Is Nebraska/the fanbase scared of an air raid offense?

[GBR305]

Just something I noticed. The entire state of Nebraska got fully husked when Rhule/Satterfield said we were going to use a fullback & run two tight end sets heavy. There's a subset of fans that would have been excited if we hired Ken Niumatololo last year. Nebraska has a long history of "run the damn ball" and it feels like people think the only way you can run the ball effectively is in 22 personnel. Lane Kiffin, Lincoln Riley, Phil Longo & Josh Heupel all come from an air raid background & regularly have produced some of the best rushing attacks in the country.

 

[LoudHogRider]

Saint Osborne says it won't work here on the GR8 planes in November. So we run the damn bawl instead!

I really don't care what our offense is, as long as it's a physical brand of hut hut and clearly integrated as of our identity. Just win, baby.

 

[Tonkasker]

We might have worse personnel to run the air raid this year than Army. They couldn't do it if they tried.

This scheme is probably the byproduct of watching Corcorans pass pro technique in April

 

[slattimer]

We might have worse personnel to run the air raid this year than Army. They couldn't do it if they tried.

This scheme is probably the byproduct of watching Corcorans pass pro technique in April

No. Just no. One of the hall marks of Air Raid systems is their screen game (both perimeter, slow, and double) and using drags/crossers to defeat man coverage/blitz looks. It's not just huck and chuck deep. Shit, they ran several Air Raid concepts under Frost, mesh and y-cross.

I've said numerous times, I'd much rather have a spread system where you can manipulate and get consistent box counts to help the OL out. Plus a heavy read game, and you're set. I'd much rather see a run game that has explosive potential than just pounding the rock with a FB vs loaded boxes and shaky OL play.

Haarberg's run for a TD last game was a power read out of 12 personnel....and what's most frustrating....they didn't run it again at any point of the game. Dafuq we doing?

 

[BingoDingo]

 

[Pipe Line]

I'm not scared of it, I just thoroughly despise it

 

[doublewing]

I think people just want an offense that works. The only offense they remember that consistently worked was a power running game.

If we won games running air-raid, WCO, or the 1990 Houston Cougar Run & Shoot, the fan base would be fine with it because we're winning. Just like any offense, you have to have the players, the coaches, and the continuity for it to be successful.

Whatever you run, you need to have enough balance to do either competently.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Nebraska fans want the opposite of whatever we're currently doing that isn't working. In a year or two we will grow tired of the fullback/2 tight end sets and bitch about how Satt needs to spread teams out more and when he is inevitably shit canned and we bring in some other OC to spread teams out more we will bitch about wanting more fatties on the field.

 

[2010sarenevercomingback]

Nobody ever says air raid teams are "afraid" of going to power formations, regardless of how many air raid offenses sputter & fail (and there are many).

Just one of those 'tater tropes that it's some kind of opposition to modernity, instead of finding an offense that's a good fit for geography & roster base.

 

[huskerj12]

I think only people like @slattimer and other actual experts know the true ins and outs of "Air Raid," but yeah Nebraska is very leery of a heavy passing attack which is I think what most people think about when they hear Air Raid.

I don't think it's much of a mystery though.

1. Our great teams of the 80s-90s were based on rushing the ball and recruiting linemen/RBs/QBs who were suited for that style

2. Osborne has told the public over the years that the midwest weather plays a part in leaning on the run game and many fans take his words as gospel

3. When Pederson pulled the Great Faceplant of 2003-04 we were all told that Callahan's WCO passing attack would modernize Nebraska football and everything we ever thought about being a physical rushing team was old fashioned and silly. When that turned out to be a debacle, people naturally went back to what was known and comfortable - wanting to run the damn ball

4. More recently, it seems clear that recruiting traditional NFL style LTs and QBs to NU is extremely difficult

At this point, I think any sane Husker fan realizes we need to have balance, but I'd rather try to be more focused on the run game than a heavy passing game. I also don't know shit about Xs and Os so the surface level is about as deep as I go haha.

 

[Baron Winnebago]

The numbers in the box point convinces me that until we have an OL that isn't shitty and RBs that are better than mid, we need to spread teams out and get good numbers match ups to RTDB.

 

[doublewing]

2. Osborne has told the public over the years that the midwest weather plays a part in leaning on the run game and many fans take his words as gospel

That is an annoyance for me that people buy into this. Ohio State plays in the same climate and can throw it at will. TBH, the amount of bad weather games that impact the passing game each season are negligible. There may be 1-2 rainy or very windy days per season, but nothing more than that.

It is like the folks noting that UCLAbia and USC are in for some weather culture shock playing in Lincoln. Playing November games in Utah, Colorado, Washington and Oregon isn't exactly 70 degrees and sunny.

 

[slattimer]

Nebraska fans want the opposite of whatever we're currently doing that isn't working. In a year or two we will grow tired of the fullback/2 tight end sets and bitch about how Satt needs to spread teams out more and when he is inevitably shit canned and we bring in some other OC to spread teams out more we will bitch about wanting more fatties on the field.

