[Husker] The era of the big red machine...

[Andrew Smith]

Bob wrote:

>I think Callahan wanted to implement his system and that was the number one goal.  His main goal wasn't to take the team we had and play to its strengths with solid game plans to win as many games as possible in my opinion.  If he had done that he couldn't really have installed the true WCO.  He would have had to have a Solich/Osborne type offense.  If a new system is to be instituted at some point in time when the change is made you are going to have people playing out of the comfort zone and not using them to the best of their ability to win.  You are probably going to have games where you work on your thing and not necessarily play to the weakness of the opposition.  Now, obviously, that can't go on forever but this is year one in a major overhaul of the offense.  To be honest on the defensive side of the ball I am not sure what happened with virtually the same players Pelini had.  One thing is certain.  Either these players way over achieved for Pelini or Cosgrove really messed up.  I suspect a little of both may be there.
>
Interesting comments considering that at the start of this year Bob said 
"one must adjust your offense to your personnel and not vice versa".  :-)

But more seriously, while I agree with the premise stated above, I don't 
think there is any excuse for not playing to the weakness of the 
opposition (and to your strengths) within the confines of your chosen 
system.  The WCO is supposed to be designed to use the pass OR run to 
move the ball down the field - at least that's my understanding.  It 
seemed to me that Callahan relied too much on the pass when it was clear 
that even within the WCO, more running plays would have been at least as 
successful with less risk.  The CO, ISU, and especially the So. Miss 
games were more likely to have been wins if more of the WCO's run 
package had been used.  I hope I'm wrong, but I fear that Callahan is 
not good at adjusting his game plans to the reality of the situation.

Andy