While former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson took the brunt of the criticism for Nebraska’s offensive struggles in 2009, and to a lesser degree in 2010, offensive line coach Barney Cotton was a close second.
Running backs coach Tim Beck has since replaced the departed Watson, who is now the quarterbacks coach at Louisville. Cotton remains the offensive line coach and associate head coach. John Garrison is the associate offensive line coach as well as tight ends coach.
Cotton took his share of lumps from Husker fans and while some of it was warranted, the amount of venom was pretty brutal. What one fails to take into account was that a huge reason for the offense’s struggles was the effort to marry too many different philosophies. The disparity in philosophies between Cotton and Watson really accelerated the waffling between power football and influence blocking, resulting in the total ineffectiveness that was witnessed last year up front. Cotton also had no control over the injuries that made a bad situation really ugly. I am in no way excusing his role but a segment of Nebraska fans lay it all of the blame at his feet. Was he part of the reason for the line’s problems? Yes. Entirely? No.
The problem is, too people have the IQ of a pea plant and think, “Well, the O-Line stinks, so Cotton stinks too.” True, the offensive line play has left something to be desired but if you have even a shade of football knowledge, poor line play can also be because of injuries, offensive coordinator, philosophy, bad talent or bad depth. The injuries Nebraska has had up front are a factor along with the lack of recruits present when head coach Bo Pelini and his staff arrived in 2008 along with Watson’s complex West Coast Offense that lent itself to players thinking more so than playing.
Since Watson is a West Coast Offense advocate while Cotton espouses a power running back, it’s fair to say that Cotton was trying to figure out what Watson wanted, and that he actually was like a player, studying the play book, trying to figure out what Watson wanted. Let’s face it, Cotton had a hard time teaching the Watson/Bill Callahan system.
Callahan has been a reputable offensive line coach in both college and the NFL but Cotton was a bad match for the system the Huskers were trying to run 2008-2010 with Watson and without Callahan and Dennis Wagner. It made sense to keep Watson after Callahan was dismissed at the end of the 2007 season and not go through another radical change the way they did in 2004. Bringing in Barney in Year No. 1 was probably one of the few mismatches (short term issues) for Pelini and he is still dealing with it.
So where are we at today? The line definitely needs more consistency considering the Huskers are looking at potentially starting a true freshman, a redshirt freshman, a true sophomore and a redshirt sophomore if Marcel Jones cannot go which is a distinct possibility. And maybe another true freshman will see playing time for Mike Caputo if Nebraska plays 3-4 defenses with a nose tackle that can take advantage of Caputo like Texas A&M did.
The offensive line will need to find its consistency especially in hostile Big 10 road environments like Wisconsin, Michigan and Penn State.
Showing posts with label Barney Cotton. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Barney Cotton. Show all posts
Monday, August 15, 2011
Monday, August 1, 2011
What is the State of the Program?
“State of the program.” You hear the term so many times when evaluating anything. Ask any Nebraska football fan “what is the state of the program?” and most will give a forthright answer to such an open-ended question.
After posting a 44-32 record from 2002-2007 (which spanned the last two years of the Frank Solich tenure and the entire Bill Callahan regime), the Huskers have gone 29-12 in Bo Pelini’s three years at the helm. Nebraska has definitely made progress under Pelini, just not BCS Bowl game material progress. The reasonble thinking fans knew it would take time for Pelini to get Nebraska to the prominence it enjoyed from 1961-2001. However, “patience” and “Nebraska football fans” go together like oil and water.
This is also a much different era of college football. Everyone has their theories such as scholarship limitations creating more parity. That angle can be overstated but it has some truth.
That said, the Nebraska football program appears poised for big things. In this day and age of college football, there are plenty of good teams with plenty of talent who can trip you up over the course of the season. Over the past three years the Huskers definitely shown a propensity to let those teams stick around and, in some cases (Iowa State’s 9-7 win in 2009) SU at home) those teams have beaten Nebraska.
That set of circumstances has to change but I think it’s fair to predict that as Pelini grows as a coach and the staff develops together, that there will be improvements on that front. What I do see as a huge positive is that even though Pelini’s win-loss success is similar to Solich’s 58-19 mark from 1998-2003. The reason that Frank got fired )rightly or wrongly) was that in his last three years, the team looked completely outclassed at least twice a year.
