Not being talked about much... ACC related

[SyracuseMiami]

I'm haven't seen much in the media in just was was going through Dabo's mind last night late in the game. Up by 6, on his opponent's 20 with about a minute left facing 4th and 4. Why not kick the field goal, go up by 9, and ice the game. Instead he goes for it, doesn't make it and gives Auburn a shot at the win. Biggest head scratching call of the day from my perspective. Clemson does have a good kicker so that's not the issue.

 

[SmilinBob]

Just curious...what was the spread?

 

[OrangeXtreme]

Just curious...what was the spread?

Clemson was giving 7.5

 

[SmilinBob]

Hmmmm...thanks OX.

 

[Alsacs]

The dumber decision was the Clemson RB going out of bounds on 3rd down with 50 seconds left.
I mean that going out of bounds gave Auburn a chance with 40 seconds left. The freaking announcing and I love Brent completely ignored that. Galman should been smarter. If he goes down in bounds Auburn gets one play on their side of the field.
Not kicking a FG made sense as it could have been blocked and if Auburn was scoring Clemson's D had to be on the field.

 

[Toga]

The dumber decision was the Clemson RB going out of bounds on 3rd down with 50 seconds left.
I mean that going out of bounds gave Auburn a chance with 40 seconds left. The freaking announcing and I love Brent completely ignored that. Galman should been smarter. If he goes down in bounds Auburn gets one play on their side of the field.
Not kicking a FG made sense as it could have been blocked and if Auburn was scoring Clemson's D had to be on the field.

He stays in bounds and game is over. Total bonehead play. A Pop Warner kid knows better.

 

[leftytg]

The dumber decision was the Clemson RB going out of bounds on 3rd down with 50 seconds left.
I mean that going out of bounds gave Auburn a chance with 40 seconds left. The freaking announcing and I love Brent completely ignored that. Galman should been smarter. If he goes down in bounds Auburn gets one play on their side of the field.
Not kicking a FG made sense as it could have been blocked and if Auburn was scoring Clemson's D had to be on the field.

agreed on the RB thing. Unforgivably stupid.

But I just don't understand the FG thing. I mean, how many FG's does Clemson get blocked in a season? And, of those, how many are so thoroughly blocked that the ball can be picked up and advanced (as opposed to merely deflected and knocked off course, but the ball still making it to the end zone?)? And of the kicks blocked, how many are longer distance kicks that need a lower trajectory? I don't have the numbers, but I have to believe that the chances of Auburn blocking a 35ish yard field goal and returning it for a TD are essentially zero. Giving up the ball there and playing a super soft prevent resulted in Auburn getting two legit tries in the end zone.

I'm Mr. Go For It on 4th, but in that particular score and situation, I thought Dabo was a terrible decision. What a weird game at the end.

 

[SyracuseMiami]

I think everyone would agree the RB needed to stay in bounds but the situation was the situation at that point and not way you don't kick that chip shot and seal the game. Madness...

 

[SWC75]

I think even Babers would have kicked the field goal.

They said Auburn wasn't a good passing team. But you don't need Dan Marino to throw a Hail Mary and they got off two of them. The fourth down run took just 5 of 45 seconds off the clock. Dabo is lucky he didn't blow the national championship right there.

 

[Alsacs]

It would have been a 43 yard FG not a chip shot. Kicking the FG could have been called but if the RB didn't screw up it wouldn't have mattered. I think Dabo choked after the RB screwed up.

 

[Briancuse]

I think even Babers would have kicked the field goal.

They said Auburn wasn't a good passing team. But you don't need Dan Marino to throw a Hail Mary and they got off two of them. The fourth down run took just 5 of 45 seconds off the clock. Dabo is lucky he didn't blow the national championship right there.

Exactly, look at one of those chucks to the endzone, the Auburn wr was inches away from catching it, you have a chance to end the game with a fg, you do it.

 

[Delmar]

My guess is Dabo thought the only way Auburn could win was by blocking the field goal attempt, as small a chance as that would be.

 

[Toga]

Exactly, look at one of those chucks to the endzone, the Auburn wr was inches away from catching it, you have a chance to end the game with a fg, you do it.

