Changes Must Be Made--The Offense is Offensive

catfans5

Sophomore
Jan 15, 2011
2,166
105
0
There was an article from Lou about the missed quarterbacks in recruiting. Why would a quarterback of any note want to go to NU? We won the last years due to the defense. We supposedly have this super offensive line coach. We gave up four straight sacks today. This was when my group decided to leave and go to El Jardins. Some simple stats give some a clear picture.

Year Offensive Scoring Rank out of 130 Defensive Scoring Rank out of 130 Total Wins

2016 87th 24th 7
2017 57th 20th 10
2018 100th 41st 9
2019 126th 43rd 3
2020 93rd 5th 10
2021 124th 73rd 3

Three out of the last four years, we 100 or worse nationally in scoring. Last year, the wonderful offensive coordinator got us to 93rd in scoring. Some conclusions/opinions to reach from the stats:

1) Coach Anderson started as quality control in 2018. He has been offensive line coach since January 19, 2019. Has he been effective?
2) Last year, was it Coach B or our transfer? Sorry, I go with the transfer who was trained elsewhere and not by by him. Two years--93rd and 124.
3) It is clear that Coach H was responsible for our wins. Nothing much was asked of our offense.
4) If you are not going to score or attempt to do so and show no want to be a productive offense, why would any competent QB come here. These kids and their parents are not stupid. Why go to a school which will not put your skills to use? The football is god awful boring. Nothing is coming in and nothing is developed.
5) Why would anyone have confidence in Fitz's decision making abilities? His last three hires are Anderson, Coach B, and JON. Are there improvements in the offensive line? Are there improvements in the offense? How does that defense look?

Frankly, unless there is a dynamic change in what we do offensively, we are in trouble. It will be very hard replicate the defense of Coach H. The offense has to now become an active participant. This means a total change in conditioning, strength training, and in every aspect of the offense starting now.
 

Jaguar 88

Redshirt
Oct 1, 2021
1,040
38
48
Innovation is really needed with the offense. You want the best offensive skilled players to come to NU, drop a 80's style offensive philosophy and bring the spread back and RPO stuff.
 

NJCat

All-Conference
Mar 7, 2016
21,202
1,325
113
Innovation is really needed with the offense. You want the best offensive skilled players to come to NU, drop a 80's style offensive philosophy and bring the spread back and RPO stuff.
Exactly. Watching Utah dismantle Oregon with a fast paced offense, the contrast to NU's prehistoric O is remarkable.
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
45,596
1,637
78
Innovation is really needed with the offense. You want the best offensive skilled players to come to NU, drop a 80's style offensive philosophy and bring the spread back and RPO stuff.

We are running a spread and RPO stuff.
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
45,596
1,637
78
Exactly. Watching Utah dismantle Oregon with a fast paced offense, the contrast to NU's prehistoric O is remarkable.

Bet they can actually block people as well. There’s no magic scheme out there that can mask a poor offensive line (even though today wasn’t their fault).
 
Nov 5, 2001
18,494
736
113
Bet they can actually block people as well. There’s no magic scheme out there that can mask a poor offensive line (even though today wasn’t their fault).
Yeah, I'm watching Utah and they are simply bullying them on both sides of LOS. Whittingham is probably running the same stuff he did against us in the Holiday Bowl. I'm willing to give the D a partial pass earlier in the year, but the O has stunk all year. I don't get it, every year the players are supposedly like the $6million man - "better, faster, stronger". Except they aren't.
 

Jaguar 88

Redshirt
Oct 1, 2021
1,040
38
48
Bet they can actually block people as well. There’s no magic scheme out there that can mask a poor offensive line (even though today wasn’t their fault).
I agree that is THE problem, but a scheme that brings in top skilled players on offense is also needed.
 

xxxbobxxx

Sophomore
Mar 12, 2005
10,789
134
43
Bet they can actually block people as well. There’s no magic scheme out there that can mask a poor offensive line (even though today wasn’t their fault).
Bet they actually recruit guys that block or teach them to execute but either way, you are right, their coaches field a team that is the fruit of their labors.
 

peatymeanis

Redshirt
Jan 6, 2005
921
0
0
Bet they actually recruit guys that block or teach them to execute but either way, you are right, their coaches field a team that is the fruit of their labors.
It’s actually hilarious that Fitz just decided to put the rando dad of one of his kid’s friends in charge of our oline for 5 years when his entire offensive philosophy hinges on having physically dominant line play.
 
May 29, 2001
45,734
386
0
There was an article from Lou about the missed quarterbacks in recruiting. Why would a quarterback of any note want to go to NU? We won the last years due to the defense. We supposedly have this super offensive line coach. We gave up four straight sacks today. This was when my group decided to leave and go to El Jardins. Some simple stats give some a clear picture.

