Clemson 41 - GT 10

[GaTech4ever]

That would be the correct strategy if you had more players than your opponent and because of that your game strategy was to extend the game. It would be the wrong strategy if your opponent had more players and your strategy was to shorten the game by running the clock.

I’ll be honest, I really don’t understand what you mean. To me, it boils down to this. It’s a similar mindset to coaches who let the oppponent kneel on it once and let the clock run out at the end of a losing game. Versus coaches who take their timeouts and make the other team snap it out until the end.

Even if we made them punt it and we handed it to McDuffie 3 times — that’s sending a better message than not even wanting the ball. What if McDuffie broke it loose for 40 yards? Do we really think we can’t snap a ball? If we were pinned inside the 10, then just knee it.

It’s also funny because we’ve seen in this exact rivalry what a messed up snap on a punt can do.

 

[forensicbuzz]

There were 3 or 4 plays where the running back was bouncing around behind the line of scrimmage looking for a crease and found it. Linebackers could have filled those holes but ran to the wrong spot.

On a different play, with no bouncing around, the back scored on 4th and goal and there was no linebacker to be found as a wide open hole opened up.

The other team made a really good play and scored. Egad!

 

[TooTall]

Seriously, what are the odds of a botched snap on a punt having an impact on the outcome of a game?? That’s outrageous!!

Yeah I mean ask LSU if anything bad can happen to the receiving team

 

[bobongo]

Yeah I mean ask LSU if anything bad can happen to the receiving team

Bad things can happen if you get out of bed in the morning. Doesn't mean you should stay there.

 

[TampaBuzz]

I’ll be honest, I really don’t understand what you mean. To me, it boils down to this. It’s a similar mindset to coaches who let the oppponent kneel on it once and let the clock run out at the end of a losing game. Versus coaches who take their timeouts and make the other team snap it out until the end.

Even if we made them punt it and we handed it to McDuffie 3 times — that’s sending a better message than not even wanting the ball. What if McDuffie broke it loose for 40 yards? Do we really think we can’t snap a ball? If we were pinned inside the 10, then just knee it.

It’s also funny because we’ve seen in this exact rivalry what a messed up snap on a punt can do.

Personally, I would have called the time out at the end of the 1st half and took my chances. But I have to admit, it would be very risky. Assume Clemson punts and we are pinned deep. If I remember correctly, Clemson still had three time outs. We run it 3 times up the middle for little gain in an effort to run out the clock, and are now forced to punt with 30 seconds left in the half, since Clemson called a timeout after every run. Clemson has already blocked one punt and our punter is standing on the back line of the end zone, so we have to go to max protect. Assuming we get the punt away, Clemson will be sitting at about our 40 with 25 seconds left.

 

[bobongo]

Personally, I would have called the time out at the end of the 1st half and took my chances. But I have to admit, it would be very risky. Assume Clemson punts and we are pinned deep. If I remember correctly, Clemson still had three time outs. We run it 3 times up the middle for little gain in an effort to run out the clock, and are now forced to punt with 30 seconds left in the half, since Clemson called a timeout after every run. Clemson has already blocked one punt and our punter is standing on the back line of the end zone, so we have to go to max protect. Assuming we get the punt away, Clemson will be sitting at about our 40 with 25 seconds left.

Clemson had one timeout remaining.

 

[TampaBuzz]

Clemson had one timeout remaining.

Thanks for the clarification...my beer goggles must have been fogged up.

 

[bobongo]

Thanks for the clarification...my beer goggles must have been fogged up.

'Salright, I've been there myself. Had Clemson still had all their timeouts, the risk/reward dynamic would be in their favor. But with only one, it seems overly cautious not to want another opportunity to get the ball. If we predicate our decisions on the possibility we might fumble the football, we might as well have just not gotten on the bus to the stadium. We'd have kept the score close - it would forever be tied at 0-0.

 

[TooTall]

Bad things can happen if you get out of bed in the morning. Doesn't mean you should stay there.

Agreed. I mean CPJ said of the 3 things that can happen when you pass, 2 are bad. Its 50/50 call and arm chair coaches who have no skin in the game are the ones who complain if it goes wrong. See Pete Carroll in the Super Bowl. That pass completed, its celebrated. LSU had the momentum after their TD and would have won in OT because of it. But FG blocked so everyone is calling him stupid because he didn't go for 2. There's no right or wrong. You making an emotional decision when coaches have to make rational decisions. I wasn't bothered by it. We were holding our own against a top 5 team, and remove the blocked punt and them having the ball inside our 5 (and still needed 4 plays to score) its a 7-3 halftime score.

