Screen!
13 comments so far
December 2, 2009 by
For about the tenth time in three days, somebody asked me how I thought Nebraska would do against Texas on Saturday night. I rattled off my tried and true answer of "they need to play mistake-free football, block and tackle extremely well, and catch a break or two." But, my friend didn't want to hear my quick football truisms. He wanted specifics. Specifically, HOW would NU's 92nd ranked offense could move the ball and score enough points to spring the upset? It left me at a momentary loss. In that moment, my brain went to deep analysis mode. Fifteen seconds felt like 30 minutes. I considered play makers, how to play safely and their offensive tendencies. In the end, I blurted one word to my friend before walking away - "screen." Now, beyond that quick conversation and aided by a bit more research, it feels like an even more plausible plan of attack for Nebraska on Saturday.
Players, Not Plays
When in doubt, start with players, not plays. Get the ball in to the hands of the players that are best equipped to do something with it. For NU, the suspects are painfully obvious. On the outside, Niles Paul is the only legit threat. Mike McNeil and is fellow tight ends are capable but still underutilized. But the Husker offense basically boils down to the backs - gutsy Roy Helu and the re-emerging Rex Burkhead.
Using a screen game to the backs makes a lot of sense if for no other reason than it lets your best players get the ball in space. Both have proven to be capable receivers.
Safe But Effective
Next, using the screen pass to the back is a fairly safe play. It involves good timing, sure. But, most of the time the quarterback can see (or feel) if it is not there or not developing and just throw the ball at the running back's feet. It doesn't involve a risky throw to the sideline or require the quarterback to read and beat the free safety. It's not a risky play.
And, when a screen works, it is effective. By in large, you end up with a capable player catching the ball with nobody around. They yield first downs and touchdowns.
Tendencies and Set Ups
The screen is also an effective compliment to introduce - or re-introduce - to the Husker offense. Let me explain.
In the before time, when Nebraska's offense was "multiple", they used a lot of screens. In the first four games, Roy Helu caught 11 passes. Burkhead caught seven. And it wasn't just the backs. Remember the tight end throw back screen (the "oh [expletive]" screen, as Nick Saban calls it) that Mike McNeill caught for a score against Missouri? It worked very well.
Now, with a more power oriented attack, Nebraska throws to its backs less and throws fewer screens. In the last four games, Helu has three catches. All tree were against Oklahoma and none of them were designed screens. They were check downs. Since his return, Burkhead caught one ball against Kansas State and none versus Colorado. And, he's a very effective pass catcher. In fact, other than some wide receiver slip screens they attempted against KU, I think it looks like that NU as all but abandoned its screen game down the stretch.
So, what if it is all a set up? For four weeks the Nebraska offense has been - run, run, play action pass. NU will try to run it Saturday. I know it. You know it. Texas knows it. It sets up the down field play-action passing attack. Which...we also know is coming. The game plan for Texas will surely be to attack the backfield, force plays for loss and not allow the play-action game time to set up. Doesn't that practically invite the screen to the running back?
Every coach, every team, has tendencies. They put them right there on film for opponents to pour over. After a while, almost everyone is predictable. Texas always tries a deep throw right after they get a turnover. Frank Solich ran the ball on first down almost without exception. With Callahan, I knew that second down and more than 7 yards to go was a middle screen to the running back, almost every time. But what about this Nebraska team, that appears to have a tale of two offenses? Can they marry the two notions, defying what their recent body of work says?
When Nebraska lines up with it's big personnel package - two tight ends, two backs, one flanker - it's probably another isolation play, right? Maybe. Or maybe it is a throwback to the tight end. When they go to a one back set on 2nd and 9, maybe it is a deep out to Paul. Or, maybe little #22 catches a screen pass between the hash marks and scoots forward for 16 yards.
It is both an effective use of what Zach Lee has already proven he can do as well as the natural counter to the mash-then-play-action style NU uses now. Think of it as the new full back trap (also not a horrible idea, by the way).
For all those reasons, the best way I can figure Nebraska can move the ball on a tough Texas defense Saturday comes down to one word - screen.
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Dwayne Dec 02 09
Burkhead has the perfect style of running for counter trap plays between the tackles. It can be a very effective play against a defense which over-pursues with their speed. He has a very quick burst and a pretty nice cutting ability straight ahead off that first burst.
WyHuskerFan Dec 02 09
There's a rumbling among NU bloggers (conspiracy nuts of the sports world) on other sites that Wats and Pelini have been playing rope-a-dope with the NU offense. If Paul, Kinnie, Holt, and Gilly all line up at the same time on Saturday I'll start to believe it, but it has been my observation that coaches play to win every game with their best players. Although the coaches say the team is prepared to do whatever, you have to wonder how they can effectively switch from power to spread and back if necessary. The old adage of "you play how you practice" is true, and you also play what you practice which has been power sets these last five games. I can't imagine a switch now and if forced to, I can't imagine it could be all that successful.
NU has a very patient and creative coaching staff that has done what was needed to win. What the have in store for Saturday is really anyone's guess right now. It will be interesting. GBR!
Dogham Dec 02 09
Don't be surprised if you see some more passing this week. The conservative offense has been utilized when the defense has put Nebraska in position to be "Vanilla". Texas doesn't have much to work with in preparation for NU this week other than running plays and very conservative pass plays. Coach Pelini may be going for the "Shock heard around the world" with their upset of Texas and then yes the "Order will be restored".
