The fake punt

[oldcougar77]

It was a horrible call, plain and simple, did it cost us, not really, but lets face facts, a fake punt from the 10 yard line is never a good idea, I do not care who is lining up to punt.

You talk about the element of surprise and if the announcer mentioned something about the possibility of a fake before we kicked, I am sure the OSU staff is smarter than the announcers, especially that crew which was awful!

I spent a few years early in my teaching career as an assistant high school football coach. We noticed in live scouting and on film that one of our opponents sent two linebackers into gaps on punt returns and peeled off everyone else to set up a return (they had a really good returner). Like IU vs. OSU we were a pretty heavy underdog. We faked a punt from our own endzone and our upback (though not the punter) ran about 70 yards on the fake. We scored on the possession, mostly due to the advantage of a short field. We ended up winning the game 14-10. Our other score came on a trick reverse after a recovered fumble inside their 20.

Never is a strong statement, and reflective of hindsight or knee-jerk reaction. No coach who wants to be successful makes a habit of thinking in terms of never. You evaluate risks, make informed decisions and count on your players to execute. Given the information available, it was far from a horrible call. It's a bad call only if you have good reason to believe that your players won't properly execute. I'm sure if KW had doubts about whether it could be successful or doubts about whether Toth and others could pull it off he would have punted.

There's a reason that uneducated fans who don't understand the complexities of football are called Monday morning quarterbacks. They have no idea what needs to be done on Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday but have all the answers after the game.

 

[JohnsyRick]

It was a horrible call, plain and simple, did it cost us, not really, but lets face facts, a fake punt from the 10 yard line is never a good idea, I do not care who is lining up to punt.

You talk about the element of surprise and if the announcer mentioned something about the possibility of a fake before we kicked, I am sure the OSU staff is smarter than the announcers, especially that crew which was awful!

OSU's staff clearly did not expect it and it was set up perfectly , if our punter runs the correct direction it is a big gainer

 

[JohnsyRick]

Given the circumstances, it was both unsound strategy and poor execution, and it cost them points.

You got it half right, it was indeed poor execution on the part of our punter.

 

[TheSpa]

OSU's staff clearly did not expect it and it was set up perfectly , if our punter runs the correct direction it is a big gainer

Maybe it succeeds but, again, the execution was poor. The kid who made the play to the left of the formation might have made it to the right side, as well. Hard to say it was the correct call when you fail to execute at such a basic level.

 

[Go Hoosiers]

I spent a few years early in my teaching career as an assistant high school football coach. We noticed in live scouting and on film that one of our opponents sent two linebackers into gaps on punt returns and peeled off everyone else to set up a return (they had a really good returner). Like IU vs. OSU we were a pretty heavy underdog. We faked a punt from our own endzone and our upback (though not the punter) ran about 70 yards on the fake. We scored on the possession, mostly due to the advantage of a short field. We ended up winning the game 14-10. Our other score came on a trick reverse after a recovered fumble inside their 20.

Never is a strong statement, and reflective of hindsight or knee-jerk reaction. No coach who wants to be successful makes a habit of thinking in terms of never. You evaluate risks, make informed decisions and count on your players to execute. Given the information available, it was far from a horrible call. It's a bad call only if you have good reason to believe that your players won't properly execute. I'm sure if KW had doubts about whether it could be successful or doubts about whether Toth and others could pull it off he would have punted.

There's a reason that uneducated fans who don't understand the complexities of football are called Monday morning quarterbacks. They have no idea what needs to be done on Friday night, Saturday, or Sunday but have all the answers after the game.

OK at some point it may be the right call, down 2 scores late 3rd early 4th, can at least see the logic in not know how many possessions you may have left, but we were in the lead, and playing well. Zero reason to do anything that will give our D a short field for no reason. I would venture to say over the last 20 years we have the worst D in all of college FB, and while they played much better the last 2 games with a few plays being the exception, why put them at risk. Going for it there reaked of desperation.

 

[MyTeamIsOnTheFloor]

Dear John:
Please punt.
Mom

Just punt John, punt.

http://www.si.com/vault/1967/11/13/610144/punt-john-punt

John - not punting:

 

[JohnsyRick]

Maybe it succeeds but, again, the execution was poor. The kid who made the play to the left of the formation might have made it to the right side, as well. Hard to say it was the correct call when you fail to execute at such a basic level.

If you look at the play there were 3 blockers set up and waiting, if you are insinuating that the kid on right side of the OSU punt return (who I would assume had contain responsibility ) had a chance to make the stop on the other side of the field, that is a real stretch. If we are going to talk about hypotheticals, I guess if we punted Jalin Marshall could have returned the punt for a TD (as he did last year). If a tendency is recognized it should be used, especially against a team with overall superior talent . Guess as usual, we can just disagree, and that's ok.

 

[toastedbread]

If you look at the play there were 3 blockers set up and waiting, if you are insinuating that the kid on right side of the OSU punt return (who I would assume had contain responsibility ) had a chance to make the stop on the other side of the field, that is a real stretch. If we are going to talk about hypotheticals, I guess if we punted Jalin Marshall could have returned the punt for a TD (as he did last year). If a tendency is recognized it should be used, especially against a team with overall superior talent . Guess as usual, we can just disagree, and that's ok.

I like the call, but what do you gain from doing it at your own 10? And then to not go for it from there 40 when we could go up 2 scores is stupid.

 

[TheSpa]

If you look at the play there were 3 blockers set up and waiting, if you are insinuating that the kid on right side of the OSU punt return (who I would assume had contain responsibility ) had a chance to make the stop on the other side of the field, that is a real stretch. If we are going to talk about hypotheticals, I guess if we punted Jalin Marshall could have returned the punt for a TD (as he did last year). If a tendency is recognized it should be used, especially against a team with overall superior talent . Guess as usual, we can just disagree, and that's ok.

It's not a stretch at all given that he wasn't outside contain at all but rather one who penetrated behind blockers and had an easy path to the punter. Again, part of the evaluation is being able to execute at a very basic level. They failed on that pretty miserably. So, no, there's nothing but speculation to suggest it would have worked if he'd gone right. Hopefully someday one of these gambles actually works. On to PSU.

 

[Go Hoosiers]

Even the punt from the 40 was not a terrible idea, what I hated about that is we call a time out, send the offense back on the field, take a delay and then punt. In taking the delay, the vast majority of the play clock was not spent in a real offensive setup, our QB was walking around and looking at the sidelines, if you are going to send them back out there at least get in formation and try to draw them off with a hard count, but you could tell we had no intent of trying to do that or run a play.

 

[toastedbread]

Even the punt from the 40 was not a terrible idea, what I hated about that is we call a time out, send the offense back on the field, take a delay and then punt. In taking the delay, the vast majority of the play clock was not spent in a real offensive setup, our QB was walking around and looking at the sidelines, if you are going to send them back out there at least get in formation and try to draw them off with a hard count, but you could tell we had no intent of trying to do that or run a play.

It was a horrendous idea. If you want to beat OSU you go for the score there. And if you are gambling from your own 10, how on earth do you not justify going for it on 4th and short. After wasting a timeout no less. STUPID. So we have at least a 50% chance of picking up the first down and then getting a score potentially. Or saving 20 yards of field position for them?