McKewon: Why Huskers Can't or Won't Run the Ball

[cm husker]

The lack of running game is 100% on the coaches.

The talent is there, but it must be utilized. The mentality is not there and that's due to coaching.

 

[gobiggergoredder]

You are not going to win more than about 5% of your games when your opponent scores 55! You must play DEFENSE and SPECIAL TEAMS. Both we awful today

It's 5 turnovers, not 55 points.

 

[Hayseed]

http://www.omaha.com/huskers/why-can-t-or-won-t-nebraska-run-the-ball/article_7434f2aa-8016-11e5-9e61-fff3075408df.html

Most telling quote:

Too many carries for loss. Langsdorf said Nebraska tried running the ball more in the first half, but couldn't always get untracked because of tackles for loss.

“If we can just get 1 yard out of it, we wouldn't be playing so far behind the chains,” Langsdorf said. Purdue had six tackles for loss, two of which were sacks. An end around to De'Mornay Pierson-El was blown up on the opening drive by an unblocked Purdue defender, while another end around was botched between Fyfe and wideout Jamal Turner after Pierson-El got hurt.

So they blame the tackles for loss, but 4 of the 6 involved an end around or sack. Are they not aware that on some running plays you'll lose a yard? Sorry but 2 tackles for loss on running back carries is not a good enough excuse to say they couldn't run the ball.

Yet they won't even think about abandoning the pass, with all of those interceptions....this staff is lost.

It seems like they don't know how or have the desire to put together a power running game and stick with it. The kind of running game they've shown is the kind run by soft over-matched teams that try to trick the opponent instead of busting a hole and running through it. Then there's the defense that gives up twice as many points as the opponent is used to getting.....then there's the belief that our line won't be able to block against Michigan State or any stout d-line so it doesn't make sense to spend a lot of time practicing that.

There are too many moles to whack at this point. I guess you could say this offense is working for the future when we have all the right recruits..................well, if there is a future.

 

[lo country]

Should have known when all TA talked about was the passing game. Ganz mentioned thats all we were working on....

NU runs we win.

See ya MR.

 

[PaulCrewe]

Part of the issue is Newby, he's a good kid, but he isn't seeing the open running lanes. Cross and Ozigbo proved today they are the better backs, they don't fit into Langsdorf's vision of throwing the ball however.

Had we run the ball the way Cross and Ozigbo ran later in the game in the first half I think this game might have gone a different way.

It comes down to personnel and scheme mismanagement.

When 80% of your carries are right up the middle, there aren't many running lanes to see.

This. So much this. Been saying this all year. Get stick of hearing the Newby sucks. The majority of his Carries are the run it up Reeves a$$ play. You know the one where Reeves, Utter, and Chongo all get stone walled by the DT during a triple team.
Was told about the excitement of using the current rosters talents within their offense. Nine games in and not a thing. Newby and Armstrong attacking the edge is this teams best asset. Yet here we are. Add in Assn Oline coach who refuses to rotate guys in our hood guys accountable four sh**ty play (which honestly should make any oline recruit look another way) and you get where we are. The perfect run game sh#t show stuck in purgatory hell

 

[PaulCrewe]

Part of the issue is Newby, he's a good kid, but he isn't seeing the open running lanes. Cross and Ozigbo proved today they are the better backs, they don't fit into Langsdorf's vision of throwing the ball however.

Had we run the ball the way Cross and Ozigbo ran later in the game in the first half I think this game might have gone a different way.

It comes down to personnel and scheme mismanagement.

When 80% of your carries are right up the middle, there aren't many running lanes to see.

This. So much this. Been saying this all year. Get sick of hearing the Newby sucks. The majority of his Carries are the run it up Reeves a$$ play. You know the one where Reeves, Utter, and Chongo all get stone walled by the DT during a triple team.Was told about the excitement of using the current rosters talents within their offense. Nine games in and not a thing. Newby and Armstrong attacking the edge is this teams best asset. Yet here we are. Add in an Oline coach who refuses to rotate guys in or hold guys accountable for sh**ty play (which honestly should make any oline recruit look another way) and you get where we are. The perfect run game sh#t show stuck in purgatory hell

 

[GOAT]

They're both pass-oriented coaches, it's as simple as that. If there's a tough call and there's question as to whether which should be called, run or pass, they're going to pass 100% of the time.

