Chatelain: It's a running battle with playcaller Tim Beck

Guy Chamberlin said:
There are several examples, including two important series in the Miami game, where Beck called for three consecutive rushes to Abdullah and he failed to get the crucial first down both times. Where was the outcry? Why is that any different?
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Count 'Bility said:
To me anyway, it just seems much more logical to use a run-something we're really solid at-on that second and ten, get 4 or 5, and get us into a manageable 3rd down where we can use the full arsenal. This is what happened on this possession in question here.
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Solid post, Guy. However, I felt the need to attempt to answer the bolded. It is different because we're good at running. At this point, we're not as hot at passing. TA sails some passes due to poor mechanics and makes questionable decisions, ala the pick on the throw to Bell being discussed above.

People don't freak out when we hammer the run because we're a proficient running offense. TA throws a great deep ball, which is partially set up by our success rushing. It's safe to say he'd be an awful fit in a Leach TT Air Raid offense because he's simply not a great pure thrower. Yet.

When we run, we're leaning on a strength. Obviously, we can't do that forever, but it's a heck of a lot safer than asking TA to Peyton Manning us down the field.

Overall, I actually feel Beck is improving as an OC and could develop a great offense if given the right opportunity. For me, it comes down to hiring someone to tutor our QBs and making sure our OL coaching is on point, and I'll continue to beat that drum.

 
dudeguyy said:
Guy Chamberlin said:
There are several examples, including two important series in the Miami game, where Beck called for three consecutive rushes to Abdullah and he failed to get the crucial first down both times. Where was the outcry? Why is that any different?
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Count 'Bility said:
To me anyway, it just seems much more logical to use a run-something we're really solid at-on that second and ten, get 4 or 5, and get us into a manageable 3rd down where we can use the full arsenal. This is what happened on this possession in question here.
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Solid post, Guy. However, I felt the need to attempt to answer the bolded. It is different because we're good at running. At this point, we're not as hot at passing. TA sails some passes due to poor mechanics and makes questionable decisions, ala the pick on the throw to Bell being discussed above.

People don't freak out when we hammer the run because we're a proficient running offense. TA throws a great deep ball, which is partially set up by our success rushing. It's safe to say he'd be an awful fit in a Leach TT Air Raid offense because he's simply not a great pure thrower. Yet.

When we run, we're leaning on a strength. Obviously, we can't do that forever, but it's a heck of a lot safer than asking TA to Peyton Manning us down the field.

Overall, I actually feel Beck is improving as an OC and could develop a great offense if given the right opportunity. For me, it comes down to hiring someone to tutor our QBs and making sure our OL coaching is on point, and I'll continue to beat that drum.
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Gently disagree, fellow Grad Assistant.

Running is not a heck of a lot safer. An incomplete pass leaves us in the exact same place as a run for no gain (or a loss) and believe it or not, we have a few of those every game, and more than a few in others. We are just as likely to fumble the ball as throw an interception.

We're solid at running the ball. Except when we're not. McNeese State exposed that. So did MSU. In fact, most teams come out with a scheme to stop Ameer first. Which they do for a quarter or two. When it becomes clear we are able and willing to beat them passing the ball, it loosens the line for Ameer. Passing helps the running game as much or more than running helps the passing game.

It's weird that Armstrong gets criticized for throwing a lovely long ball, and Beck criticized for calling it. We opened the game with a play-action to Ameer and an absolute dart of a pass for 12 yards that set the tone. Tommy had a couple great crossing pattern bullets, a touch pass to Cotton in the end zone exactly where it had to be, a dump off to Abdullah on a third check down, and another improvised outlet pass all the way across the field, something only the strong-armed can do. People have locked into their critique of Tommy, and only look at the evidence to support it.

I think some people here consider the forward pass a sign of weakness all by itself.

For the record, Nebraska is averaging 8.0 yards per pass attempt and 6.2 yards per rushing attempt. I wouldn't make the argument we should pass even more, but it would be better than the argument we should just stick with the running game.

Passing the ball is something we're solid at, too, and I think we've got a great ratio at the moment.

Also, we've got one of the better 3rd down conversion rates in the NCAA. How does that happen with a bad play-caller?

Never thought I see the day Husker fans complained about averaging 300 yards rushing, 200 yards passing and 41 points a game.

 
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Guy Chamberlin said:
Never thought I see the day Husker fans complained about averaging 300 yards rushing, 200 yards passing and 41 points a game.
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Guy Chamberlin said:
There are a lot of plays I'd like to see, because in my mind they are always executed perfectly and catch the defense with their pants down. I'm pretty brilliant that way.

But I'm not running the offense. Tim Beck is. And as a Nebraska fan I'm enjoying the hell out of it.

I often hesitate to come on HuskerBoard after solid wins, because it seems like I've watched a completely different game than half of my Husker brethren. Right now, this Nebraska offense is running as well as it has in decades. Even better than many of the Osborne teams we mythologize without checking the actual stats. It's actually mind-boggling that some people think the OC operating one of the Top 5 rushing offenses in the country, whose playcalling has enabled Ameer Abdullah to be perhaps the most prolific rusher in Nebraska history, for some reason refuses to give the ball to Abdullah enough.

That we also average 200 yards a game passing while running the ball so well.....is one of the main reasons we're running the ball so well.

Keep in mind that Tim Beck doesn't call for three incomplete passes in a row. He calls a pass play. If it's successful, the next play might be a running play. Or if the defense lines up expecting that, maybe not. He's right a lot of the time, but if he calls one series with three incomplete passes, people on here go apesh#t.

