Scooch's Official On-The-Record 4th Down Thread

[Scooch]

Regarding the now-infamous 4th quarter, 4th-and-2-from-the-49, 4th down punt on Saturday, and all threads on similar topics really, there is no argument that makes me more want to kick cute woodland creatures than the good ol' "if he went for it and failed you'd be complaining" rebuttal.

Personally I'll submit the fact that as the punt team took the field I was screaming "MARRONE, WHY ARE YOU PUNTING?!?!?!?!", and embarassing my poor 9-year-old daugther in the process, as ample evidence that I would not have complained had they went for it and failed.

So, for the remainder of our 10 games this season please use this thread to officially go on record everytime a 4th down play happens where one may argue to go for it, or not. That way we can have evidence on hand to refute the post-game thread that devolves into the aforementioned rebuttal.

couchburn

 

[Millhouse]

Regarding the now-infamous 4th quarter, 4th-and-2-from-the-49, 4th down punt on Saturday, and all threads on similar topics really, there is no argument that makes me more want to kick cute woodland creatures than the good ol' "if he went for it and failed you'd be complaining" rebuttal.

Personally I'll submit the fact that as the punt team took the field I was screaming "MARRONE, WHY ARE YOU PUNTING?!?!?!?!", and embarassing my poor 9-year-old daugther in the process, as ample evidence that I would not have complained had they went for it and failed.

So, for the remainder of our 10 games this season please use this thread to officially go on record everytime a 4th down play happens where one may argue to go for it, or not. That way we can have evidence on hand to refute the post-game thread that devolves into the aforementioned rebuttal.

couchburn

i had an epic embarrassing sh!tfit against louisville in an otherwise silent dome in 2010. it's amazing how one voice can be so loud in that place

 

[kingottoiii]

I find the funniest thing his reasoning. He pretty much said that he expected to pin them deep (highly unlikely), stop them on D (um they have a great QB and 2 great WRs), and get the ball back in BETTER field position than the 49! That to me that is insane. If we had Feagles, the Ravens D, and were going against Rutgers' O then sure. His reasoning in these situations is a total pro mentality and it doesn't translate to the college game. The punters and cover units are erratic in CFB. Baring a few select schools, you cannot expect a D to get you the ball back with any consistency. And talent games from team to team vary quite a bit while in the NFL the gap is minimal in most cases. Someone seriously needs to sit Marrone down and point this all out to him.

 

[Millhouse]

I find the funniest thing his reasoning. He pretty much said that he expected to pin them deep (highly unlikely), stop them on D (um they have a great QB and 2 great WRs), and get the ball back in BETTER field position than the 49! That to me that is insane. If we had Feagles, the Ravens D, and were going against Rutgers' O then sure. His reasoning in these situations is a total pro mentality and it doesn't translate to the college game. The punters and cover units are erratic in CFB. Baring a few select schools, you cannot expect a D to get you the ball back with any consistency. And talent games from team to team vary quite a bit while in the NFL the gap is minimal in most cases. Someone seriously needs to sit Marrone down and point this all out to him.

it's a rube goldberg way to advance up the field. and even if it works perfectly according to plan, it still takes time.

 

[Scooch]

I find the funniest thing his reasoning. He pretty much said that he expected to pin them deep (highly unlikely), stop them on D (um they have a great QB and 2 great WRs), and get the ball back in BETTER field position than the 49! That to me that is insane. If we had Feagles, the Ravens D, and were going against Rutgers' O then sure. His reasoning in these situations is a total pro mentality and it doesn't translate to the college game. The punters and cover units are erratic in CFB. Baring a few select schools, you cannot expect a D to get you the ball back with any consistency. And talent games from team to team vary quite a bit while in the NFL the gap is minimal in most cases. Someone seriously needs to sit Marrone down and point this all out to him.

Agreed.

Although, as a fan of the Pats (pipe down, Kaiser) I can say with confidence that my pro coach would go for it 100 times out of 100 in that situation. Yeah, talent level and all that... but it was TWO YARDS.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

there is no argument that makes me more want to kick cute woodland creatures than the good ol' "if he went for it and failed you'd be complaining" rebuttal.

We're of the same mind here.

The outcome doesn't dictate whether a decision was good or not. Sometimes you make a good decision and the outcome sucks. Sometimes you make a horrible decision and it works out.

Either you make a decision that's smart or you don't, and if you make the dumb decision but acknolwedge that sometimes you just gamble that's ok too. Just don't paint bad decisions as good ones.

 

[Cuseregular]

it's a rube goldberg way to advance up the field. and even if it works perfectly according to plan, it still takes time.

lil joe isn't going to like this developement....

 

[Chip]

I find the funniest thing his reasoning. He pretty much said that he expected to pin them deep (highly unlikely), stop them on D (um they have a great QB and 2 great WRs), and get the ball back in BETTER field position than the 49! That to me that is insane. If we had Feagles, the Ravens D, and were going against Rutgers' O then sure. His reasoning in these situations is a total pro mentality and it doesn't translate to the college game. The punters and cover units are erratic in CFB. Baring a few select schools, you cannot expect a D to get you the ball back with any consistency. And talent games from team to team vary quite a bit while in the NFL the gap is minimal in most cases. Someone seriously needs to sit Marrone down and point this all out to him.

I was getting flashbacks to the 4 point FG against BC.

The day that a football is replaced with a soccer ball for punts, I'll say pinning a team deep is a good strategy. You'll have a better chance of knowing how the ball will bounce.

Until then, I think it's ok to think that your offense that appears to have clearly turned the corner (averaging over 500 yards, and against real opponents) can get 2 yards. Even if USC's fairly dumb fullback trap call earlier in the game didn't work.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

The day that a football is replaced with a soccer ball for punts, I'll say pinning a team deep is a good strategy. You'll have a better chance of knowing how the ball will bounce.

I'm glad I'm not the only one that thinks about that.

 

[kingottoiii]

Agreed.

Although, as a fan of the Pats (pipe down, Kaiser) I can say with confidence that my pro coach would go for it 100 times out of 100 in that situation. Yeah, talent level and all that... but it was TWO YARDS.

Oh I think even in the NFL you should still go for it in that situation. But if you were to punt I could totally understand the reasoning and logic. In CFB that logic doesn't exist unless you are named Bama.

 

[Millhouse]

lil joe isn't going to like this developement....

i don't even know who he is anymore!

 

[Cuseregular]

i don't even know who he is anymore!

oh come on he's the resident contrarian but much more huggable than the guy from Dubai...