 

[RamblinRed]

I thought it was a weak decision.

We had already fielded punts, so that wasn't a big concern to me (LSU's punt returner fumbled the only previous punt attempt).

Clemson only had 1 TO so their time was limited. Also, the GT D had just gotten a big stop and had largely contained Clemson's O most of that half (140 total yds, 3 punts and a 1 fumble).
The odds are that GT would get nothing out of it, but that doesn't mean you don't try. Maybe the snap goes over the head, maybe you get a return. Maybe on first down you make a play that allows you to take some chances. Overall the odds were definitely not high GT would score, but to me, i'm thinking you take the punt. You take your first play and see if you get anything positive, if not then you can simply run out the clock as Clemson does not have the TO's to stop it.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

'Salright, I've been there myself. Had Clemson still had all their timeouts, the risk/reward dynamic would be in their favor. But with only one, it seems overly cautious not to want another opportunity to get the ball. If we predicate our decisions on the possibility we might fumble the football, we might as well have just not gotten on the bus to the stadium. We'd have kept the score close - it would forever be tied at 0-0.

Bobby Dodd would often punt on third down because bad things can happen and you might need an extra down to try your punt again.

But times change and punting on third down is not a thing anymore. The modern game is to press aggressively every chance you get if you are behind because scoring is more important than defense now.

What Collins did was very conservative, to say the least, for a team that was behind and going to get the ball second in the second half. Not a fan of that move.

 

[iceeater1969]

Yeah, even the catch he did have, he bobbled. He graded out as the second-lowest player on the team (Akelo Stone) and lowest on offense. But, I’m hopeful it was nerves and the camp reports about him were true. Anyone know why Dylan Leonard didn’t play?

Yes, he has a hamstring. He tried running at half speed and it tightened up.
They are treating him for overall stiffness in both legs . Think they have found a fixable issue to let him get this hamstring totally into history.


Maybe ole miss.

Let's hope we get him and WR #1 and DMoore in the rotation.

 

[bobongo]

Bobby Dodd would often punt on third down because bad things can happen and you might need an extra down to try your punt again.

But times change and punting on third down is not a thing anymore. The modern game is to press aggressively every chance you get if you are behind because scoring is more important than defense now.

What Collins did was very conservative, to say the least, for a team that was behind and going to get the ball second in the second half. Not a fan of that move.

Indeed, Bobby Dodd was in a different era, and football was in many ways a different game. And, he was 165-64-8 while Geoff is 9-26 (okay, that was a cheap shot).

I loved it when Geoff went for it on 4th and 1 at our own 37 in the first quarter and on 4th and 6 at the Clemson 37 in the third. Those were way riskier than calling a timeout late in the half would have been, especially the first one. And both worked! I give him credit for those calls as well as the execution. That's one reason why the decision to let the clock run out at the end of the half is a such head-scratcher, IMO.

 

[Northeast Stinger]

Indeed, Bobby Dodd was in a different era, and football was in many ways a different game. And, he was 165-64-8 while Geoff is 9-26 (okay, that was a cheap shot).

I loved it when Geoff went for it on 4th and 1 at our own 37 in the first quarter and on 4th and 6 at the Clemson 37 in the third. Those were way riskier than calling a timeout late in the half would have been, especially the first one. And both worked! I give him credit for those calls as well as the execution. That's one reason why the decision to let the clock run out at the end of the half is a such head-scratcher, IMO.

You’re preaching to the choir. So loved the two fourth down calls and was so disappointed that he suddenly seemed intimidated by the coach and the team on the other side of the field right before the half.

 

[Heisman's Ghost]

Indeed, Bobby Dodd was in a different era, and football was in many ways a different game. And, he was 165-64-8 while Geoff is 9-26 (okay, that was a cheap shot).

I loved it when Geoff went for it on 4th and 1 at our own 37 in the first quarter and on 4th and 6 at the Clemson 37 in the third. Those were way riskier than calling a timeout late in the half would have been, especially the first one. And both worked! I give him credit for those calls as well as the execution. That's one reason why the decision to let the clock run out at the end of the half is a such head-scratcher, IMO.

