[Treebound]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=18275.msg217016#msg217016 date=1512419649]
Have to agree.  As a semi-interested bystander, it seems to me that we get some fairly basic stuff wrong and it turns out to be very counterproductive.

The DOG penalties seem to always happen after we make a big gain.  On one hand, maybe we need to be coached to move our butts down the field a bit more quickly.  OTOH, our brain trust needs to be ready with a play faster.  Maybe there's confusion about substitutions in those situations.  But how hard is it to have, say, 3 "strike while the iron is hot" plays in the hip pocket and choose one of them in the few seconds it takes the offense to trundle down the field to the new LOS?
[/quote]

Completely agree with this approach Q, and I put this ALL on the staff.  It has happened way too many times over the past few years. We are better and should be smarter than this.  To me, this was the key turning point in the game.  We have a big gain and we are on the 3 yard line and should be able to pound the ball in over three plays.  The momentum and the lead would have shifted to Stanford.  But NO, we stop all momentum with an unforced error DOG penalty and then proceed to revisit the final drive of the MSU Rose Bowl.  We gifted the momentum right back to SC and their offense, inspired by their defenses goal line stand, drives 99 yards for the winning score.  I've seen this movie before and the ending stinks.  Sorry, but I put this one up there in the major mistakes category for our staff. 

[Treebound]

[quote author=Mick link=topic=18275.msg217016#msg217016 date=1512419649]
Have to agree.  As a semi-interested bystander, it seems to me that we get some fairly basic stuff wrong and it turns out to be very counterproductive.

The DOG penalties seem to always happen after we make a big gain.  On one hand, maybe we need to be coached to move our butts down the field a bit more quickly.  OTOH, our brain trust needs to be ready with a play faster.  Maybe there's confusion about substitutions in those situations.  But how hard is it to have, say, 3 "strike while the iron is hot" plays in the hip pocket and choose one of them in the few seconds it takes the offense to trundle down the field to the new LOS?
[/quote]

Completely agree with this approach Q, and I put this ALL on the staff.  It has happened way too many times over the past few years. We are better and should be smarter than this.  To me, this was the key turning point in the game.  We have a big gain and we are on the 3 yard line and should be able to pound the ball in over three plays.  The momentum and the lead would have shifted to Stanford.  But NO, we stop all momentum with an unforced error DOG penalty and then proceed to revisit the final drive of the MSU Rose Bowl.  We gifted the momentum right back to SC and their offense, inspired by their defenses goal line stand, drives 99 yards for the winning score.  I've seen this movie before and the ending stinks.  Sorry, but I put this one up there in the major mistakes category for our staff.