PS: Dino Babers era promises much more 4th-down excitement than Scott Shafer (analysis)

[sufandu]

Yeah, I know. By default I mean more like the initial thought is to go for it, and you think about and decide to punt. Vs the standard being that the initial thought is to punt, but you really have to think about it and decide to go for it. Does that make sense?

I keep thinking of how many times we saw P/GRob/Marrone/Shafer see the ball get downed short of the first down marker and immediately call for the punt team. I don't think that's Babers' gut reaction.

That makes sense. Some of my comments the last few days have been intended to bring some of the expectations to a realistic level. I think some people on here expect us to average 40 right out of the gate and go for it on 4th 90% of the time.

This offense definitely leads to quicker and more possessions but we have no control over how fast our opponents play on offense. With a young defense playing a bend but don't break style we may be twiddling our thumbs waiting to get the ball back more often than we'd like. I think going for it on 4th will depend on how well we're clicking on offense and wouldn't be surprised to see it increase later in the season as our execution improves and we play a couple games where we're big underdogs with nothing to lose.

I'm looking forward to seeing who we are this year. I think it's going to be an interesting ride.

 

[tipphill]

and Shafer only won 4 games. Babers inherits a 4 win roster minimum and when you look at the games Shafer blew (UVA and Pitt) it's a 6 win roster. It's not really raising expectations to say Babers should win 5-7 games.

IMHO, the schedule has 4 automatic W's in Colgate, UConn, Wake and BC.

bc? not sure about that. how will their d be this year

 

[donniesyracuse]

I hate when 4th down decisions are characterized as "aggressive" or "conservative" when really they're either "smart" or "dumb."

 

[TheCusian]

bc? not sure about that. how will their d be this year

Their D was top 5 last year and we beat them. Running the option. With a walkon.

 

[donniesyracuse]

"Facing a similar situation against Florida State on Oct. 31, the Orange trailed 21-7 late in the second quarter and owned a 4th-and-2 on the Florida State 44. Shafer punted."

Reading that passage raised my blood pressure. I thought I was over it.:bang:

 

[CousCuse]

Their D was top 5 last year and we beat them. Running the option. With a walkon.

I will repeat this again , their 6th string QB could LITERALLY not hit the broad side of a barn .

 

[CousCuse]

maryland lost to BG 48-27 and oSU 49-28.. being a bad team and beng nonathletic are 2 different things

Ohio State had that game circled on their schedule , not . They toyed with them like a cat does a mouse . Hold its tale down , swat it , throw it up in the air , let it run a little like it might get away and then crush its skull .

 

[Marroniac]

I will repeat this again , their 6th string QB could LITERALLY not hit the broad side of a barn .

It seems that you're insinuating BC's offense had zero chance to score against our defense at that point in the game, being that their 6th string QB could not hit the broad side of a barn.

If that's the case, even more reason to go for it on 4th down. You're not risking giving up more points in that spot. You're just risking losing field position. When you're down 14 with limited time left, you can't play the field position game anymore.

It's a percentage play. Math is everything.

 

[LeMoyneCuse]

bc? not sure about that. how will their d be this year

They lost their D-Coordinator to Michigan. Only thing Addazio had going for him.

 

[CousCuse]

It seems that you're insinuating BC's offense had zero chance to score against our defense at that point in the game, being that their 6th string QB could not hit the broad side of a barn.

If that's the case, even more reason to go for it on 4th down. You're not risking giving up more points in that spot. You're just risking losing field position. When you're down 14 with limited time left, you can't play the field position game anymore.

It's a percentage play. Math is everything.

Did you watch the game ? Everytime he went baxk to pass a guy was open and he would miss him by 20 yards . But , what if they get lucky or there is a penalty . Their D was ranked no. 1 for much of the year .

 

[Marroniac]

What if they get lucky or there is a penalty . Their D was ranked no. 1 for much of the year .

I think most of us on this side of the argument would rather not rely on getting lucky to win games.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Did you watch the game ? Everytime he went baxk to pass a guy was open and he would miss him by 20 yards . But , what if they get lucky or there is a penalty . Their D was ranked no. 1 for much of the year .

So if you're 30 yards away from paydirt against the #1 defense, don't you want to make the most of that opportunity?

 

[CousCuse]

I think most of us on this side of the argument would rather not rely on getting lucky to win games.

Our offense wasn't much better , that was played out correctly . You like math , what were the odds that we would pick up the first down against a championship level defense . I would say 1 or 2 in 10 .

 

[CousCuse]

So if you're 30 yards away from paydirt against the #1 defense, don't you want to make the most of that opportunity?

I believe we scored on the next possession.

 

[Marroniac]

Our offense wasn't much better , that was played out correctly . You like math , what were the odds that we would pick up the first down against a championship level defense . I would say 1 or 2 in 10 .

Better than the odds of our defense scoring 14 points against a team trying to run out the clock.

 

[CousCuse]

Better than the odds of our defense scoring 14 points against a team trying to run out the clock.

We ended up winning the game .

 

[upperdeck]

maryland played OSU not BG

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Our offense wasn't much better , that was played out correctly . You like math , what were the odds that we would pick up the first down against a championship level defense . I would say 1 or 2 in 10 .

If the odds were really that low, why did we even bother suiting up?

 

[TheCusian]

I will repeat this again , their 6th string QB could LITERALLY not hit the broad side of a barn .

I'm not sure how we got here... I'm in favor of going for it.

 

[CousCuse]

I'm not sure how we got here... I'm in favor of going for it.

I know , but our very poor offense would probably gotten stuffed and BC would have taken over at the 35 make a first down or a penalty and be at midfield and punt us inside the ten and let their D take chances .

 

[OttoinGrotto]

I know , but our very poor offense would probably gotten stuffed and BC would have taken over at the 35 make a first down or a penalty and be at midfield and punt us inside the ten and let their D take chances .

I just don't understand this. Why are you convinced we would be stuffed, but think we would be able to move the ball later? That makes no sense.

 

[CousCuse]

If the odds were really that low, why did we even bother suiting up?

What are the odds of making a fourth down conversion . Now factor in our weak O and their powerful D , it's just math as Marroniac says.

 

[A Clockwork Orange]

I'm always surprised and intrigued by people who willfully try to not be excited about their football team. It's a game, why can't we be excited about a new season, a new coach and new opportunities?

NO! Dammit, I'm not getting excited about a game, that is a recreational activity for a fan, and supposed to be fun. I WILL NOT be lured into being excited and hoping for fun. I'll piss in everyone's Cheerios and be the pragmatic, because that's EXACTLY what fandom is supposed to be.

Just an FYI to anyone who resembles this type of fan, being pragmatic and cynical about your team does not make you a more mature or better fan. It just kind of makes you a curmudgeon.

Sorry. /rant

 

[CousCuse]

I'm always surprised and intrigued by people who willfully try to not be excited about their football team. It's a game, why can't we be excited about a new season, a new coach and new opportunities?

NO! Dammit, I'm not getting excited about a game, that is a recreational activity for a fan, and supposed to be fun. I WILL NOT be lured into being excited and hoping for fun. I'll piss in everyone's Cheerios and be the pragmatic, because that's EXACTLY what fandom is supposed to be.

Just an FYI to anyone who resembles this type of fan, being pragmatic and cynical about your team does not make you a more mature or better fan. It just kind of makes you a curmudgeon.

Sorry. /rant

I'm trying to give Coach Baber's some room to operate .

 

[OttoinGrotto]

What are the odds of making a fourth down conversion . Now factor in our weak O and their powerful D , it's just math as Marroniac says.

You're at the 30!