Tears Gator Tears

Why wouldn't they just act like they are going for it and have the the QB quick punt it out of regular shotgun? It doesn't happen all that often or anything, but it's not like it's never done either.


It's funny you mention that. A part of the article (that I didn't quote) indicated that Sunbelt Billy realized this, but he said "they had not prepared the QB to pooch punt it".

Here's the key takeaway, particularly since Slingblade Billy has built a cottage industry out of the phrase "scared money don't make money". Too many coaches out-think themselves, and take actions that are unnecessary in order to prevent a particular outcome that is highly unlikely or avoidable.

This is what I mean.

When Billy Karl Childers called that play, he was guaranteeing a safety instead of taking the chance to snap the ball to the punter and THEN take a safety if his worst fears were realized. You see from the QB shotgun snap in the video that they had a safety-man BEHIND the QB. Why? To cover in case the snap was bad. That safety-man could have ALSO taken a safety if the shotgun snap went bad. As it turned out, the shotgun snap was perfect.

Now, contrast that with what happens if you are in punt formation. Yes, the snap is a bit longer, but nothing prevents you from putting a safety-man back to assist with the POSSIBLE safety in the WORST CASE SCENARIO of a bad snap. But if you have a GOOD snap? Then everything goes perfectly, you punt the ball, and you don't automatically give up the two points.

And, sure, there are a couple of other POSSIBILITIES. A. The snap is bobbled. TAKE THE SAFETY. B. The punt is blocked. With a safety-man, you have a better chance of preventing a TD or taking the safety yourself, depending on the bounce of the ball. C. The return goes for a touchdown. Hey, that could happen under any circumstance.

In fact, taking the "free kick" after a safety only eliminates the "blocked kick" scenario, though it was pretty clear that App State was setting up for a return, they were not in a max-block-punt formation. On the other side, a "free kick" is more likely to result in a long return, given that you can't send gunners down the sidelines to make the tackle shortly after the kick is fielded. And if the PUNT was returned for a TD, Louisiana is only down by 2 with nearly 2 minutes to go, plenty of time to win it with a FG. But if the FREE KICK was returned for a TD after the safety, Louisiana is down 4 and has to score a TD to win.

Someone needs to hire me as a sideline logic/decision-making/clock management coach. I could win any coach an extra one or two games per year just by making better decisions than most of these coaches ever make on their own.
 
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It's funny you mention that. A part of the article (that I didn't quote) indicated that Sunbelt Billy realized this, but he said "they had not prepared the QB to pooch punt it".

Here's the key takeaway, particularly since Slingblade Billy has built a cottage industry out of the phrase "scared money don't make money". Too many coaches out-think themselves, and take actions that are unnecessary in order to prevent a particular outcome that is highly unlikely or avoidable.

This is what I mean.

When Billy Karl Childers called that play, he was guaranteeing a safety instead of taking the chance to snap the ball to the punter and THEN take a safety if his worst fears were realized. You see from the QB shotgun snap in the video that they had a safety-man BEHIND the QB. Why? To cover in case the snap was bad. That safety-man could have ALSO taken a safety if the shotgun snap went bad. As it turned out, the shotgun snap was perfect.

Now, contrast that with what happens if you are in punt formation. Yes, the snap is a bit longer, but nothing prevents you from putting a safety-man back to assist with the POSSIBLE safety in the WORST CASE SCENARIO of a bad snap. But if you have a GOOD snap? Then everything goes perfectly, you punt the ball, and you don't automatically give up the two points.

And, sure, there are a couple of other POSSIBILITIES. A. The snap is bobbled. TAKE THE SAFETY. B. The punt is blocked. With a safety-man, you have a better chance of preventing a TD or taking the safety yourself, depending on the bounce of the ball. C. The return goes for a touchdown. Hey, that could happen under any circumstance.

In fact, taking the "free kick" after a safety only eliminates the "blocked kick" scenario, though it was pretty clear that App State was setting up for a return, they were not in a max-block-punt formation. On the other side, a "free kick" is more likely to result in a long return, given that you can't send gunners down the sidelines to make the tackle shortly after the kick is fielded. And if the PUNT was returned for a TD, Louisiana is only down by 2 with nearly 2 minutes to go, plenty of time to win it with a FG. But if the FREE KICK was returned for a TD after the safety, Louisiana is down 4 and has to score a TD to win.

Someone needs to hire me as a sideline logic/decision-making/clock management coach. I could win any coach an extra one or two games per year just by making better decisions than most of these coaches ever make on their own.
Separate from his decision but given how many kickoffs go into the end zone nowadays I'm surprised teams have not just started kicking it off as they normally would. I get it is from the 20 instead of the normal spot. However, take Miami Hedley is at best likely kicking it 60 yards or so but we see Borregales routinely getting it into the end zone. Maybe the height is lower but chances are if each kicked from the 20 Borregales is getting it deeper into the opponents side of the field plus that unit is used to covering that type of kick.
 
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Separate from his decision but given how many kickoffs go into the end zone nowadays I'm surprised teams have not just started kicking it off as they normally would. I get it is from the 20 instead of the normal spot. However, take Miami Hedley is at best likely kicking it 60 yards or so but we see Borregales routinely getting it into the end zone. Maybe the height is lower but chances are if each kicked from the 20 Borregales is getting it deeper into the opponents side of the field plus that unit is used to covering that type of kick.


You are correct. I'd bet that a lot of kickers could get the distance to put the kick down near the goal line, the only issue is stretching the field for the kicking team so that it is hard to get coverage, and easy for the return team to get a nice return.

It would have to be practiced, but I've always thought that a nice bouncy kick along the grass would be good. You have plenty of open space (return team is more spread out too), and all the bouncing gives the kicking team time to get down in coverage.
 
I think they were just worried that stoops’ ***** isn’t as big as Billy’s. Personally, I wouldn’t care. I’d want the guy who’s a better coach, but I’m also not a gator fan
Yeah I dont understand their infatuation with diks, but Im a grown a$$ man and Im not calling any coach of mine big dik (insert name) as a nickname.
 
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What if it was **** Vermeil?
Acceptable. Id probably go with Coach V or Mr. Vermeil, but I think thats within man code if we called him ****. But I'll be damned if Im calling him Big **** Vermeil or Big dyk **** or anything along those lines. Id like to think we are better fanbase than that, if the situation presents itself.
 
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The real question, and anyone who would love to conduct this scientific study, go right ahead, but if you are born "infatuated with the dik" does that predispose you to liking the gators? On the contrary, does liking the gators over time morph you into an infatuation with the dik. If it is the former, then man I empathize for them. They never had a chance being born that way and predisposed to liking the gators.
 
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