Reliving the Moment - You Know you did too

[ClydeBrick]

When watching, I knew 3:07 was too long. But with Laskey out a 75 yard march down the field was certainly not guaranteed - have to take a gift when it is offered.

In a game like football, Smelter "stopping" so GT could burn clock goes against every fiber of an athlete's being. IMO, those calling for this scenario are nuts.

Just like letting UNC get a quick score would go against every fiber of a coach's being.

However, if we are going to entertain these ideas we should also consider the possibility that maybe that was Fedora's plan - let us score quick. Wanting to hold the ball last in a game with little defense would be a goal of both coaching staff's - maybe we just fell into a trap.

 

[COJacket]

When watching, I knew 3:07 was too long. But with Laskey out a 75 yard march down the field was certainly not guaranteed - have to take a gift when it is offered.

In a game like football, Smelter "stopping" so GT could burn clock goes against every fiber of an athlete's being. IMO, those calling for this scenario are nuts.

Just like letting UNC get a quick score would go against every fiber of a coach's being.

However, if we are going to entertain these ideas we should also consider the possibility that maybe that was Fedora's plan - let us score quick. Wanting to hold the ball last in a game with little defense would be a goal of both coaching staff's - maybe we just fell into a trap.

PJ did this against UGA a few years ago (let them score quickly) so coaches do think like that from time to time.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

PJ did this against UGA a few years ago (let them score quickly) so coaches do think like that from time to time.

Weren't we down by 1 already and wasn't Ugag already in chipshot field goal range? If so, that's a completely different scenario.

 

[vamosjackets]

PJ did this against UGA a few years ago (let them score quickly) so coaches do think like that from time to time.

Yeah, the difference in that one was that we were DOWN by 1, rather than ahead by 2. (think I'm remembering correctly) So, at that point, the only way we could've won was to get the ball back, it was just a matter of how much time we were going to have. Even Mark Richt said STTE of, "Yeah, he got me on that one."

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Yeah, the difference in that one was that we were DOWN by 1, rather than ahead by 2. (think I'm remembering correctly) So, at that point, the only way we could've won was to get the ball back, it was just a matter of how much time we were going to have. Even Mark Richt said STTE of, "Yeah, he got me on that one."

That is exactly the way it played out. Richt stated he was "outcoached on that one" because he should have instructed his team to NOT just score but take a knee. You can do that if you have the lead. You cannot do that when losing. Same with telling the D to let them score, you can do that when already behind but not when you have a lead.

 

[33jacket]

There is no gaurantee if he falls down we score.

But in a world of no gaurantees, who would rather leave your chances with? Our D. Or our O?

 

[ClydeBrick]

... so coaches do think like that from time to time.

I will concede that it is possible, but your are only a genius if it works.

 

[COJacket]

all good points guys. could not remember the circumstances. Just remember PJ getting one on Richt. thanks for the clarification.

 

[Boomergump]

Look, I have already alluded to it in another post, so I am guilty as charged. However, you can't ask a guy not to score in Smelter's situation. Was I dreading the last 3 mins? Absolutely. A bird in the hand..........

 

[SidewalkJacket]

PJ did this against UGA a few years ago (let them score quickly) so coaches do think like that from time to time.

Still the ballsiest coaching move I have ever seen. It may seem like an obvious choice to us looking back at that game, but NO other coach has the cajones to do that. I know it didn't work out, but DANG. Huge nuts.

 

[Essobee]

Asking Smelter to not score is like asking cream to not rise. The kid is a great player and great players do great things...like score on spectacular plays...and we wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[Cheesehead Jacket]

When watching, I knew 3:07 was too long. But with Laskey out a 75 yard march down the field was certainly not guaranteed - have to take a gift when it is offered.

In a game like football, Smelter "stopping" so GT could burn clock goes against every fiber of an athlete's being. IMO, those calling for this scenario are nuts.

Just like letting UNC get a quick score would go against every fiber of a coach's being.

However, if we are going to entertain these ideas we should also consider the possibility that maybe that was Fedora's plan - let us score quick. Wanting to hold the ball last in a game with little defense would be a goal of both coaching staff's - maybe we just fell into a trap.

I have been having this same thought. Fedora let us score to get the ball back last. He doesn't strike me as that much of a thinker......but then , his team won.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

There is no gaurantee if he falls down we score.

But in a world of no gaurantees, who would rather leave your chances with? Our D. Or our O?

If CPJ had Smelter go ob on that run, I'd want him fired. Nobody in their right mind does that.

 

[vamosjackets]

If CPJ had Smelter go ob on that run, I'd want him fired. Nobody in their right mind does that.

I totally disagree. I would've signed his extension right after that game. And, you would too, because it's very likely that we would've won the game if he did that.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I totally disagree. I would've signed his extension right after that game. And, you would too, because it's very likely that we would've won the game if he did that.

