Clock Management Issue and Late FG's

[ColoradoHusk]

This is the 2nd time in 4 games that this has happened. NU has had opportunities to run the play clock down to zero and call a timeout before attempting a late FG. Instead, both times, Riley/Read chose to let the play clock run down and then snap the ball late in play clock. To me, this really throws off the timing of the FG attempt because the snapper, the linemen, the holder, and the kicker have to wait so long while they let the clock wind down.

 

If you have a timeout available, why not call a timeout and then let the kicking team go at their own pace without worrying about winding down the play clock? I understand some people will say "you are just freezing your kicker", but I would rather have the kicking team have extra time to get out on the field, get settled and be at their own pace.

 

It's little things like these that can be the difference between a win and a loss. It cost NU against BYU, and if So Miss had 30 more seconds, it could have cost NU again today.

 

I swear that coaches need to have a 12 year old kid who plays hours of Madden video games to help them out with clock management issues.

[Count 'Bility]

This is bad. Real bad. No sugar coating this issue. But its also a thing you just see a lot in the sport all over all levels.

[ColoradoHusk]

This is bad. Real bad. No sugar coating this issue. But its also a thing you just see a lot in the sport all over all levels.

But I thought we were supposed to have an experienced coaching staff who knew what to do in these situations. It seems like Riley has no clue.

[In the Deed the Glory]

Mike and Mike (or somebody) were talking about this the other day. Said they didn't understand. You can't take he TO home with you.

[HuskermanMike]

Good argument as teams play 60 minutes with no extra time so I dont get the "if they had 30 more seconds point."

Welet the play clock down better this week than against BYU

We had a TD at the end get called back and we centered the ball when Newby fell down but for some reason the ball was kicked at the right hash even though we centered the ball.

We need to continue to work of field goal kicking.

[zoogs]

I swear that coaches need to have a 12 year old kid who plays hours of Madden video games to help them out with clock management issues.

As someone with extensive Madden video games experience, I agree.

 

Also, as Count says, you see this at every level. Why? We all know to milk the clock down to a few seconds in Madden. Obviously there are reasons why teams don't cut it so close. Have always wondered why.

 

Someone called this "NY Giants level clock control", and surely neither Tom Coughlin nor Eli Manning are novices. Is it that tricky to do all of the time? I guess it must be.

[ColoradoHusk]

Mike and Mike (or somebody) were talking about this the other day. Said they didn't understand. You can't take he TO home with you.

NU almost got burned in the first half when Armstrong hit Westerkamp for a big gain and a first down and they didn't call a timeout. Five seconds burned off the clock before they got the next snap off.

[ColoradoHusk]

 

I swear that coaches need to have a 12 year old kid who plays hours of Madden video games to help them out with clock management issues.

As someone with extensive Madden video games experience, I agree.

 

Also, as Count says, you see this at every level. Why? We all know to milk the clock down to a few seconds in Madden. Obviously there are reasons why teams don't cut it so close. Have always wondered why.

 

Someone called this "NY Giants level clock control", and surely neither Tom Coughlin nor Eli Manning are novices. Is it that tricky to do all of the time? I guess it must be.

 

Joel Klatt (former CU QB and current FOX analyst) tweeted that he sees so many clock management issues at the college level. I tweeted him back to ask if it's coaching or that they just don't have enough time to work on the finer details. He responded "both".

 

But, these types of clock management issues aren't something that should be "worked on", these seem like common sense. If Read is going to be his ST guy, then he should know how to properly do a FG situation near the end of the game.

[Sargon]

Good argument as teams play 60 minutes with no extra time so I dont get the "if they had 30 more seconds point."

Welet the play clock down better this week than against BYU

We had a TD at the end get called back and we centered the ball when Newby fell down but for some reason the ball was kicked at the right hash even though we centered the ball.

We need to continue to work of field goal kicking.

 

Right hash eh? Really? If so that's BS on the refs and BS on NU for being stupid enough to not notice and get that fixed pre snap. Reminds of last year with MSU D making "calls" causing false starts. Stupid players and coaches NOT getting on the refs the FIRST time it happened.

 

BYU game was an easy win in the end if Tommy would have run down the clock correctly the final few drives. Stupid mistakes irritate me much more than physically getting beat. Dunno why they just do.

[zoogs]

Joel Klatt (former CU QB and current FOX analyst) tweeted that he sees so many clock management issues at the college level. I tweeted him back to ask if it's coaching or that they just don't have enough time to work on the finer details. He responded "both".

 

But, these types of clock management issues aren't something that should be "worked on", these seem like common sense. If Read is going to be his ST guy, then he should know how to properly do a FG situation near the end of the game.

Good stuff. I guess that's fair when it comes to college athletes. No matter how experienced the coaching staff, these guys under the lights have a lot to worry about and maybe you focus on just getting the right play off and staying in rhythm. I don't know. No matter how experienced the coaches, they are working with young players and this isn't pro ball.

 

But veteran pro teams do it, too. Why? Maybe the same answer?

 

Hopefully the coaches have the same take. It didn't cost us this time, but maybe it's something they could have tried to clean up more. 20 seconds this way or that, can be a difference maker.

[PaulCrewe]

The choice of not calling the TO before the kick made as much sense as throwing the ball a couple plays earlier against a team with no timeouts to use and the clock working against them in a one possession game

[teachercd]

Why would you not make it simple? If you are hurry up you snap ASAP...if you are milking you always snap under 4 seconds...I mean, why bring anything else into it unless it is a special situation in which the million dollar coach will make the call.

[macroboy]

I didn't notice the field goal thing but on our drive at the end of the game we were still snapping the ball with 12+ seconds left on the play clock. Breaking the huddle way too early.

 

I even remember Riley saying they need to be better at that after the BYU game.

?

[Hip Hip Hooray]

 

This is bad. Real bad. No sugar coating this issue. But its also a thing you just see a lot in the sport all over all levels.

But I thought we were supposed to have an experienced coaching staff who knew what to do in these situations. It seems like Riley has no clue.

 

THIS. "more with less" , "experienced" "proven", etc. I have yet to see it....

[cheekygeek]

The choice of not calling the TO before the kick made as much sense as throwing the ball a couple plays earlier against a team with no timeouts to use and the clock working against them in a one possession game

+1

 

THIS. The IMG radio announcers both said something to the effect of: "OK, now you run the ball and burn clock with SM having no time outs, and kick the FG to put this game out of reach." When the Huskers called a pass play both of the announcers were in sort of a stunned silence. Fortunately they completed the pass, but that was inexplicable to me.

 

I like a LOT of what I'm seeing, as these Husker's (and this program) develops. But clock management by the coaching staff needs work just to come to reach the level of expertise of the average fan in the stands, and that is hard to figure for such an experienced staff. Our lack of LB depth has the potential to be our achilles heel all season. And I don't get the sheer number of penalties Nebraska is racking up, particularly for dumb things like too many men in the backfield.

 

On the plus side, I'm SO impressed by the coaching/system's effect on Tommy Armstrong. Our D-Line is looking very good. We've got an offense that knows it has the potential to come back from big deficits (not exactly a Cornhusker trademark in the past).

 

I think we'll get there and we're going in the right direction, but I'm afraid that this is going to be an agonizing year for most Husker fans.

 

Langsdorf has the potential to become a Norv Turner type of OC and turn this stint into a NFL Head Coaching job in a few years. I'm not so sure about how the defensive side is going to fare. Too soon to tell. If we fill some holes with quality with the next recruiting class I think we should be a team to be reckoned with week-in and week-out.