 

[Hayseed]

This is most definitely a "won't" run the ball. Or - probably more accurately - "looking for any excuse to throw the ball".

We came into this game - on the road - with a walk-on QB who'd barely played. Purdue has the #100 rushing defense in the country. There is absolutely no reason not to run the ball basically every play. Unless you simply don't like running the ball and would rather throw it whenever you can.

Newby averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage that came in our last possession before the half. We still got a first down after that.

Cross averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage on the first play of the second quarter.

The only other negative yardage play from someone not named Ryker Fyfe (which were all called passes) was the failed Jet Sweep to DPE.

So we ran 77 plays on the day. Exactly three of them were negative rushing plays.

This isn't the first game that Langsdorf has used the Phantom Excuse of the running game having a bunch of negative plays as the reason he went away from it. He is looking for any excuse to throw the ball.

Three negative rushing plays is more of an excuse to quit running the ball than four interceptions is an excuse to quit passing it.

He doesn't get it.

Ditto ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

 

[lo country]

This is most definitely a "won't" run the ball. Or - probably more accurately - "looking for any excuse to throw the ball".

We came into this game - on the road - with a walk-on QB who'd barely played. Purdue has the #100 rushing defense in the country. There is absolutely no reason not to run the ball basically every play. Unless you simply don't like running the ball and would rather throw it whenever you can.

Newby averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage that came in our last possession before the half. We still got a first down after that.

Cross averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage on the first play of the second quarter.

The only other negative yardage play from someone not named Ryker Fyfe (which were all called passes) was the failed Jet Sweep to DPE.

So we ran 77 plays on the day. Exactly three of them were negative rushing plays.

This isn't the first game that Langsdorf has used the Phantom Excuse of the running game having a bunch of negative plays as the reason he went away from it. He is looking for any excuse to throw the ball.

Three negative rushing plays is more of an excuse to quit running the ball than four interceptions is an excuse to quit passing it.

He doesn't get it.

Ditto ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

As much as I disliked Becks calling at times, he owned up to it. "I tried to get to cute", "probably should have stuck with what was working", "just got stubborn" etc....

The whole "wasn't there crap" might work in Corvallis, but not here. Greatest fans doesn't mean the nicest. Its most knowledgeable, fanatic, rabid etc....

 

[Mavric]

3- Our O line is atrocious at run blocking. This may be a personnel issue but is also likely the result of focusing energy elsewhere.

This is simply not true. It may look bad at times but it's simply not true.

Coming into today we were #34 in the country in rushing yards per attempt at 4.9. Today, guys not named Ryker Fyfe averaged 5.1 yards per carry. All this despite terrible play-calling.

According to Football Outsiders Offensive Line Stats, we are #29 in the country in Adjusted Line yards. And that even takes into account the terrible play-calling.

We appear to be bad at running the ball because Langsdorf doesn't like to run it and when he does about 80% of the plays are straight up the middle.

I'm not going to say those stats are "great" or that our line couldn't be better. But it is FAR more accurate to say we're average or probably a little above average than to say we're atrocious.

 

[Dr. Strangelove]

This is most definitely a "won't" run the ball. Or - probably more accurately - "looking for any excuse to throw the ball".

We came into this game - on the road - with a walk-on QB who'd barely played. Purdue has the #100 rushing defense in the country. There is absolutely no reason not to run the ball basically every play. Unless you simply don't like running the ball and would rather throw it whenever you can.

Newby averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage that came in our last possession before the half. We still got a first down after that.

Cross averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage on the first play of the second quarter.

The only other negative yardage play from someone not named Ryker Fyfe (which were all called passes) was the failed Jet Sweep to DPE.

So we ran 77 plays on the day. Exactly three of them were negative rushing plays.

This isn't the first game that Langsdorf has used the Phantom Excuse of the running game having a bunch of negative plays as the reason he went away from it. He is looking for any excuse to throw the ball.

Three negative rushing plays is more of an excuse to quit running the ball than four interceptions is an excuse to quit passing it.

He doesn't get it.

This is brilliant.