There are several examples, including two important series in the Miami game, where Beck called for three consecutive rushes to Abdullah and he failed to get the crucial first down both times. Where was the outcry? Why is that any different?

When you also have offensive weapons like Jordan Westerkamp and Kenny Bell, and they're averaging 17 yards a catch, that also becomes part of "staying with what works."

I'm also waiting for this offense to light up a ranked team in a big game, but until then I'm enjoying games like Rutgers and Illinois and Northwestern in the same way I've enjoyed 42-24 Nebraska victories for the past 50 years.

No idea why you'd crap on Tim Beck at a point like this.
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Great post, you spelled out my frustrations better than I could. I just don't get the angst about Beck with the year this O is having.

 
All we're saying is that the following situation is mind-numbing:

Our All-American Heisman candidate RB just ripped off TD runs of 48 and 53 yards in back-to-back drives.

Hmm... Let's throw it 3 times and punt.

This over-thinking has been pretty typical of Beck over his career. Stick with what's working until they prove they can stop it. We were gashing them. Why pass until you have to?

 
HuskerShark said:
All we're saying is that the following situation is mind-numbing:

Our All-American Heisman candidate RB just ripped off TD runs of 48 and 53 yards in back-to-back drives.

Hmm... Let's throw it 3 times and punt.

This over-thinking has been pretty typical of Beck over his career. Stick with what's working until they prove they can stop it. We were gashing them. Why pass until you have to?
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It's not really that crazy of a concept. When your offense lines up with Bell, Westerkamp, and DPE why not try to get them the ball? Also, as I stated earlier in the thread, at the start of the third quarter Ameer broke off another 48 yard run then Beck called three straight passes that ended in a touchdown. The next touchdown drive ended with three straight passes as well when I'm sure the running game was working just fine.

 
The postgame presser I saw, Bo had praise for the offense outside of penalties, and lit into the defense. All of it was an effort to keep the team focused on improving after a big win.

This article is Mind-blowingly Numb Armchair Offensive Coordinator Fallacies 101. The only redeeming part was this:

You know what, Beck is right about some of that. Big plays don’t appear out of nowhere. There’s a chess game that many fans don’t see. Balance and unpredictability are important. And Tim Beck knows more about offensive scheme than 99 percent of us ever will.
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And it's amazing, but not in the least bit surprising, that Dirk manages to wave the singular bit of rationality in his article and go on to say "He's wrong, too" in the very next sentence.

Very, very poor from Dirk.

 
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Abdullah the Butcher said:
Mavric said:
Abdullah the Butcher said:
Which ones?
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Pretty much all of them.
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bullsh#t
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Oh?

Taylor Martinez:

  • Nebraska Career Total Offense Record Holder (10,233 yards)
  • Nebraska Career Passing Yards Record Holder (7,258 yards)
  • Nebraska Career Completions Record Holder (575)
  • Nebraska Career Touchdown Passes Record Holder (56)
  • Nebraska Career Starts by a Quarterback Record Holder (43)
  • Nebraska Season Total Offense Record Holder (3,890 yards, 2012)
  • Nebraska Season Total Touchdowns Record Holder (33, 2012)
  • Nebraska Game Completion Percentage Record Holder (91.9 vs. Arkansas State, 2012)
  • School Record Holder Total Offense By a Sophomore (2,963 yards, 2011)
Rex Burkhead:

  • School Record Holder for Single-Game Carries (38 vs. Iowa, 2011)
  • Tied School Record For Most Consecutive Games with a Touchdown (10, 2011)
Kenny Bell:

  • Nebraska Sophomore Receptions Record Holder (50 in 2012)
  • Nebraska Sophomore Receiving Yards Record Holder (863 in 2012)
  • Nebraska Sophomore Receiving Touchdowns Record Holder (8 in 2012)
  • Nebraska Sophomore 100-Yard Receiving Games Record Holder (3 in 2012)
  • School Record Holder for career receptions
  • Needs 7 yards to pass Johnny Rodgers for the school record in career receiving yards
Ameer Abdullah:

  • Nebraska Record Holder in Career All-Purpose Yards
  • Nebraska Record Holder in Career Carries
  • Nebraska Record Holder in Career 300-Yard All-Purpose Games
  • Only Player in Nebraska History with Three 1,000-Yard Rushing Seasons
  • Nebraska Record Holder in Season 200-Yard Rushing Games (4 in 2014)
  • Nebraska Record Holder in Season 300-Yard All-Purpose Games (2 in 2014)
  • Nebraska Record Holder for Single-Game All-Purpose Yards (341 vs. Rutgers, 2014)
  • Nebraska Record Holder for Single-Game Kickoff Returns Yards (211 vs. Fresno State, 2011)
  • Nebraska Record Holder for Single-Game All-Purpose Yards (341 vs. Rutgers, 2013)
  • Needs 555 yards to pass Mike Rozier for school record in career rushing yards
You done?

 
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HuskerShark said:
All we're saying is that the following situation is mind-numbing:

Our All-American Heisman candidate RB just ripped off TD runs of 48 and 53 yards in back-to-back drives.

Hmm... Let's throw it 3 times and punt.

This over-thinking has been pretty typical of Beck over his career. Stick with what's working until they prove they can stop it. We were gashing them. Why pass until you have to?
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If we can't expect our QB to complete passes to basically-stationary receivers who are open five yards downfield, we have issues significantly more serious than complaining about the play-calling on one series in a game we won by three scores, had 450+ yards of offense and ran the ball 65% of the time.

Just a side note: For the game, we averaged 7.1 yards per rush attempt. We averaged 7.4 yards per pass attempt.

 
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