In the past two years, Pelini’s teams have shown that they can compete with anyone on a given day. The only losses in the last two years that couldn’t have been a win if one play had gone differently was the Texas Tech game (31-10 loss) in 2009 and the 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington last December. During that stretch, Nebraska took the No. 2 team (Texa) in the country to the last second before losing 13-12. The Huskers also led Oklahoma 17-0 in last year’s Big XII title game before losing 23-20. The Huskers also lost 18-15 in 2009 a eventual ACC champ Virginia Tech.
In this day and age in college football, the first thing a top program needs to do is be in every game. Clearly Nebraska needs to win those games and its track record in those situations has not been good but we only have a sample of two years to examine considering how bad the 2007 team Pelini succeeded happened to be.
The reason the Huskers haven’t been far more successful the last two years has been the offense, which has been absolutely putrid at very important points of the season. The posters who have pointed out the fact that the biggest contributors to that failure are still around have a great point. The offensive line has not been able to pass block for two years and has been supremely undisciplined, false starting way more than is acceptable. For an offense which is so weak that it needs down and distances to be favorable, this is not promising. Additionally, for the naysayers, it’s not like we revamped our offensive staff and brought in a proven coordinator with a track record of success. So, overall, I understand arguments against our improvement on offense.
However, I have more hope than the antagonists. I think that the Huskers performance over the last few years has been as bad as it can possibly get. Sometimes a situation can evolve where otherwise capable individuals fall into a trap of stagnation. More than anything I thought that former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson got too caught up in his own head and became a terrible playcaller. I hope that a fresh face will improve things and that the addition of John Garrison will result in more eyes on the offensive linemen watching their bad habits and identifying the things that confuse them so that those things can be rectified. If Nebraska’s offense progresses to middle of the pack Big 10, which there is no reason not to expect, its fortunes will change significantly.
As for our defense, I think that Pelini has assembled a staff of great defensive minds capable of game planning for any opponent. As long as the loss of defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders does not prove disastrous (and it could considering how amazing our secondary has been), the Huskers should be able to count on that unit to keep us in every game.
So overall, I think Nebraska’s prospects are bright. I think that the Huskers will be competitive against everyone and should be able to win their division more often than not. I think that their biggest competition will be Michigan and they will have a slight advantage there because Michigan’s cross-division rival, Ohio State, is slightly stronger than Nebraska. The years to be concerned will be when Iowa is (Nebraska’s main rival), plays Purdue while Nebraska plays Penn State. At least the Huskers will have the opportunity to play Iowa in the last game of the year, though, so they’d have to build a two game lead to eliminate Iowa’s chances of a division title before the end of the season. Once you win your division the conference becomes a one game crapshoot.
There are, obviously, points of concern. The Husker offense may not progress as hoped. The defense may not be as rock solid every year. Northwestern is scrappier than they have any right to be. Minnesota has no business being as bad as they are considering their large population base and excellent facilities. Overall I think that the Huskers are poised to be very successful in the new conference. Again, success in my mind is measured by winning the Division at least five out of every ten years (if not more) and winning the whole thing at least two or three times every ten years. That can be done. The State of the Program is probably better than we could reasonably expect it to be.
The dismal collapse at the end of last season along with the attendant negative publicity generated when Pelini went ballistic on the sideline in the 9-6 loss to Texas A&M, followed by the mail-in at the bowl game led to an extremely negative offseason both locally and nationally. Imagine trying to look forward to another season in which the offensiive coordinator attempts to prove his cleverness at the expense of winning games, while everyone else tries to figure out what happened to the electrifying Taylor Martinez that disappeared after Missouri.
Instead, Nebraska is in a new conference better suited to to it in a myriad of ways who actually seemed to embrace what the Huskers bring. Nebraska has new blood to help offensve line coach Barney Cotton, a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck), fresh energy in the form of new coaches, vastly improved national exposure and respect and a badgered conference badly in need of positive press into which the Huskers fortuitously slipped.
