[Farm93]

Shaw picked a couple strange times to gamble.  I thought it was obvious to kick the field goal rather than go for it given how close the game was and how much time was left.  And why would you burn a challenge to gain a measly  few yards?  that challenge could have come in handy in a critical situation.

That call happened near where I sit.  The team was slow, yet again, to get the play off.  The team needed to call timeout to avoid a penalty.  From my seats it seemed that since it was the last time out Shaw elected to challenge the previous play.  If it was overturned then, the timeout would be saved.  If he was wrong he would not be allowed to challenge again, but using the timeout traditionally he would not be allowed to challenge later anyway.

I am not sure what they mentioned on Pac-12 Network, but that seemed to be the situation from my point of view in the stands.

Shaw was very clearly upset with a number of questionably techniques by the officials.  The most apparent to me was that the SJSU receivers on the SJSU side were often offsides.  Rather than forcing them back, the officials created a new slanted line of scrimmage.  I was never sure if he was upset with the calls or just frustrated that the game was not going to plan.

I am holding out hope that the team made a decision to keep it simple in game 1.  That there will be big improvements in Game 2.  SC looks like a lost cause, but the UW game becomes critical.

FWIW - That new helmet rule WILL be exploited.

If a player loses a helmet the clock now stops.  The refs announce the player must sit out a play, and then the clock resumes.  So I have a few different situations that seemed destined to happen soon.

It is 3rd and 14 at the 50 and there are 24 seconds left in the game.  The team completes a 10 yard pass IN BOUNDS to the 40 yard line.  Normally a big problem because now a very rushed 4th down play must be executed quickly.  But this future team has a plan.  Any player in anything resembling a block pulls his own helmet off, likely claiming it was coming free.  The helmet bounces to the ground.  Tweet, tweet, tweet.  The clock stops at 23 seconds to let everyone know that this one player must sit out a play.  Before the clock resumes the team is ready to go with an organized 4th down play at the 40 yard line.

Does anyone know this new rule well?  It seemed liked the players lost their helmet 5 or 6 times during the game, and each time the clock was stopped to inform us that player #XYZ must sit out at least one play.

Better yet, it seems like the ultimate tactic to slow down Oregon.  The defensive player that wants to get off the field simply finds a block and assists his own helmet off.  At the end of that play the clock stops to announce the player must sit out a play, but that was his goal anyway.  And the whole team gets a break.  Seems easier than the fake injury thing.

[Farm93]

Shaw picked a couple strange times to gamble.  I thought it was obvious to kick the field goal rather than go for it given how close the game was and how much time was left.  And why would you burn a challenge to gain a measly  few yards?  that challenge could have come in handy in a critical situation.

That call happened near where I sit.  The team was slow, yet again, to get the play off.  The team needed to call timeout to avoid a penalty.  From my seats it seemed that since it was the last time out Shaw elected to challenge the previous play.  If it was overturned then, the timeout would be saved.  If he was wrong he would not be allowed to challenge again, but using the timeout traditionally he would not be allowed to challenge later anyway.

I am not sure what they mentioned on Pac-12 Network, but that seemed to be the situation from my point of view in the stands.

Shaw was very clearly upset with a number of questionably techniques by the officials.  The most apparent to me was that the SJSU receivers on the SJSU side were often offsides.  Rather than forcing them back, the officials created a new slanted line of scrimmage.  I was never sure if he was upset with the calls or just frustrated that the game was not going to plan.

I am holding out hope that the team made a decision to keep it simple in game 1.  That there will be big improvements in Game 2.  SC looks like a lost cause, but the UW game becomes critical.

FWIW - That new helmet rule WILL be exploited.

If a player loses a helmet the clock now stops.  The refs announce the player must sit out a play, and then the clock resumes.  So I have a few different situations that seemed destined to happen soon.

It is 3rd and 14 at the 50 and there are 24 seconds left in the game.  The team completes a 10 yard pass IN BOUNDS to the 40 yard line.  Normally a big problem because now a very rushed 4th down play must be executed quickly.  But this future team has a plan.  Any player in anything resembling a block pulls his own helmet off, likely claiming it was coming free.  The helmet bounces to the ground.  Tweet, tweet, tweet.  The clock stops at 23 seconds to let everyone know that this one player must sit out a play.  Before the clock resumes the team is ready to go with an organized 4th down play at the 40 yard line.

Does anyone know this new rule well?  It seemed liked the players lost their helmet 5 or 6 times during the game, and each time the clock was stopped to inform us that player #XYZ must sit out at least one play.

Better yet, it seems like the ultimate tactic to slow down Oregon.  The defensive player that wants to get off the field simply finds a block and assists his own helmet off.  At the end of that play the clock stops to announce the player must sit out a play, but that was his goal anyway.  And the whole team gets a break.  Seems easier than the fake injury thing.