I thought he was going to catch it.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Stupid call by Dabo. It would've been a 40-41 yard field goal, as the ball was on the 23. If it's a bad snap, the holder could've just fallen on it. The kicker was a 2nd team All American last year and was already 2-2 in this game including a 40 yarder. Sometimes you need to overcome your own faults to win.

 

[orange79]

gobigorange - what were your thoughts (and the consensus of your board) on this strategy?

 

[SU94]

My guess is Dabo thought the only way Auburn could win was by blocking the field goal attempt, as small a chance as that would be.

Correct. If you watched the game, CU's FG snaps were high and crazy close to sailing over the head of the holder. Their kicker is nails, and he somehow made both kicks, but the rhythm was botched twice. Dabo's choice was almost assuredly about the lack of confidence in their short snapper.

 

[CusefanATL]

Just curious...what was the spread?

Lost me money, Dabo

 

[HRE Otto IV]

A 1st down ends the game as well. I don't blame Dabo for going on 4th. IMO it is the safer call. The problem was the play itself which was very weak and not likely to get the 1st down. You have Watson put the ball in his hands and let him make a play.

 

[Hoo's That]

A 1st down ends the game as well. I don't blame Dabo for going on 4th. IMO it is the safer call. The problem was the play itself which was very weak and not likely to get the 1st down. You have Watson put the ball in his hands and let him make a play.

It's shocking how many 4th Down plays fail because of exactly what you mention. It's one thing not to make it because the opposition came up with a stop on your Heisman candidate and another because you called a RB dive play on 4th and more than 1, for example.

 

[skurey]

In my ideal world coaches would be fired the very next play for decisions like these.

 

[Scooch]

It's shocking how many 4th Down plays fail because of exactly what you mention. It's one thing not to make it because the opposition came up with a stop on your Heisman candidate and another because you called a RB dive play on 4th and more than 1, for example.

Yep. Was watching Wisconsin-LSU on Saturday and at one point in the first half Wiscy has a 4th and 1 in LSU territory. They went for it (hooray!) but the play call was using a bunched up, goal line-like formation with no receivers which then proceeded to see a handoff to the RB 7 yards behind the LOS (boo!). Predictably it failed.

 

[orangenirvana]

A 1st down ends the game as well. I don't blame Dabo for going on 4th. IMO it is the safer call. The problem was the play itself which was very weak and not likely to get the 1st down. You have Watson put the ball in his hands and let him make a play.

It was a prototypical chickenshit, play-not-to-lose coaching decision. He had visions of turnover/blocked FG return for a touchdown dancing through his head even though the mathematical odds of that happening was astronomical. I was rooting for Clemson (ACC) the entire game but after that I was hoping Auburn would win and they nearly did.

 

[SWC75]

Yep. Was watching Wisconsin-LSU on Saturday and at one point in the first half Wiscy has a 4th and 1 in LSU territory. They went for it (hooray!) but the play call was using a bunched up, goal line-like formation with no receivers which then proceeded to see a handoff to the RB 7 yards behind the LOS (boo!). Predictably it failed.

People have to remember that the first thing that happens in any play is that the ball goes backwards. You have to regain the yards you lost before you can gains yards from scrimmage. If the Q!B hands it off 7 yards behind the line, you need an 8 yard run to gain one yard. Clemson was 4th and 4 when they tried that play.

 

[Briancuse]

My guess is Dabo thought the only way Auburn could win was by blocking the field goal attempt, as small a chance as that would be.

How often do you see a short fg get blocked and returned for a td, I know Nd blocked one against Ut last night, but its very rare.

 

[gbo]

gobigorange - what were your thoughts (and the consensus of your board) on this strategy?

It's kind of a mixed bag with most thinking it was a terrible idea to not kick the field goal. The big issue was when Gallman ran out of bounds on third down to stop the clock. That's kid stuff right there. Game is over if he falls in bounds. Dabo said that if he didn't do that, Clemson would have attempted the field goal. I buy that but I also think that if you aren't going to kick the field goal, you should at least try to pick up the first down.

It's like what HRE Otto IV said, you have Watson in the game let him make a play. I always hate the ultra conservative prevent type plays because I feel it comes back to bite you. With the two almost successful Hail Mary's, it almost did.