OWH: Predicting the B1G West

[Elf]

Other than the fact that we have been boat raced by Wisconsin on several occasions in the past, I really don't understand why they are being picked first in the division this year. Their coaching hire was not as great as ours, we have more talent across the board, returning players are about the same, etc. I see the West ending up: 1. NU, 2. Minnesota, 3. Wisconsin - Iowa tie.

Really? You think NU has more talent across the board than Wisconsin? Have you seen their offensive line? NU hasn't fielded a decent oline is ages. Thats what Wiscy is praised for year in and year out.

Everything you said is completely subjective at this point. You can't even objectively compare the returning players just for the fact alone that we are running different schemes.

While wisconsin has a new coach, their will be basically no transition because Chryst was there just 3 years ago. Wisconsin is the favorite because they've shown year after year, that they don't fall off the map.

I say it's time to start grinding Wisconsin under our heel.

 

[True2tRA]

That was one play that supported an argument of how much I truly think the offensive line needs some work. They were a huge part of some of the let downs in big games.

What games over the last 4 years do you think that our offensive line's play had a 'huge' part in us losing?

Okay, so trying to visually show you how many times the offensive line broke down and in what ways is gonna be impossible. It happened far too often and that other thread will hardly load on my phone or tablet. So the rest of the answer to your question will be in text may a gif or two, but you'll just have to watch the games otherwise.

2011 Michigan-

Nebraska had 9 plays total resulting in a loss or no gain. Multiple 1-2 yard runs where offensive line got zero push. Martinez was sacked 3 times that game, one resulting in a lost fumble. A holding call killed a drive. A blocked punt was allowed and also a 15 yard pentalty on long snaper P.J. Mangieri. Nebraska was 3-13 on third down, many due to absolutely no push up front. 0-2 on fourth down. Nebraska had drive of 3 plays 0 yards, 4 plays 1 yard, 3 plays 3 yards, 3 plays 1 yard, 3 plays 6 yards, and 3 plays 3 yards throughout the game.


2011 South Carolina

Nebraska had 10 rushes for either a loss of yards or no gain. Martinez was sacked six times, 3 of them were back-to-back-to-back. Nebraska had 9 runs that resulted for 2 yards or less. (So 19 total rushing plays where the result was a loss or less than 2 yards.) The offensive line had 3 false starts and two holding calls. 1 holding call and then a false start we back to back plays, then another false start on the same drive. There was an extra point blocked and returned for 2 points.

This is it for 2011, I'll continue looking at 2012 now. Not doing a bunch of gif because that other thread will barely load now.

 

[True2tRA]

2012 UCLA

Nebraska had 8 rushing plays resulting in no gain or a loss. Martinez was sacked 2 times, recovering his own fumble once. Nebraska ran 7 plays resulting in a 2 yard gain or less. (a total of 15 rushing plays resulting in less than 2 yards or a loss) 1 Penalty for an illegal shift and on the first play of the third quarter A.A. fumbled but can't find video to see what happened there.

 

[True2tRA]

2012 Ohio St.

Nebraska had 11 rushing plays resulting in no gain or a loss. 6 rushing plays resulted in a gain of 2 yards or less. Taylor Martinez was sacked 4 times. The offensive line was penalized 5 times. 2 false starts were on back to back plays with a third false start coming on a play later in the same drive. The defense gets much of the blame in this game but Martinez threw an interception returned for a touchdown. Another interception in Nebraska territoy (29 yard line?) resulted in a score for Ohio St. Ohio St. ran a punt back for a touchdown and Taylor's fourth sack of the game resulted in a fumble in Nebraska territory that also was quickly turned into another score for Ohio St. Ameer Abdullah had a nice 43 yard punt return that aided the offensve largely in one of their scores. 4 touchdowns, 28 Ohio St. points were direct results of turnovers by the offense. The defense was horrible though.....tackling must've been a new thing to those guys..... Geezus.....

(I didn't count the 1 yard and 2 yard touchdown runs for Nebraska as rushing plays resulting in 2 yards or less)

 

[True2tRA]

You let me know LOMS if I need to waste any more of my time re-living what a nightmare it's been.....

Again, there's some good in there too and this whole thing is simplifying a very complex process between QB play and coaching. This is what you asked for though. You asked for specific examples of the offensive line playing a huge role in losses. These are examples.

 

[H2h]

You let me know LOMS if I need to waste any more of my time re-living what a nightmare it's been.....

Again, there's some good in there too and this whole thing is simplifying a very complex process between QB play and coaching. This is what you asked for though. You asked for specific examples of the offensive line playing a huge role in losses. These are examples.

Please don't forget VaTech 2009. First and goal on about the 5? We ended up punting.

 

[default_28]

I'm not sure which side of the argument I agree with, but just looking at negative plays and blaming the o line leaves a lot of the truth untold. When you run an offense with lots of option plays, the blame can lie in a few places.

Take Fresno St 2011- 3 carries went for 141 yards 47 ypc. 32 rushes went for 78 yards just over 2 ypc. Was this a bad game for the o line where a superior athlete overcame them three times to make long runs? Maybe, but Taylor made several poor reads that game.

Like everything else in football several people contribute to the negative plays you posted.

 

[True2tRA]

I'm not sure which side of the argument I agree with, but just looking at negative plays and blaming the o line leaves a lot of the truth untold. When you run an offense with lots of option plays, the blame can lie in a few places.

Take Fresno St 2011- 3 carries went for 141 yards 47 ypc. 32 rushes went for 78 yards just over 2 ypc. Was this a bad game for the o line where a superior athlete overcame them three times to make long runs? Maybe, but Taylor made several poor reads that game.

Like everything else in football several people contribute to the negative plays you posted.

All this has been said by both myself and LOMS. I tried to make it perfectly clear that I'm not simplifying it to just blame the offensive line and move on. Lots of factors, in lots of different games. I tried to point out some of the factors the best I could do through a message board. That's all.

 

[Landlord]

I'm not sure which side of the argument I agree with, but just looking at negative plays and blaming the o line leaves a lot of the truth untold. When you run an offense with lots of option plays, the blame can lie in a few places.

Take Fresno St 2011- 3 carries went for 141 yards 47 ypc. 32 rushes went for 78 yards just over 2 ypc. Was this a bad game for the o line where a superior athlete overcame them three times to make long runs? Maybe, but Taylor made several poor reads that game.

Like everything else in football several people contribute to the negative plays you posted.

All this has been said by both myself and LOMS. I tried to make it perfectly clear that I'm not simplifying it to just blame the offensive line and move on. Lots of factors, in lots of different games. I tried to point out some of the factors the best I could do through a message board. That's all.

Good list. The only thing I would respond with is that our offensive line might have played streaky and far from perfect, but they actually did a pretty decent job in games like UCLA and Ohio State. Enough to win, at least. They certainly contributed mistakes, but those kinds of games are the perfect examples of how our less than perfect offense was less of a problem than our volcanic meltdown defense.