Year Offensive Scoring Rank out of 130 Defensive Scoring Rank out of 130 Total Wins

2016 87th 24th 7
2017 57th 20th 10
2018 100th 41st 9
2019 126th 43rd 3
2020 93rd 5th 10
2021 124th 73rd 3

Three out of the last four years, we 100 or worse nationally in scoring. Last year, the wonderful offensive coordinator got us to 93rd in scoring. Some conclusions/opinions to reach from the stats:

1) Coach Anderson started as quality control in 2018. He has been offensive line coach since January 19, 2019. Has he been effective?
2) Last year, was it Coach B or our transfer? Sorry, I go with the transfer who was trained elsewhere and not by by him. Two years--93rd and 124.
3) It is clear that Coach H was responsible for our wins. Nothing much was asked of our offense.
4) If you are not going to score or attempt to do so and show no want to be a productive offense, why would any competent QB come here. These kids and their parents are not stupid. Why go to a school which will not put your skills to use? The football is god awful boring. Nothing is coming in and nothing is developed.
5) Why would anyone have confidence in Fitz's decision making abilities? His last three hires are Anderson, Coach B, and JON. Are there improvements in the offensive line? Are there improvements in the offense? How does that defense look?

Frankly, unless there is a dynamic change in what we do offensively, we are in trouble. It will be very hard replicate the defense of Coach H. The offense has to now become an active participant. This means a total change in conditioning, strength training, and in every aspect of the offense starting now.
This is all true but you are preaching to the choir.

TPOF is the problem. Btw i do think coach anderson is a decent coach. But when his lineman have to block studs who already know the play then it compromises everything.

Our OC may not be the problem either. Very successful resume. Our DC is a problem but biggest problem is Fitz.
He is awful and should be stripped of any credit that should go to Hank, including victories.
 

NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
19,469
495
0
It’s actually hilarious that Fitz just decided to put the rando dad of one of his kid’s friends in charge of our oline for 5 years when his entire offensive philosophy hinges on having physically dominant line play.
And it’s gotten worse under the highly-regarded replacement, hasn’t it?
 

Fanaticat98

Junior
May 29, 2001
8,648
286
83
Kuhbander should have been given one entire game off, not necessarily sending the message that he’s losing the job but that he needs to take the pressure off, watch from the sidelines and not have the anxiety (or whatever is going on) that he’s going to have to make a kick. Maybe that would have pushed a “reboot” button for him. Obviously too late for that now. We’re not going to see our other kickers in game until next year.
 

peatymeanis

Redshirt
Jan 6, 2005
921
0
0
And it’s gotten worse under the highly-regarded replacement, hasn’t it?
Highly regarded? Wasn’t Anderson canned from Arkansas when we picked him up? Also I’m willing to give him one more year when his recruits become juniors. If he sucks then doesn’t that doubly emphasize how poorly Fitz has managed *the* core position group (aside from qb)?
 

loyolacat

Redshirt
Oct 21, 2006
2,686
41
48
Just my uninformed guess....but both new coordiantors have tried to implement their scheme w/o the personnel to do so effectively. This has left both units scrambling to find something that works. Best to scheme around the talent you have if you cant recruit the guys you need to run the scheme you like. I dont think the oline was good enough to run the scheme Bz wanted and the dline not strong enough, the backers not quick or experienced enough, and the dbacks not good enough to go one on one.to run what Jon wanted to run.Hopefully next year we will be more experienced, stronger to run the schemes. If not D. should be the bend dont break and O run Forest run...with some play action...... Cant blame em for trying
 

NUCat320

Senior
Dec 4, 2005
19,469
495
0
Highly regarded? Wasn’t Anderson canned from Arkansas when we picked him up? Also I’m willing to give him one more year when his recruits become juniors. If he sucks then doesn’t that doubly emphasize how poorly Fitz has managed *the* core position group (aside from qb)?
He was fired when Bielema was fired.
He had time in the NFL.
Certainly we were excited about him here.

(Cushing is headed towards his third straight one-win season at EIU. His closest loss was his season opener to…Indiana State.)
 

stpaulcat

Senior
May 29, 2001
34,971
694
113
Highly regarded? Wasn’t Anderson canned from Arkansas when we picked him up? Also I’m willing to give him one more year when his recruits become juniors. If he sucks then doesn’t that doubly emphasize how poorly Fitz has managed *the* core position group (aside from qb)?
1 human year = 5 Fitz years
 

corbi2961

Senior
Sep 9, 2005
30,524
785
0
And it’s gotten worse under the highly-regarded replacement, hasn’t it?
No it hasn’t. You have a short memory. Under the previous coach, an NU OL who now starts in the NFL was benched and played like he never played OL in his life. There are no surprise NFL starters who will emerge out of the current group of NU Upper class OL.
 

peatymeanis

Redshirt
Jan 6, 2005
921
0
0
He was fired when Bielema was fired.
He had time in the NFL.
Certainly we were excited about him here.

(Cushing is headed towards his third straight one-win season at EIU. His closest loss was his season opener to…Indiana State.)
Yeah we were excited because Cushing was leaving. His track record at Arkansas with the OL wasn't very good iirc. Guys like Anderson are a dime a dozen.
 

CatManTrue

All-American
Oct 4, 2008
15,805
5,249
97
I get what he was going for, but the comment made no sense whatsoever.
I’m fairly certain that he’s an Illannoy troll like Vassar69. Don’t worry though, coral and corbi will keep their attacks honed on me for daring to not drink the purple Flavor Aid.
 

Gocatsgo2003

All-Conference
Mar 30, 2006
45,596
1,637
78
I’m fairly certain that he’s an Illannoy troll like Vassar69. Don’t worry though, coral and corbi will keep their attacks honed on me for daring to not drink the purple Flavor Aid.

Self-martyrdom is usually not a good look either.