year and had already visited LSU and Penn State and had offers from most of the top programs in the country. His first concern after getting hurt was if NU would drop him so I think we had a good chance even without the injury. https://247sports.com/college/nebraska/Article/Nebraska-Cornhuskers-honor-football-scholarship-for-Ronald-Thompkins-after-ACL-tear-121202254/

 
Undone said:
This topic is good bulletin board material but in my opinion, the only things that matter (in this order) are:

1. What are your team's passing yard numbers?

2. Are the guys that are primarily on the field in shape enough to handle all of the snaps?

That's it. There really isn't much more of a discussion. If they're in shape and you're racking up a lot of passing yards, that's all that matters.
Click to expand...
those are the two central questions, but its a long season man. it would be a hard to look back and see that the reason why the offense sputtered out at some points (if it does), is because backups were not prepared in live moments. it's all about preparation and hedging your bets.

 
thatguy said:
those are the two central questions, but its a long season man. it would be a hard to look back and see that the reason why the offense sputtered out at some points (if it does), is because backups were not prepared in live moments. it's all about preparation and hedging your bets.
Click to expand...


Definitely a reasonable take.

When we go with the two tight end sets, we're only using two wideouts. So Noa & Williams will probably split that time while JD will probably have to handle a ton of snaps. That's just kind of how it is when you're a guy like JD.

But the two tight end sets help a bit with letting your primary receivers rest a bit.

 
WyoHusker56 said:
Most teams have 2-3 receivers that get the bulk of the work. Frost likes to use TEs and RBs in his passing game too so they eat up a chunk of the passes. We're averaging 17.5 completed passes per game on 28 attempts so there hasn't been a ton of passes to go around and some guys might be dropping their opportunities.

In the last couple weeks Mike Williams and Noa are seeing more opportunities and I imagine that'll continue, but that is already 4 receivers and that's a decent rotation. So, the other guys likely aren't seeing a ton of snaps.

As far as RB's go a lot of teams have maybe 2 guys get the bulk of the work and NU has basically had 3 with Wandale. So, there isn't a lot of time beyond those 3. I know people like Mazour and I think he continues to see spot work, but he averaged 3.0 YPC against USA and NIU. His two carries against Illinois looked good so he may see a bit more work. As far as Rahmir he has only played against NIU so far that I can remember so I am guessing a redshirt there. All of our RBs besides Mazour are back next year so we don't need him now unless he's far and away better in practice.
Click to expand...
i think today's game shows that there needs to be some type of adjustment to the way wider receivers and running backs are prepared to play. in the past two weeks, frost mentioned woodyard, rahmir johnson, and mcquitty.

then they all come on the field for ome play eash, where they are used as decoys, then sent back to the sideline.

and then JD got hurt. there's officially something wrong somewhere.

 
thatguy said:
i think today's game shows that there needs to be some type of adjustment to the way wider receivers and running backs are prepared to play. in the past two weeks, frost mentioned woodyard, rahmir johnson, and mcquitty.

then they all come on the field for ome play eash, where they are used as decoys, then sent back to the sideline.

and then JD got hurt. there's officially something wrong somewhere.
Click to expand...
Woodyard was on the field a few plays and honestly I think one of the plays he was meant to be the target but early pressure got to am

 
thatguy said:
So.. just the one possible target for a guy who the head coach openly said NEEDS to be more involved? 
Click to expand...
He may have been the primary recievers on other plays he was in too but I know for sure on one play we were trying to get him loose deep and it would have worked if AM had the time (and confidence) to throw it to him.

 
It is still weird to me how little we play other guys. I get the idea of there's no such thing as a "gamer" and they have to earn it in practice, but is everyone else practicing that bad? And even if they're not consistent yet, don't the flashes earn a little bit of playing time? Rahmir made it in for one series, but that's it. Not a lot of Woodyard, a little bit more Williams, and no Chase. Is it that difficult to give them a shot?

I'm also off the Noa train. He's had several drops - the one yesterday was not a great throw, but that's a catch he has to make. And there was one play where Martinez had to keep signalling him to move off the line to avoid him covering up the TE. I was under the impression he was out there for 2 reasons - he plays smart and he can catch. Neither have really been evident consistently. If the coaches are serious about limiting the things Martinez needs to worry about, a Senior receiver lining up wrong is pretty bad. Why not live with somebody more explosive potentially lining up wrong instead?

 
Husker in WI said:
Based on the presser today, Frost does not in any way agree with my assessment of Noa. So I look forward to him proving me wrong!
Click to expand...
Frost has been very clear that he's not going to criticize individual players, so what he says concerning player performance MAY need to be taken with a grain of salt.......  :)   I guess one can't expect anything else from Frost when he is pressed about critiquing specific players.....

 
Back
Top