Clock Management

[teachercd]

Saw this on another site and thought it was interesting.  OSU fans have said that the clock and overall game management were at best...iffy

 

I've seen some discussion about the play calling (and clock management) at the end of the second half, but I really took exception to the clock management at the end of the first half, which is something Mike Riley has complete control over.

Here's what happened:

2nd & 10 from the 23 yard line with 1:18 left to play in the half. Tanner Lee throws a quick pass to Tyjon Lindsey, which gets stopped immediately for a one yard loss and sets up a 3rd & 11. Mike Riley immediately calls a timeout. Why?

1. The chances of converting a 3rd & 11 are not great. It's certainly within the realm of possibility, but you need to at least consider not getting enough and having to attempt a FG.

2. If you cannot convert the first down, then you want to limit how much time your opponent has to drive the field. Arkansas State had two timeouts remaining as well.

3. If you do convert, you are going to be inside the 13 yard line. That means you realistically only need enough time to run 3-4 more plays. With one timeout still remaining, do you need over a minute?

Given this information, I think you definitely have to let the clock run after Lindsey gets blown up for a loss even if you wanted to take the timeout to regroup. They could have let the clock run under 50 seconds before calling the timeout and had things worked out still had plenty of time to run enough plays to have a legitimate shot at a touchdown. As it turned out, Mike Riley basically did our opponent a favor and preserved the clock for Arkansas State, who needed every last second to get into field goal range themselves.

Perhaps this sounds nitpicky, but NU simply isn't talented (or well coached enough) to give our opponent any freebies. Poor clock management can be the difference in wins and losses, especially this year when NU just doesn't have a lot of advantages to begin with.

[Cdog923]

This is the one thing from Saturday night that has me banging my head against my desk. It's almost as if they didn't learn from Illinois a couple years ago. 

[teachercd]

Just now, Cdog923 said:

This is the one thing from Saturday night that has me banging my head against my desk. It's almost as if they didn't learn from Illinois a couple years ago. 

Or even his other 43 years of coaching...

[ColoradoHusk]

I re-watched the first half yesterday, and this was a prime example of Riley not knowing how to manage the clock.  He just doesn't get it.

[skers83]

He just doesn't get it.  But he is a nice guy. 

[JJ Husker]

If I have one complaint with this staff it is clock management and offensive play calling for clock management. It just boggles the mind that it has been such an issue and you can see it on Riley's face on the sidelines. He gets sort of a dumfounded look when he realizes something is awry and you can almost hear the interior sigh "here we go again". You think they would learn to be proactive about managing it rather than the apparent simply hoping things go normally. No doubt there have been some peculiar circumstances but damn, help yourself out man. 

[Cdog923]

#RunTheDamnBallGuy

[ColoradoHusk]

1 minute ago, Cdog923 said:

#RunTheDamnBallGuy

On 3rd and 4, I don't mind the pass there in an effort to get the first down.

 

The previous series is where I had an issue.  It was 2nd and 5 with 7 minutes left, and Lansdorf called 2 straight pass plays.  Just run the ball twice to get the first down and keep the clock running.

[VectorVictor]

Just now, ColoradoHusk said:

On 3rd and 4, I don't mind the pass there in an effort to get the first down.

 

The previous series is where I had an issue.  It was 2nd and 5 with 7 minutes left, and Lansdorf called 2 straight pass plays.  Just run the ball twice to get the first down and keep the clock running.

 

I wouldn't mind it either if it were an aberration. Problem is, this is Langsdorf's modus operandi, and it also meant that Langsdorf went away from a successful running game to something ASU was scheming against.  Langsdorf gets too cute for his own damn good, and we've had this complaint since game one of Riley's tenure when he botched late short-yardage series vs. BYU.  

 

Having said this, it's going to take a colossal failure on offense for Langsdorf to be shown the door, so I guess just get used to this folks?

[ColoradoHusk]

Just now, VectorVictor said:

 

I wouldn't mind it either if it were an aberration. Problem is, this is Langsdorf's modus operandi, and it also meant that Langsdorf went away from a successful running game to something ASU was scheming against.  Langsdorf gets too cute for his own damn good, and we've had this complaint since game one of Riley's tenure when he botched late short-yardage series vs. BYU.  

 

Having said this, it's going to take a colossal failure on offense for Langsdorf to be shown the door, so I guess just get used to this folks?

Didn't Bobby Knight say something similar to women and rape?

[VectorVictor]

Just now, ColoradoHusk said:

Didn't Bobby Knight say something similar to women and rape?

 

Wow...just wow...

 

 

 

[teachercd]

11 minutes ago, ColoradoHusk said:

Didn't Bobby Knight say something similar to women and rape?

Yes he did.  

 

http://www.nytimes.com/1988/04/27/sports/knight-is-criticized-over-rape-remark.html?mcubz=1

[RedSavage]

 

32 minutes ago, Cdog923 said:

#RunTheDamnBallGuy

Come on guys, obviously Riley was just trying to cover the spread...

Spoiler

 

[Moiraine]

1 hour ago, Cdog923 said:

This is the one thing from Saturday night that has me banging my head against my desk. It's almost as if they didn't learn from Illinois a couple years ago. 

 

 

I think what drives me crazy about it is I could go talk to him or Langs for 7 minutes and let them know not to snap it when the play clock is at 15 seconds.

 

I don't know why this is so complicated. It's a 5 sec convo to have with your QB before he takes the field.

[Enhance]

1 hour ago, ColoradoHusk said:

On 3rd and 4, I don't mind the pass there in an effort to get the first down.

 

The previous series is where I had an issue.  It was 2nd and 5 with 7 minutes left, and Lansdorf called 2 straight pass plays.  Just run the ball twice to get the first down and keep the clock running.

I didn't mind it either, but I was disappointed in how the play unfolded. Whether it was good defense, a bad route, a bad pass or a missed progression, I would think there could be some better pass opportunities on 3rd and 4 to get the first down. Again, there could've been a lot that went into the play and perhaps it just came down to bad execution on Nebraska's end.

 

I don't know if getting into the 'run the ball' argument is reasonable because, as I said, there could've been a lot that went into this play. Running would probably have been viewed as the 'safer' option, but the design of this play might have been very high percentage and there could've been a mistake somewhere along the way. Or, just really good defense.