What kind of offense will Nebraska run?

[brentmoritz]

I've been thinking NU has two really good setters Holloway being the best of course, but will they actually go back to a 6-2 offense? If they do will make their chances of repeating a national title less? I think teams that run a 6-1 offense are more likely to win. A good comparison is 2005 national championship when NU ran the 6-2 and got beat by a 6-1. but can a 6-2 offense have advantages like last year when Minnesota almost got upset in the 2nd or 3rd round of the national championship tournament by St. Johns who switched from a 6-1 to 6-2 in the middle of the match and it ended up going to five! so which offense is better?

[abcd098]

There is no definitive answer to this question.

In a 5-1, the hitters can establish a connection with one setter, so they don't have to adjust to a new setter for half of their playing time.

In a 6-2, there will always be three hitters in the front row. You don't have to worry about only having two hitting options and a blocking liability when the setter is in the front row.

Honestly, I don't think it matters what type of offense Nebraska runs. They have enough offensive weapons that they will be able to get the kills regardless of what option they choose. Their defense is what is going to determine how much success they will have; the real question should be: What kind of defense will Nebraska run?

[ESTRELLA]

brentmoritz said:

I've been thinking NU has two really good setters Holloway being the best of course, but will they actually go back to a 6-2 offense? If they do will make their chances of repeating a national title less? I think teams that run a 6-1 offense are more likely to win. A good comparison is 2005 national championship when NU ran the 6-2 and got beat by a 6-1. but can a 6-2 offense have advantages like last year when Minnesota almost got upset in the 2nd or 3rd round of the national championship tournament by St. Johns who switched from a 6-1 to 6-2 in the middle of the match and it ended up going to five! so which offense is better?

Didn't USC win it all running a 6-2? Yes they did! It is all based on the talent you have.

ESTRELLA

[Deleted]

It's a smokescreen. Huskers will run a 5-1. Just watch.

[cvbc14]

This really depends on 2 players, and neither of them is a setter. If Licht is ready to go at the start of the season and Christina is healthy Nebraska will run a 6-2.

If Christina isn't healthy, does Stalls go to the outside leaving Gates and Cooper in the middle? If Cook feels that Licht isn't ready to perform on the big stage, Nebraska will be better off sticking to the 5-1.

Do we really want to get into the type of defense that the Huskers will run? I would be willing to bet 2 Runzas that it will be a read defense depending on the team they are playing. Much like they have always run. The libero will play left back. Depending on the rotation the left sides will play left back or middle back (Pavan will always play middle back).

[Deleted]

I could be wrong but I think USC's 6-2 used the setters for right side players, at times they switched to a 5-1 depending on situations, tempo, or for what ever reason. If NU uses the 6-2 it'll be subbing the setters for the middles, that doesn't give as easy a swap back to the 5-1...they could given the number of outside hitters Nebraska has that have played middle in their vb careers. I think if Houghtelling is healthy NU runs the 5-1 and perhaps Licht redshirts. Doesn't the outside hitter coming from Arizona have the ability to contribute right away??? I don't see Stalls hitting outside, she showed one shot, hard cross court, and it was hard! I just hope Houghtelling is healthy so she can have the type of senior season she deserves.

[soothsayer]

USC didn't use their setters in the front row -- unless they ran out of subs. USC ran a 6-2 because they had so much talent, and no clear cut #1 setter, similar to Nebraska in 2005.

[money]

I don't understand for the life of me why anyone would even THINK nebraska should run a 6-2... they won a NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP with the 5-1 with a FRESHMAN setting for them... if I was Holloway and the Cook even THOUGHT of taking me off the floor, I'd raise hell... Why take Pavan off the floor? That makes no sense... she's deadly out of the back row too... and adding Houghtelling to the mix instead of an average Mancuso makes the huskers scary in 2008... moreso with a 5-1 than a 6-2...

You wouldn't pull Tom Brady out of the game because you drafted Brady Quinn... The Young stud would wait in the wings until the timing was right... Licht will play plenty when Pavan's gone...

[Deleted]

He won't take Pavan out. The setters would come in for the middles, like in 2005.

But I agree (actually said it earlier): they won't run a 6-2.

[cvbc14]

If Licht is as good of blocker as I have heard, there is absolutely no reason to have her redshirt. Why not give your defense the best opportunity to succeed. Nebraska's hitting % will be higher if they run a 6-2. I realize that the hitters have to get used to different tempo sets and the middles will have a more difficult time than the outside hitters, but I think you can overcome that weakness by always having a 6-5 lefty in the front row.

BTW, Pavan won't sit. This has been stated before. The setters will come in for the middles, Pavan will play middle back defense. Schwartz will play back row for Licht and play left back defense. That actually puts 4 viable attackers in every rotation. Three in the front row and one coming out of middle back. I would like to see NU run some sort of stack play where the setter puts a ball up about 7' off the net and about the height of the antenna. If the middle can run a good enough fake that gives an open net for whoever is coming out of the back row. If the middle blocker doesn't jump with the middle attacker, set her and it's an open net for her.

6-2 for the Huskers. I'm willing to bet 2 Runzas on it.

[BeiBei]

I remember reading an article about Licht, she mentioned that she chose Nebraska because she was promised immediate playing time. If that is the case, Nebraska will use the 6-2.
I could not find that article anymore

[dishdaball]

ucla said:

I remember reading an article about Licht, she mentioned that she chose Nebraska because she was promised immediate playing time. If that is the case, Nebraska will use the 6-2.
I could not find that article anymore

She was promised playing time in the same breath Minch was offered a scholarship !!

[Keystonekid]

There is a definitive answer, 5-1 Holloway. Beibei, can't find the article where Licht was guaranteed immediate playing time, because it doesn't exist.

[Ye Olde Dawg]

cvbc14 said:

BTW, Pavan won't sit. This has been stated before. The setters will come in for the middles, Pavan will play middle back defense. Schwartz will play back row for Licht and play left back defense. That actually puts 4 viable attackers in every rotation. Three in the front row and one coming out of middle back. I would like to see NU run some sort of stack play where the setter puts a ball up about 7' off the net and about the height of the antenna. If the middle can run a good enough fake that gives an open net for whoever is coming out of the back row. If the middle blocker doesn't jump with the middle attacker, set her and it's an open net for her.

6-2 for the Huskers. I'm willing to bet 2 Runzas on it.

I know Pavan is effective from the back row, but I thought Larson and Houghtelling were too. You have at least 4 hitters on the floor at all times anyway, and with the talent Nebraska has it's not so important who's in the front row and who's coming out of the back.

BTW, the attack you're describing sounds like a back row quick or "pipe" set. Washington runs it (though they usually send the MB on a slide to open things up). I've also seen it just the way you describe in the men's game. And again, as long as you have a good back row hitter, the opportunity is there regardless of whether there are two or three front row attackers.

I still think the value of having one setter working consistently with the same core of hitters -- and having a libero on the court pretty much all the time -- outweighs the edge in attacking and blocking that you would get with a 6-2, even with a second 6-5 lefty on the team.

[Wolfgang]

It doesn't matter what offense they run. They've got Pavan, Houghtelling, Larson, and Stalls, with Holloway feeding them the ball.

Next question.