Beck: Husker Offense Hopes to Be More Physical and Accountable

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Tim Beck, 45, has a wealth of experience coaching prep football in Arizona and Texas, in addition to collegiate stints at Kansas State, Illinois State, Missouri State, Kansas and Nebraska. He was KU's passing game coordinator in the school's lopsided win over Nebraska in 2007 en route to the Jayhawks' Orange Bowl triumph over Virginia Tech. Now that he has the reins as Nebraska's offensive coordinator, Beck is one of three Youngstown, Ohio, natives to lead the Huskers. Brothers Bo and Carl Pelini, of course, are the others.

Q: Bo Pelini became a model interview at the Big Ten Conference meetings in Chicago and was at his best in a keynote speech to Huskers Athletic Club supporters last week. Is that the same Bo you're seeing in the office every day?

A: Bo has a lot of confidence in himself and the direction we're going. He has great confidence in his staff. He's a great guy to be around as a person. You learn a lot from him about how to conduct yourself, even off the field. He's showing great leadership. He lays down great expectations in that foundation, and you want to run through that wall in terms of perfection for him. You want to do it mostly because of the person he is. There's a different feeling on this team. It's still about hard work and taking care of business, but there's a lot to be excited about, and everyone can definitely feel it.

Q: Fall camp is the time to tweak everything you installed on offense last spring. What are your priorities before the curtain goes up September 3rd?

A: Wewant to continue to improve our fundamentals and become a more physical football team. We want to be accountable, on and off the field. If we build good young men who play hard and care about each other, their coaches and the program, the winning will take care of itself.

Q: You've kept the wraps on your new offense. What can fans expect when it's unveiled against Tennessee-Chattanooga and how it might evolve by the time you hit the Big Ten schedule?

A: It's really hard to explain the philosophy and the foundation of what we're going to do because we want to be flexible with what we have to do.

Q: Certain players have used the words "No Huddle". Is that part of the repertoire?

A: There are aspects of that. I don't know if we're going to live in it. We're just going to do what our guys can do. Whatever they're good at and whatever they're comfortable in, we're going to do.

Q: Everyone wants a progress report on the physical and psychological maturity of Taylor Martinez. Can you share your thoughts on that?

A: I think he had a great summer. Obviously, we're not allowed to coach them or be around them, so it's all information that comes from our strength staff and what you hear from players. I've been pleased. It's one of the things that Taylor and I sat down and talked about - what he needed to continue to work on - his maturity, his understanding and feeling comfortable in this offense. We want to see him take the playing experience he's had and feel more like this is - kind of - his team. Maybe he felt like he hadn't earned the right to speak up and say things last year, but he's doing the work to earn that right. The reports are positive about how hard he's worked, and I'm excited to get going just like I'm sure he is.

Q: Can you describe the progress Brion Carnes made last spring and the competitive push you expect from him and perhaps Ron Kellogg this fall?

A: All those guys have certain strengths.We were real pleased with Brion's development last spring, and we're hearing he had a great summer, too. I think he realizes with Cody transferring (to Tulsa) that he's a play away from possibly getting in. It's the same with Ron. I've told him he can longer view himself as a scout team quarterback. He's a couple of plays away from getting in a game right now. Preparation and expectation grow on a guy, and they both know there's a lot more on them. I'm really pleased with how they've handled it, and we'll see more in fall camp..

Q: It's always nice when a quarterback like Tyson Broekemeier walks on, especially after setting the all-time Nebraska Shrine Bowl passing record. What can he bring to a Scout Team role?

A: He's another great kid - your typical guy you want in your program. He works hard. He's unselfish, and I'm eager to see what he can do. He had a stellar career as a high school player. What a great position he's in, knowing there's only five quarterbacks total on the team, and depending on what Bubba Starling does, maybe only four. He comes into a situation where he won't be too far down the line as a true freshman.

Q: Enthusiasm runs high for receivers that emerged last spring, not to mention three heralded running backs that will join Rex Burkhead this fall. But first, can you share your thoughts about a resurgent offensive line? How much deeper and better can they be this fall?