Oh, and by the way, Nebraska has a defense and speed. I’d say the State of the Program is looking good.
After posting a 44-32 record from 2002-2007 (which spanned the last two years of the Frank Solich tenure and the entire Bill Callahan regime), the Huskers have gone 29-12 in Bo Pelini’s three years at the helm. Nebraska has definitely made progress under Pelini, just not BCS Bowl game material progress. The reasonble thinking fans knew it would take time for Pelini to get Nebraska to the prominence it enjoyed from 1961-2001. However, “patience” and “Nebraska football fans” go together like oil and water.
This is also a much different era of college football. Everyone has their theories such as scholarship limitations creating more parity. That angle can be overstated but it has some truth.
That said, the Nebraska football program appears poised for big things. In this day and age of college football, there are plenty of good teams with plenty of talent who can trip you up over the course of the season. Over the past three years the Huskers definitely shown a propensity to let those teams stick around and, in some cases (Iowa State’s 9-7 win in 2009) SU at home) those teams have beaten Nebraska.
That set of circumstances has to change but I think it’s fair to predict that as Pelini grows as a coach and the staff develops together, that there will be improvements on that front. What I do see as a huge positive is that even though Pelini’s win-loss success is similar to Solich’s 58-19 mark from 1998-2003. The reason that Frank got fired )rightly or wrongly) was that in his last three years, the team looked completely outclassed at least twice a year.
In the past two years, Pelini’s teams have shown that they can compete with anyone on a given day. The only losses in the last two years that couldn’t have been a win if one play had gone differently was the Texas Tech game (31-10 loss) in 2009 and the 19-7 Holiday Bowl loss to Washington last December. During that stretch, Nebraska took the No. 2 team (Texa) in the country to the last second before losing 13-12. The Huskers also led Oklahoma 17-0 in last year’s Big XII title game before losing 23-20. The Huskers also lost 18-15 in 2009 a eventual ACC champ Virginia Tech.
In this day and age in college football, the first thing a top program needs to do is be in every game. Clearly Nebraska needs to win those games and its track record in those situations has not been good but we only have a sample of two years to examine considering how bad the 2007 team Pelini succeeded happened to be.
The reason the Huskers haven’t been far more successful the last two years has been the offense, which has been absolutely putrid at very important points of the season. The posters who have pointed out the fact that the biggest contributors to that failure are still around have a great point. The offensive line has not been able to pass block for two years and has been supremely undisciplined, false starting way more than is acceptable. For an offense which is so weak that it needs down and distances to be favorable, this is not promising. Additionally, for the naysayers, it’s not like we revamped our offensive staff and brought in a proven coordinator with a track record of success. So, overall, I understand arguments against our improvement on offense.
However, I have more hope than the antagonists. I think that the Huskers performance over the last few years has been as bad as it can possibly get. Sometimes a situation can evolve where otherwise capable individuals fall into a trap of stagnation. More than anything I thought that former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson got too caught up in his own head and became a terrible playcaller. I hope that a fresh face will improve things and that the addition of John Garrison will result in more eyes on the offensive linemen watching their bad habits and identifying the things that confuse them so that those things can be rectified. If Nebraska’s offense progresses to middle of the pack Big 10, which there is no reason not to expect, its fortunes will change significantly.
As for our defense, I think that Pelini has assembled a staff of great defensive minds capable of game planning for any opponent. As long as the loss of defensive backs coach Marvin Sanders does not prove disastrous (and it could considering how amazing our secondary has been), the Huskers should be able to count on that unit to keep us in every game.
So overall, I think Nebraska’s prospects are bright. I think that the Huskers will be competitive against everyone and should be able to win their division more often than not. I think that their biggest competition will be Michigan and they will have a slight advantage there because Michigan’s cross-division rival, Ohio State, is slightly stronger than Nebraska. The years to be concerned will be when Iowa is (Nebraska’s main rival), plays Purdue while Nebraska plays Penn State. At least the Huskers will have the opportunity to play Iowa in the last game of the year, though, so they’d have to build a two game lead to eliminate Iowa’s chances of a division title before the end of the season. Once you win your division the conference becomes a one game crapshoot.
