Never mind on David Bailiff

[PhirePhilBennett]

Texas St. ousted in I-AA shocker
N. IOWA 40, TEXAS STATE 37 (OT)

By BRIAN DAVIS / The Dallas Morning News

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State coach David Bailiff has one of the best players in Division I-AA in quarterback Barrick Nealy, an Adamson graduate and the Southland Conference Player of the Year.

But Bailiff may forever wonder what his star player might have done had he not taken the ball out of the senior's hands 75 yards away from victory in Friday's Division I-AA national semifinal.

In a tie game with more than a minute remaining and all three timeouts, Bailiff instructed Nealy to take a knee and run out the clock. The Bobcats rolled the dice by forcing overtime, and Nealy threw an interception that sealed Northern Iowa's 40-37 victory.

The Panthers stormed the field and swarmed free safety Matt Tharp, who corralled the first interception of his career. The third-largest crowd in Bobcat Stadium history (15,712) filed out in stunned silence. Their Bobcats, enjoying their first winning season since 2000, end the year 11-3.
[Click image for a larger version] ERICH SCHLEGEL/DMN
ERICH SCHLEGEL/DMN
Texas State quarterback Chase Wasson of Southlake Carroll tries to avoid a tackle by Northern Iowa's Matt Tharp during a keeper in the Division I-AA semifinal.

Northern Iowa (11-3) advances to next Friday's Division I-AA championship in Chattanooga, Tenn. Appalachian State hosts Furman in today's other semifinal.

"You play the percentages right there," Bailiff said. "It's hard to score in football in 1:17 by moving 80 yards. Had we turned that over there, we maybe never would have gotten into overtime. That was a decision I make next year if I'm faced with the same decision."
Bailiff's team had no turnovers in regulation, unlike UNI.

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT YOU 'MIGHT' MAKE THE SAME DECISION, DEPENDING ON THE 'FEEL' OF THE GAME...BUT GOOD GOD, IF YOU ARE AUTOMATICALLY GOING TO DO IT THE SAME WAY AGAIN...YOU HAVE SOME THOUGHT PROBLEMS. THE CORRECT ANSWER IS "I THOUGHT AT THE TIME THAT IT WOULD BE BEST TO GO TO Overtime. I MIGHT MAKE THE SAME DECISION AGAIN, BUT I'D HAVE TO SEE HOW THE GAME WAS PLAYING. OBVIOUSLY, IT DIDN'T WORK OUT THIS TIME".

TSU was in position to put it away with 5:37 left after UNI's Johnny Gray fumbled a punt at his own 6. Daniel Jolly's 2-yard TD run gave the Bobcats a 37-29 lead.

But UNI, which ousted top-seeded New Hampshire in the quarterfinals, had one more gasp. Quarterback Eric Sanders led a 10-play, 72-yard drive that culminated with David Horne's 2-yard run with 1:27 to go.

The Panthers didn't make a two-point conversion all season. But they did against the Bobcats when Sanders found Justin Surrency in the back of the end zone.

TSU's Morris Crosby returned the kickoff to the 25. But instead of turning Nealy loose, Bailiff waited for overtime. UNI's Brian Wingert hit a 25-yard field goal in the OT, then Tharp got his clinching pick.

Nealy finished 16-for-25 for 221 yards and threw touchdowns passes of 14, 42 and 14 yards.

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Did this guy REALIZE that all he needed was 50 yards and FG to win? I don't want this decision-making thought process all over again.

[MrMustang1965]

Someone should send him the tape/DVD of the SMU v UAB game. Or the SMU v UofH game.

[Treadway21]

UNI went for 2 early in the third to make up for missed extra points. They failed, which meant they had to hit a 2 at the end to get a tie instead of just having to kick extra point. I remember PB getting critism for not making the same decision against UAB. Just shows he was right for kicking the extra point.

[PhirePhilBennett]

UNI went for 2 early in the third to make up for missed extra points. They failed, which meant they had to hit a 2 at the end to get a tie instead of just having to kick extra point. I remember PB getting critism for not making the same decision against UAB. Just shows he was right for kicking the extra point.

Never EVER go for 2 until you have to.

If you are down 15, and then you score, you go for 2 on your SECOND TD, not this one.

VaTech vs. FSU showed that...Beamer was down by 24 and when he scored, went for 2. Boom, didn't get it.

Now he's down by 18 instead of 17

Did the same damn thing again on the next one...didn't get it.

Now he's down by 12 instead of 11 (or could be 10).

They ended up scoring again to cut it to 5, but it could have been 3 and a FG to tie it in the end instead of a TD...yes, they didn't get the damn onside kick...but it would have been a more 'do-able' result to kick off and (if they had TOs) to put their defense out there.

The POINT is, you don't go until you NEED to go - OR - it's the LAST time you will have the ball (due to time on the clock) and you have a lead...period.

You just don't know what could happen that might change your decision making process later in the game, but then wish you had those damn points back.

While were at it, can somebody please coach these coaches on time management and when to call TOs!

[HixsontoLeVias]

...does the Texas State coach even have his job today! What a complete melt down....I heard his team was fit to be tied by this move, fans wanted to hang the fool...like somebody said, check him OFF any of our future candidate lists Long Live J. Burton Rix