Damning quotes from Nebraska DE Randy Gregory
I've been one of Borges' staunchest defenders on this board, but this game and these quotes are the straw that broke the camel's back for me. Borges needs to go.
Gregory: "They had certain tendencies. Whatever formation they came out in, we knew what they were going to throw at us." #Huskers
— Samuel McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) November 10, 2013
Gregory on Gardner: "After the game, you could just tell: He was kind of out of it. That's what we wanted to do: Take him out of the game."
— Samuel McKewon (@swmckewonOWH) November 10, 2013
November 10th, 2013 at 12:58 PM ^
When have we been able to surprise a team with an alignment? Are we saving it for the bowl game?
November 10th, 2013 at 9:52 AM ^
Offensive play calling is atrocious. I myself am a offensive coordinator at a local hs and I honestly struggle at time to find rumor and reason to the gameplay. Al's first season here i praised the man for being able to adjust his offense to our strengths. Now I can't help but shake my head as we run an ISO Behind our left guard on 2nd and 13 when we already had -23 yards rushing (yes I know most were from sacks and a bad snap)
The interior o-line is not good. However, I did not think blocking up front was atrocious. Guards are slow to pull and there is absolutely no push. This aspect will improve with experience.
Running back blocking is a serious area of concern. Idk why we seemingly give old Fred a free pass. I haven't seen a back consistently block here since Brandon Minor. We look timid, slow, and outmanned at the point of attack. I can see it from Green because he is a freshman. Fitz is just not everything we hoped he would be. Not fast enough for his size, no longer shifty (probably due to injury) and not physical enough to block defensive ends our lbs... Since we don't run anyway we mine as well default to green.
DG needs to raise up out of this slump and produce. He has the physical tools but when the going gets rough it's like e forgets all his footwork. His progression is becoming slower and it appears as though he makes his decision pre-snap at times. Do we have a QB coach? I know out of hs he was very raw (Inkster taught him next to nothing about the position) but with consistency comes success. Compile DG's inconsistency with the o-lines problems and you have a serious issue in the passing game. Bottom line, the man looks gun shy. Almost can't blame him after all the sacks.
The receiving core really seems limited by scheme. This offense asks receivers to do a lot of things by themselves to get open and make plays. Al's 'stack' formations are his attempt to hide our lack if size and isolate our larger receiver (funchess). There is usually a check down, but it is rarely a route that will get us anything. Yesterday, DG simply held the ball too long. There were times were guys were open and he just could not find them. We should have been able to take advantage when Nebraska went cover 0, but we did not (with the exception of our one huge mismatch in funchess) gallon played solid, devin simply could not find him.
I would like to continue to incorporate the te, especially butt, into the offense more. Easier pass for devin and the kid makes plays. However, blocking needs to improve significantly at this position in the near future.
We need a true center as well as a true punter (if in fact will is or is not returning). These two positions have been underachieving IMO. I know some will argue with me about Wile, but the guy is bit a punter and you an see that from his inconsistency.
I am not one to normally pass judgement on coaches but IMO funk, Borges, and even Fred have to seriously be evaluated after the season. These areas have become a serious are of concern and I do not see improvement over the course if the season. We can blame the 'stars' all we want, but I believe this team has some talent that is seriously underutilized in this very limited offensive scheme Borges has marched out the last month and a half.
Signed, a fan that sees potential but believed changes need to come quickly.
November 10th, 2013 at 9:56 AM ^
Vincent Smith mauled guys on blitz pick-ups. You better check yourself.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:00 AM ^
Most of this has been covered already, but this isn't bad input.
Al Borges is the QB coach as well as the OC. I'm not sure which job he's worse at.
Jack Miller is a true center. Patrick Kugler is a true center. We'll be okay in the future.
I don't get the Wile hate. He had a couple of shanks earlier in the season, but he's been more than solid during Big Ten season. I have no complaints.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:14 AM ^
...also Kugler and Borges. I hate the thought of more change and so soon, but Hoke would be wise to unhitch his wagon from a couple of coaches at year end. If he doesn't, he will be gone as well.
I really like Hoke and hope he figures it out.
