Shatel: Offense's identity? Commit to run

In two short years, Bo Pelini has reinstalled Nebraska's smash-mouth identity on defense. But what about offense?

Let's answer a question with two questions: If Nebraska absolutely had to run for a yard, could it get it? And if the Huskers had to win a game on the ground, could they?

NU's offense still hasn't found its inner smash-mouth. Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson's version of the West Coast offense has no identity — nor is it designed to. The West Coast is a jack-of-all-trades, master-of-none offense. It reacts to what a defense gives an offense. If the defense stacks up against the run, as was the case some of the time at Missouri, you go to the air. And vice versa. This is as opposed to the old days, when Nebraska would give the opposing defense the game plan and say, “Try to stop us.''

Watson's offense saved the day last year with Joe Ganz at the controls. But continue to throw it with a struggling Zac Lee in a rainstorm, and you have a bunch of Husker Nation wondering what in the Makovicka is going on.

The guess here is that Watson is stubborn in his offensive approach, the offensive line isn't moving people out of the way and the running backs are either under the weather or not able to dig for tough yards. I don't think that it's the latter (Roy Helu looked fine late in the game).

Meanwhile, it was a lovely night in Columbia for a fullback trap. I get misty thinking about those.

All I know is that: A) Nebraska struggled to run, or didn't try, in various red-zone attempts at Virginia Tech; B) The Huskers rank eighth in the Big 12 (ninth in rushing attempts) in rushing; and C) NU couldn't establish the run at Mizzou in conditions that begged for it and didn't seem interested in trying. Say what you want about the O-line, but commitment to the run is what makes good run-blocking. You can run against eight in the box. But it takes commitment.

Hey, NU is 4-1 and life is good. But at some point this season Nebraska is going to have to move some dirt, and you have to wonder if it can.

• The national media types I talked with on Monday are going gaga over Ndamukong Suh. Dennis Dodd of cbssports.com and Pat Forde of espn.com are planning to run columns on Suh the next two days. The Heisman hype has begun.

• This is a very big week in Heisman Land. If Jimmy Clausen can will Notre Dame past USC, he's a major factor. Same with Colt McCoy and Sam Bradford down at the Corny Dog Bowl in Dallas (though I'd vote for McCoy's teammate, Jordan Shipley, over the Texas quarterback right now). And Florida's Tim Tebow is back in great shape in Heisman polls. Tebow looked decent, not great, coming off the concussion last week. But we all know that Tebow is the first player to ever come back from a concussion. Just kidding. It only seems that way from some of the things I read.

• My only problem with Colorado coach Dan Hawkins lifting quarterback Tyler Hansen's redshirt is why do it near the end of a game at Texas that you are going to lose anyway? Why didn't Hansen play at West Virginia? Or Toledo? Did the coach really think that Cody Hawkins was going to get better? The coach must have promised Cody Hawkins' mother he would stick with him.

• If Virginia Tech wins this week at Georgia Tech, the Hokies' remaining schedule shows clear sailing to the ACC championship game. Then the BCS championship game? Think about that one, Husker Nation.

• The last time Nebraska beat Texas Tech in football? You have to go back eight years, Oct. 20, 2001, when NU won in Lincoln 41-31.

• I hate the National Football League's protect-the-quarterback rules. Players at other positions have people going at their knees all the time. What about them?

• Anyone for a Kyle Orton vs. Jay Cutler Super Bowl?

• I totally disagree if the NCAA rules Dez Bryant ineligible for the season — unless he signed with an agent or accepted a gift from the agent or a representative of the agent. For now, what we know is that the Oklahoma State receiver lied to the NCAA about being at Deion Sanders' house. If the NCAA wants to make an example out of Bryant for lying, that's fine. But an entire season? I don't see that.

• Maybe the baseball purists out there can help me with this one: Why is it that baseball players act as if they won the World Series — after every round of the playoffs? Every time you look up, somebody is getting doused with champagne. Players celebrating the divisional playoff wins with champagne looked utterly ridiculous. You don't see that after playoff round wins in the NFL or NBA. They don't even get the bubbly out for making the Super Bowl or NBA Finals. I guess sometimes a guy's just gotta have a glass of champagne after a hard day at the ballyard.

• Because it still fits, and because it's a better quote than last week, here's a more appropriate gem (from a long time ago) from Florida State coach Bobby Bowden: “After you retire, there's only one big event left — and I ain't ready for that.''

Contact the writer:

444-1025, tom.shatel@owh.com

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