[Husker] Boise's Chris Peterson is a GENIUS!!!

[Pat Gaule]

JEN_SENS wrote:

> CALLAHAN IS AN IDIOT!!!!
>
>
> Why, because their players executed or did not execute the scheme.
>
>    What if Rabb had booted away the hook and lateral pitch that hit 
> him in the hands?


If you're trying to compare that call to the fake punt, then it's a 
horrible analogy.  To start with, Boise State had nothing to lose in 
that situation.  They were facing a 4th and 18 against a very talented 
defense, and without the lateral, BSU likely wouldn't have gotten the 
first down, let alone the game tying touchdown.  If that happens, then 
the GAME IS OVER.  In the case of the fake punt, Nebraska had extremely 
little to gain, but plenty to lose.  Like I've mentioned before, if NU 
converts the first down, then they are still 45-50 yards away from even 
being in scoring range.  If NU has to turn the ball over, Auburn is 
almost given 3 points.

Personally, my mantra has always been that a play call is not 
necessarily bad if it doesn't work..  However, I also believe that a 
play call is not necessarily good even if it does work...sometimes 
coaches just get lucky.  For instance, Stoops and/or Thompson decided to 
throw the fade route 3 times on OU's tying 2-point conversion last 
night.  I really thought that was a horrible decision, but it worked out 
for them, as they got bailed out by a pass interference call on the 
first attempt and the WR made an amazing catch on the 2nd one (which was 
nullified but allowed OU to have another chance despite the penalty).

In the case of the fake punt, the risk/reward ratio was heavily tilted 
toward risk.  I would have been critical of that call, even had it 
succeeded.

>
>    We praise the gutsiness of going for two in overtime. That is not 
> textbook. You have been stopping OK all day. You have been amassing 
> yards. Why throw away such a valient effort with an ill-conceived 
> risky call? Yet because it worked it is considered gutsy and "brass 
> balls".

The decision to go for two was not a bad one by any means.  Up to that 
point, Oklahoma was on a 32-7 run after falling behind 28-10 late in the 
3rd quarter.  OU had scored on their first play from scrimmage in OT.  
To me, it was obvious that BSU's defense was starting to wear down.  I 
really don't think they would have been able to get into a shootout with 
Oklahoma.  While the "statue of liberty" play was certainly risky, it 
seems to be one that they spent a considerable amount of time 
practicing.  I certainly wouldn't call the decision to go for two, or 
the play itself to be "ill-conceived", regardless of whether they worked 
or not.  The call on 4th and 2 where their QB went into motion and some 
other guy threw the touchdown pass was certainly questionable, but 
apparently it's not uncommon in their offense.

>
> Sometimes players execute, sometimes they do not. Sometimes the ball 
> bounces toward you, sometimes away from you. That is what we call the 
> breaks of the game.

Unfortunately, it's not always that simple.  Coaches are human and make 
mistakes.  Callahan's decision to run a fake punt in that situation was 
a mistake.