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Stitt addresses passing on FGs

HookedonGriz

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DONOR
Last night on the coaches show, Stitt talked about passing up on those field goals. His biggest point was that the Griz were down by 7 at the time and were down to their third string quarterback and he didn't know how many other opportunities they would have to try and tie the game. He said if they were down 6 points that's a different story because then another field goal ties it.

He went on to say that he passed on the second field goal due to the fact they missed out on converting that previous fourth-down. He felt at that point since he missed out on that opportunity earlier he had to make up for it and go after a touchdown.

He finished by saying that he makes decisions to try and win football games. That his decisions are trying to put his team in the best position to win.

I can see both sides of this. If he converts and they score a touchdown we are all applauding his gutsy call. If he sends the kicker out there and the kicker misses it then we are mad he didn't go for the 2 yards. If he makes a FG they are still down 4 and still need to score a TD at that point to win the game. His explanation made a lot of sense to me.
 
It was the 3rd quarter with our defense playing lights out (didn't allow a single point in the 2nd half). He really didn't think we would get another look at the red zone? Great offensive mindset
 
Eriul said:
It was the 3rd quarter with our defense playing lights out (didn't allow a single point in the 2nd half). He really didn't think we would get another look at the red zone? Great offensive mindset

Which is why he's the coach and you're not.

Seriously, it's a game of what-ifs. Yes, the defense played well in the 2nd half but what if Weber had thrown out a couple more trick plays, which is a weakness for our defense, and then we're down by 2 touchdowns? Absolutely no chance to come back and win with field goals when the offense is struggling. I understand why Stitt wanted to go for touchdowns.
 
If you are going to take risks you have got to live with the results. Good or bad.

I'd think that Stitt would realize, now if not last Saturday, that his offense isn't executing the plays at a high percentage rate. The more conservative approach or taking the field goal might be more rational for much of this season. Once he gets a QB with enough game time to know that he'll make the read &throw, then go for it.
 
get'em_griz said:
Eriul said:
It was the 3rd quarter with our defense playing lights out (didn't allow a single point in the 2nd half). He really didn't think we would get another look at the red zone? Great offensive mindset

Which is why he's the coach and you're not.

Seriously, it's a game of what-ifs. Yes, the defense played well in the 2nd half but what if Weber had thrown out a couple more trick plays, which is a weakness for our defense, and then we're down by 2 touchdowns? Absolutely no chance to come back and win with field goals when the offense is struggling. I understand why Stitt wanted to go for touchdowns.

if you wanna put your faith in an "offensive genius" who thinks we won't get a red zone opportunity in 2 quarters then that's cool but I don't think his mindset is going to fly much longer if it keeps costing us games
 
I don't blame him for going for it once, but not twice, and with our highly-inexperienced, third-string QB in the game, I would have run the ball.

You don't have to be Vince Lombardi, Chuck Noll, or Bill Walsh to know your team in a close game and at home can't afford two trips deep into the opponent's red zone late in the game that result in 0 points !!!
 
It seems really simple to me. When your team is not scoring many points, all points are precious. You have to take what you can get and if it is only a field goal then so be it.
 
grizindabox said:
After he went for it the first time and failed, it forced his hand on the second one.

This. I don't mind his second one so much once he put himself in that horrible spot but he wouldn't have been in that situation if we converted a fg instead.
 
This is the same thing he said in the post game interview so clearly a day of reflection didn't change his view. And given his view that the Griz likely would not have another chance to score a TD and win the game going for it makes sense. However it is a shame that a UM head coach thinks mid-way through the 3rd quarter that the Griz will likely not get another chance to score at home against Weber State. In truth, watching the game, it didn't look like the head coach had confidence his team could score after mid-way in the 3rd quarter or win the game playing Griz football.

This might be the root of the problem, I don't believe I ever remember a Griz coach thinking that unless they scored on a low percentage play in the middle of the 3rd they would get another chance to win when trailing by 7.I suppose that probably was the case at School of Mines a lot though.
 
Amen, Grisly fan !!!

