There is nothing wrong with going for 6 there

[kennyschiano]

Defense playing lights out. Let them go 99.5 yards. Student section right there.

That is the identity ash wants.

Unfortunately we couldn't get in and I agree they should have ran with Martin. However, the TD was there if he pitches it to Harris. Too bad laviano is a bum.

 

[FanuSanu52]

I was happy about it.

Didnt expect them to go the 99 so easily, though.

 

[Jumba72]

Disagree. 5yds too far. Put pts up

 

[JQRU91]

You're in a defensive struggle. Both teams have been unable to punch it in from within the ten yard line already. It's just before the half of a 0-0 game. You want to put points on the board to break the ice for your offense, to take the momentum by scoring first, and to walk into the locker room with the lead.

 

[rutgers4life11]

It's not about identity, it's about math.

Then you gave them the momentum to lead down the field to score a TD.

Take the points.

 

[jreinsdorf]

You're in a defensive struggle. Both teams have been unable to punch it in from within the ten yard line already. It's just before the half of a 0-0 game. You want to put points on the board to break the ice for your offense, to take the momentum by scoring first, and to walk into the locker room with the lead.

Every coaching manual written would call it like that. But im more pissed at the THREE play calls preceding it. Running Oden into the center rather than using his spead and then following with a CL run. That was a disgraceful set of play calling

 

[RU205]

Take points in that situation every time.

 

[kennyschiano]

It's not about identity, it's about math.

Then you gave them the momentum to lead down the field to score a TD.

Take the points.

Mathematics says you should pretty much always go for it on 4th down

http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/09/17/a-new-study-on-fourth-downs-go-for-it/

 

[waretown]

Every coaching manual written would call it like that. But im more pissed at the THREE play calls preceding it. Running Oden into the center rather than using his spead and then following with a CL run. That was a disgraceful set of play calling

we needed points in this game we are not a team who can run it in from the 4 yd line with no chance of throwing the ball. ash has to understand, this is rutgers not ohio state

 

[jreinsdorf]

we needed points in this game we are not a team who can run it in from the 4 yd line with no chance of throwing the ball. ash has to understand, this is rutgers not ohio state

Yup. Mind you i have no problem going for it from the goal line but not the four especially after 3 stuffs

 

[newwavedave1]

Every coaching manual written would call it like that. But im more pissed at the THREE play calls preceding it. Running Oden into the center rather than using his spead and then following with a CL run. That was a disgraceful set of play calling

Agree 100%. Terrible play calling by Mehringer

 

[jreinsdorf]

Agree 100%. Terrible play calling by Mehringer

Too bad too because i enjoyed watching 98% of the play calling today. Its just that the 2% that was bad was BAD

 

[ScarletKnightRider]

You're in a defensive struggle. Both teams have been unable to punch it in from within the ten yard line already. It's just before the half of a 0-0 game. You want to put points on the board to break the ice for your offense, to take the momentum by scoring first, and to walk into the locker room with the lead.

It's not about identity, it's about math.

Then you gave them the momentum to lead down the field to score a TD.

Take the points.

Stop it. There is no such thing as "momentum" in sports. This is a well known myth. The object is to score more points than your opponent, it's really that simple. All this momentum crap is just made up fan psychology.

I think it's a tough call, but I can't truly fault either alternative. Yes it's an easy 3 pts, but this is Iowa. The game is half over at this point and you are only going to have so many chances to net a td in the redzone against a squad like this. You've got to take gutsy shots like this if you want to beat these types of teams. If CL pitches the rock and we slide in for six no one is complaining about this decision. You gotta play to win.

 

[djrc89]

Stop with playing to win. Playing to win is taking the points. Stop thinking with ur balls and use ur head. We didn't move the ball an inch from the 3 yard line on successive plays. Taking a lead a minute before half is playing to win.

 

[ScarletKnightRider]

Stop with playing to win. Playing to win is taking the points. Stop thinking with ur balls and use ur head. We didn't move the ball an inch from the 3 yard line on successive plays. Taking a lead a minute before half is playing to win.

Taking a 3 pt lead before half would have done absolutely nothing but made you feel slightly better about losing. If this were overtime then yes you take the points. But this is not overtime. Leading by a fg at the half doesnt mean anything. It's how many pts are on the board when the game is over. You have to take your chances when you get them and trust your offense to execute every snap. This is why you play the game. Based on your logic we should punt on 3rd and 10 every time because we "just got stopped on two successive plays" and will therefore probably get stopped again

This was by no means a no brainer. If we get the 1st or the td on that drive, none of you ppl are bitching.

 

[bitnez]

Stop it. There is no such thing as "momentum" in sports. This is a well known myth. The object is to score more points than your opponent, it's really that simple. All this momentum crap is just made up fan psychology.

I think it's a tough call, but I can't truly fault either alternative. Yes it's an easy 3 pts, but this is Iowa. The game is half over at this point and you are only going to have so many chances to net a td in the redzone against a squad like this. You've got to take gutsy shots like this if you want to beat these types of teams. If CL pitches the rock and we slide in for six no one is complaining about this decision. You gotta play to win.

High scoring wide open game you go for it; low scoring defensive battle you kick the fg. It's football 101.

 

[rufanpops]

Not only should we have kicked the FG on both drives in the first half, but we still should have kicked one in the 2nd half too. There's a reason the coaches "manual" says to kick the field goal on 4th down in all of those situations. We easily could have won this game if not for the dumb coaching decisions.

 

[ChasRC69]

Not only should we have kicked the FG on both drives in the first half, but we still should have kicked one in the 2nd half too. There's a reason the coaches "manual" says to kick the field goal on 4th down in all of those situations. We easily could have won this game if not for the dumb coaching decisions.

IMO there were a few reasons we lost, but the 2 biggest were Arch's pass interference penalty that cost us a field goal, and the coaches' decision to put in Oden for the 1st and goal sequence. He's very good when he can run in space, but not when there's little running room and he's outweighed by every defender on the field. We should have told our o-line to tighten their chin straps and open a hole for either Martin, Hicks or Goodwin - runners who would have be going into the line instead of parallel to it. We should have won that game 17-14.