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Post by Coach JR on Sept 12, 2010 9:45:19 GMT -6
Debate on this is ok, but I'm just curious if the answers will be split, or pretty one sided.
Situation: You have the ball on the opponents 20 and it's 4th and 4, 2:25 left in the game. You're up 17-14. You have the ability to run or pass, as well as a decent tested place kicker and this is well within his range. Your opponent burns a TO after the third down and gives you time to decide and make a plan. They also have one timeout left.
Go for it? Kick the FG? Other?
Short explanation appreciated.
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Post by coachwoodall on Sept 12, 2010 10:37:03 GMT -6
-Do they have a decent kicker?
-will they go after the kick? how good are they at it?
-is your D sucking eggs, or ready to do?
-how good is your KO, depth of kick and coverage?
All in all I probably would try to FG, but if my D is giving me confidence, I line up in FG and run a fake
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Post by superpower on Sept 12, 2010 10:56:14 GMT -6
We would go for it, but that is just part of our M.O. as a DW team.
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Post by phantom on Sept 12, 2010 11:34:16 GMT -6
Hmm, that hypothetical situation sounds familiar.
I'd kick. The score's 17-14 so it's not like the offenses are rolling. They might get close enough to kick a FG if you go for it and don't make it but I like my chances if the have to drive the field and get 7. That said, I can certainly see going for it. I wouldn't resign over either decision.
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Post by bobgoodman on Sept 12, 2010 16:36:44 GMT -6
-Do they have a decent kicker? That was what I'd want to know. Did they score their 14 by kicking any extra points or FGs? If so, I'd kick. If not, then regardless of what anyone might say from scouting their kicking game, I'd assume a FG is not a threat from them in that game and I'd go for the 1st down. |
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Post by Coach JR on Sept 12, 2010 17:28:07 GMT -6
-Do they have a decent kicker? That was what I'd want to know. Did they score their 14 by kicking any extra points or FGs? If so, I'd kick. If not, then regardless of what anyone might say from scouting their kicking game, I'd assume a FG is not a threat from them in that game and I'd go for the 1st down. 2 TDs and made PAT kicks. |
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Post by gdn56 on Sept 12, 2010 19:14:26 GMT -6
For me it would depend on the momentum of the game. Were we up early and they charged late to catch us? Have we played well the last several series on o and d? What did we do on this drive to get to the 20? Have we driven it our did we get a quick change of possession. All of this along with the questions of how well our KO coverage is would affect my decision. If we had all of the momentum, I'd probably go for it. If we were trying to hold them off, I'd probably take the points, make them drive the field to beat me, assuming that my coverage unit is good. If we had given up that 14 early and were playing lights out d in the 2nd half, I would lean toward going for it also.
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Post by k on Sept 12, 2010 20:26:19 GMT -6
Go for it.
Unless they have a monster kicker or I do...
I like the field position of the 20 and I'd rather start them there than go up by 6 and kick off. But if I can put 3 on the board for sure and then kick it into the end zone... Hard not to do that. The better their kicker the more likely I'd be to kick as well.
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Post by dubber on Sept 12, 2010 21:42:49 GMT -6
Go for it.
Different story if we are up 5.......
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Post by macdiiddy on Sept 12, 2010 23:07:43 GMT -6
I say go for it, you have a chance to put the game away, if you dont get it then they have to drive the field.
Not only that, they will want to play a little bit more conservative with the ball at times because they know a field goal is a possibility.
So even if they do drive and get into a field goal situation you still have a chance to block the kick, for the kicker to miss, or to win in OT.
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Post by Wingtman on Sept 13, 2010 22:00:32 GMT -6
Home or Away? League game? How goods my running back? Weather? How's their offense? What was their to situation? Veteran team or younger guys?
Id go for it...first down and its over.
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Post by flexoption91 on Sept 14, 2010 4:47:34 GMT -6
Go for it...
2 and 1/2 to go and they have to go 80 yards to beat you and at least 60 to have a legit shot at tieing the game. If it is late in 4th and you have only given up 14 than it sounds as though you have a decent beat on their offense.
In high school ball I would rather make them drive the length of the field in a situation that I am sure only gets practice once, if any during, the week.
Also, unless you have a kicker than puts in the endzone everytime, kicking off in high school has greater big play potential than higher levels.
Nothing against the defense, but as a coach I would rather have our offense on the field taking a knee than their offense on the field with a chance to score.
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Post by coachk12 on Sept 14, 2010 5:44:26 GMT -6
I've seen more high school games lost late because of a big kick return than I have seen teams that can drive 80 yards in 2 minutes.
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Post by davecisar on Sept 14, 2010 8:13:48 GMT -6
Im not a HS coach- but at the youth level- if we had a TO left we would:
Try and draw them offsides- if we didnt get our free 5 yards we use the TO
Then we would run a play on first sound- of course we dont have kids that can hit 20 yds FGs either
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Post by coachwaz on Sept 14, 2010 8:15:40 GMT -6
Go for it... This year I am trusting my D, which forced 7 TOs and scored 2 TDS week 1, if we don't get it it is a long field .If I had a bruiser at RB I am lining up under center and running boot to get my QB in space and give him the option to run for it or pass for it. This year I am prob running Zone Read with an Option Route by the WR to the read side. Maybe Tight Bunch and QB Stretch to the bunch...great play for us.