A: I like that group. I like the physicality and the way they go to work every day. We're a young group. We have three seniors and one junior, so we have four underclassmen on the depth chart. Sometimes, that's a good thing because guys will really lay it all on the line. They just go after it. I don't know what it is, but they do. I like the little things we've been able to do that allow them to play faster, which, in turn, allows them to play more physical. We don't want them to over-communicate. We want them to just go. That in itself will enable those guys be who they are and allow us to coach them and get them where they need to be. Our whole group - all the coaches and all the players - there's a quiet storm brewing in terms of confidence in ourselves. No one's boastful, and everyone's trying to be very humble. It's still about our players. I mean, I'm not going to win the game. Players play, not me, and they have to go out and do it. It's our job to build them up and get 'em to play Nebraska style football. They have to find a way to win, whatever way it is. Whether it's 63-to-62 or 2-to-nothing, it doesn't matter when it's all said and done.

Q: What is the Nebraska style of football?

A: Championships or at least that's a big part of it. That's the ultimate goal. People ask me to name the offense and what it's going to be. We didn't come here to name an offense. We came here to win a championship. I don't care what you call it. You can call it whatever you want. Our goal is just to go out there and find a way to win however we have to and to do whatever we have to. That's what Nebraska football is. Because there are so many media outlets, everyone's always looking for a story, whether it's radio, TV, Internet or newspapers. You can write about all kinds of things, but the bottom line is still winning and losing. Football is still offense, defense and special teams. In the past, we've had great defensive football teams, even championship-type defensive football teams. For some reason or another, whatever it was, the offense didn't carry the load, and I was part of it. That's why it had to be changed.

Q: Now that we know what's up front, can you describe why Rex Burkhead is such a leader and role model?

A: He's just such a special guy. He's something else. I mean, any words you would use to describe him probably wouldn't accurately describe him. He's just a great young man,   a great competitor and a great teammate. Everything about the guy is great. I'm glad he's on our team. He's amazing.  A lot of our players welcomed him in as a freshman. He sets our tempo and our standards by the way he acts, works, practices and plays. The guys want him in there, and that's a good thing. 

Q: What were the odds that Ameer Abdullah, Aaron Green and Braylon Heard would arrive on campus at the same time as freshmen? Each has his own highlight reel. With three together, it's almost scary. Guess we should remember they represent potential now, not performance, right?

A: Yes, they have to still go out there and do it. It's a lot like Taylor and the reports I got on him. You see players walking around and the strength staff relays stories, and they're talking about them having a positive impact with the things they were doing this summer. A lot of times you get guys that highly recruited and their work ethic might not be what it should be. But these guys worked hard all summer and competed hard while still having the mentality to be friends. That's a good thing because a lot of times you get those star athletes to come in and you want to keep telling them: "That's not good enough" because you get so used to being better than everyone else. I was coaching running backs when we recruited those guys, and I saw different potential in each one of them, and offensively, I felt like we needed their strengths. Even with Rex, I feel like the more weapons you have, the defense has more to prepare for. If you only have the same weapons, it makes their preparation easier.

 Q: Can you describe their best individual skill sets?

A: They're all as fast as any of the running backs we have. Ameer has excellent change of direction, and he catches the ball extremely well out of the backfield. Braylon is more a one-step and go ... more like Rex, a bigger guy with more size and a tough, physical   runner. And Aaron is a combination of both of them. He can run inside, can run outside and has good hands. They're all three return-type guys and big play-type guys that can take it (to the end zone) any time. Losing Roy (Helu), we needed that in our arsenal.

Q: Sorry to ballyhoo the receivers like the running backs, but it's hard to keep a lid on what players have seen from Kenny Bell and Jamal Turner in 7-on-7 drills over the summer. How many of those reports get back to you?

A: They pose the same kind of threat, and four of the first five guys (counting the three freshmen running backs) you mentioned are all true freshmen. It's a very young, but a very talented offensive group.

Q: In no way would I leave out Brandon Kinnie's ability as a receiver and what Kyler Reed and Ben Cotton accomplish at tight end. Can you elaborate on those three veterans and other newcomers?

A: Brandon had a great off-season program and did some great things in terms of leadership. He knows this is his last go-round, so he's ready to lay it all out there. We have all kinds of guys - Quincy Enunwa, Stanley Jean-Baptiste and Timmy Marlowe  - who can go out there and not have jitters because they don't have carry the weight of the world on them. Guys like Ben and Kyler are juniors. They've played so much football for us already, you think of them as 10th-year seniors. They're great helping coach the young guys. It's a great future, and this is a good chair to be sitting in. We're a young offense, but extremely talented. You take our skill positions - our running backs, quarterbacks, receivers and tight ends - the only seniors you have are Brandon Kinnie, Curenski Gilleylen, Austin Jones and Tyler Legate. If we get this foundation laid right, success should come.