The only time I ever saw Dodd do something that was totally out of character as an ultra conservative coach was in 1966 (I think) against Texas A&M. Tech was tied with the Aggies at the half who were then coached by Gene Stallings in his first head coaching job. A little background as an assistant at Alabama under the Bear in the early 1960s, Stallings had made a big speech about how Tech was soft, would fold in the second half, etc. which given the second half comeback by Bama in 1961 from a two touchdown deficit proved, in his mind, his point. Anyway, here is Stallings in his first coaching job tied 3-3 at halftime with the "soft" Yellow Jackets. The second half was all Tech due to its superior talent and depth as Lenny Snow ran wild. With the score 31-3 and Tech having just scored a late fourth quarter TD to salt the game away. Tech lines up to kickoff and tries an onside kick which is successful. My father damn near had a heart attack in astonishment. Then, lo and behold, Kim King throws a pass in the end zone with just seconds to play for another TD. I don't know who the receiver was but the point is that Dodd knew about Stallings running his mouth and waited for the opportunity for a little payback. Even Dodd was not above a little tit for tat.

 

[bobongo]

The only time I ever saw Dodd do something that was totally out of character as an ultra conservative coach was in 1966 (I think) against Texas A&M. Tech was tied with the Aggies at the half who were then coached by Gene Stallings in his first head coaching job. A little background as an assistant at Alabama under the Bear in the early 1960s, Stallings had made a big speech about how Tech was soft, would fold in the second half, etc. which given the second half comeback by Bama in 1961 from a two touchdown deficit proved, in his mind, his point. Anyway, here is Stallings in his first coaching job tied 3-3 at halftime with the "soft" Yellow Jackets. The second half was all Tech due to its superior talent and depth as Lenny Snow ran wild. With the score 31-3 and Tech having just scored a late fourth quarter TD to salt the game away. Tech lines up to kickoff and tries an onside kick which is successful. My father damn near had a heart attack in astonishment. Then, lo and behold, Kim King throws a pass in the end zone with just seconds to play for another TD. I don't know who the receiver was but the point is that Dodd knew about Stallings running his mouth and waited for the opportunity for a little payback. Even Dodd was not above a little tit for tat.

So that's why Dodd ran up the score on Texas A&M in '66. Saw a video of that game (can't find it online now) and was amazed at the ending, which as you point out seemed out-of-character for Dodd. Along with Tech's 7-6 win over #1 'Bama in '62 at Grant Field, just a little more payback from the '61 Chick Graning game in Birmingham, and teaching Gene Stallings a painful lesson. I think the TD pass was thrown by backup Larry Good to Johnny Sias in the '66 A&M game.

Coach Dodd said he was prouder of the '66 team than any other, because of the way they overachieved. Went 9-2, losing the last two to Georgia and the Orange Bowl to Florida, but Georgia only had one loss that year and Florida two. Tech wasn't expected to end up anywhere near the Orange Bowl that season.

1966 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results | College Football at Sports-Reference.com

1966 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets Schedule and Results

www.sports-reference.com

 

[iceeater1969]

Rat that year- in hard fought games we beat Clemson 13-12 and UVA 14-13.

At Benz met a nice Clemson fan. He had a huge head and asked me to let him wear a my foam gt helmet for a picture. HE SAID HE GREW UP AS A GT FAN AND HIS DAD TOOK HIM TO ALL THE GAMES. HE LOVED WATCHING KIM KING AND LENNY SNOW. AFTER THE PIC , HIS GROUP AGREED TO ROOT FOR GT WHEN CLEMSON WAS NOT PLAYING GT.

ALWAYS BE SELLING.

GUYS HEAD WAS HUGE.

 

[RamblinRed]

I'm about ready to focus on WCU, but here is the advanced stats review from the Clemson game by Binion. Some good and some bad.

Georgia Tech Football: GT vs. Clemson Advanced Stats Review

Solid defense, same old issues on offense, and more concerning coaching add up to a 30 point loss

www.fromtherumbleseat.com

 

[Augusta_Jacket]

GUYS HEAD WAS HUGE.

"It's got its own wind system."

 

[Golden Tornadoes]

You’re preaching to the choir. So loved the two fourth down calls and was so disappointed that he suddenly seemed intimidated by the coach and the team on the other side of the field right before the half.

The amount of push we got on QB sneaks almost reminded me of the VPISU game. Sims was getting 3-4 yards on those.