Bill Snyder famously devotes almost every waking minute to the Kansas State football complex. He spends little time eating, and even less with family and friends.

This week, Coach, save yourself a few hours. Take the September and October game films of Nebraska. Chuck 'em into the garbage can.

The past two weeks, the Huskers have identified a new formula that just might propel them back to offensive respectability.

It's a personnel group: two backs, two tight ends and one receiver.

Typically it's Zac Lee under center; Roy Helu behind Tyler Legate in the I formation; Mike McNeill and Dreu Young at tight end; Niles Paul alone outside.

Football coaches call it “22” — the first number means running backs in the formation, the second number is tight ends.

How does a simple emphasis on one personnel group change the Nebraska offense? We'll get to that. But first, some proof:

Nebraska employed the “22” group on 39 percent of its snaps the past two weeks. Those plays averaged 8.5 yards. From all other groups, Nebraska averaged 2.9.

In 49 snaps during conference play from the “22” personnel group, the Huskers have produced eight plays of 20 yards or more, including six at Kansas. One of every six snaps is a big play.

From all other personnel groups — a total of 326 snaps — there have been only 12 big gains. That's one of 27 snaps.

We know the Huskers struggle to execute dink-and-dunk scoring drives. Too many drops, too many penalties, just too many mistakes.

But the “22” power look gives them big-play potential that the shotgun spread never did.

That's counterintuitive, right? You don't insert a fullback and two tight ends and expect big plays.

But to defend the power run game, the opponent must crowd the line of scrimmage.

The result: no protector at the back of the defense. That creates openings for play-action passes. And because defenders are concentrated between the tackles, Helu can run a long way if he finds a crease.

Nebraska succeeded in the power game on the final drive at Missouri, rolling the Tigers for 68 yards on eight straight rushes.

But at that point, Shawn Watson still envisioned his offense moving with the shotgun spread. He wanted receivers on the field, not a fullback and multiple tight ends.

Against Texas Tech, the Huskers lined up in shotgun on 65 of 69 snaps.

After that 31-10 loss, center Jacob Hickman said Nebraska didn't have a set of go-to plays when it got in trouble: “We need to find our identity and we need to find it fast.”

Against Iowa State, the Huskers ran a little less spread, a little more power. But still, the “22” personnel group appeared only four times.

Not once did Nebraska use the “22” against Baylor.

The first 15 snaps of the Oklahoma game, eight times Cody Green was in shotgun with at least three wideouts.

When Lee entered the game in the second quarter, Nebraska switched its focus. Power-I took priority over shotgun spread.

Knowing NU couldn't make hay on the perimeter against OU's speed, Watson spent much of the night between the tackles with the “22” group.

Nebraska won 10-3, and the “22” yielded a few big plays, including Helu's 63-yard burst. But it suffered from predictability.

Of 26 plays from the “22” group, 25 were runs.

Then came the turning point for the “22,” and maybe for this offense as a whole: the addition of play-action passes.

This is where Tom Osborne helped.

According to Watson, the athletic director and offensive coordinator regularly discuss strategies — Osborne stops by Watson's office about once a week.

Osborne has particular expertise on how to attack defenses from power formations. About two weeks ago, he gave Watson a tape of old Husker clips.

Osborne never told Watson what plays to run, Watson said.

“He left it for us to find.”

You saw a few oldies against Kansas, including the play-action pass off the option in the second quarter.

Watson indicated there's more from Osborne's files that NU didn't show against Kansas. Hard to predict what Watson meant, but knowing Osborne's offense, a good guess would be more play-action to the tight ends.

So why does the “22” personnel group work so well?

Because it prioritizes Nebraska's best players and surrounds them with extra blockers.

Look at Helu, a downhill runner with good vision. Helu runs his best when he's in a rhythm, and he gets plenty of carries out of the run-heavy “22.” So it's no surprise he ran for 86 yards in the fourth quarter against Kansas, and 65 in the fourth against OU.

Look at Lee, whose downfield accuracy exceeds his short-range precision. In the “22”, Lee doesn't have to make complicated reads or dodge blitzing linebackers in the pocket. He has time — with maximum protection — to look deep.

“It's hard to blitz those big formations,” receivers coach Ted Gilmore said.

But the key to the “22” isn't the I-back or the quarterback, it's the single receiver. That's the component that NU was missing even when it tried to utilize power formations early in the season.

That's the component you can bet Watson noticed on the old tapes.

In the “22,” Niles Paul almost always faces man-to-man coverage. That benefits any receiver, but especially Paul in a power formation.

Paul has physical characteristics few receivers can match. And like Husker wingbacks of old, he blocks with ferocity.

During most “22” plays, Paul's job is blasting a cornerback or cracking back on a safety. Eventually, those defenders start trying to avoid his collisions. It's human nature.

So on a play-action pass, for example, Paul runs at the safety. The safety, expecting him to block, tries to avoid contact.

Paul slips into open space, where Lee can find him.

Sounds like something you witnessed over and over from Nebraska in the 1980s and '90s, doesn't it? Sounds like a strategy you heard had gone out of style, doesn't it?

Watson didn't envision leaning heavily on this personnel group, but injuries, inexperience and overall poor execution in the spread prompted him to simplify.

“When you simplify, you look for ways to attack a defense and move the ball,” Watson said. “One of the ways was to get big and rely on our offensive line and our tight ends. And the little fullback guy, Legate, he's doing a heckuva job.”

Watson said he intends to return to the shotgun spread when personnel develops well enough to execute it. He's not looking to revolutionize his offense.

But the excited eyes of offensive coaches after Saturday's game sent a signal: they've found something they do well. And finally they might be able to support this fantastic defense.

Bill Snyder, watching film this week, surely sees it, too.

Snyder never beat Tom Osborne, you know. Nine games, nine losses.

On Saturday night at Memorial Stadium, Snyder won't look across the turf and see Dr. Tom on the east sideline, as he did in the '90s.

But to win the Big 12 North, Snyder will have to stop a few of Osborne's old tricks.

You can bet he's working overtime.

Contact the writer:

679-9899, dirk.chatelain@owh.com

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