And Coach Stitt's explanation is that when we didn't make the first 4th down conversion, he had to go for the second one--that's what he said on the radio.

I don't agree--if we had instead kicked the field goal and with the way our D was playing, we win the game 24-21 at the end of regulation, no overtime.

While that is hindsight, Coach Stitt must really have suffered from a lack of confidence in our running game, the ability of Makena Simis to guide our offense down the field, and Stitt's own ablility to simplify his play calling for Makena--Coach Stitt must have thought we won't be able to get here again even though we had been deep into Weber's red zone twice already when he made this fateful decision to go for it again on 4th down.

Coaching 101: no team can afford to go deep into their opponent's red zone twice late in a close game and come away with 0 points.
 
Grizbeer said:
This is the same thing he said in the post game interview so clearly a day of reflection didn't change his view. And given his view that the Griz likely would not have another chance to score a TD and win the game going for it makes sense. However it is a shame that a UM head coach thinks mid-way through the 3rd quarter that the Griz will likely not get another chance to score at home against Weber State. In truth, watching the game, it didn't look like the head coach had confidence his team could score after mid-way in the 3rd quarter or win the game playing Griz football.

This might be the root of the problem, I don't believe I ever remember a Griz coach thinking that unless they scored on a low percentage play in the middle of the 3rd they would get another chance to win when trailing by 7.I suppose that probably was the case at School of Mines a lot though.


Call it the "3rd QB" effect....
 
He may have thought differently on getting back to the red zone if:

1. He wasn't forced to have the 3rd man up in the QB position using a limited play call sheet, and

2. The offense's play count was higher than it was mid 3rd quarter. Weber's ball control was dictating that his 4th quarter fatigue strategy for the Weber defense was n/a for this game.

On #1, injuries should not be an excuse, but they can be a reason.
 
billingsgriz said:
Amen, Grisly fan !!!

And Coach Stitt's explanation is that when we didn't make the first 4th down conversion, he had to go for the second one--that's what he said on the radio.

I don't agree--if we had instead kicked the field goal and with the way our D was playing, we win the game 24-21 at the end of regulation, no overtime.

While that is hindsight, Coach Stitt must really have suffered from a lack of confidence in our running game, the ability of Simis to guide our offense down the field, and Stitt's own ablility to simplify his play calling for Simis--Coach Stitt must have thought we won't be able to get here again even though we had been deep into Weber's red zone twice already when he made this fateful decision to go for it again on 4th down.

Coaching 101: no team can afford to go deep into their opponent's red zone twice late in a close game and come away with 0 points.

not true....go back and look at most the plays after Simis went in...
 
Putting the field goal calls aside...
I thought Simis played fairly well considering he's 3rd string. I think we're fairly lucky that we're fairly deep at QB in skill.
 
It must be true or he would have kicked the field goal if Coach Stitt believed that since we had already visited Weber's red zone twice, we could make it back there a 3rd, 4th or 5th time as well before the end of the game.

He talked of simplifying the playbook for Makena--I would have, too. But Coach Stitt's confidence was lacking or he would have at least kicked the second field goal instead of once again, going for it on 4th down.

Actions speak louder than words, and this is Exhibit A.
 
Eriul said:
grizindabox said:
After he went for it the first time and failed, it forced his hand on the second one.

This. I don't mind his second one so much once he put himself in that horrible spot but he wouldn't have been in that situation if we converted a fg instead.

I don't buy it. Wouldn't he have to go for the second one if he kicked the first? A second FG wouldn't tie it.
 
CDAGRIZ said:
Eriul said:
grizindabox said:
After he went for it the first time and failed, it forced his hand on the second one.

This. I don't mind his second one so much once he put himself in that horrible spot but he wouldn't have been in that situation if we converted a fg instead.

I don't buy it. Wouldn't he have to go for the second one if he kicked the first? A second FG wouldn't tie it.

I mean I don't think so. But you're probably right that stitt would think so. I actually have incredible faith in our team to assume we'd get one more shot even to the 30 in the game. Our kicker showed us, even though he missed, that he has the leg for the long field goals.
 
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