Winging It: Will Slot Runners Be Back En Vogue at NU?
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June 22, 2009 by
Next season, Nebraska's offense is likely to adapt and change based on its personnel. A good stable of running backs, a more athletic quarterback in Zac Lee and less experience at wide receiver makes an emphasis on the run game more likely. The use of more read option from the shotgun spread formation appears to be in the works. With this evolution, fans may get to see the return of runs by players operating out of the slot position (or wingback, as it once was called). It's a strategy that has current comparisons around the country as well as deep seeded Husker roots. Perhaps most importantly, NU has some players on the roster right now that certainly fit the mold of "hybrid" players who could operate as runners out of the slot.
Explosive Players, Counting "Touches"
It's funny the way terms evolve. One of the words to find favor in recent years is "touches." Dynamic players, typified by Florida's Percy Harvin, needed to "touch" the ball a certain number of times to help their team be successful. It could be on rushes, receptions or returns. It's really just a more hip way to say - "get the ball to your best player," which everybody reading this has known is important since the first day they hiked a ball in their back yard.
More often than not, this breed of dynamos works from the slot position in the backfield. They can motion across the formation to take a hand off on the move, flare out on a pattern to catch a swing pass and get up field, or be the pitch man in either a triple option or speed option situation. One blown assignment, and this kind of player can gut a defense.
A Bit of Husker History
The shotgun-spread read option might be a new wrinkle, but counter action and slot rushing attacks are hardly "new" notions. In fact, they are rather throwback. In the 1970's, Nebraska had Johnny Rodgers and his 5.7 yards per carry career rushing average to keep defenses honest. He was far more than just a receiver. The same goes for Irving Fryar in the 1980s. Look at tape from the 1983 "scoring explosion" team, and you'll quickly notice how many counter plays were run for Fryar to be the ball carrier. He averaged nearly 14 yards per tote that year. In the 1990's, NU used wingbacks as rushers. Look no farther than Shevin Wiggins' TD rushes in the Orange Bowl capping the 1997 season if you want obvious proof.
Point blank - getting explosive players the ball in space works very well. It always has. This is part of the reason I advocated the use of Marlon Lucky in this kind of role last season. While that didn't happen too much, maybe it was a harbinger of things to come.
Emerging Playmakers?
My BRN colleague Renny forecasted a Florida-like shift for future NU offenses way back around Christmas time. Then, his thoughts centered on the abilities of Husker prospects like Cody Green at quarterback and Rex Burkhead at running back. No doubt, those players are intriguing and the kind of talent you build an offense around. My point is that we may not have to wait that long to see this style of offense at NU.
Much has been made of Marcus Mendoza moving from running back to wide receiver. But, for many reasons, I don't think he's done as a runner by any means. He has too much experience operating after taking a hand off to just do away with the skill entirely. He's explosive enough to absolutely gut a defense if they are out of position, making him the perfect fit for the old-new Rodgers-Harvin hybrid role.
Mendoza himself implied there might be something more going on during April when he told the Omaha World-Herald:
"Coach has talked to me about a couple things they want to do. But they want me to learn wide receiver before they start doing any other crazy stuff. We'll just see what the coaches want to do, and they'll tell me.''
Folks should also keep an eye on Curenski Gilleylen for this kind of role in 2009. Gilleylen is considered one of the fastest Huskers. Though listed as a wide out, he measures much more like a running back, checking in at 6'0'' and 220 pounds. He split time as both a running back and wide receiver in high school, so the role is far from foreign to him. He's capable of taking a hand off on a read option or catching a pitch for a quick counter.
Of course, there are other fleet-footed wing back typed dotting the Husker roster too. We've heard good things about Tim Marlowe, and there is the aforementioned Burkhead who hopes to make an impact. You might even see a more established wide out like Niles Paul taking hand offs. He fits the bill of a potential play maker who needs the ball in space. The only real question in my mind now is ... when will reporters and fans have to start counting how many "touches" these players get?
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Husker@USC Jun 22 09
All this is well and good only if Big Suh and company keep opposing scores slow ad low. No matter how bad our receiving core is, if we are trailing by a lot, its going to be air mail.
Sadly, for better or for worse, its in the hands of the D. IMO, that is how it should always be. The goal of the D is to get out quick, on the winning side side of the 50 yard line.
caveman99 Jun 22 09
Husker@USC,
I agree, but I think that this type of offense will assist the D in this cause a lot. Last year we saw how the D reaped the benefits of NU having the 2nd best TOP average in the nation, adding in broader running attack won't hurt this. The passing game will dip slightly this year IMO, and to make up for that the O will have to broaden the play book in other ways and this scenario above makes sense IMO. Running the ball more along with a ball control passing game will allow the O to move the chains and still eat the clock, which of course helps the D.
Brandon Jun 22 09
Marginally related comment on an unrelated sport, but you know what phrase drives me crazy?
"Score the basketball."
Is this an old-timer's phrase with new found popularity? I don't feel like I ever heard it in, say, 1996 but it has a very Dr. Jack Ramsay feel to it.
That said, for a defensive player Ndamukong Suh does have an uncanny ability to score the football. Let's hope that continues this season.
Greg Morrow Jun 22 09
Nebraska actually once had a good Wingback, Nate Turner, who lasted a couple of seasons for the Bills- as a running back.
Didn't Fryer end up with like 20 catches in '83, before being the 1st overall NFL pick?
Fortunately, as Darren points out, Osborne knew how to showcase a wingback with "touches."
Those wingback counters Osborne gutted Tennessee with, I don't think he'd used those all season, prior. So, of course, he uses Wiggins as they move into scoring territory...
You'll recall Osborne used some clever passing to set up the run, in that first half. Man, what a coach. And the confidence his players had in him.
Back to the present's reality.
As people keep pointing out, Nebraska keeps optioning away from conventional pro style prototypes. While searching for those prototypes, 3 or 4 seasons ago, Nebraska lost team speed and 0 to 10 yard quickness.
By far, the quickest player in this recent era was the fine IB, Cory Ross, a Solich recruit. Even he, had to evolve from being a "stuffed" pork chop, to more of a "wafer" style pork chop.
It's been 3 complete seasons since Ross and Nebraska hasn't had anybody with "panic" quickness in space, outside the edge.
At least it's being emphasized now, with that small but growing stable that Darren's mentioning.
Bill in Iowa Jun 23 09
Very exciting perspective...it would be a beautiful thing to watch unfold. With all the talk of the offenses young inexperienced QB and WR's, I think people are missing the bigger picture. Watson. This is the first year he is fully armed with the personnel he wants for his type of offense. Tightends, fullbacks, slotbacks and a QB who can wing down field 70 yards or tuck it and run. This is going to be a young but dangerous offense. An offense that is going to make mistakes, but will also make big plays.