There are, obviously, points of concern. The Husker offense may not progress as hoped. The defense may not be as rock solid every year. Northwestern is scrappier than they have any right to be. Minnesota has no business being as bad as they are considering their large population base and excellent facilities. Overall I think that the Huskers are poised to be very successful in the new conference. Again, success in my mind is measured by winning the Division at least five out of every ten years (if not more) and winning the whole thing at least two or three times every ten years. That can be done. The State of the Program is probably better than we could reasonably expect it to be.
The dismal collapse at the end of last season along with the attendant negative publicity generated when Pelini went ballistic on the sideline in the 9-6 loss to Texas A&M, followed by the mail-in at the bowl game led to an extremely negative offseason both locally and nationally. Imagine trying to look forward to another season in which the offensiive coordinator attempts to prove his cleverness at the expense of winning games, while everyone else tries to figure out what happened to the electrifying Taylor Martinez that disappeared after Missouri.
Instead, Nebraska is in a new conference better suited to to it in a myriad of ways who actually seemed to embrace what the Huskers bring. Nebraska has new blood to help offensve line coach Barney Cotton, a new offensive coordinator (Tim Beck), fresh energy in the form of new coaches, vastly improved national exposure and respect and a badgered conference badly in need of positive press into which the Huskers fortuitously slipped.
Oh, and by the way, Nebraska has a defense and speed. I’d say the State of the Program is looking good.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Expectations for 2011
Nebraska might have officially joined the Big 10 today – as in July 1. However, they mentally joined the Big 10 last summer. Whether they care to admit it or not is another matter entirely.
So, let’s put aside the arguments about former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, current offensive coordinator Tim Beck, offensive line cach Barney Cotton, etc. Lets put aside Beck’s offense and all the talk about spread and no-huddle because no one really knows what it’s really going to be like. Let’s talk about expectations.
Bo Pelini’s initial impact as Husker head coach was great in taking Nebraska from a down and out 5-7 season under Bill Callahan in 2007 to a 9-4 campaign in 2008. The Huskers went 10-4 in both 2009 and 2010, therefore not truly taking the next step as a program. Yes, Nebraska is “back” in that it is capable of beating any team on any given day. However, it is not “back” as far as being a bonafide National Championship contender.
Pelini is a very good coach who has breathed much needed life back into the program but his grace period is over. What are realistic expectations for the 2011 Huskers?
It begins with quarterback Taylor Martinez. If he’s physically healthy, he can be dynamite. When he’s hobbled, he’s pretty ordinary. Also, can he take ownership of the offense as a leader?
Watson came under brutal fire from fans and media alike so if the offense does not perform, do you blame Beck’s inexperience or will Pelni have to answer as a head coach? Pelini got a semi-pass on Watson because he was one of only two holdovers from the Bill Callahan era. Since the offense was producing good numbers under the previous regime, Pelini (at the recommendation of athletic director Tom Osborne) kept Watson. Though Pelini said good things publically about Watson, he was not a true Pelini choice like Beck (who has served as the Nebraska running backs coach since Pelini arrived in 2008).
The 2010 season ended on a bad note - the worst season in Pelini’s short tenure especially with the expectations coming into 2010. The fact that Nebraska has a returning starter at quarterback and the Big 10 is not as daunting as say a couple years ago. Hoewever, the schedule will have its landmines. Wisconsin for one. The Ohio State game looks more winnable but the Buckeyes still have some talented players on their roster.
People keep dogging Michigan but mark it down, just like Pelini taking over in 2007 immediately restored the BlackShirts, so will Brady Hoke’s presence be felt at Michigan. Their defense will make marked improvement and with shoelace that game could be a dogfight. The Penn State game could be a tossup as well but the media consensus is that Nebraska is a top-10 team and should be favored to win just about every game.
However, everything hinges on the offensive line and if they see significant improvement. Just a gut feeling but I envision Tennessee-Chattanooga, Fresno State, Washington, Wyoming, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa being wins. The games against Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State I envision could go either way. Michigan and Iowa could be iffy but should be wins.
