Excellent job by Shafer on 4th downs

[Millhouse]

Part of the reason the game was closer than anyone expected was because Shafer was very good about going for it on 4th down

4-3-LSU40 (14:15) Zack Mahoney passed incomplete to Dontae Strickland.
4-1-LSU41 (9:13) Jordan Fredericks rushed for 10 yards.
4-5-LSU29 (0:38) Riley Dixon rushed for 5 yards.
4-2-CUSE45 (3:54) Zack Mahoney rushed for 16 yards.

the last one was a no brainer but they got 10 points and turned a long FG into a short one that they missed.

They one time they didn't get it, they got a three and out, went for it a second time and got 3 points out of it. it tells a shaky qb that it's ok, we believe in you.

Keep it up! To score 24 points on 4 yards per play, you have to give yourself extra downs. This was the best game a coach of our's has ever had in that regard.

 

[MSOrange]

Totally agree. I really hope the success they had with the aggressiveness gives Shafer the confidence to keep doing it.

 

[Millhouse]

Totally agree. I really hope the success they had with the aggressiveness gives Shafer the confidence to keep doing it.

i'm not getting my hopes up yet but they might have figured it out this year.

hire college coaches who know how to call plays
recruit QBs who threw a lot in high school
stop turning the ball over with foot fumbles.

check check check

 

[Millhouse]

Totally agree. I really hope the success they had with the aggressiveness gives Shafer the confidence to keep doing it.

Yes. Availability bias can be our friend here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Availability_heuristic

 

[br801]

Totally agree. I really hope the success they had with the aggressiveness gives Shafer the confidence to keep doing it.

It's easier to be aggressive when you are in the underdog role, so time will tell. Still, many coaches in that situation play to not be embarrassed, and he certainly wasn't thinking like that Saturday.

 

[Millhouse]

It's easier to be aggressive when you are in the underdog role, so time will tell. Still, many coaches in that situation play to not be embarrassed, and he certainly wasn't thinking like that Saturday.

marrone would've punted there. it's why he's an offensive line coach now. shafer is better.

 

[Finwad32]

I think you have to be aware of the situation. Those downs and distances might've called for you to go for it this past week, but, maybe not next week.

I think there's more to the decision making process than other situations.

But, I'm with you Millhouse , I do like an aggressive philosophy.

 

[CusefanATL]

He played to win, thats for sure. And I loved it.

 

[Millhouse]

I think you have to be aware of the situation. Those downs and distances might've called for you to go for it this past week, but, maybe not next week.

I think there's more to the decision making process than other situations.

But, I'm with you Millhouse , I do like an aggressive philosophy.

i think these were pretty easy decisions this week but marrone and old shafer used to blow those quite a bit. there might be some less obvious ones that shafer gets wrong but this is still progress

i wonder what would've happened to mahoney if he didn't have complete support.

 

[PhatOrange]

The first one I believe was a Mahoney pass in the dirt to Strickland otherwise it was there. But when we didn't get it the first time I was worried the next time around we wouldn't go for it. I'm glad they did and then kept doing it.

The first one we got, was Fredericks running the wildcat.

 

[br801]

marrone would've punted there. it's why he's an offensive line coach now. shafer is better.

I don't know if Shafer is better, but if you're looking to energize your fan base and, more importantly, send a message to your players and recruits, Saturday's approach is the way to go.

 

[orangenirvana]

I don't know if Shafer is better, but if you're looking to energize your fan base and, more importantly, send a message to your players and recruits, Saturday's approach is the way to go.

In addition to the overwhelming number of other reasons to consistently attempt 4th down conversions.

 

[rrlbees]

i think these were pretty easy decisions this week but marrone and old shafer used to blow those quite a bit. there might be some less obvious ones that shafer gets wrong but this is still progress i wonder what would've happened to mahoney if he didn't have complete support.

Don't get your hopes up yet. Going for it on those 4th downs may have only been a function of us knowing we had to gamble if we wanted any chance to stay in the game vs a top 10 opponent. Let's see what he does up 14-7 vs USF.

 

[Millhouse]

Don't get your hopes up yet. Going for it on those 4th downs may have only been a function of us knowing we had to gamble if we wanted any chance to stay in the game vs a top 10 opponent. Let's see what he does up 14-7 vs USF.

i'm sure he'll disappoint me. maybe lester is having an impact here, shafer listens to him. lester was a math major, i think

 

[RMH44]

[QUOTE="Millhouse, post: 1494042, member: 78"]i'm sure he'll disappoint me. maybe lester is having an impact here, shafer listens to him. lester was a math major, i think[/QUOTE]
I hope not. I really enjoyed the aggressive decision making that HCSS displayed -vs- LSU.

When the OC knows his team is in "4-down" territory, it actually gives him more play selection options which makes the third-down play selection easier.

 

[SUFan44]

Don't get your hopes up yet. Going for it on those 4th downs may have only been a function of us knowing we had to gamble if we wanted any chance to stay in the game vs a top 10 opponent. Let's see what he does up 14-7 vs USF.

I hope you are wrong. But have a feeling you are probably right.

 

[tep624]

I hope you are wrong. But have a feeling you are probably right.

Let's hope we're in a position against USF and UVA where 4th downs don't matter.

 

[donniesyracuse]

I don't believe in using words like "aggressive" or "conservative" to describe third down strategy. Just like in blackjack, one is either smart (i.e., following probabilities) or stupid (i.e., ignoring probabilities).

 

[TheCusian]

I don't believe in using words like "aggressive" or "conservative" to describe third down strategy. Just like in blackjack, one is either smart (i.e., following probabilities) or stupid (i.e., ignoring probabilities).

So you picking USF to be favorites would be stupid?

 

[donniesyracuse]

So you picking USF to be favorites would be stupid?

I never predicted that they would be favorites. At the time, which was before the season began, I said that if the game was played "this weekend," USF would be favored because they were at home. I don't think that was stupid at all and it also had nothing to do with probabilities, so you are way off of the point. I realize you are just being a smartass.

 

[Chip]

Don't get your hopes up yet. Going for it on those 4th downs may have only been a function of us knowing we had to gamble if we wanted any chance to stay in the game vs a top 10 opponent. Let's see what he does up 14-7 vs USF.

Yeah, I worry that he'll learn nothing from it. First time we punt on 4th and 1 from the opponent's 38, we'll know.

And we'll rely on the oblong ball made of pigskin to bounce our way.

 

[RF2044]

Yeah, I worry that he'll learn nothing from it. First time we punt on 4th and 1 from the opponent's 38, we'll know.
And we'll rely on the oblong ball made of pigskin to bounce our way.

I hope you are wrong. But have a feeling you are probably right.

Ditto. But hopefully having more confidence in our personnel / the offense will induce them to take chances more often.

 

[Millhouse]

Ditto. But hopefully having more confidence in our personnel / the offense will induce them to take chances more often.

not hard to picture mcf***it chirping "***it go for it!" the first two years and shafer thinking "you are an idiot and I'm going to do the opposite"

my hope is that lester gets it and shafer listens to him. not unreasonable to hope for that

 

[upperdeck]

i think its less where we are and more how he feels the game is going. if the D had been playing lights he probably kicks the first time. the better one side or the other is playing the easier it is to give it a shot.