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Post by gdoggwr on Sept 14, 2010 10:32:20 GMT -6
go for it, on 3.
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Post by blb on Sept 14, 2010 10:54:26 GMT -6
Kick the FG.
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Post by cnunley on Sept 14, 2010 10:59:56 GMT -6
I'm going to go for it.
I would rather make them drive the length of the field instead of kicking off to them after a field goal.
To me the kick return is too much of a gamble
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Post by blb on Sept 14, 2010 11:04:50 GMT -6
You can "squib" the kick off, disrupting and hopefully minimizing return.
Don't leave points on the field. They don't have to "drive the field" if down three, just into FG range.
In other words, let's say you go for it, don't get it. They may have to go only 60 yards (-20 to +20) to tie game with FG.
If you kick FG and they take over after Kick off on -40 (or deeper), now they have to go 60+ yards to get a TD, not just FG.
Picking up 4th and 4 is problematic. Don't get greedy or over-confident in a self-defeating way.
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Post by Coach JR on Sept 14, 2010 11:39:24 GMT -6
Thanks for the replies. As I suspected, it's not THAT clear cut a decision (unless that's just your personality or way of coaching), and really much depends on other things that would be within your knowledge if YOU were coaching the game that couldn't be put in to words here. Really, I can see either being a sound and rational decison. And, of course, if it turns out you lose the game, then it's a bad one no matter what you called. ;D
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Post by blb on Sept 14, 2010 11:45:14 GMT -6
Play percentages.
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Post by Chris Clement on Sept 14, 2010 12:21:46 GMT -6
I would definitely not run a fake FG, I'm expecting them to expect that. I guess I'd go for it. If you get the first down, even if you don't score an eventual TD, you can bleed almost the entire game and make them do something crazy to get 80+ yards in just a few plays.
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coachbigelow
Junior Member
Coach at Southern Virginia University
Posts: 261
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Post by coachbigelow on Sept 14, 2010 14:03:06 GMT -6
At first I thought go for it, but 4 yards isn't a gimme. I would say kick the FG. Here is the question about the kickoff can your kicker get it into the end zone on kickoffs, are his kicks high arcing ones that give the kick coverage time to get down field? If so then get the 3 points cause if the kick goes in the end zone then they really do have to go 80 yards for the win.
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Post by blb on Sept 14, 2010 19:33:35 GMT -6
Based on replies to OP - guess it depends on how much time you've spent on, and how well you've coached your kicking game.
If you can't kick a medium-range FG or cover a Kick off with confidence, that will obviously affect your decision.
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Post by pvogel on Sept 16, 2010 3:17:15 GMT -6
i agree with the momentum argument.
too many variables.
great hypothetical
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coachbigelow
Junior Member
Coach at Southern Virginia University
Posts: 261
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Post by coachbigelow on Sept 16, 2010 11:16:20 GMT -6
3rd game of this season, we have the ball 4th and 1 on our side of the 50 up by 7 and 6 minutes left in the game they have all 3 timeouts. HC looks at the OC and says "go for it." We got 4 yards, milked the clock down to 1 minute and punched it in. Talk about going for broke.
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Post by outlawjoseywales on Sept 16, 2010 12:00:12 GMT -6
You first have to NOT lose the game first.
That means doing the acceptable thing first. If you don't kick it and they tie or win, you will "look" like you don't know the game and the fans will be all over you.
Even if you don't kick well, it is the acceptable thing to kick it. Now, if you can't kick at all, then that falls into the "not losing it first" argument-then you have to go for it.
Another thing to keep in mind is don't do anything that lets your opponant feel like they've won something when they haven't.
Coaches do this all the time.
They take chances when they don't need and it lets the other team get a feeling of accomplishment.
An example of this is coaching going for it on 4th down instead of punting. If they stop you, they've got a huge emotional win there. If they stop you, they feel like they've won something.
But if you just punt the ball, they've got to do a whole lot of things right, or lucky, to have a positive reaction.
Don't let the other team get a "cheap" win by not punting.
So, kick the field goal and make them score a TD and succesful X-point to beat you. There's a whole lot of things they've got to do right to get to that point.
OJW
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Post by calicoachh on Sept 16, 2010 12:38:59 GMT -6
kick the FG
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Post by CoachMikeJudy on Sept 16, 2010 13:15:35 GMT -6
Tough decision here without being in the game...
I say kick it if there is absolutely no question that we can protect it...
Otherwise go for it. Either way, miss or turnover on downs, they have to drive the ball 80 yds in 2:25 with no time outs.
The next question is if you get the 3 do you kick it deep or squib/mortar kick that bama? up by six do you run the risk of a KO Ret for the game winner?
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Post by bobgoodman on Sept 16, 2010 13:36:45 GMT -6
Even if you don't kick well, it is the acceptable thing to kick it. Now, if you can't kick at all, We know that's not the case, unless they lost their kicker since their earlier FG. |
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