Thing is, I really wanted Riley to succeed. I've been negative from the beginning, but you can't help but like the guy. I don't know if he should be canned after this season, but I would like him to shake up the coordinators. I don't know what to make of Banker, Langsdorf or the Special Teams coordinator.

 

[TheSker]

This is most definitely a "won't" run the ball. Or - probably more accurately - "looking for any excuse to throw the ball".

We came into this game - on the road - with a walk-on QB who'd barely played. Purdue has the #100 rushing defense in the country. There is absolutely no reason not to run the ball basically every play. Unless you simply don't like running the ball and would rather throw it whenever you can.

Newby averaged 5.6 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage that came in our last possession before the half. We still got a first down after that.

Cross averaged 4.9 yards per carry. He had one carry for negative yardage on the first play of the second quarter.

The only other negative yardage play from someone not named Ryker Fyfe (which were all called passes) was the failed Jet Sweep to DPE.

So we ran 77 plays on the day. Exactly three of them were negative rushing plays.

This isn't the first game that Langsdorf has used the Phantom Excuse of the running game having a bunch of negative plays as the reason he went away from it. He is looking for any excuse to throw the ball.

Three negative rushing plays is more of an excuse to quit running the ball than four interceptions is an excuse to quit passing it.

He doesn't get it.

Exactly.

This staff cannot be shown the door soon enough.

 

[admo]

Part of the issue is Newby, he's a good kid, but he isn't seeing the open running lanes. Cross and Ozigbo proved today they are the better backs, they don't fit into Langsdorf's vision of throwing the ball however.

Had we run the ball the way Cross and Ozigbo ran later in the game in the first half I think this game might have gone a different way.

It comes down to personnel and scheme mismanagement.

When 80% of your carries are right up the middle, there aren't many running lanes to see.

This. So much this. Been saying this all year. Get stick of hearing the Newby sucks. The majority of his Carries are the run it up Reeves a$$ play. You know the one where Reeves, Utter, and Chongo all get stone walled by the DT during a triple team.
Was told about the excitement of using the current rosters talents within their offense. Nine games in and not a thing. Newby and Armstrong attacking the edge is this teams best asset. Yet here we are. Add in Assn Oline coach who refuses to rotate guys in our hood guys accountable four sh**ty play (which honestly should make any oline recruit look another way) and you get where we are. The perfect run game sh#t show stuck in purgatory hell

If the defensive tackles don't get Newby (or whoever is the RB)........he will get stuffed by his own lineman.

The play to run it forward is doing nothing all year long. Coaches, please give this up and run outside more often. Please....

 

[Mavric]

Here are our running plays today.

First possession:

1&10, -7 - Outside zone to Newby, well blocked by the line, gain of 4

We threw incomplete on 2nd down and got a first down passing on 3rd. Then we thew the quick WR screen to a wide open Reilly for another 1st down.

1&10, -36 - Slow-developing inside zone run against 9 guys in the box. 7 guys to block 9 is not good odds.

2&9, -37 - End around to Reilly for 20. Crazy what a little creativity can get you.

1&10, +43 - Inside zone to Newby - we have 7 guys to block 8 and get 3 yards.

2&7, +40 - Outside FB lead to Newby for 18 yards.

1&10, +22 - Inside zone to Newby, 6 guys to block 7, gain of 2

2&8, +20 - Jet sweep to DPE, we don't block the DE and he blows the play up for a 5 yard loss. Neither Lewis nor Carter even tried to block him so that would seem to be how the play was designed.

We complete a short pass on 3rd & 13 and kick a FG.

So on the first drive we ran quite a bit. And it was working. Outside plays gained 4, 20, 18, and -5 on the failed Jet Sweep. That's 9.2 yards per play even with one that was totally blown up. Inside plays went for 1, 3 and 2 yards and we were short-handed on each one.

 

[brophog]

They're both pass-oriented coaches, it's as simple as that. If there's a tough call and there's question as to whether which should be called, run or pass, they're going to pass 100% of the time.

This is often one of those non-argument arguments (and one reason pass vs run is an overrated topic). If we took 3rd down as an example of choice (it's the most debated) we see pretty obvious choices at each extreme. Third and very short favors running and third and long favors passing. In between...it's pretty darn even. Whatever your team generally does well would win out.