Q: What are the biggest reasons behind the new offensive staff?

A: I love our guys. I love our room of offensive coaches. They all bring something different to the table. You want different perspectives and different ideas. We have guys who have been successful as coaches and players. They understand what it takes to win. They understand kids. They're family guys. They have kids and can relate to kids. They're teachers. I feel very fortunate to work with them. Probably the toughest thing was to get them to understand that we're going to do what we have to do offensively to win. It's just as hard to understand that concept as coaches as it is for fans or anybody else. Our coaches get it and understand it but doing it is different. They know it makes sense, but I'm trying to teach the terminology, the theories and the philosophies behind it in a short amount of time with all different backgrounds. That was challenging, but their response was awesome. Those guys have been 100 percent supportive. We're all pulling the rope in the same direction, and that, in itself, is the No. 1 key because you win with people. You don't win with plays. When you get good people to coach good people, it gives you a good chance for success.

Q: What have you spent most of your time doing this summer?

A: Initially, I wanted to kind of get away, but it's been a whirlwind since we made the changes and through spring ball, spring recruiting and summer camps and clinics.

Q: Bo likes his coaches to take some chill time. What did the Beck family do to get away from it all?

A: We did get away, but I've been in here mostly, getting organized and ready for fall camp. We went home to see my parents in Youngstown. When you're on vacation, you're still going pretty hard. That's just the way it's been.

Q: If anyone was writing the Tim Beck Story, where would it begin and what influences molded you into the coach you are today?

A: I've been blessed to have a way of working with kids, I guess. I don't know. It's hard to put it into a sentence or two. It's kind of like asking what's your favorite food? You know there are certain ingredients, but it's more about how you make it. It's the same way with coaching. I know how to do it. I know what it takes to get it. But I can't really explain it. It's more about understanding people. You really do win with people, so you have to know what's important to 'em and what makes 'em tick. You have to give 'em accountability and ownership, but not too much ownership. We have to find ways to be simple and keep people off balance. I've run everything, including the old Air Force triple option. In high school, you run whatever you feel your guys can do that gives them their best chance to win. I've used a "Stack I" with three guys right in a row. The plays or systems don't necessarily change. It's the presentation that changes. I have a very similar philosophy that Bo does. I still think you win games with defense and special teams and an efficient offense that doesn't hurt itself or turn the ball over. You have to be able to run the ball to control the line of scrimmage, but you have to throw it to win because somebody somewhere is going to have enough guys - even though you may drive 'em all off 10 yards - there's one guy that maybe you can't block. In the game of football, if you take the quarterback and the ball carrier, there are two guys you can't block. You can block everybody else 15 yards downfield, but there are two or three guys that can tackle the ball carrier. That's why you have to be creative enough to know when is enough "enough", and you gotta go to the next thing.

Q: Nebraska now has a Youngstown native as head coach and two more Youngstown natives as offensive and defensive coordinators. What element of Youngstown will the 2011 Huskers exemplify the most?

A: I hopeif you had to look offensively at the last three years, what I hope changes is a fighting mentality. I'm not talking about fist fighting. I'm talking about the tougher and harder the game, the tougher and harder we play offensively. The bigger the challenge, the more we "get in the ring" and say: "Let's go, baby. Let's get after it!" That's who they are. That's who they've become. It's one thing to do it against a team you're supposed to do it against.  Against teams that are supposed to be a dogfight, we don't ... I'm not going to say we backed down, but as the game wore on, sometimes we wore out.

Q: Last question. I'm guessing you grew up a Big Ten fan. What are your childhood memories of the league and how excited are you to coach in the nation's oldest and most historic conference?

A: I'm excited about it because I grew up around it. I was much more familiar with the Big Ten than where we were. I think we're getting more national exposure, and I will never forget the legendary coaches that came out of those programs and are still in it - the Joe Paternos, the Woody Hayeses and the Bo Schembechlers and on and on. It's just unbelievable the people that have come out of the Big Ten, and it's unbelievable having the opportunity to win it in our first year in the league. It's one thing to be in it for years, but to be in it for the first time in Nebraska history, it's nice to be able to say you're a part of that. I think our players are excited with the change. Being in a new offense and a new conference with new venues is very exciting for our coaches, players and fans. And you don't have to remind me that four of the top six programs in college football history are in this league. It's going to be tough, and we need to be tough to win it.

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