About the football...

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:17 am

I know that the post game comments are what's going to draw the most ire from yesterday, and justifiably so. Still, I want to take a look at the football, cliff's notes follow if you don't want to read my long winded crap...

Second to those comments obviously one will want to focus on the horrendous use of the prevent defense throughout the 4th quarter. This is understandable as well. We had the game wrapped up and our defense completely fell apart. We backed off in coverage. We stopped bringing any pressure whatsoever, and we let Drew Willy torch us. He was just throwing to guys who were wide freaking open the entire 4th quarter. I'd have to look at the logs, but I believe we allowed them to have 4 possessions in the final 11:00 of the game, and they scored TDs on 3 of them. I don't think any of those scoring drives took even 3:00 to accomplish. I'm sorry, but this was Romeo Crennel type stuff here, inexcusable to put your defense in a shell like that, after the way they had played for the first 45 minutes.

Okay, so we let them tie the game and we get the ball back with :34 and the ball on about the 30-35 yard line. We have no Timeouts (because we stupidly wasted every last one of them...quality coaching there, 2 were gone in the 3rd quarter for god's sake). Anyhoo, :34 is still a lot of time in college ball every first down stops the clock long enough for you to get a spike in. Sure it's asking a lot, but you could drive the 40 yards needed for a viable FG attempt. So out trots Sheehan to run the ultra-hurry up offense, right? WRONG Nope we're so confident we'll win it in OT that we take a freaking knee? Wow, talk about needing to grow a pair.

So, now that we've got ourself into overtime we go on defense first and quickly allow a TD pass. Apparently we decide to still play our version of the "prevent" even in OT...interesting strategy. No worries, we score a TD on our possession without too much worry either. So now, do you go for 2 and win, or kick the FG. Either is a justifiable decision. I mean, normally I'd say on your home field with a team you had dominated for most of the game, I'd say take the tie and continue the game. However, the way we had fallen apart I'd say you could make a case for letting the game come down to one play and going for the 2 pt conversion. Well Gregg kicked the XP, and that's just fine by me. So on we go to the second overtime we get stuffed on the 1 yard line a couple times so it's 4th down. We can just kick the FG and then play some defense.

So now we go for the TD on 4th DOWN!? WHAT THE HELL!? In what world does this line of decisions make sense? Okay, now like 5 minutes earlier we had the chance to turn the game into a one play affair ti win/lose based on our ability to move 2 yards. We take the conservative way out (which is acceptable in it's own right), but then just a few minutes later we gamble to turn the game on one play, where we can only LOSE it on that one play. We were not in a position where we succeed and we actually win the game, no we just make them get a TD. This makes no sense, it's all risk and very little reward. No matter how much I think about it I absolutely cannot wrap my head around what could possibly make a competent person make this decision. It's baffling. It's almost like he re-thought it and said, dammit we should have went for 2. Can anyone come up with anything even close to a reasonable explanation for this, because I'm baffled.

Oh, and if you want to discuss the play that we ran on that 4th down, I can do so. We lined up in a formation that I noted as rather interesting back in the first half. We ran that formation about 3-4 times in the game. It involves Sheehan by himself in the backfield, with the 5 man OL blocking. We've got one WR by himself wide on the short side of the field and 4 guys wide on the far side. One man is on the line of scrimmage to cover the tackle. Then about 1-2 yards behind him are 2 guys that are 5 yards to his right and left, then about 1-2 yards behind them is the 4th guy, directly behind the guy that is on the LOS. It creates a sort of diamond over there. Anyhow we ran this formation 3-4 times. One time we ran a QB keeper to the short side of the field. Every other time we passed to the guy in the back of the diamond WR formation and the 3 guys in front of him blocked. On that 4th down the Bulls obviously recognized it as well (not that difficult to do), and they just rushed through the front WRs and got into the body of the back WR...Sheehan just threw the ball into what was essentially already a pileup out there.

Cliff's Notes:

1. Super soft prevent blows 20 point lead
2. Pansy out and kneel on last possession
3. Take conservative way out to extend game in 1st OT.
4. Suddenly get overly aggressive and go for it on 4th with very little to gain.
5. Playcall after aggressive defense was super predictable and easily stopped.

This might have seriously been the worst stretch of coaching decisions I've ever seen by Gregg Brandon in his tenure at BG. And seriously, that is saying something.

Rightupinthere · Post by **Rightupinthere** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:43 am

I was anticipating your run-down B. Well done.

I, too, am at a loss to justify the game-time decisions.

I've been saying it since 2004, it just doesn't seem as though GB is capable of learning from mistakes.

Schadenfreude · Post by **Schadenfreude** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:52 am

I agreed with the decision to go for it on 4th and 2 in the second overtime. The Falcon defense clearly wasn't going to stop the Bulls, as we found out one play later.

gmartin · Post by **gmartin** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:55 am

Completely agree with you. I said it late last night that we should have went for 2 in the first OT. Brandon himself in his post game comments said the defense was tired and back on its heals. So if your going to lose the game and lose the MAC Championship at least do it on a all for nothing attempt. He decided to kick it then, yet, in the next overtime he decided to go for it. Doesn't make any sense.

