[Husker] Risky Business

[Scott R Lawson]

Skylar I don't think fans or anyone on the list can truly justify "the call", I agree with you that it was extremely ill-timed. The sun rose here on Tuesday morning, so I am not as angry as I was immediately after the loss (not that it matters what I think about the loss anyway), but I still say anyone who thinks that call was 'gutsy' and not foolish belongs at a card table in Vegas and has serious shortcomings with regard to judgment. Obviously there is ALWAYS at least some chance of success with a 'risky' play, but if you asked 100 coaches if they would fake a punt in that situation you would likely get about 90 or more who would say no way, especially considering NU was on their own 20-something yard line. I know people always say one play doesn't lose it, but the way the defenses were playing that play could've easily changed the entire complexion of the game- Auburn didn't just decide to get 17 points and sit on a lead- perhaps if Nebraska didn't give away that touchdown maybe Auburn ends up with 10 points and today all their fans are blaming Tuberville for the loss. Ifs and buts. Didn't Charlie Weis fake a punt last night deep in his own territory as well? If I recall correctly it did not work, and LSU scored 2 plays later.

Scott in NY

-----Original Message-----
From: husker-bounces at tssi.com [mailto:husker-bounces at tssi.com]On Behalf
Of Skylar Dodds
Sent: Thursday, December 14, 2006 11:48 AM
To: Husker List
Subject: [Husker] Risky Business


Hello Husker Fans,

  I was thinking this over in my anger towards BC for that fake-punt
  play call we've all been dreading...

  I was going back through all the trick plays we've ran this year and
  I wanted to make sure I wasn't just being the typical fan saying,
  "If it works he's a genius, if it doesn't he's retarded".

  First off, let me say I still disagree with the call.  I don't mind
  fake punts, pooch kicks by the FG kicker, etc, but I didn't like the
  timing.  We were pretty far into our territory, it was early, it
  just didn't seem to be a good time.  That being said, there's one
  point I can't get around for almost every 'risky' play Callahan's
  run:

  Every time he's put his players in a position to be successful.
  Every time.  I just can't think of an exception.  Here's a few
  examples:

  1) The fake in the Cotton Bowl WAS setup well and had the pitch been
  made successfully, there was a lot of room to run.

  2) All of the trick plays vs Colorado were successful and each of
  them resulted in a fairly easy play.

  3) The pass against UT where Nunn fumbled was risky, but certainly
  put his players in position to win if they execute.

  4) The fake against USC worked well.

  5) Congdon's pooch vs Auburn landed on the 1/2 yard line.  Didn't he
  do the same against OU (which I know, resulted in 99 yards of
  torment, but it ALMOST became a safety).

  I'm going through all the times in my head where Callahan made a
  gutsy call and I can't think of a time when his players weren't at
  least put in a position to make a play.  To me, anyway, that is the
  ultimate job of the coach. To get the right players and then put
  them in position to be successful.

  Can anyone think of a 'risky' call where there was no chance of
  success?

  

-- 
Go Skers,
 Skylar                            mailto:Sklarbodds at cox.net

_______________________________________________
husker site list
husker at tssi.com
http://romaine.tssi.com/mailman/listinfo/husker