If Nebraska can split the four toss up games half and half , then a 10-2 season with a probable trip to the big 10 championship is strong possible. Winning the Big 10 Championship game would be an excellent start.
However, if the offensive line implodes like last year, then it could get real ugly such as 8-4 or 7-5. I have a gut feeling this won’t happen.
I don’t have the rose colored glasses on like I did at the beginning of last year. I have been bit too many times before thinking we go with one loss or less for the season. That being said, I think Nebraska should be pretty good.
So, let’s put aside the arguments about former offensive coordinator Shawn Watson, current offensive coordinator Tim Beck, offensive line cach Barney Cotton, etc. Lets put aside Beck’s offense and all the talk about spread and no-huddle because no one really knows what it’s really going to be like. Let’s talk about expectations.
Bo Pelini’s initial impact as Husker head coach was great in taking Nebraska from a down and out 5-7 season under Bill Callahan in 2007 to a 9-4 campaign in 2008. The Huskers went 10-4 in both 2009 and 2010, therefore not truly taking the next step as a program. Yes, Nebraska is “back” in that it is capable of beating any team on any given day. However, it is not “back” as far as being a bonafide National Championship contender.
Pelini is a very good coach who has breathed much needed life back into the program but his grace period is over. What are realistic expectations for the 2011 Huskers?
It begins with quarterback Taylor Martinez. If he’s physically healthy, he can be dynamite. When he’s hobbled, he’s pretty ordinary. Also, can he take ownership of the offense as a leader?
Watson came under brutal fire from fans and media alike so if the offense does not perform, do you blame Beck’s inexperience or will Pelni have to answer as a head coach? Pelini got a semi-pass on Watson because he was one of only two holdovers from the Bill Callahan era. Since the offense was producing good numbers under the previous regime, Pelini (at the recommendation of athletic director Tom Osborne) kept Watson. Though Pelini said good things publically about Watson, he was not a true Pelini choice like Beck (who has served as the Nebraska running backs coach since Pelini arrived in 2008).
The 2010 season ended on a bad note - the worst season in Pelini’s short tenure especially with the expectations coming into 2010. The fact that Nebraska has a returning starter at quarterback and the Big 10 is not as daunting as say a couple years ago. Hoewever, the schedule will have its landmines. Wisconsin for one. The Ohio State game looks more winnable but the Buckeyes still have some talented players on their roster.
People keep dogging Michigan but mark it down, just like Pelini taking over in 2007 immediately restored the BlackShirts, so will Brady Hoke’s presence be felt at Michigan. Their defense will make marked improvement and with shoelace that game could be a dogfight. The Penn State game could be a tossup as well but the media consensus is that Nebraska is a top-10 team and should be favored to win just about every game.
However, everything hinges on the offensive line and if they see significant improvement. Just a gut feeling but I envision Tennessee-Chattanooga, Fresno State, Washington, Wyoming, Minnesota, Northwestern, Michigan and Iowa being wins. The games against Wisconsin, Ohio State, Michigan State and Penn State I envision could go either way. Michigan and Iowa could be iffy but should be wins.
If Nebraska can split the four toss up games half and half , then a 10-2 season with a probable trip to the big 10 championship is strong possible. Winning the Big 10 Championship game would be an excellent start.
However, if the offensive line implodes like last year, then it could get real ugly such as 8-4 or 7-5. I have a gut feeling this won’t happen.
I don’t have the rose colored glasses on like I did at the beginning of last year. I have been bit too many times before thinking we go with one loss or less for the season. That being said, I think Nebraska should be pretty good.
Friday, February 6, 2009
2009 Nebraska football position outlook: Offensive Line
One story in a Wine Country Husker series, looking at position breakdowns for the Nebraska Cornhuskers for the 2009 season. Today, we look at offensive line:
Looking back: The Huskers entered the 2008 season looking to become a more physical team. No other position embodied that desire more, on the offensive side, than the line.
The Huskers used to keep track of pancake blocks as if they were going for a short stack at Denny’s. In recent years, however, the Nebraska line lost its edge and identity of being more physical than its opponents at the line of scrimmage.
