Going for two in 2nd OT: Coaching 101

[Rebel10]

Kyle Flood tried to go for 2 against Fresno State in the first OT and did not make it. They lost the game. Coach Jones made the right moves in OT.

[Roach]

June explained his rationale in his postgame interview. I have no problem with the decision.

Exactly, and it was the right call. Go for two and fail, and then a touchdown and easy extra point beats you. If you get the extra point, the touchdown and extra point ties you or you force the other team to get the two on the road. We all wanted to scream after a loss (that's why I stayed off the site yesterday), but going for one in that case was the right call.

[Rebel10]

Right Roach, we just lost to a better a team. Memphis will not be as talented as SMU.

[newshound]

PAY ATTENTION:

Going for two in the FIRST OT vs. the SECOND OT are TWO COMPLETELY different strategies.

You don't go for two in the first OT because you get the ball LAST in the SECOND.

You don't go for two in the first OT because you've scored first and now the other team needs to score and kick a PAT just to extend the game. And, again, you get the ball last in the second OT.

Flood went for two at Fresno State because they had the ball last -- being on the road had nothing to do with it. The game was already four hours long, with 100-plus points scored and he needed three yards to win the game. Fresno State would have had the ball last -- and at home -- in the SECOND OT if Rutgers kicked the PAT. That's is why they made the EXACT RIGHT PERFECT call. They just didn't get the 2-pointer.

Some of you guys are as dumb as the coaches.

[SMUer]

"Right" call? It was the conservative call, you mean.

[PK]

The real problem is that we should not have had to be in OT. That gift of their second TD with our snap of the ball into the end zone for Rutgers to recover for a touchdown was just terrible. We have such a Jekyll and Hyde team this year it is scary.

[CalallenStang]

I agree with not going for two. Extend the game. The rule change in the 3rd OT affects both teams.

I don't agree with kicking the FG in the 3rd OT. Even if you don't make it, maybe Rutgers plays conservatively and misses a FG, and you get another chance. You have a QB with a hot hand against a bad secondary and you only need 5 yards. Call a slant and pick it up.

[newshound]

Except that Rutgers would have the advantage of having the ball last in the 3rd OT. That advantage is heightened by the forced two-point conversion rule.

I don;t care what any of your all say here, I am shaking my head still at the decision. It's not an AWFUL decision to play for a third OT; it's just not the smart one. It's not the one we paid for. Again, play to win not "not to lose."

[CalallenStang]

Except that Rutgers would have the advantage of having the ball last in the 3rd OT. That advantage is heightened by the forced two-point conversion rule.

I don;t care what any of your all say here, I am shaking my head still at the decision. It's not an AWFUL decision to play for a third OT; it's just not the smart one. It's not the one we paid for. Again, play to win not "not to lose."

I disagree. The 2pt conversion is a disadvantage to the team who goes last as there is more pressure to execute on the 2nd team that goes

[mrydel]

Except that Rutgers would have the advantage of having the ball last in the 3rd OT. That advantage is heightened by the forced two-point conversion rule.

I don;t care what any of your all say here, I am shaking my head still at the decision. It's not an AWFUL decision to play for a third OT; it's just not the smart one. It's not the one we paid for. Again, play to win not "not to lose."

Keep your opinion... Someone always has to be on the wrong side of a subject of there would never be any discussions. But based on your "GO FOR THE WIN" theory then why don't we go for two after every TD. Why do we ever punt? There are smart things to do in football. Jones gets accused enough of doing things wrong. Yesterday both the extra point and the field goal were the correct calls. The defense needed to make a play and they did not. Game over.

[SMU_Alumni11]

This one I agree with JJ decision, however I knew we were going to lose personally once we got the ball after the defense couldn't knock down the pass nor stop the when they were like 20 yards back. I knew our offense wasn't going to handle 3OT so personally I would have gone based on the feeling I had but I think JJ made the "smart" decision.

[PoconoPony]

What is being lost here, if my memory is correct, is that Mason called the perfect blitz that would have forced Rutgers to kick a field goal in the 3d OT; however, Yenga missed a simple head on tackle for a considerable loss thereby allowing the back to score the TD. If we execute this discussion is about the 4th OT and/or the very long field goal that Rutgers missed as a result of the lost yardage. I cannot fault any of the strategy in OT.

[ponyscott]

What is being lost here, if my memory is correct, is that Mason called the perfect blitz that would have forced Rutgers to kick a field goal in the 3d OT; however, Yenga missed a simple head on tackle for a considerable loss thereby allowing the back to score the TD. If we execute this discussion is about the 4th OT and/or the very long field goal that Rutgers missed as a result of the lost yardage. I cannot fault any of the strategy in OT.

Totally agree...wrap up when u have the chance. A bad miss

[mrydel]

Yenga made two or three glaring errors but also made two or three exceptional plays. He is young and will get much better. Looking forward to his future but we need help now. Has Seals just not played up to his ability? He showed even more promise than Yenga last year.

[PoconoPony]

Yenga made two or three glaring errors but also made two or three exceptional plays. He is young and will get much better. Looking forward to his future but we need help now. Has Seals just not played up to his ability? He showed even more promise than Yenga last year.

Agree that Yenga has made considerable progress this year and was even highlighted on ESPN last week with one of the 3 best plays of the week based on his destruction of a TCU back. Unfortunately, he did not make the most important play of the Rutgers game.