And even though I may say, OMG, or make random, numerous posts, yes I still give thousands to this university for scholorships ever year. Earlier this morning I added up to see what I donated and between that and season tickets to football, basketball and hockey (even though with being a trainer for the Colts and living in Indianpolis) I gave $28.560.00 to this university last year. So for GB to say I am not a 'true fan' that pisses the hell out of me!! I may not go to the games because I am 4 hours away but I still buy season tickets for all major sports and I give my tickets away to friends and family and those less fortunate.

I emailed Greg Christopher this morning and told him that he still will be receiving a check from me Mid-January to support our athletic teams, however I would like all the money directed to Mens and Womens basketball and volleyball and soccer only. I am very frustrated with how our football and hockey programs are going. At least the hockey may be turning it around as he have some nice talent. But then again, we have LOTS of talent on our football team.

Graham

bgsufalcon24 · Post by **bgsufalcon24** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 10:57 am

Hammb, the reasonable explanation is that it was inevitable a TD was coming for Buffalo on their possession. We needed to score a TD or the game was over.

And yes, if this is what GB was thinking, he should have gone for 2 at the end of the first overtime.

We should've recovered the onside kick.

We should've played some defense in the 4th quarter.

But his biggest mistake was calling out the fans after the game.

f**k YOU GREGG

freefalcon · Post by **freefalcon** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:04 am

Thank you hammb 4 your observations.

I now will be depressed for the rest of the day as I was last night.

Just Terrible, Simply Terrible

Jacobs4Heisman · Post by **Jacobs4Heisman** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:20 am

The decision to go for it in OT is not my problem. The play call is. Even the radio guys knew what was coming, and you can bet your ass the Buffalo D did as well. That's been the overriding problem with our offense the last few years. It's the most predictable spread in history.

Anyway, the turns this program has taken this year are disturbing even to a guy who was half-expecting it and has been wanting Brandon gone for years. I didn't think it would get this bad with an experienced and talented team. Apparently it's harder than I thought to overcome a completely incompetent staff. Sorry, seniors. I wish it could have been better for you.

Pete Segaard · Post by **Pete Segaard** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:23 am

The only thing that I would like to add is I am happy season is over, so I do not have to watch Briggs' shirt stretched out behind him with no holding calls.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:40 am

oaklane2 wrote:The only thing that I would like to add is I am happy season is over

Um, you do know we play our biggest rival yet next Friday don't you? I will say I think the performance in that game will tell me a lot about the coach. Neither team has anything to play for. And honestly, I can see us getting steamrolled in this one. Not because of the players, but because of lack of interest by the HMFIC.

VDub26Falcon · Post by **VDub26Falcon** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:51 am

Head Mother F****** Incompetent Coach??

bgsufalcon24 · Post by **bgsufalcon24** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:55 am

Warthog wrote:
oaklane2 wrote:The only thing that I would like to add is I am happy season is over
Um, you do know we play our biggest yet next Friday don't you?

The Toledo game means NOTHING. We lost our chance to get to the MAC Championship. We lost our chance at bowl eligibility. This season is over. Period.

Warthog · Post by **Warthog** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 11:58 am

Oops, I just edited that to add "rival" after biggest. Certainly didn't mean to say that the game next Friday actually means anything other than it being Toledo.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:09 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:I agreed with the decision to go for it on 4th and 2 in the second overtime. The Falcon defense clearly wasn't going to stop the Bulls, as we found out one play later.

If you knew your defense could not stop them, why would you not go for 2 in the first overtime so gaining the 2 yards actually gains you the win?

I can fully understand feeling your defense could not stop them, but if you feel that way then it is really stupid to not go for 2 in the first overtime. Going for it on 4th down in the second OT is being overly aggressive at the wrong time. When you make the decision to re-tie the game you are saying you have confidence in your defense to make a stop at some point, seeing as how that's the only way you can win in the second OT. Even if you make it on 4th down you STILL have to get that stop to win.

I don't think you'll ever convince me that kicking the XP and then going on 4th down was a justifiable course of action. Either you have faith in your defense to make a stop so you put the points on the board, or you don't have faith in your defense and you try to win it on one play in the first overtime.

hammb · Post by **hammb** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:14 pm

bgsufalcon24 wrote:
Warthog wrote:
oaklane2 wrote:The only thing that I would like to add is I am happy season is over
Um, you do know we play our biggest yet next Friday don't you?
The Toledo game means NOTHING. We lost our chance to get to the MAC Championship. We lost our chance at bowl eligibility. This season is over. Period.

The Toledo game ALWAYS means something. We have nothing to play for and they have nothing to play for in the grand scheme, but the BG/UT game is ALWAYS for bragging rights.

Flipper · Post by **Flipper** » Sat Nov 22, 2008 12:30 pm

Back in 2005 whe we got beat by UT in OT, GB had a chance to win that one and lock a bowl bid by going for two on the TD (UT had scored and kicked the PAT) he passed up the two and went for the safe play.

IIRC, GB admitted that it was a mistake to not go for 2 as his defense was really struggling. I simply cannot fathom why...in an IDENTICAL situation, the same mistake was repeated.

How many times have we seen 20+ point leads get frittered away? It happened last night, it alm ost happended against Kent this year and it happened at Toledo in 2004. How many times have we seen this team come back from a 20 point deficet...hell, how many tiomes have we fallen behond by 14 and come back?