The Huskers hoped the return of Barney Cotton as the offensive line coach would help re-instill a physical mindset. Cotton played on Nebraska’s O-Line from 1975-1978 and was a member of the Husker coaching staff in 2003 but was not retained by Bill Callahan when hired in 2004 to replace Frank Solich. When Bo Pelini, who was the Husker defensive coordinator in 2003 and later interim head coach, was hired to replace Callahan, he immediately brought Cotton aboard.
Cotton took his share of criticism from Nebraska fans but it should be noted that he had to coach players out of bad habits and re-instill a philosophy of being physical that takes time to develop. The Husker coaching staff also had to spend time simplifying the playbook as well.
To their credit, the Nebraska offensive linemen showed the ability to perform well once they found their strength. In a nutshell, the line took care of business against inferior front sevens and struggled against the superior ones, which was already a step in the right direction over recent years past.
Looking ahead: The biggest losses of note will be Lydon Murtha at tackle and Mike Huff and Matt Slauson at guard from the two-deep. All three players battled through their share of injuries and adversity. Murtha, however, was frequently hurt and Slauson, while solid, is replaceable.
This Husker line won’t make us forget guys like the 1994 Pipeline but this version is well-stocked with depth.
From center-to-left tackle, there’s a solid nucleus with Jacob Hickman, Keith Williams and Mike Smith. Then there’s Javoirio Burkes and Marcel Jones. The coaching staff is high on Ricky Henry, Marcel Jones Brandon Thompson and Mike Caputo. Henry redshirted his freshman year but is particularly noted for his tenacity.
The Huskers will need the offensive line to perform well right away. The good news is that there is a strong stable of running backs led by Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. The bad news is that the quarterback spot will feature inexperience at the Div. I-A level with most likely either Zac Lee or Patrick Witt.
The good news is also that Smith, Williams, Hickman, DJ, Burkes have started games. The line play should also be better in that their play will be more instinctive in Cotton’s second season.
Looking back: The Huskers entered the 2008 season looking to become a more physical team. No other position embodied that desire more, on the offensive side, than the line.
The Huskers used to keep track of pancake blocks as if they were going for a short stack at Denny’s. In recent years, however, the Nebraska line lost its edge and identity of being more physical than its opponents at the line of scrimmage.
The Huskers hoped the return of Barney Cotton as the offensive line coach would help re-instill a physical mindset. Cotton played on Nebraska’s O-Line from 1975-1978 and was a member of the Husker coaching staff in 2003 but was not retained by Bill Callahan when hired in 2004 to replace Frank Solich. When Bo Pelini, who was the Husker defensive coordinator in 2003 and later interim head coach, was hired to replace Callahan, he immediately brought Cotton aboard.
Cotton took his share of criticism from Nebraska fans but it should be noted that he had to coach players out of bad habits and re-instill a philosophy of being physical that takes time to develop. The Husker coaching staff also had to spend time simplifying the playbook as well.
To their credit, the Nebraska offensive linemen showed the ability to perform well once they found their strength. In a nutshell, the line took care of business against inferior front sevens and struggled against the superior ones, which was already a step in the right direction over recent years past.
Looking ahead: The biggest losses of note will be Lydon Murtha at tackle and Mike Huff and Matt Slauson at guard from the two-deep. All three players battled through their share of injuries and adversity. Murtha, however, was frequently hurt and Slauson, while solid, is replaceable.
This Husker line won’t make us forget guys like the 1994 Pipeline but this version is well-stocked with depth.
From center-to-left tackle, there’s a solid nucleus with Jacob Hickman, Keith Williams and Mike Smith. Then there’s Javoirio Burkes and Marcel Jones. The coaching staff is high on Ricky Henry, Marcel Jones Brandon Thompson and Mike Caputo. Henry redshirted his freshman year but is particularly noted for his tenacity.
The Huskers will need the offensive line to perform well right away. The good news is that there is a strong stable of running backs led by Roy Helu and Quentin Castille. The bad news is that the quarterback spot will feature inexperience at the Div. I-A level with most likely either Zac Lee or Patrick Witt.
The good news is also that Smith, Williams, Hickman, DJ, Burkes have started games. The line play should also be better in that their play will be more instinctive in Cotton’s second season.
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