What if it didn't work? Even if it does, we'd be the laughing stock of college football.

ESPN headlines:

GT Refuses to Score to Keep Putrid Defense Off the Field

Paul Johnson Shows Zero Faith in Defense

Maybe we should have just all laid down on the field on the following kickoff so that we'd have gotten the ball back with real time to score last? That would have gone over just about as well in the media and with our defensive players.

A coach cannot publicly show zero faith in his defense by refusing to put them on the field by intentionally not scoring on a play that easily scores. Going for it on fourth down because you don't have faith in your D is a whole different scenario in my book.

aside: On the the 4th down td pass we gave up, I think I'm more disgusted that we didn't get to the qb in time with a jailbreak blitz. The qb wasn't even hurried.

 

[vamosjackets]

What if it didn't work? Even if it does, we'd be the laughing stock of college football.

ESPN headlines:

GT Refuses to Score to Keep Putrid Defense Off the Field

Paul Johnson Shows Zero Faith in Defense

Maybe we should have just all laid down on the field on the following kickoff so that we'd have gotten the ball back with real time to score last? That would have gone over just about as well in the media and with our defensive players.

A coach cannot publicly show zero faith in his defense by refusing to put them on the field by intentionally not scoring on a play that easily scores. Going for it on fourth down because you don't have faith in your D is a whole different scenario in my book.

aside: On the the 4th down td pass we gave up, I think I'm more disgusted that we didn't get to the qb in time with a jailbreak blitz. The qb wasn't even hurried.

At least one headline would be "GT wins". That's the only headline that matters. It's really not much different than if a team goes into conservative mode to run out the clock when they're ahead or when they go more conservative when all they need is a FG and they're already in range. It's a strange deal, which is why you never see it, and I get your point, and I get why CPJ didn't do it. I wouldn't have blamed him either way. BUT, I'm telling you I would've seriously considered it as a HC and would've been bleeding in my brain thinking about it ... ultimately, you do what gives you the best chance to win, and there's no doubt ... in that game ... that would've given us the best chance to win. It's mathematical man, that should make sense to us.

 

[dressedcheeseside]

At least one headline would be "GT wins". That's the only headline that matters. It's really not much different than if a team goes into conservative mode to run out the clock when they're ahead or when they go more conservative when all they need is a FG and they're already in range. It's a strange deal, which is why you never see it, and I get your point, and I get why CPJ didn't do it. I wouldn't have blamed him either way. BUT, I'm telling you I would've seriously considered it as a HC and would've been bleeding in my brain thinking about it ... ultimately, you do what gives you the best chance to win, and there's no doubt ... in that game ... that would've given us the best chance to win. It's mathematical man, that should make sense to us.

There is a middle ground and somebody already said it but I forget who it was. First and foremost, you score if, when and however you can. If it leaves too much time on the clock, you sell out on the blitz trying to force them out of downs with incompletions or if lucky, an int. If they score quick, so what, we get the ball back with real time on the clock. This way you're trying to win while not completely giving up on your D.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I think this story and its quotes speak to this issue:
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/techs-mason-supports-defense/nhnqM/

“It’s not more on the defense than us because we had plays where we could have put up more points,” Mason said. “It just goes both ways.”

Coach Paul Johnson said he was not concerned about division forming between the high-performing offense and the struggling defense.

“Our kids are all together,” he said. “They understand what it takes.”

 

[dressedcheeseside]

I think this story and its quotes speak to this issue:
http://www.ajc.com/news/sports/college/techs-mason-supports-defense/nhnqM/

“It’s not more on the defense than us because we had plays where we could have put up more points,” Mason said. “It just goes both ways.”

Coach Paul Johnson said he was not concerned about division forming between the high-performing offense and the struggling defense.

“Our kids are all together,” he said. “They understand what it takes.”

Just another example of the class act that Mason is and the type of players we have on this team. If that doesn't make you proud to be a Tech fan, I can't help you.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

There is a middle ground and somebody already said it but I forget who it was. First and foremost, you score if, when and however you can. If it leaves too much time on the clock, you sell out on the blitz trying to force them out of downs with incompletions or if lucky, an int. If they score quick, so what, we get the ball back with real time on the clock. This way you're trying to win while not completely giving up on your D.

Yeah I can see the argument for after Tech takes the lead how does the defense handle its challenge of having to stop UNC from scoring with 3 minutes left. Maybe you can do some finagling there that could result in giving up a score rather than just trying to hold on and get a stop you haven't proved capable of doing. But sometimes a unit just needs to rise to an occasion. Just because we have seen the offense do that more recently like at VT doesn't mean the Defense doesn't also need to be able to. They did get that fumble against Southern or Tech loses that game. They did get some stops and Ints against Miami in the second half.