[Husker] The VaTech game was a lot like the 1996 ASU game

[Nick Chevance]

On Mon, Sep 21, 2009 at 3:25 PM, Scott R Lawson
<SLawson at uamail.albany.edu> wrote:
> I thought about this a lot as well, that perhaps a shorter field would have made it slightly easier to defend Taylor if the Huskers failed to convert the 4th down, but then again VT would have only needed to get about 25 yards or so to be in FG range.
>
> 20/20.
>
> Scott in NY

Except they were down by 5, so its unlikely VaTech would have even
thought about going for 3 on that drive.

But I too support Scott's position on this way back up in this thread.
 In that situation, the safety's only concern is to not let anyone get
behind him.  But he was caught peeking inside in case Taylor started
upfield.  I haven't seen the play since the replays, but I don't
remember any other wideouts heading down field as Mark suggests here.
(Mark, I'll fire up the old DVR tonight and take a peek.)  I do
remember watching O'Hanlon peeking inside while the VaTech receiver
ran past him down the sideline.

The defensive line had Taylor in contain all afternoon, and on that
play Taylor wasn't going to get many yards if he ran, and I think we
would have preferred that.  But its a real hard situation to be in
(and having a ball go over my head in a JV game many, many moons ago,
I speak from experience).  That is a big mental error, and I'd bet the
farm he knew almost the second he saw Taylor throw it.  And even if
there were other receivers out on that play deep as Mark suggests, his
responsibility doesn't change - no one deep uncovered.  And in cover
two, the other safety is supposed to be back there too.  The corners
release and look for anyone coming off the line or out of the
backfield (e.g., tight ends, backs, and the QB).

But all in all, that one play doesn't make the safety responsible for
the game, or a bad person, or unsuitable as a Blackshirt.  It does
mean he made a mental error.

There are others saying that his bigger mistake was making the tackle
- that if they had scored on that play, we'd have the ball back with
over a minute to go (but with no time outs).  While that is true, I
can't see many players being able to analyze the play at the time its
happening and decide to make an attempt but purposely fail.  As a
player, his only thought was - I goofed up, I gotta get that guy and
get him down.  That's what a young college player would think,
regardless of what others with the benefit of time and distance think.

Nick
-- 
“I wish I were less awkward around strangers. I never know what to say
when someone asks me who I am and what the hell I'm doing in their
house.”
Andy Ihnatko