November 10th, 2013 at 12:02 PM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 1:08 PM ^
The run blocking was atrocious. No way around that. I'm not sure why you would say otherwise (if that's what you intended). i was not critical of DG after MSU. I was yesterday. Too many times he had receivers open, and refused to let the ball go. Hence Brady's comment about throwing the ball. He didnt' say throw better, he said throw. In my opinion, as inept as the run game was, we still should have won the game. I was beside myself on the last 3rd down play, where NE DB gave Gallon a 10 yard cusion on 3rd and 5, was wide open through the route, and DG didn't release the ball. Instead, he reverse field, trying to use his athleticsm, was tackled for a yard loss That play was the day in a microcasm!
November 10th, 2013 at 10:00 AM ^
I saw some play-calling progress. We threw to our FB twice yesterday. Twice. Two times. So take that opposing defenses who thought we were going to run just because our FB was on the field. Progress, I say.
/trying to find silver linings
November 10th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^
And they both went for decent gains. So much for doing what works...
November 10th, 2013 at 12:00 PM ^
and didn't work the second, which seemed like it was run only a few plays later out of the same look. But at least it was new.
November 10th, 2013 at 12:19 PM ^
The second time Kerridge got submarined for a loss of 1, I believe.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:03 AM ^
What will lead to some changes? A 6-6 finish? (very possible IMO) Urban and the boys hanging "half-a-hundred" in a few weeks? I'm honestly curious... up until yesterday, I agreed with Brian's stance that nothing would change, but now...
November 10th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
Half-a-hundred will happen in the 1st half with our field position.
November 10th, 2013 at 10:17 AM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 10:35 AM ^
Borges out of his element in big time football.
November 10th, 2013 at 11:04 AM ^
Hey, I have an idea! Maybe we can move Lewan and Schofield inside! That will certainly stop the other team from blitzing inside! WOOO!
November 10th, 2013 at 11:16 AM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
November 10th, 2013 at 11:59 AM ^
whats wrong with this team, but I do think it has to be a combination of many things going wrong at the same time. At least offensively Like poor play calling, poor QB play, poor blitz pickups in the backfield, poor line play, poor timing and or luck. It also looks like Nebraska asked MSU for their gameplans against UM with sending two players into the same gap or at least copy catting them. Except they did not give Lewan the same respect, MSU did by blitzing his gap rather than the centers gap.
November 10th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
The Nebraska player made on his back FOR A FIRST DOWN, WTF....Talk about the football Gods loving you, are they living right or what...If he does not catch it the ball sails harmlessly out of bounds, but as he fell and the QB throws the ball too low the reception was pure unadulterated luck like this team has never seen, save the Sugar bowl. I would have laughed if it weren't so sad
November 10th, 2013 at 12:49 PM ^
My first year of coaching youth football I asked a local HS coach about under center vs. shotgun snap. His reply was that if your QB is exceptionally quick getting away from the center AND you have a strong running back, you go from under center because you will have an advantage. If not you go shotgun or pistol. His statement was that "you're going to spend 2 hours of practice working center exchange. You will be able to teach either method in that time relatively well"(for youth football). Devin Gardner is EXCEPTIONALLY slow at getting away from center. I mean unusually slow. He has been since day 1. I watched youtube vids on denard, devin and several other QBs and he is SLOW getting away. There is no missing it.
November 10th, 2013 at 1:54 PM ^
So I can't remember... don't WANT to remember... the botched blocks by our RBs.
Were they merely outmuscled because they were facing DL instead of blitzing LBs due to our transparent offense? If so, it makes the blocking issues not nearly as much in the hands of the RBs themselves, but more so on the easy to scheme against offense.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:16 PM ^
Brian has been telling everyone that we are tipping our plays for years now. It was only a matter of time before everyone else in the world figured it out. The question is, why the F*** hasn't Borges figured it out???
November 10th, 2013 at 2:32 PM ^
I'm sure if we studies each team as much as we studied Michigan, we would notice them tipping their plays, too. Michigan is not the only team with tendencies, formation tips, etc.
November 10th, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
Y-e-e-e-ess, but Michigan IS the only team in the B1G, and most of college football with offensive yardage this terrible two weeks in a row. Like, historically terrible.