• Bo Pelini at the midweek press conference:
He's compared himself to Woody Hayes.
He's shelved all but the boring pages of a massive playbook.
He's embraced conservatism like Republican presidential hopefuls the week of the Iowa caucus.
But since Shawn Watson overhauled the Nebraska offense, he hasn't faced a considerable deficit.
After taking a 7-0 lead over Oklahoma on Nov. 7, Nebraska effectively realigned its offense. Gone were shotgun spread formations. Replacing them: two-back, two-tight end formations.
Suddenly, NU prioritized ball control and field position, grit and toughness.
Since that point, the Husker offense has taken the field for 43 drives.
But on 36 of those 43 drives, NU had the lead when Watson called the first play.
Just five times the score was tied.
Nebraska trailed only twice: by one point in the fourth quarter at Kansas, and by three points in the first quarter against Kansas State.
So here's the issue going to Dallas, where the Huskers are heavy underdogs: Can this offense come back if Texas jumps ahead? And how would Watson attempt a rally?
Would he stick with this new offensive philosophy through sickness and health?
Or is Nebraska's strategic shift to power football simply a marriage of convenience? Are we set to see the shotgun spread if Colt McCoy orchestrates a couple of early scoring drives?
Truth is, offense is a very different job when you don't have to score to win.
And playing Woody Hayes isn't Watson's cup of tea. His conservatism against Oklahoma, he said, took “courage” and “a lot of guts.” After passing just 14 times at Colorado, he said:
“You don't know how hard it is to fight the urge ... You want to sling it around.”
Nebraska, trailing Kansas 17-16 in the fourth quarter, did score a touchdown to jump ahead. But Niles Paul's 44-yard kickoff return and a KU personal foul set the table. And the deficit was just one point.
Asked Tuesday if NU can afford to stay with the power run game if it trails by more than a touchdown, Watson said, “No, you can't.
“But again, we don't prepare to be one certain way. ... We have to be prepared to do what it takes to win, and if that means throw it around, we've got to be ready to do that, too.”
Bo Pelini, unlike Watson, hasn't indicated an itch to return to the spread. But he echoed the thoughts of his offensive coordinator.
The terms and conditions for each Saturday are different, he said. Zac Lee must be able to adapt.
“If that means we need (Lee) to throw four touchdown passes, let's go,” Pelini said. “Who knows? Being a game manager means doing what it takes to win a football game.”
Nobody would argue if Nebraska, down 24-3 in the fourth quarter, starts chucking the ball all over Jerry's dome.
But Watson must be careful that he doesn't pay too much attention to the scoreboard too early. He must be careful that he doesn't abandon the Huskers' strengths.
Nebraska's best chance to beat Texas — even if the Huskers fall behind by one or two scores in the first three quarters — is riding Roy Helu and Rex Burkhead, pounding the pile, sticking with tight formations.
Hopefully for NU, Lee hits Paul deep off play-action, or Mike McNeill finds a few openings down the seam. Hopefully, those I-backs eventually gash the Longhorns' front seven, or the defense forces a turnover and quick score.
Courage and guts may have delivered the Nebraska offense to Dallas, but the emphasis Saturday should be a different attribute:
Patience.
Contact the writer:
679-9899, dirk.chatelain@owh.com
• Niles Paul at the midweek press conference:
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