Fine, I'll Name the Nebraska Offense

Nebraska offensive coordinator Shawn Watson reportedly bristled--bristled!--when asked on Friday what the media and fans should call his version of the Cornhuskers' offense. I'll let him explain:

"Everybody, stop trying to name it! Geez...everybody wants to put a name on it around here. It's the Nebraska offense. How's that? Sounds good to me."

Not me, Shawn. College football is unique in that your offense is only as good as it's name. Nebraska spent 25 years being defined by "the option" and that's just one of many such examples. Most people could give you a team or coach associated with the Run and Shoot, the Pistol, the Fun 'N Gun, the Wishbone, the Flexbone, the Wing T, the Single Wing, the Spread Option and on and on. Hell, the Maryland I and the Notre Dame box even take the guesswork out of the equation. I would say that naming the new Nebraska offense is drastically important, Shawn, but I understand you're busy, so allow me to offer some suggestions:

THE SANDHILLS OFFENSE (SHO) - This is more than just my Western Nebraska bias, the Sandhills are Nebraska's most geographically distinct area, known the world over as being the largest non-desert sand formation in the Western Hemisphere (or at least in earth science courses taught at small Nebraska based liberal arts colleges). While the name isn't really related to the actual methodology of Watson, it does provide a seamless transition from the West Coast Offense of the past regime. Same cadence and a handy abbreviation but with a better sense of regional specificity. I think utilizing a good, homegrown fullback could really cement this one.

PESTILENCE - "The Plague" seems a bit overwrought, no? While the Huskers would really have to put up some numbers to earn this one, I like the invocation of the biblical swarms of locusts that swept over the Plains during the Depression. Bonus connotation: Pestilence is one of the four horseman of the apocalypse. Scary, right? This is really for those people who love the Blackshirts logo.

NOT BILL CALLAHAN'S OFFENSE - Simple and to the point. While it's immediately satisfying, it is also undeniably clunky. Of course the problem was never Callahan's offense--and how different will Watson's version really be?--it was Callahan. It never hurts to be reminded of this fact but best left to the truly bitter.

READOPTION OF THE OPTION (ROTO) - No, no. Nebraska will not be running the triple option again but if last year's Colorado game is any sort of blueprint, we may actually see Ganz run the occasional shotgun read option that's all the rage in college football these days. Should they do this out of a two-back set with Lucky receiving a pitch--even if it results in a four-yard loss--expect Memorial Stadium to lose its mind.

THE NEBRASKA WAY - A simple substitution of the word "way" for Watson's "offense" but it's already become the defining characteristic of Pelini's young tenure. Should Nebraska experience some success with this staff, regardless of any actual resemblance to Nebraska teams of the past, it will be attributed to getting back to doing things the right way. The Nebraska Way. Thanks, Tom Osborne.

While it's somewhat difficult to name an offense you haven't seen yet, I still think all of the above options represent better choices than "the Nebraska offense." You'll never see that on a t-shirt.

You can vote on your preference above. If you vote "Other" be sure to write in your vote in the comments below. Even if Shawn Watson doesn't jump on board with our new name, I'll be sure to use it here.