NIU at UT

[hammb]

If UT loses...people will question Campbell's decision to punt on 4th and shortt inside the NIU 40. They had NIU's defense on their heels and he let them off the hook

As well they should.

Football coaches are pussies. It is almost never a wise move to punt on 4th & short on the good side of the 50. Inside the 40? It's really asinine.

Don't know if that would have made a difference in this game, but it shows me that Campbell is still thinking like an old football coach and not one who realizes what helps win games. You win games with TDs and you don't score them by punting (or kicking FGs).

A general rules of thumb, IMO:

Never kick a FG on 4th & short unless the 3 points are make/break. If you're in FG range you're close enough to smell TD if you pick up that 1st down.
NEVER punt inside the 40 no matter what the 4th down distance is.
Only punt inside the 50 on 4th and short if it's late in the game and preventing the opposition from scoring a TD is more important than scoring yourself.


Note: I define 4th & short as 2 yards or less. Distances that I feel you should convert > 50% of the time.


I've felt this way for a long time and it's VERY refreshing to start seeing some head coaches (Chip Kelly at Oregon & Philly, Chudzinski in Cleveland, Belichick, Urban, etc) start showing the understanding of the situation. For decades the Tressel mentality of the best play being a punt has been prevalent among coaches, but it doesn't jive with the math. Playing for punts & FGs is playing not to lose. Grow some balls and play to WIN.

/rant

[Redwingtom]

Brian, this team's for you!!

This High School Coach Should Change Pro Football - Kevin Kelley never punts; pro teams shouldn't either

[hammb]

I've read about him before. I think Never is a bit extreme for college/pro teams, but there is a lot more sense to his strategy than some want to realize. He's right though the reason they don't go for it more often is fear. Not fear of being wrong, necessarily, but fear of the backlash/losing their jobs on the days their team doesn't get those 1st downs.

I think if somebody has faith in his convictions though the fans/media of that team will find that over the long haul you're much better off going for it on 4th down more often than conventional wisdom would dictate.

[Globetrotter]

Disagreee with you on this. Especially if you have the lead and a good defense. I always punt.

[jpfalcon09]

In a game like last night, you always go for it. You're playing for a division title and you need to tell your players you're going for the throat. Punting the ball concedes the possession and tells your team you don't trust they can pick up the 4th down yardage. If you're up by 2-3 scores, different story.

[Lord_Byron]

I've read about him before. I think Never is a bit extreme for college/pro teams, but there is a lot more sense to his strategy than some want to realize. He's right though the reason they don't go for it more often is fear. Not fear of being wrong, necessarily, but fear of the backlash/losing their jobs on the days their team doesn't get those 1st downs.

I think if somebody has faith in his convictions though the fans/media of that team will find that over the long haul you're much better off going for it on 4th down more often than conventional wisdom would dictate.

If you know you are going to go for it on 4th down all the time, it also changes your psychology on the other three downs. You are always in "4 down territory", so the calls you make on second and long may be different.

It's gaining 7 1/2 feet per play v. 10 feet per play.

This plays out in NCAA overtime games. Once the first team scores a TD, it's 4-downs all the time. . .