Satt pretty much runs a spread anyways with pieces of 1/2 back downhill run/pap game.

I've always wanted a spread option attack. If we're going to go all Ermergherd mode over what Osborne has stated...the dude was going to transition that way anyways.

 

[huskersoup]

Satt pretty much runs a spread anyways with pieces of 1/2 back downhill run/pap game.

I've always wanted a spread option attack. If we're going to go all Ermergherd mode over what Osborne has stated...the dude was going to transition that way anyways.

Didn’t you go back and watch a bunch of Rhule’s offense at Baylor? Was that the kind of offense you are describing?

I’m a huge fan of what Ohio State did under Urb in 2014. Kinda felt like we tried to do that power spread type offense in 2019 with Martinez, but obvious did not go well.

 

[MtnHusker]

I think people just want an offense that works. The only offense they remember that consistently worked was a power running game.

If we won games running air-raid, WCO, or the 1990 Houston Cougar Run & Shoot, the fan base would be fine with it because we're winning. Just like any offense, you have to have the players, the coaches, and the continuity for it to be successful.

Whatever you run, you need to have enough balance to do either competently.

We have one of the most conservative fan bases that is petrified of change or outsiders. They struggle so mightily with it. Living in the past or too close minded to even consider something or someone new. I agree that the only offense they remember really working was Osbornes in the 80's & 90's. And it was dynamic. The younger fans probably won't remember but Osborne adapted his offense over the years and it was met with quite a bit of backlash when he started changing to more of the option in the 70's.

IMHO any offense would work if it has the right personnel and proper coaching. So many ways to skin a Cat but you need the right tools. Personally I love a wide open offense with speedy players creating mismatches with defenders. Fun to watch and higher scoring games. I had very high hopes for Frost's offense but he really shit the bed and basically turned out to be All Hat, No Cattle.

 

[GBR305]

I think only people like @slattimer and other actual experts know the true ins and outs of "Air Raid," but yeah Nebraska is very leery of a heavy passing attack which is I think what most people think about when they hear Air Raid.

I don't think it's much of a mystery though.

1. Our great teams of the 80s-90s were based on rushing the ball and recruiting linemen/RBs/QBs who were suited for that style

2. Osborne has told the public over the years that the midwest weather plays a part in leaning on the run game and many fans take his words as gospel

3. When Pederson pulled the Great Faceplant of 2003-04 we were all told that Callahan's WCO passing attack would modernize Nebraska football and everything we ever thought about being a physical rushing team was old fashioned and silly. When that turned out to be a debacle, people naturally went back to what was known and comfortable - wanting to run the damn ball

4. More recently, it seems clear that recruiting traditional NFL style LTs and QBs to NU is extremely difficult

At this point, I think any sane Husker fan realizes we need to have balance, but I'd rather try to be more focused on the run game than a heavy passing game. I also don't know shit about Xs and Os so the surface level is about as deep as I go haha.

Callahan's offenses were great in hindsight, he just hitched his wagon to Cosgrove & it killed his tenure

 

[Cash68847]

No. Just no. One of the hall marks of Air Raid systems is their screen game (both perimeter, slow, and double) and using drags/crossers to defeat man coverage/blitz looks. It's not just huck and chuck deep. Shit, they ran several Air Raid concepts under Frost, mesh and y-cross.

I've said numerous times, I'd much rather have a spread system where you can manipulate and get consistent box counts to help the OL out. Plus a heavy read game, and you're set. I'd much rather see a run game that has explosive potential than just pounding the rock with a FB vs loaded boxes and shaky OL play.

Haarberg's run for a TD last game was a power read out of 12 personnel....and what's most frustrating....they didn't run it again at any point of the game. Dafuq we doing?

What do you think of Longo’s offense, and do you think it’s a good offense to run at Wisconsin especially when the weather goes to shit?

 

[huskermack]

View attachment 28527

We're living in the future.

 

[slattimer]

Didn’t you go back and watch a bunch of Rhule’s offense at Baylor? Was that the kind of offense you are describing?

I’m a huge fan of what Ohio State did under Urb in 2014. Kinda felt like we tried to do that power spread type offense in 2019 with Martinez, but obvious did not go well.

Yeah. It's got some similarities, but not as much as I was expecting. They run a few passing concepts that are similar. Most notably the one Sims threw a pick on vs Minnesota. Q draw, they ran a ton at Baylor. Otherwise, after watching the spring game, I felt it was trending more in that direction, but it hasn't IMO.

Also feel like they're trying to figure out what suits Haarberg best....and after seeing that one TD run running Power Read....hopefully that becomes more of the offense. Run bash, run power read, dress it up, PAP off of it.

 

[slattimer]

What do you think of Longo’s offense, and do you think it’s a good offense to run at Wisconsin especially when the weather goes to shit?

I think they'll be fine. As one person mentioned...how many actual games do they play in shit weather? Plus...this isn't high school football. These are D1 athletes, they're better suited to play in the elements. Yes, wind is still hard to deal with, but just because you're an air raid team, doesn't mean you aren't running the ball, especially now a days. It's not a fun and gun offense anymore IMO.