OU7times Dec 02 09
@Dogham'
Believe me, Texas wants NU to pass.
tom Dec 02 09
To tell you the truth, it doesn't matter what the offense does to win this game this weekend as long as they score some points, probably around 17 or 20. The fact is, our defense has to hold Texas to their lowest or second lowest total of the season to give our offense a chance of pulling this one out. But I also think Bo has to pull out all the stops - at least a couple reverses/reverse fakes, a few bootleg/option passes, some major misdirections/couters, and yes a couple of screens. All plays that are well within the capability of this offense from a power set.
FischAlum'83 Dec 02 09
Going back to the spread is more likely a "get us back into this game stratigy". Better use of the screen pass is a good fit with what we have been doing and I can see that working.
The other natural fit is better use to our tight ends in pass paterns down field, some times play action and sometimes drop back. I like Ben Cotton's legnth down field. We have some good tight ends (a secondary stregnth of this offense)and Watson has a history of making good use of quality tight ends in his history. I agree with previous comments that we need to bring something new to this up the gut or deep ball offense. Trying to get the edge with options or toss-sweeps seems like a bad idea against Texas speed. Our D and special teams will contribute points; if our offense can get 21 we can win.
Go Big Red
FischAlum'83 Dec 02 09
I agree with previous comments that we need something new to spark this offense. Going back to spread with this cast of players is not the answer in my mind. Effective use of screens is a good fit to our offense, good thought! I have been thinking about getting our tallented tight ends involved down field as well. It fits this style of offense and Wats has a history of making use of tallent at the tight end position. I'm thinking about big Ben Cotton, a big target is good. Also young Cotton has the legnth to cause match-up problems for Texas. Screen's, tight ends, up the gut and Paul deep; that should get the offense 21 points. Don't like trying to get the edge with the option or toss sweeps against Texas speed. Our D and special teams will contribute some points. Our D holds Texas to 24.
31 to 24 Big Red wins and the new era begins.
Go Big Red.
FischAlum'83 Dec 02 09
I agree with previous comments that we need something new to spark this offense. Going back to spread with this cast of players is not the answer in my mind. Effective use of screens is a good fit to our offense, good thought! I have been thinking about getting our tallented tight ends involved down field as well. It fits this style of offense and Wats has a history of making use of tallent at the tight end position. I'm thinking about big Ben Cotton, a big target is good. Also young Cotton has the legnth to cause match-up problems for Texas. Screen's, tight ends, up the gut and Paul deep; that should get the offense 21 points. Don't like trying to get the edge with the option or toss sweeps against Texas speed. Our D and special teams will contribute some points. Our D holds Texas to 24.
31 to 24 Big Red wins and the new era begins.
Go Big Red.
Brandon Dec 02 09
I'm not buying any conspiracy theories with this offense, but I will say this:
We haven't seen any trick plays yet this season.
Bill in Iowa Dec 02 09
Countering Texas speed and agressiveness w/ screens, traps, counters and play action might be a recipe for sucess. I don't think we are going to let Lee gun it all over the field in the spread unless we are desperate.
I really like how Burkhead is running in between the tackles. He finds even the small holes very quickly and blasts through taking would be tacklers with him for a few extra yards. I think thats the formula for success, Burkhead between the tackles and the o-line playing the best game of their lives.
By the way, the D-line is going to have to find a way to get to McCoy w/ out letting him scramble for 20 yards. Maybe the 5 man line is the answer? If we can fluster McCoy and keep Texas out of the end zone, we will have a chance.
ezard Dec 03 09
Please, Watson, try some more counters and toss sweeps. I have only really seen a substantial amount of the toss sweep in the KU game, I think. They worked great. I hope the only reason they abandoned it was because they didn't need it. Burkhead was effective using short counters against the flow in the CU game on that final scoring drive. If we are ahead at the end of the game by any chance, I sure hope they guard the sidelines better and play a 3 deep instead of the disaster defenses they used against Va Tech that last ridiculous TD that CU got at the end of the game. The toss sweep can hopefully put more big bodies on LB's and DB's. It's a numbers game. non-pulling linemen can cut the flow from the non-sweep side and allow greater numbers on the edge of the sweep side. I have been waiting all year for this strategy. It worked very well for KU and Watson seemed to abandon the strategy. Please Wats, go back to it. We have the mobile linemen to execute.
Dakota Husker Dec 03 09
Darren is right, the screen game is going to be essential as long as Watson doesn't get into a pattern where he throws it at the same time every time (see: 1st play from scrimmage vs. Oklahoma 2008). The option play has not been working because the defenses have been beating the blockers to the edge. Well timed screens such as first down, to throw the defense off, counter traps, and the occasional 4 wide pass play, have got to be executed to perfection for this offense to score against Texas because physically we do not have a favorable match up any where on the field.
Ryan Dec 04 09
I was even thinking yesterday based on comments I read from Wats earlier in the week about how the fact that we spread it out earlier in the year then went heavy actually helps us. Can switch things up a little bit. Wouldn't be at all suprised (just to keep Texas honest and maybe get a mismatch on the outside) if we would line up heavy and then flex to a spread set before the ball is snapped. Thoughts?