Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - Printable Version
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Re: Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - AthleticsDynasty - 01-01-2014
(01-01-2014, 08:05 PM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:While I would not have kicked the FG, it wasn't a horrible decision. Yes, you still need a TD, but if the defense gets the ball back for the offense in a minute - like it did - your offense has 3 minutes to score a TD. That's plenty of time.
However, even had the 4th down been converted, Stanford managed to burn over a minute off the clock to get 10 yards on the last possession, in part by going to a huddle. There was only 1:40 left, with no timeouts, and Stanford still needed 60+ yards. Stanford was going to need more passing yards to win the game and they continually chose against trying to get them.
By any reasonable standard, kicking a FG with 4 minutes left down by 7 is a horrible horrible decision its impossible to defend the choice. Punting the ball would of been a better choice
There is no logical way you can think "I have a better chance of winning this game if I kick a 35 yard FG then get a stop and drive all the way back down the field and score a td" As opposed to going for it on 4th and 4 from the 30 yardline.
The fact that he wasn't going to pass the ball is all the more reason why its such an incredibly bad decision to kick a FG.
Re: Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - KartyFan - 01-02-2014
Shaw DID go for it on 4th down - he faked a field goal (or was it a botched play? I was at the game and didn't see the play well). You can argue that he still should have gone for it after the penalty, but how many times did we convert with 9-10 yards to go in this game? Not many.
Bottom line is, our offensive line got no push against MSU. You can try to coach around it, but we are built off the run. On the few mid-range throws Hogan made, he didn't look great (I remember a 3rd and 3 to Whitfield he missed)
Re: Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - StannyBoy - 01-02-2014
(01-02-2014, 12:43 AM)optimistic link Wrote:Shaw DID go for it on 4th down - he faked a field goal (or was it a botched play? I was at the game and didn't see the play well). You can argue that he still should have gone for it after the penalty, but how many times did we convert with 9-10 yards to go in this game? Not many.
Bottom line is, our offensive line got no push against MSU. You can try to coach around it, but we are built off the run. On the few mid-range throws Hogan made, he didn't look great (I remember a 3rd and 3 to Whitfield he missed)
It was a botched FG. Not a fake.
Re: Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - Hey - 01-02-2014
* Michigan State came in as the best run defense in America, and that didn't deter the coaching staff from running. Stanford's MO of running no matter who they are playing is nothing new. Notre Dame was in a similar position last year when we again faced them and repeatedly tried to run on them. Coming in, I assumed we'd throw more after all the success Hogan had in ASU game.
* I believe Bloomgren calls all the plays until Stanford crosses the 20.
Re: Was David Shaw trying to prove a point or win a game? - estephan500 - 01-02-2014
(01-01-2014, 07:36 PM)OutsiderFan link Wrote:It was like Shaw's mindset was "We're going to do what we do. If they stop us from doing what we do, we will lose. I'm OK with that."
We can all compare your text in italics above with Shaw's postgame comment below. I think the two are close to identical.
===
Q. I assume those 4th downs, that's
your strength, that's why you wanted to run the
ball there?
DAVID SHAW: Absolutely, because when
I don't do that everybody goes crazy, we should
have done this, we should have done that, so I
don't worry about any of that stuff. I'm going to put
the ball in the hands of our guys and put it on the
offensive line, we're going to go for it on 4th down
in that situation, because we'll put it back on our
defense. We'll go for a field goal down by four,
because we put it on our defense to get the ball
back, and that's what they did. I think our coaches
did a phenomenal job. We got beat today by a
really good football team.